I'm shopping for a slow cooker/roaster
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (23)
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7 thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TXRelated Discussions
Crock pots, slow cookers, that sort of thing.
Comments (6)I've been very unhappy with a new Rival crockpot--as you will see if you read up on the newer pots, they cook at much higher temperatures, which I've tested and found true. The new crockpot reaches boiling point in about 2 hours or so on high and maybe an hour or so later on low, and keeps the food at a full boil for the remainder of the time. I mean, you can just see it roiling! All of my usual recipes were ruined. That's completely against what I need for starting something before work and serving usually 10 hrs later. It does have the downshift to "warm," but again, that is only after pretty long fixed times on high or low. So it might work if you abandon the low setting and use High which allows a shorter time before shifting to Warm. I also considered an elaborate scheme of delayed start, maybe an hour or so, with one of those timers hooked into the plug, but it was too hard to calculate the potential issues with bacterial growth and kill temps. You can tell there's a change in the cooking temps, because all the recipes with the new pots say something like, cook 3-4 hrs on high or 4-6 hrs on low, or some such. You won't find any going 8-10 hrs. How does that fit into the typical dinner-after-work, I ask you. When I got the new pot, I put my old one in the church rummage sale--big mistake! I've since bought another old model at a flea market; however, so far it seems to cook a little "cooler" than my own old pot ( I know, I sound like the Three Bears) , and when I tested with thermometer, I'm not sure it gets hot enough on low for food safety. But I think it will work on high and stay below the boiling point. I've tried to read a lot of reviews of various brands and see if there is one that cooks differently to make another purchase, but there is almost no info readily available about the time to temp, or whatever. This might be available from a manufacturer's website or customer service rep. Still hoping someday my old Crockpot and I will be reunited.......See MoreIf you could only have one: Slow cooker / rice cooker
Comments (26)LindaC, it's all in what you're comfortable with. Remember, I'm the person who has had a couple of house fires and so I don't ever light a fire in the fireplace and I refuse to burn candles. It's my own particular phobia... I do have an old Presto pressure cooker which I don't use a lot but I really like it for certain thins. Elery uses it to make beans, I'd prefer to just dump mine in the crockpot in the morning. I do use it to make chop suey for Ashley, even slightly tough round comes out fork tender. I don't like taditional chili in the crockpot, the ground beef "overcooks". I am a huge consumer of vegetables, though, and sometimes make a vegetarian chili that's delicious. Plus, like Chase, it gets used as a "warming" device for office potlucks, to keep soup warm and even to make oatmeal because I'm not a morning person and would never make oatmeal before I go to work, and I detest the instant stuff. Annie...See MoreWedding gift question concerning slow cookers
Comments (15)I also have the Nesco 6 quart and love it, the dial actually has a setting that says "slow cook" on mine. I set the temperature and let it cook all day, just as I would a crockpot. I use it in place of the crockpot, I use it in place of the oven and I use it in place of the electric skillet sometimes. I can plug it in and roast a chicken without heating the whole house, or I can bake brownies in it, and I can plug it in outside on the back porch. I really like mine, and I put the lid in the dishwasher, but not the nonstick insert. Mine actually takes up less space than the Corningware crockpot I have and is far more versatile. That said, neither of my girls have one, because they both have crockpots and don't have the space for another large appliance that they would only use occasionally, they don't cook like I do. Yet. So, if you know the bridge well enough, I'd call and ask. If not, I would buy the Nesco and add a nice note saying why you chose that in lieu of the slow cooker. And keep the receipt handy, just in case she really DOESN'T want it, she can always take it back and get the slow cooker, although I can't imagine that she would. Annie...See MoreIn the market for a new slow cooker (Crock Pot)
Comments (32)Pfmastin, below is the link to Amazon's page for Nesco's. Which one did you buy? I have a question. My old crockpot has the "circular" elements in it and it never browned chicken. How does the roaster brown meat when the condensation drips down on it from the lid? Although most of the reviews are good, many say it's too hot on the outside & you can burn yourself. How does that help keep the kitchen cooler? I'd love to bake a chicken in there and have it crisp up! And is the 6 qt. big enough for a large chicken?...See Morerhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years agoravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7 thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TXkatlan
8 years agorhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoElmer J Fudd
8 years agoravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years ago
Related Stories
DECORATING GUIDESBudget Decorating: How to Decorate Smart and Slow
To make the most of your decorating dollar, forgo the disposable stuff, think vintage and free first and give yourself a splurge
Full StoryHOLIDAYS8 Ways to Really Slow Down and Savor the Holidays
Running amok to fit in holiday tasks can leave you frazzled and unfulfilled. Here's how to focus on what you enjoy most
Full StoryLIFESlow Living 101: Tips for Turning Off the Chaos
It may feel as though you're too busy to slow down and enjoy life. But even little changes can have a big effect
Full StoryWINTER GARDENING6 Reasons I’m Not Looking Forward to Spring
Not kicking up your heels anticipating rushes of spring color and garden catalogs? You’re not alone
Full StorySHOP HOUZZShop Houzz: Take the 1970s Redux From Runway to Room
Let the retro glam looks from the latest fashion shows inspire your home decor
Full StoryFUN HOUZZEverything I Need to Know About Decorating I Learned from Downton Abbey
Mind your manors with these 10 decorating tips from the PBS series, returning on January 5
Full StoryCONTRACTOR TIPSContractor Tips: How to Shop for Your Remodel
Small mistakes in buying remodeling materials can add up to huge cost overruns. Here's how to get things right the first time
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGNHere's Help for Your Next Appliance Shopping Trip
It may be time to think about your appliances in a new way. These guides can help you set up your kitchen for how you like to cook
Full StorySHOP HOUZZShop Houzz: Good Neighbor Day
Set the tone for your neighborhood with a tidy porch, yard and entry
Full StoryORGANIZINGYour Total Home Organizing and Decluttering Guide
Take it slow or be a speed demon — this room-by-room approach to organizing and storage will get your home in shape no matter how you roll
Full Story
ravencajun Zone 8b TX