Slow Cooker

[mallyh]

i'm thinking of buying a slow cooker are they worth it and can you recommend any .thankyou x

[boxtops]

mally, look at related posts below this one - loads of threads, sherrard bought one recently. I wouldn't be without mine.

[mallyh]

thankyou boxtops x didn't realise they were so versatile ,now i've got to decide which one to buy .

[Ratty2E]

I have a Morphy Richards one with an aluminium pot which is useful as you can brown the meat on the hob in it and don't gave to use another pan. It's a 3.5l which is plenty big enough for 2 but large enough to make up extra to go in the freezer and will take quite a large joint.

[grasscarp]

Mine was reduced in Tesco. Love it. If anyone is thinking of buying any morphy Richards product it is worth phoning them as they have special deals going on which they only give over the phone.

[mallyh]

thankyou ratty2E x, that was another worry what size to buy ,when you say it has an aluminium pot is that a separate piece to the main slow cooker ?

[mallyh]

thanks for that grasscarp ,never heard of that before x

[Fibonacci]

Best buy guides and reviews can be found here:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/the-10-best-slow-cookers-8569350.html
http://www.mumsnet.com/reviews/household-appliances/slow-cookers

[mallyh]

thanks Fibonacci i shall have a good look at that x

[Ratty2E]

The cooking pot inside the cooker is separate to the heating element and removable for washing. Mostly they are ceramic and can only be used in the cooker itself, which is a pain when you need to brown things or thicken a sauce. This one is aluminium so it can go on the hob like a saucepan and then straight into the cooker.

[Tilly2]

This will make you laugh, those of you who have slow cookers.
A relative of mine was baby sitting for her daughter for the day and decided to make a casserole in the daughters slow cooker as a nice surprise for when she came home.
She prepared the casserole and put the ingredients in the ceramic pot , then she poured water into the metal heating pot, thinking she'd seen her daughter do the same thing. She switched it on and left it for the day. Fortunately, all that happened was that the outer pot became horribly stained. I think she was luck not to have killed herself!

[mallyh]

thanks again ratty2E a very good point x
tilly2 lolx

[jomifl]

If you are out all day It is nice to come home to a hot stew or pudding. It kind of reverses the 'prepare food and eat it' process as you eat food then prepare it for the next day and having a full stomach is a bit of a dis-incentive.

[mallyh]

jomifl that's not a bad thing for me as i'm overweight and nibble things as i prepare meals so if im full i won't do that lol x