Buying a slow cooker (which? & why?)

bellaquidsin

Churchmouse, thanks for the reply. I did brown my chicken before I put it in the slow cooker and I always brown mince before adding it to the pot. I think my timings are a little too long but I need to cook on high. I am adjusting from my previous cooker which was not so powerful but had an auto setting which meant everything cooked on high for the first two hours and then automatically turned to low. I still have and love that little cooker (it's a Swan) but it is only small and will not take a whole chicken or a decent sized joint (I'm keen to try brisket) and there are times when I could use two sc's and have the meat in one and a vegetable 'hot pot' in the other. Might sound a bit greedy but I have in the past run two sc's together and I know what a boon they can be. Unfortuately they both bit the dust, well I think I just wore them out.

I think it will work OK when I get used to it. I did not have a puddle under it today. Thanks for your help.

Bella

TheDoolallyDilly

Bella, I just had a look at the recipe book that came with my slow cooker (which is a Prima one - no, I've never heard of them either ).

It says to cook a whole chicken on high for 5 hours.

Hope this helps.

TDD x

bellaquidsin

Doolally Dilly, Thanks for that. It is certainly more in keeping with what I did year's back in my original sc. I think I have read somewhere too that chicken and large-ish joints should always be cooked on high, so I think I should have stuck to that, but quite a lot of peeps on here seem to cook overnight and I was working towards trying that. Think I'll stick to my old ways, after all they say they are the best.

Bella

Primrose

Have ploughed through most of these threads (missed a few) but don't seem to have come across any specific comments about the fuel economy savings of using a slow cooker. (I've just been given one but not used it yet). As I usually cook my caseroles in an electric oven for 2 - 3 hours (often with nothing else cooking in it at the same time), I'm wondering exactly what the fuel saving of a SC is likely to be, i.e. How much would be fuel cost in my electric oven be, versus the same cost for a SC? Any fuel experts out there?

bellaquidsin

Primrose, I have heard say that they cost the same to run as a light bulb. Don't know if that is an absolute fact, but someone here will.
Whatever I'm sure they are much more economical that heating up the whole oven.:D

Bella.

trying-very-trying

Primrose, if you turn the sc upside down, it should have the power stated. Mine is 135w. HTH

Jasminda

Hey there, Happy 2008 everyone!!

I'm thinking of investing in a slow cooker in the January sales... but the smallest ones I've seen are 3.5ltr. At the most I'd only be cooking for 3 small eaters, and planned sometimes just to use it for myself; would this be too big? I've seen a smaller one on ebay but it is very much smaller -1.5ltr (and to be honest I'm not quite sure about buying something off ebay that I'm going to leave plugged in unattended -any thoughts??)

Trow

I would say you are probably better off with one a bit bigger than you need, so you can do more if, say, you have guests, or want some to freeze for quick meals another time, or leftovers for lunch the following day?

1.5l would be a silly size to get, imo. You can put in less in the 3.5l one, but you can't put more in the 1.5l!

They tend to be a standard-ish size, so I don't think you'd get anything in between sizes anwyay.

CRANKY40

I have a 3.5l one. I'm quite happy with it as it usually makes a meal to eat and a meal to freeze for two of us. DH works away, so when he's not here I will probably eat one meal, put one meal in the fridge and still freeze two.

It's safe. Do you not leave your fridge and freezer switched on all day - they both have heated parts in order to generate the cold air....

I also have a smaller 1.5l cooker by the way. I use it for soup usually. If I'm going to the effort of preparing stuff to put in it, I reckon I may as well have the advantage of two home made "ready meals" in the freezer.

wornoutmumoftwo

I'd go for a 3.5ltr, there are 2 adults and 2 young children in our house and I think it's just right, if I make too much I can freeze it.

I've only just bought mine and it's the best buy this/last year.

I saw an ad in the paper for one in Argos for just under £9 and it'll be the best thing you can spend your money on.