Slow Cooker

The Lovely Muffin

Hi,

I am looking to get a slow cooker. I will mostly be cooking for one, but the odd time two or three people.

I don't want anything fancy or too expensive, I was looking to spend around €30 or €40, but could stretch the budget if I found something I liked and thought it was worth the extra few bob.

I don't know anything about slow cookers so am looking for help with what one to go for etc.

Would appreciate any help at all.

Thanks.

all_smilz

i got mine for 22 quid in debenhams last year.... you can get em in tesco and argos for much less the same i believe.... they arent particularly gadgety I reckon they are all the same..... good luck with it. They rock.

phormium

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/4207490/Trail/searchtext%3ESLOW+COOKER.htm

Best value ever, cant go wrong at that price, bought one a few weeks ago, plenty big enough for 2 people, have made stew for 6 in it. They are very basic machines so don't think it is worth spending too much extra for fancy looking one.

shinikins

+1 on Phormium's suggestion. I bought the same a few months back and its great, have been using it at least once a week since the day I got it. In fact I'm going to be putting it to use tonight to make chilli for tomorrows dinner. There's only the two of us, and it holds more than enough. Even with his moster appetite I will still have leftovers. My father insisted on buying a genuine Crockpot at about €70, claiming it was the original and best, but my little slow cooker is just as good!

The Lovely Muffin

Thanks a million guys, appreciate the help.

I was looking at getting one of these (was hoping to order today).

Any opinions on them?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russell-Hobbs-18144-Cooker-Black/dp/B00426DNI4/ref=sr_1_28?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1315558764&sr=1-28

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Signature-3-5ltr-Slow-Cooker/dp/B001AGVKXO/ref=sr_1_31?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1315558764&sr=1-31

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breville-VTP105-Black-Slow-Cooker/dp/B003WE9CGO/ref=sr_1_41?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1315558764&sr=1-41

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Swan-1-5-Round-Slow-Cooker/dp/B002NV7DS6/ref=sr_1_38?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1315558764&sr=1-38

Dinkie

Got a version of the breville one in tesco for E15 a few weeks ago.

Find it great! Very easy to clean, and have already managed to cook a good few fab meals in it.

all_smilz

OOH Just to say the bottom of the non electrical part of the slow cooker ( i.e. the inner container) cannot be immersed or soaked in water as it is unglazed and if it absorbs water it is liable to crack in the heat when being used....

It was something i recently had to warn my sister in law about cos she wud put everything in the dishwasher and to be fair unless u read the manual carefully it wouldnt occur to everyone.

ncmc

I'm new to the concept of the slow cooker, but it sounds really interesting, I like the idea of throwing stuff into a cooker in the morning and coming home to a cooked dinner! A few questions...
- Do you really leave your food cooking all day ie 8-10 hours?
- Is it very hard on electricity?
- What about spuds? If you're doing a stew, can you add spuds in the morning, or would you be best to do these seperately?

Dizzyblonde

ncmc wrote: »

- Do you really leave your food cooking all day ie 8-10 hours?
- Is it very hard on electricity?
- What about spuds? If you're doing a stew, can you add spuds in the morning, or would you be best to do these seperately?

Yes you do leave it on for 8-10 hours, and for things like pulled pork you'd leave it even longer.
It's actually very easy on electricity.
Potatoes take a lot longer to cook than meat, so you have to either cut them into slices and put them on the bottom or else cook them separately.

It's important to remember to use only about half the usual amount of liquid when you're cooking in the slow cooker.

watna

I have one and it's really handy. I was worried at first about leaving it on overnight and things but it's been fine. It's not hard on electricity at all, in my experience.

I made goulash in it last week. Both myself and my OH commented that while it was nice, it also tasted just like everything else I've made in the slow cooker (which I mainly use for stews). Everything I do in it just tastes a bit samey, if you know what I mean. It has a "slow cooker" taste off it.

I bought a book of recipes and you can do so much in them, so I could branch out a bit. Best thing I made was this sausage and apple stew thing.

Kat1170

I would say don't get a really small one just because you are cooking for one. Any leftovers can be frozen and used at a later date.

Dizzyblonde

watna wrote: »

I made goulash in it last week. Both myself and my OH commented that while it was nice, it also tasted just like everything else I've made in the slow cooker (which I mainly use for stews). Everything I do in it just tastes a bit samey, if you know what I mean. It has a "slow cooker" taste off it.

I know exactly what you mean about the 'samey' taste. These days I tend to use mine mainly for joints of meat - pulled pork, ham etc.

The Lovely Muffin

Cheers guys.

I picked up one in Tesco recently, think it was this one (but in silver) http://direct.tesco.com/q/R.212-4908.aspx got it for around €26.

Can't wait to start using it.