Recommend a new crock-pot?

[sherry7]

Hello all. I've always been a big fan of my crock pot. It saves me a ton of money, since I'm not so tempted to stop for take-out food.

The last one I bought though, has been a huge dud. About 2 years ago, I got a programmable Rival Crock-Pot Smart Pot. Unlike my prior crock-pot, it cooked WAAAYYY too fast. It would boil even at the low temperature. To top it all off, the handle snapped off it last weekend. After checking on the internet, I found that was a very common problem with this particular crock-pot. I was going to replace the handle/lid, but it's almost $20 just to get that one piece. It makes more sense just to replace the whole thing, since I never liked the way it cooked too fast anyway.

Any recommendations for a new programmable crock pot (preferably not the Rival Crock Pot brand)? My prior crock pot was 6.5 quarts, so I'm used to a larger one.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[EcbLovesMickey]

I just bought a toater oven off HSN that has a slow cooker option. http://kitchen-dining.hsn.com/wolfg...wer_p-5611470_xp.aspx?web_id=5611470&ocm=sekw

 

[mommyaof2]

I would like to know this too! I had the same programmable crock pot and threw it away. It did cook everything too fast.

 

[englishteacha]

I had wanted one of the programmable crock pots. I guess I don't now!

I have one of the black Friday bargain slow cookers and it actually works really well. I like it a lot. It doesn't even have a brand name. It just says Slow Cooker on it. I have a hand-me-down Rival crock pot (original) that also works well. Perhaps you'll find a black Friday bargain on a large one? Do you want a programmable one again? This might be a silly idea, but maybe you could use a timer (like you'd use on lights when you're on vacation) on a regular crock pot.

 

[semo233]

Kohl's will have one that is $9.99 after rebate on Black Friday during door busters:

Bella Kitchen 5-QT Programmable Slow Cooker AR - $9.99 *

 

[pigletto]

I'd be interested to know this as well. I have a Krups that is a slow cooker/rice cooker/veggie steamer all in one that I LOVE. But it was around 100 dollars. I just want a second one for times like Thanksgiving when I want to make a second dish, or for when I want to use the rice cooker on the Krups and make the main dish in a second crock pot.
I see all kinds of them in sale from time to time in different store ads and they're usually in the 20 dollar range.. I just want don't knwo if some are better than others.

 

[RachelsMommie]

This one looks awesome and is on my wish list for Christmas:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33967-6-Quart-Programmable/dp/B001AO2PXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1257696312&sr=8-1

 

[jamounger]

I have the Hamilton Beach slow cooker that comes with the 3 different sized crocks. The small crock is perfect for bringing in hot dips to potlucks at work. The middle is the one I use most for food at home and the large is for really big recipes or big roasts. I have a programable one also but hardly ever use it. The problem is that most slow cooker recipes are for 4qt cookers, the programable ones are 6 qt. that is why things cook too fast in them. You are not filling them up enough.I think the pot is supposed to be 2/3 full for the food to cook right.

 

[mykidsand_i]

This one looks awesome and is on my wish list for Christmas:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33967-6-Quart-Programmable/dp/B001AO2PXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1257696312&sr=8-1

That is the one I just got for my birthday in August. I chose that one, because of the great ratings it had and because Hamilton Beach appliances have always worked well for me.

Here's my review of it... A++++++++++++ !!!!

-I've used it about 35 times since I've gotten it and it is worth every cent that was spent on it!

-It has a thermometer to poke into meat and you can set the temp. that you want it to reach, it cooks the meats perfectly- then when it reaches that certain temp you set, the crockpot switches over to warm!!! It doesn't over cook, dry out or cook unevenly at all!

-this crock is perfect to use just at home, OR if you take it somewhere (there are latches on top of the cover to hold everything in place while transporting it from place to place)

-I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the digital display! I can program it to how long things need to be cooking and if I'm still not ready to eat when the food is ready, it switches over to warm.

-this is the best crock pot I've had. SUPER EASY to use, SUPER EASY to clean, makes very good meals and after using it this long- I can honestly say that I would buy it again (and knowing it works this well I would probably spend more money on it if it cost more!!!)


I've made: pork roasts, chicken, stuffing, home made 'baked' beans, desserts (cakes, 'rolls'), home made creamed corn, A HAM!!!!, a bunch of different soups and stews, casseroles, maccaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes and a lot more in this crock pot and everything has turned out perfectly!!!

PLUS, it's a good size for larger cuts of meat...I always use my crockpot to make my roast and with my old crock pot (it was smaller and round) I practically had to shove the stuff in the crock...with this one, the meat can lay in the bottom and cooks more evenly! It works well for a family of 4 (I always make a little extra for leftovers) and it works well for entertaining (I cooked a ham and scalloped potatoes in it that served 12!!

 

[Mathfailure]

I had OLD crock pots that work just the way I wanted, slowly...then they died of overuse and old age and were replaced.

Everything cooked quicker, and I couldn't use the high at all as the cooking time seemed equal to an oven!

I heard that the old ones were considered unhealthy because of the low temps, and that the newer slow cookers are set at higher temp. settings.

I believe this, as I have to adapt all older receipies to the new style.

I now often use a small roaster set at @250 to cook as a slow cooker. Seems to work well for me. I have also heard of some who have put the crock pot on a timer like some use to turn lights on and off, so the pot starts later in the day when they are at work.

 

[sherry7]

This one looks awesome and is on my wish list for Christmas:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33967-6-Quart-Programmable/dp/B001AO2PXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1257696312&sr=8-1

That is the one I just got for my birthday in August. I chose that one, because of the great ratings it had and because Hamilton Beach appliances have always worked well for me.

Here's my review of it... A++++++++++++ !!!!

-I've used it about 35 times since I've gotten it and it is worth every cent that was spent on it!

-It has a thermometer to poke into meat and you can set the temp. that you want it to reach, it cooks the meats perfectly- then when it reaches that certain temp you set, the crockpot switches over to warm!!! It doesn't over cook, dry out or cook unevenly at all!

-this crock is perfect to use just at home, OR if you take it somewhere (there are latches on top of the cover to hold everything in place while transporting it from place to place)

-I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the digital display! I can program it to how long things need to be cooking and if I'm still not ready to eat when the food is ready, it switches over to warm.

-this is the best crock pot I've had. SUPER EASY to use, SUPER EASY to clean, makes very good meals and after using it this long- I can honestly say that I would buy it again (and knowing it works this well I would probably spend more money on it if it cost more!!!)


I've made: pork roasts, chicken, stuffing, home made 'baked' beans, desserts (cakes, 'rolls'), home made creamed corn, A HAM!!!!, a bunch of different soups and stews, casseroles, maccaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes and a lot more in this crock pot and everything has turned out perfectly!!!

PLUS, it's a good size for larger cuts of meat...I always use my crockpot to make my roast and with my old crock pot (it was smaller and round) I practically had to shove the stuff in the crock...with this one, the meat can lay in the bottom and cooks more evenly! It works well for a family of 4 (I always make a little extra for leftovers) and it works well for entertaining (I cooked a ham and scalloped potatoes in it that served 12!!

That's the one that I was eyeing up when I was looking online. Would you say that it cooks fast or slow? My recently broken one cooked VERY fast...the darned thing would boil on low, even if it were nearly full. That kind of defeated the whole purpose of a "slow cooker".

 

[Colleen27]

I had OLD crock pots that work just the way I wanted, slowly...then they died of overuse and old age and were replaced.

Everything cooked quicker, and I couldn't use the high at all as the cooking time seemed equal to an oven!

I heard that the old ones were considered unhealthy because of the low temps, and that the newer slow cookers are set at higher temp. settings.

That's my understanding too - older ones don't meet current food safety guidelines and let foods sit in the "danger zone" temps too long, so they've been replaced with hotter-heating "slow cookers" that don't really cook slowly at all.

I have the same one as the OP, and I hate it because it cooks so quickly. It is completely unsuitable for "set and forget" meals the way I used to do them. My old slow cooker was perfect - I could turn it on in the morning and come home to dinner in the afternoon. The first time I used the new one, I burnt the dickens out of a defenseless piece of beef.

 

[pigletto]

That's my understanding too - older ones don't meet current food safety guidelines and let foods sit in the "danger zone" temps too long, so they've been replaced with hotter-heating "slow cookers" that don't really cook slowly at all.

I have the same one as the OP, and I hate it because it cooks so quickly. It is completely unsuitable for "set and forget" meals the way I used to do them. My old slow cooker was perfect - I could turn it on in the morning and come home to dinner in the afternoon. The first time I used the new one, I burnt the dickens out of a defenseless piece of beef.

The one I have that I mentioned is programable so that I can still put everything in at 8 am... set it to cook for 6 hours and have it switch to the keep warm setting until we get home. It did take some adjustment to figure out how long to cook and how long to set on keep warm for my previous "set and forget" recipes.

 

[floridafam]

I want a crock pot that is made in the USA and I have not been able to find one. Even the expensive All Clad one is made in China.

 

[debbiecarr98]

This one looks awesome and is on my wish list for Christmas:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33967-6-Quart-Programmable/dp/B001AO2PXK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1257696312&sr=8-1

and made baked beans this weekend, i LOVE it!!

 

[Lisa_M]

It's funny your Rival cooked way too fast. I was writing to say don't buy a Rival, they cook too fast. I like my Proctor-Silex one that is small, older and was cheap, so that is what I would recommend.

ETA: by older it's about 8 years old.

 

[mykidsand_i]

That's the one that I was eyeing up when I was looking online. Would you say that it cooks fast or slow? My recently broken one cooked VERY fast...the darned thing would boil on low, even if it were nearly full. That kind of defeated the whole purpose of a "slow cooker".

Mine does not cook 'fast'...the last full roast that i made took 5 hours...a little quicker than my old one, but not like an oven by any means. My old slow cooker took about 7 hours to cook a full (smaller) roast. BUT, the thing that I like about it is, even though it cooks a LITTLE quicker than my old one (not much, but a little)...it switches over to 'warm' once the meat, soup or what ever is cooked! It never dries anything out by over cooking it. I've never had the 'boil' problem once! I've done soups and stews- I'll put the thermometer in and set the temp. and once it reaches that temp, it will switch to 'warm' and never burn or overcook. It's the perfect crock pot...YOU can decide when YOU want to eat, you don't have to eat as soon as the food is ready or risk it burning

 

[DawnM]

I have a small Rival that is probably a 70's model. I got it at a thrift store for $4.

I also have a 6 quart Crock pot brand that cooks much faster and is a new model.

I use my 35 year old Rival more often than my larger/newer Crock Pot brand because of the actual slow cooking time.

Dawn

 

[ceecee]

I have a Rival (not the programable one) it cooks FAST even on the 10 hour setting, I can only use it if I'll be gone less than half a day which defeats the purpose of a crock pot. It has a 4-6 hour high setting and an 8-10 hour low setting and a warm for when it's done cooking. It works best on liquidy items such as stews and soups and when it's full it doesn't burn. My old one worked great, but looked awful!