crockpot/slow cooker suggestions

watcher · #1 05/12/15, 09:49 AM

Ok it looks like I'm going to be needing a new crockpot. If you were looking to buy another crockpot which one would you pick and why?

I believe in the KISS principle so the 'high tech' pots with the timers and ability to change heats make me a little leery. The more things to break usually means the more likely something will break. If you have one how is it holding up? How much do you use it?

NEfarmgirl · #2 05/12/15, 09:58 AM

I honestly don't like the newer ones because they get so hot and boil everything. I bought one a few years ago that has 3 different sized crocks that sit in the base and you can set it for each size crock, and 3 different temperatures. It was faily inexpensive and does not have bells and whistles. I can set it on warm if the food is done before a meal and not worry about it. It was one that Hamilton Beach made.

My hubby wanted to get me a fancy programmable one, but I didn't see the point. Everything is made to fail shortly after it goes out of warranty so why spend the money?

arabian knight · #3 05/12/15, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by watcher

Ok it looks like I'm going to be needing a new crockpot. If you were looking to buy another crockpot which one would you pick and why?

I believe in the KISS principle so the 'high tech' pots with the timers and ability to change heats make me a little leery. The more things to break usually means the more likely something will break. If you have one how is it holding up? How much do you use it?

I sure like my Proctor Silex, simple 3 settings. Warm, Low, High.
Pot comes out for easy cleaning and not very expensive either, simple not programable either to worry about not lasting.

hippygirl · #4 05/12/15, 10:30 AM

I have three ranging in age from 25+ years to 11+ years...the oldest has only low/med/high, but the other two have an additional setting of "warm"...I've never needed any other setting on a slow cooker.

I canned 7 qts of pintos yesterday and had beans left over, so into the oldest crock they went with a chunk of smoked jowl and an onion (it's the smallest I have...I think it holds maybe three or four quarts?)...supper tonight is beans, cornbread, taters-n-onions, and sliced tomatoes.

Nummy!

Declan · #5 05/12/15, 10:45 AM

I would go with a 3 range whatever is the cheapest. I currently have a 2 range one. It just has high and low. The problem is that the low is more a medium and things will still boil on the low setting (i.e. it will cook onto the sides of the crock to where you need a hammer and chisel to get it off if you are not careful.) I normally do not mind since I cook on high, but if I want to use the crockpot to reheat something and do it more slowly or to hold food, then it doesn't work well for that.

**Cabin Fever** · #6 05/12/15, 12:04 PM

There has been a fair amount of discussion in the past about the lead content in the crocks made in China. I'm not sure if this is a big issue or not. So, to be on the safe side, you might want to look for a used one that was made in the USA.

**Cabin Fever** · #7 05/12/15, 12:42 PM

http://blog.grasslandbeef.com/bid/89...ur-Slow-Cooker

BlackFeather · #8 05/12/15, 06:59 PM

I got one with a rubber gasket around the lid and snaps to close it down. Great if you travel with it. It has two steam holes in the lid, I plan some day when I'm bored to close one up and drill out the other so I can put a 1/4 inch copper pipe fitting in it. It would make a nice still.

KatieVT · #9 05/13/15, 09:33 AM

I was in the market for a new crockpot last year. I wanted one with a locking lid for traveling. My husband wanted one with a timer, which I was leery about due to delicate electrical parts. BUT - we are gone almost 12 hours including our commute. That is just too long for most crockpot meals!

I managed to find a big crockpot (6 quarts?), Crock-pot name brand, with a timer & a locking lid on Amazon for $50. I figured that was a pretty decent price, even if I only get 3 years out of it. The timer is SO nice - once it goes off, the crockpot switches to warm. Now our chicken isn't a mushy mess!

calliemoonbeam · #10 05/13/15, 03:00 PM

When I wanted a "new" (additional) crockpot last year, I went to eBay and bought one made in the 80s. I won't ever use a newer crockpot again, they're way too hot and burn everything.

I have numerous crockpots and use them constantly and have for 40 years. For several years I tried numerous different brands and models of new ones, trying to find just ONE that would work right, but since the government mandated that they raise the cooking temps they all cook way too fast, totally negating the purpose of a crockpot.

It's funny, the last new crockpot I tried was the Hamilton Beach with the three crocks like NEfarmgirl says works great for her...it burned everything I tried to cook in less than two hours on low! I mean burned so badly that none of it could be salvaged and had to be thrown out, argh.

As CF said, there's been much discussion on here and tons on the internet about this issue. Someone here described how you could buy a temp/timer unit and connect it to your crockpot and use it at any temperature you want. I might go that route when/if the day comes that I can't buy a used one on eBay, but I still have a couple I've been using since the 70s, and they're still going strong.

mvick · #11 05/13/15, 04:25 PM

My slow cooker also quit on me, then my pressure cooker ( small, not a canner) quit. I bought an Instant Pot on line. Love it. It is a slow cooker, pressure cooker all in one. Programable and then sets itself on warm. Very quite.
Works for me.

Belfrybat · #12 05/13/15, 05:31 PM

I too have the instant Pot and love it. But it definitely has all the bells whistles. For just a regular no-frills crockpot, I'm still a fan of the Crockpot brand. My "new" one is 12 years old and still like new. As others have said any made after he mid-90s will cook much hotter, so for that reason get one with a warm setting when you really need to use it as a slow cooker.

hippygirl · #13 05/13/15, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calliemoonbeam

When I wanted a "new" (additional) crockpot last year, I went to eBay and bought one made in the 80s. I won't ever use a newer crockpot again, they're way too hot and burn everything.

I have numerous crockpots and use them constantly and have for 40 years. For several years I tried numerous different brands and models of new ones, trying to find just ONE that would work right, but since the government mandated that they raise the cooking temps they all cook way too fast, totally negating the purpose of a crockpot.

It's funny, the last new crockpot I tried was the Hamilton Beach with the three crocks like NEfarmgirl says works great for her...it burned everything I tried to cook in less than two hours on low! I mean burned so badly that none of it could be salvaged and had to be thrown out, argh.

As CF said, there's been much discussion on here and tons on the internet about this issue. Someone here described how you could buy a temp/timer unit and connect it to your crockpot and use it at any temperature you want. I might go that route when/if the day comes that I can't buy a used one on eBay, but I still have a couple I've been using since the 70s, and they're still going strong.

Huh? What? When did THAT happen???

Wait...let me guess...the safety nazis decided everyone would surely DIE if they ate one more bite of anything made in a crock pot.

Sigh...I am SO SICK of the govt telling me I can't do this and I must do that!

Declan · #14 05/13/15, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hippygirl

Huh? What? When did THAT happen???

Wait...let me guess...the safety nazis decided everyone would surely DIE if they ate one more bite of anything made in a crock pot.

Sigh...I am SO SICK of the govt telling me I can't do this and I must do that!

It is to make sure that food does not stay in the danger zone too long for bacteria growth.

hippygirl · #15 05/13/15, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Declan

It is to make sure that food does not stay in the danger zone too long for bacteria growth.

Like I thought...the safety nazis at work.

Declan · #16 05/13/15, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hippygirl

Like I thought...the safety nazis at work.

There are apparently ways to circumvent the situation with other devices but I have never tried it and have no interest in doing it. I just do not like that if I set mine on low at midnight, it is boiling like mad before I get up at 6 instead of simmering. I can no longer cook overnight without buying some high dollar one with timers and such.

Harry Chickpea · #17 05/13/15, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calliemoonbeam

When I wanted a "new" (additional) crockpot last year, I went to eBay and bought one made in the 80s. I won't ever use a newer crockpot again, they're way too hot and burn everything.

I have numerous crockpots and use them constantly and have for 40 years. For several years I tried numerous different brands and models of new ones, trying to find just ONE that would work right, but since the government mandated that they raise the cooking temps they all cook way too fast, totally negating the purpose of a crockpot.

It's funny, the last new crockpot I tried was the Hamilton Beach with the three crocks like NEfarmgirl says works great for her...it burned everything I tried to cook in less than two hours on low! I mean burned so badly that none of it could be salvaged and had to be thrown out, argh.

As CF said, there's been much discussion on here and tons on the internet about this issue. Someone here described how you could buy a temp/timer unit and connect it to your crockpot and use it at any temperature you want. I might go that route when/if the day comes that I can't buy a used one on eBay, but I still have a couple I've been using since the 70s, and they're still going strong.

Bingo! We have a winner.

I've had a couple of crockpots and hated them both. The solution for me is a good pot (use an enameled one if you are concerned about nickel leaching or anti-stick coating chemicals) Put it on an electric hotplate that has a nice continuous heat setting. Plug that into a wall timer. USE A COOKING THERMOMETER. Verify that the food is 160 degrees or more after an hour and calibrate the dial on the hot plate.

Pots clean up much more easily.

calliemoonbeam · #18 05/13/15, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hippygirl

Huh? What? When did THAT happen???

Wait...let me guess...the safety nazis decided everyone would surely DIE if they ate one more bite of anything made in a crock pot.

Sigh...I am SO SICK of the govt telling me I can't do this and I must do that!

I don't remember for sure, but like Belfrybat said, I think it was somewhere between the mid 90s and around 2000. You can Google it and find tons of discussion about it. Just more intrusion by the nanny state.

Unfortunately, many Americans have proven they actually need this level of supervision to keep from harming themselves. :sigh: Like when they recalled all the frozen pot pies and made them do extensive testing and new labeling because some idiots were only cooking them halfway and getting food poisoning, then trying to sue the manufacturers for it. It just makes it harder on those of us who actually do use a brain cell now and then, lol.

I also have a couple of "slow cookers" made by Oster that actually have a temp control in the plug part, and you can pick any temp from 150 up to 400. You can also boil or fry in them or even bake bread or cake. I really love those, but they're hard to come by and expensive on eBay. No new crockpots for me!

NEfarmgirl · #19 05/14/15, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calliemoonbeam

It's funny, the last new crockpot I tried was the Hamilton Beach with the three crocks like NEfarmgirl says works great for her...it burned everything I tried to cook in less than two hours on low! I mean burned so badly that none of it could be salvaged and had to be thrown out, argh

Maybe I got a faulty one? All of the other ones I have had usually boil everything to death within a few hours and this one hasn't yet.

hippygirl · #20 05/14/15, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calliemoonbeam

I don't remember for sure, but like Belfrybat said, I think it was somewhere between the mid 90s and around 2000. You can Google it and find tons of discussion about it. Just more intrusion by the nanny state.

Unfortunately, many Americans have proven they actually need this level of supervision to keep from harming themselves. :sigh: Like when they recalled all the frozen pot pies and made them do extensive testing and new labeling because some idiots were only cooking them halfway and getting food poisoning, then trying to sue the manufacturers for it. It just makes it harder on those of us who actually do use a brain cell now and then, lol.

I also have a couple of "slow cookers" made by Oster that actually have a temp control in the plug part, and you can pick any temp from 150 up to 400. You can also boil or fry in them or even bake bread or cake. I really love those, but they're hard to come by and expensive on eBay. No new crockpots for me!

My newest one was purchased in 2003 and it cooks like a crock pot should...maybe I got lucky and got one that was mfg before the changes?

As for these idiots that cannot follow simple instructions (and who would even WANT to eat a partially-cooked pot pie???), if the courts would put the kibosh on a lot of these frivolous lawsuits (not saying they're ALL frivolous, but suing a restaurant when YOU spill the HOT coffee you ORDERED? Come on!), perhaps we might still have some choices in this country.