Which Slow Cooker

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Soldato
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Can anyone recommend me a slow cooker.

Specifically

Which brand is best?

What size should I go for 3.5/6.5L. Can you cook smaller amount in a large unit?

I would like my slow cooker to cook... well slow. I've heard some of them can be a little hot if left for long periods.

Ta
 
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Just use the oven, I had a slow cooker and it never gets used(in fact i mit of even chucked it out) I have a nice terracotta dish. Which I throw in the oven and leave on all day.
 
Glaucus said:
Just use the oven, I had a slow cooker and it never gets used(in fact i mit of even chucked it out) I have a nice terracotta dish. Which I throw in the oven and leave on all day.
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Running an oven all day is expensive.
 
Love our slow cooker, perfect cheap cuts of meat, soups, stews etc.

We have the 'Morphy Richards 48715A Oval Slow Cooker 6.5 Litre' from the forest.

3kg pork shoulder for 10 hours on low and it just falls apart!
 
John Lewis's own one. 2 year warranty.

This one...

http://slow-cooker.org.uk/john-lewis-psc350jlu-slow-cooker/

There are huge advantages over most ovens. Running costs I imagine are far less. Mines digital so if It takes 6 hours to cook something and I'm at work for 12 hours I can set a delay timer or let it cook for 6 hours then it will switch to just a keep warm heat.

3.5l is more than enough for a family of 4 and normally leftovers to freeze.
 
I can't see running costs being much different, They're both variable temperature. Each to their own.
Most ovens have timers anyway, but not my current one, horrible landlords giving me a £10 gas one.
 
boxman2000 said:
3kg pork shoulder for 10 hours on low and it just falls apart!
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How exactly are you doing it, I've never tried it yet. I have been doing meats but in liquid normally. :)

My reason for getting slow cooker in the first place is my son will not eat meat, except ham or gammon. Chicken, pork chops etc he will not chew it.

He will eat all fish especially, mackerel, sardines, tuna, salmon and trout but I don't like to give him too many portions per week. A slow cooker lets me sneak in protein that he will happily chew. :D
 
dannyjo22 said:
How exactly are you doing it, I've never tried it yet. I have been doing meats but in liquid normally. :)

My reason for getting slow cooker in the first place is my son will not eat meat, except ham or gammon. Chicken, pork chops etc he will not chew it.
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You don't need to with pork shoulder as there is plenty of liquid in it. Infact I dry it with paper towels then put on a dry rub and put it in fridge for 12-24 hours. Then take it out for an hour and bung it on low for 10 hours and by the end there's 1/2 litre of liquid in there with a joint that is perfect.

I actually did a 3kg shoulder in the oven at the weekend (as I didn't want to get up at 3am to have it ready for 1pm following day) and total time of 4 hours, only difference is the crackling but you could probably cook joint for 1/2 hour at 220oC and move on to slow cooker.

My preference is the convenience so slow cooker is my preference in this scenario.
 
Rice cooker. Something that will cook rice well and other things and will switch to warm mode when its done meaning you can keep it warm to eat for most of the day. Basically a better thing than a slow cooker.
 
I can't remember the make at the moment (can check when home) but we have a 3.5 litre and it does about 4 meals worth of food i would say.
 
boxman2000 said:
You don't need to with pork shoulder as there is plenty of liquid in it. Infact I dry it with paper towels then put on a dry rub and put it in fridge for 12-24 hours. Then take it out for an hour and bung it on low for 10 hours and by the end there's 1/2 litre of liquid in there with a joint that is perfect..
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Thanks I will give that a try this weekend :)

SkeeterUK said:
Rice cooker. Something that will cook rice well and other things and will switch to warm mode when its done meaning you can keep it warm to eat for most of the day. Basically a better thing than a slow cooker.
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A slow cooker does that as well.
 
I have 2.4L crockpot (just me at uni) and when I fill the pot up, it gives 3 good sized portions. I find that on high, it gets too hot for a slow cooker, and occasionally burns just a little bit on the bottom. But it's very handy if I wake up late or something and want to eat in 4 hours or so.

Depending on how much you eat and whether you want to cook with leftovers for another day. But this is what I think.
1.5L is good for 1 person.
2.4L is good for 1-2 people.
3.5L is good for 2-4 people.
6.5L is good for 4-8 people.

Searing the meat before you put it in the slow cooker will help with the flavour.
 
dannyjo22 said:
Thanks I will give that a try this weekend :)



A slow cooker does that as well.
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Slow cooker does it slow tho. Ricer cooker can do it proper speed and then just keep it warm for when ur out and stuff. Slow cookers well they dont cook in 20 mins its more like hours. Hence the suggestion. So you can have it cooked quick if you wanted it or cook it quick earlier than you want to eat it then leave it in warm mode when u fancy it. But if in a rush then slow cooker aint the best is the point.
 
I just bought a £15 one from Asda and it's ideal for chilli, curry, stew, chicken breast in sauce etc and great when you can just make it up and leave it, or even go out, which I wouldn't be comfortable with using the oven.

http://direct.asda.com/ASDA-Slow-Co..._source=google-shopping-direct&utm_medium=cse - this one.

Does me a meal, plus 3 for the freezer, and most meals are perfect on low (timer) for about 6 hrs.

Any will do, though time will tell if it lasts.

I wouldn't hesitate in replacing it, though I anticipate it'll be used less with summer coming.
 
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