What is the best Slow Cooker to buy?

I am looking for one too!! I want one that is programmable, have only found one so far, the others all only have the three settings as you were saying. And the one with the programmable setting has a ceramic bowl...do you know why they say the stainless steel ones are better?

I can't remember the name of the one that I am thinking of buying (today!!), but it costs $85 so I don't think it is a cheap and nasty brand, and it is at David Jones, I don't think they sell cheap and nasty. hee hee. I liked this one because it is programmable, 6.5litre capacity and the bowl is dishwasher safe....a must!!

Good luck in your search, hope you find one you are happy with. I am about to go and get mine, and will probably use it over trhe next few days. Will let you know if it is any good or if there is something about it I don't like (hopefully there wont be).

My next search is for some good recipes!!

I'm another one looking to invest in a slow cooker. However while doing my research I found this: (explains why stainless steel is better then ceramic)

Disadvantages

Vitamins and other trace nutrients are lost, particularly from vegetables, partially by enzyme action during cooking. When vegetables are cooked at higher temperatures these enzymes are rapidly denatured and have less time in which to act during cooking. Since slow cookers work at temperatures well below boiling point and do not rapidly denature enzymes, vegetables tend to lose trace nutrients. Blanched vegetables, having been exposed to very hot water, have already had these enzyme rendered largely ineffective, so a blanching or sauteing pre-cook stage will leave more vitamins intact. Green colors are retained better when vegetables are cooked quickly as plant cells are less likely to lose acids.

Kidney beans, and some other beans, contain a toxin, phytohaemagglutinin, which is destroyed by cooking at boiling point but not at the operating temperature of a slow cooker. They become safe to eat after boiling for a minimum of ten minutes, or if they come from a can. Such precautions must be observed if kidney beans are included in slow cooker recipes, as the relatively low temperatures in a slow cooker will not destroy the toxin adequately, and serious food poisoning may occur.[4] Kidney beans can be as much as five times more toxic if cooked at 80 ?C than if eaten raw, so exposing them to a high temperature for an adequate time prior to slow cooking is vital.

Slow cookers do not typically provide sufficient heat to compensate for frequent additions and removals of food in perpetual stews (pot au feu, olla podrida); nor do they cook quickly enough to cook newly added food thoroughly before the next withdrawal becomes likely. This relatively slow recovery of temperature after an addition or withdrawal may cause safety problems. Removal of the lid lets heat and moisture escape, prolonging cooking time and giving microbes the chance to grow.

Like some other kinds of pottery, some slow cookers crocks are glazed with a formula containing lead.[5] Lead is a toxic metal, causing neurological and developmental damage in even small quantities, and it is not easily cleared from the body, so its dangers continue.

Hi everyone! I'm not sure if I should have started a new thread or asked in the slow cooker chatter thread, but I have asked DH for a slow cooker for Mother's Day. Can anyone recommend a good brand? What should I look for? How many litres should I get? I don't want a small one, I want to be able to make big batches so I can freeze meals.

TIA!

Hi Trish, i've just merged your thread with previously posted threads on the smae topic. You might find some tips in the posts above yours.
I have the Russell Hobbs one that is the big size.
I think bigger is better.
They make some now with 2 pots in one cooker - sounds good to me but I can't justify a new SC when I have a wonderful one already.

Thanks for merging me Chloe! I couldn't see for looking!

Hmm...two pots...now I'm confused! :think:

Well, I gave DH a list of brands and features that I want and he went out and bought me one last night! I have to wait until Sunday to find out which one now ;)

Hi Everyone :D

I can probably guess that there is an exact thread on here somewhere the same as this one, but I'm too lazy to go searching ;)

Our slow cooker is going into retirement... its old, used and a little tired ;) so I've decided that DH is buying me a new one this week :cryinglaugh:

The one we have now is only a baby, so I know I definately want a bigger one (was thinking the 6-6.5L ones)..

My questions to you guys though -

What slow cooker do you have?
Is it the one you wish you had?
and Why??!!!

Just want to get a good one - I've looked around, but didn't want to do an impulse purchase without some advice!

Thanks in advance :)

Hi Holly, I've just merged you with the existing thread :)
Love my Russell Hobbs ;)

Thanks Chloe ;)

Its me having a lazy day today... :lol:

holly - i have two slow cookers - one is a breville 6.5L banquet one, the other a Kambrook 6L - i have to admit i prefer the smaller one only because, for some reason, the banquet one seems to burn more easily. not sure if it's because it has a rectangular pot or not, but it just doesn't seem to cook as evenly as the other one. the breville one was about $98 from harvey norman (the folks gave it to us at christmas) - the Kambrook one less than $50 at Retravision a week or two ago

and yes, before anyone asks - we DO use both slow cookers! until we bought our second one, i was always borrowing my brother's! i don't think the breville one would be good to leave on at home while i'm at work (gone a minimum 9.5 hours and seems to cook more quickly than a lot of recipes state it should, even on low). we do a lot of "bulk" cooking and then freeze - we will buy a heap of meat and fresh veg from the markets (if we don't have them in our own garden) - and do a mammoth cook up when DH is home from work. he then takes enough frozen food for a few days away, so he's eating healthy home cooked meals instead of roadhouse rubbish! we even went and bought him a mini food heater that plugs into the cigarette lighter in his truck - heats food up brilliantly with no effort from him - it does it all while he's driving!

This is going to sound really bad but I don't remember what sort mine is (sorry Mr Cooker - I do really love you though). It is relatively new and possibly a sunbeam.

One thing that I did read recently in Choice was that ones with black bowls are harder to keep clean than ones with white bowls - I think something to do with the ones with black bowls burn more easily. But, having said that mine has a black bowl and I haven't had too much trouble keeping it clean (bless the "I have to soak it overnight so can't do the dishes now" excuse!)

we have one of each taffy - and both go in the dishwasher! i don't think either of them have been a problem lol

Oh my - I never even thought of putting it into the dishwasher - of course!

Goes dancing off thinking happy thoughts about BG :dance:

so glad i could help hun!

takes some creative packing (we have a dish drawer dishwasher so not a lot of room) but have never had to wash by hand! if anything has cooked onto it, we soak or scrape it off, then in the dishwasher with everything else!

I don't have one yet... but I think I might be saving up for the KitchenAid one HERE
KitchenAid is a brand I trust... not cheap but hopefully good quality... probably a three digit price though. I love it's oval shape. I don't know how much 7 quarts are... but it looks big! LOL

ETA: it says on the site it's $150... but that could be in $US.

Ah Bath - woman close to my own heart. In my next life (read next kitchen) I dream of having a bench on one side with KitchenAid appliances all lined up like little soldiers. there would be a blender, food processor, stand mixer, slow cooker. Mmmmm...KitchenAid.......

We have a Russell Hobbs too. I think it is something like 6 ltrs?
I've found that it cooks the food a bit quicker than I thought it would, but is perfect for me lately as I am always running behind lol!

Nic

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Ah Bath - woman close to my own heart. In my next life (read next kitchen) I dream of having a bench on one side with KitchenAid appliances all lined up like little soldiers. there would be a blender, food processor, stand mixer, slow cooker. Mmmmm...KitchenAid.......

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ROFL! :lol: Oh what a beautiful picture you paint Taffy!!! Problem is I don't know anyone who actually has any KitchenAid stuff! I desperately want to know if they work well and are as durable as they look! I swoon every time I see those KitchenAid mix masters too! I want one in pistachio green ;)