Slow Cooker Brand advice

Bigbro · ‎11-16-2014

I have never cooked in a slow cooker. I would like advice on a brand to buy. Thanks !

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

I just took two to Goodwill that I never use - they just took up space in the cupboard!

azgal · ‎03-09-2010

My advice would be to just get a simple slow cooker. High, low and warm settings. I have a Rival.

I previously had an digital one that only lasted about a year and stopped working so I went back to simple.

“We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.” Abraham Lincoln

Tigriss · ‎03-12-2010

Ask yourself about size. If you are only cooking for 2 or so, a 4 to 5 quart will do, but you can't get a whole chicken in a 4 quart. Size does matter. If you are cooking for many, then there are 7 and 8 quart ones. An 8 quart one is new to WalMart for around 30 bucks with simple manual settings. My sister picked one up that has a locking lid, sincer her husband broke the lid on theirs Thanksgiving Day last year, so I brought my old one over for her to use. I've had mine since college. It came with a insulated bag to keep it warm while traveling, plus it keeps the lid secure without dropping it while storage. There are some that have a multi crock set where you have 3 different sizes of crocks, so that would be very versatile. Newer crocks run hotter than older ones, so foods get done quicker and can run out of liquid. Share your needs with us, and we can help.

aubnwa01 · ‎03-09-2010

I found the last couple of Rival Crockpots I had got too hot & scorched things, even on the low setting. I now have a Hamilton Beach oval 6 qt. & I like it a lot.

milkbone · ‎10-22-2015

I just bought two from the Salvation Army. 5 dollars each.

One had a recall !

When loaded the handles would come off !

I am happy with my 5 dollars I spent !

I cook beans, chicken, a roast.

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." MLK

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

I have wound up giving away a series of larger-sized slow cookers over the years, as they did not cook as well as my enameled cast iron pots can do in the oven over several hours at low temps. I especially hated the ones I've used since the 1970s that had dark-colored or black inserts. Eventually, they all developed a white film of some sort or looked worn on the surface, to the point that I did not want to cook food in them.

However, I do miss the little 4-quart white Emerson slow cooker with white insert that I had to discard because it finally developed a crack under the porcelain (or whatever the top layer of ceramic was), so I didn't trust it anymore.

I've looked and looked, and can't find a deep but smaller-sized slow cooker with a white porcelain//ceramic insert, unless it is a low-profile casserole size.

By the way, if you want to see a large variety of slow cookers, go to the original Crock-Pot website and see all that they have for sale.

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@novamc1 wrote:
I have wound up giving away a series of larger-sized slow cookers over the years, as they did not cook as well as my enameled cast iron pots can do in the oven over several hours at low temps. I especially hated the ones I've used since the 1970s that had dark-colored or black inserts. Eventually, they all developed a white film of some sort or looked worn on the surface, to the point that I did not want to cook food in them.

However, I do miss the little 4-quart white Emerson slow cooker with white insert that I had to discard because it finally developed a crack under the porcelain (or whatever the top layer of ceramic was), so I didn't trust it anymore.

I've looked and looked, and can't find a deep but smaller-sized slow cooker with a white porcelain//ceramic insert, unless it is a low-profile casserole size.

By the way, if you want to see a large variety of slow cookers, go to the original Crock-Pot website and see all that they have for sale.

@novamc1 is this along the lines of what you are looking for?:

http://amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-33042-4-Quart-Slow-Cooker/dp/B005KKWT04/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=14513...

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

@momtochloe

Yep, that is EXACTLY what I've been looking for and couldn't find even a few weeks ago. Thanks for pointing it out.

I'll look at it again when I get back in town after a January trip. Thanks so much. I became almost certain no white ones were available anymore, and the 4-quart size is great for me..........good for cooking small pork roasts for pulled pork barbecue and for keeping mashed potatoes and other dishes warm for dinner guests.

momtochloe · ‎11-03-2013

@novamc1 wrote:
@momtochloe

Yep, that is EXACTLY what I've been looking for and couldn't find even a few weeks ago. Thanks for pointing it out.

I'll look at it again when I get back in town after a January trip. Thanks so much. I became almost certain no white ones were available anymore, and the 4-quart size is great for me..........good for cooking small pork roasts for pulled pork barbecue and for keeping mashed potatoes and other dishes warm for dinner guests.

Oh that's great to hear @novamc1! The reason why I was pretty sure Amazon had them is because I bought a small, oval, white crock pot about a month ago from Amazon and I thought I remember a 4 quart coming back in the results.

No wonder they signed up over 3 million new Prime customers over the holidays, they have everything!