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Best Crock Pot?

AprecheApreche
edited December 2008 in Everything Else
The economy is terrible. Prices on everything are dropping through the floor. However, I still have a job and money. If there was ever a time to buy things, it's now. Of course, there isn't really that much I need, or want, to buy other than a house.

One thing I thought of that I could buy is a crock pot. It's something I've wanted and somewhat needed for some time. I've just never got around to it. I checked America's Test Kitchen for crock pot reviews, but I couldn't find any! I searched Amazon reviews and the rest of the web, but there were many conflicting opinions on the best pot. Also, the selection of pots on Amazon is very minimal. A lot of the pots I saw reviewed aren't even listed. Does anyone out there know which crock pot is good, and where to get it? If I can't figure this out, I might have to go to a fancy store like Williams-Sonoma or something.
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Comments

  • HungryJoeHungryJoe
    We have this one. It's good.
    The economy is terrible.
    I thought that only alarmists said things like this . . .
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    The economy is terrible. Prices on everything are dropping through the floor. However, I still have a job and money. If there was ever a time to buy things, it's now. Of course, there isn't really that much I need, or want, to buy other than a house.

    One thing I thought of that I could buy is a crock pot. It's something I've wanted and somewhat needed for some time. I've just never got around to it. I checkedAmerica's Test Kitchenfor crock pot reviews, but I couldn't find any! I searched Amazon reviews and the rest of the web, but there were many conflicting opinions on the best pot. Also, the selection of pots on Amazon is very minimal. A lot of the pots I saw reviewed aren't even listed. Does anyone out there know which crock pot is good, and where to get it? If I can't figure this out, I might have to go to a fancy store like Williams-Sonoma or something.
    Well, how fancy do you need your crockpot to be? I've got a Hamilton Beach (cheapo) brand pot, and it works just fine. The first thing to think about is the features you'll need; a basic crock has a few settings and nothing else, while fancier crocks have timers and lasers and orbital satellites and shit.
  • Li_AkahiLi_Akahi
    We havethis one.It's good.
    My family has two of those, they are really good.
  • djfooboodjfooboo
    I have one with a warming and a timer function which I find important. Also, see if you can put the crock part on the stove so you can brown meat without dirtying another pan, plus all the yummy bits stay on bottom! Some cheaper ones can't do this.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    what do you want to do with it? look for the recipes you'd like and look for the stuff you need, like temperature, max operating time, etc. then just look for a pot that matches those needs.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    edited December 2008
    Speaking of other things you might wanna buy, do you have a wok? I just got one and I love the thing. Best birthday present ever!
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • ZeehatZeehat
    We havethis one.It's good.
    Ditto.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    Speaking of other things you might wanna buy, do you have a wonk? I just got one and I love the thing. Best birthday present ever!
    Wonk or Wok? I agree, every kitchen should have a dutch oven, cast iron pan and a wok.
  • George PatchesGeorge Patches
    edited December 2008
    Speaking of other things you might wanna buy, do you have a wonk? I just got one and I love the thing. Best birthday present ever!
    Wonk or Wok?
    ARGH! :(
    Post edited by George Patches on
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    The first thing to think about is the features you'll need; a basic crock has a few settings and nothing else, while fancier crocks have timers and lasers and orbital satellites and shit.
    Wait, so does it use the satellites to reflect sunlight onto the crock pot to cook the food? Or are they used to find the pot's current elevation and thus compensate for air pressure differences in relation to cooking times?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    The first thing to think about is the features you'll need; a basic crock has a few settings and nothing else, while fancier crocks have timers and lasers and orbital satellites and shit.
    Wait, so does it use the satellites to reflect sunlight onto the crock pot to cook the food? Or are they used to find the pot's current elevation and thus compensate for air pressure differences in relation to cooking times?
    You use multiple satellites to triangulate the position of the crockpot, and then one additional satellite to direct microwave radiation at the food to cook it faster.

    I've used mine to crock a stew in 17.3 seconds. Good shit.
  • AprecheApreche
    A lot of people seem to have the green flowery one that looks like something you find in grandma's cupboard, so I ordered it. We'll see how it goes.
  • JasonJason
    It's a good one, as long as you're happy with being able to cook a smaller volume. I often use the large-volume one for roasts. Mmmmm, roasts.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    It's a good one, as long as you're happy with being able to cook a smaller volume. I often use the large-volume one for roasts. Mmmmm, roasts.
    I've got a recipe for this traditional Norwegian lamb and cabbage stew, called fårikål. It's so freakin' delicious and easy to make.

    Crock pots are like the best thing ever.

    A tip for stew makers: replace all the liquid you would use to make a stew with Guinness. It's good stuff.
  • gomidoggomidog
    Yeeeees. Stew....

    I am going to make lots of stew now.

    On another note, why do so many rice cookers and crock pots have lame flower graphics on them?
  • AprecheApreche
    why do so many rice cookers and crock pots have lame flower graphics on them?
    Because grandma will feel better about buying something if it matches the cookware that she's had since the 1800s.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    why do so many rice cookers and crock pots have lame flower graphics on them?
    Because grandma will feel better about buying something if it matches the cookware that she's had since the 1800s.
    I think it's more for the younger people than for the old, it's so people would go "My grandmother had one of those, and it was really good" if they change the design, people won't make the connection, as they don't remember the brand but have the memory of their grandmother using it.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    I think ours is a stainless steel Rival Crock Pot. It came with a second ceramic pot to place in the heating shell that has a separator in it so that you can make two dishes at once. It was called a "duet" insert. I highly recommend it. I will check the specific info on ours when I get home and edit my post.
  • NuriNuri
    A tip for stew makers: replace all the liquid you would use to make a stew with Guinness. It's good stuff.
    I'll remember that next time I want to kill myself. XD

    But yeah, beer is a great stew base if you can drink it without dying. There are plenty of other cooking additives that add great flavor. I'm a fan of internet recipe searches. Make sure you read the reviews before cooking it, though!
  • ......
    Yeeeees. Stew....

    I am going to make lots of stew now.
    Bah, stew ain't that great. It's boring food, one grows tired of it when eating it more than twice a week.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    Yeeeees. Stew....

    I am going to make lots of stew now.
    Bah, stew ain't that great. It's boring food, one grows tired of it when eating it more than twice a week.
    It depends on the stew. There are such huge varieties of stews and soups that you may tire of the texture, but you never need to tire of the taste.
    Also, to anyone that likes to use a crock pot, I recommend that you purchase a bread maker as well. It is a nice, cheap way to make healthy breads that bake while you are out and about. Fresh baked bread makes a great companion to lot of slow cooker and crock pot recipes.
  • JohnUJohnU
    On another note, why do so many rice cookers and crock pots have lame flower graphics on them?
    If they had race cars on them they would be too cool to exist.
  • Bowl Of RiceBowl Of Rice
    We havethis one.It's good.
    My family has two of those, they are really good.
    Me too. One for house warming and second as a marriage gift.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    edited December 2008
    Yeeeees. Stew....

    I am going to make lots of stew now.
    Bah, stew ain't that great. It's boring food, one grows tired of it when eating it more than twice a week.
    It depends on the stew. There are such huge varieties of stews and soups that you may tire of the texture, but you never need to tire of the taste.
    Also, to anyone that likes to use a crock pot, I recommend that you purchase a bread maker as well. It is a nice, cheap way to make healthy breads that bake while you are out and about. Fresh baked bread makes a great companion to lot of slow cooker and crock pot recipes.
    This is true. I don't bother with a bread maker; just get a baking stone and make bread by hand, with the kneading and stretching and so forth. It's very relaxing.
    Post edited by TheWhaleShark on
  • gomidoggomidog
    I love baking bread by hand, but I also like the Bread Maker. I tell it to bake bread so it is done right when I get home, and I open the door to a heavenly smelling apartment.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    Yeah, baking bread by hand is great on a free weekend. However, if you want fresh bread during the week or on a busy weekend day, then bread makers are where it is at.
  • HungryJoeHungryJoe
    why do so many rice cookers and crock pots have lame flower graphics on them?
    Because grandma will feel better about buying something if it matches the cookware that she's had since the 1800s.
    Do you think a Crock Pot is some fancy new high tech gadget that will frighten grandma? If anything, that tech is about the same age (or older) as microwave ovens, and you don't see many microwaves with floweredy designs.
  • Victor FrostVictor Frost
    I love baking bread by hand, but I also like the Bread Maker. I tell it to bake bread so it is done right when I get home, and I open the door to a heavenly smelling apartment.
    Yeah, baking bread by hand is great on a free weekend. However, if you want fresh bread during the week or on a busy weekend day, then bread makers are where it is at.
    Bread makers are the best. I used to set a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread to bake overnight and in the morning, like magic, Fresh Cinnamon Raisin Bread. ^_^
  • ChurbaChurba
    It is awesomely easy to make Roast Lamb in a crock pot. You just work it out X hours for Y kilograms, put it in fat side down, toss in a few veggies, and you're right as rain.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Brats, sauerkraut, and beer crocked all day is sublime. Just brown the brats first so they're crisp, and you're good to go.
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