OK, so after too many disasters, I am doing a survey on which is the best crockpot/slow cooker to buy.
ONLY ifyou can cook tender, juicy, succulent casseroles and meats.post the name and size of your slow cooker.
I am determined to beat the slow cooker failure!
245sam,
Apr 13, 6:32am
serious6, we have a 20+ year old Sunbeam Crock-Pot - it has never failed to produce "tender, juicy succulent casseroles and meat", in fact it has never failed to please with whatever has been cooked in it.I'm not sure of its exact capacity but at a guess I think it would be 3.5-4 litres:-))
gardie,
Apr 13, 6:33am
I can't recommend mine but not because it doesn't cook juicy succulent meat.I don't like the shape of it (oval) or the fit of the lid.What I'd really like is one of the new ones that has a castiron inner - can go on the stovetop to brown the meat and then into the crockpot.I can just imagine a pot roast done this way.
Have you tried cooking your meat for much longer - if it is tough, then that is most likely your problem.Even the cheapest cut of meat can be made succulent by long slow cooking.
gardie,
Apr 13, 6:34am
Mine original was this one - devastated when the bowl was dropped!The absolutely best I've had.
norse_westie,
Apr 13, 7:10am
I also went for an original crockpot after using to death a cheaper version. Cheaper version was just fine. Crockpot is superb.
kay141,
Apr 13, 7:22am
I have 2 Zips. The small round one and a larger oval. The lid on the oval is not the best fit. It needs to be carefully arranged. I usually put a layer of tinfoil over the liner,and then the lid. No problems. I would be interested in the oblong ones but 2 are enough.
clair4,
Apr 13, 8:18am
Sunbeam crockpot for me.Had one for years and still going strong.Put a bacon hock, packet of soup mix and lots of diced vegies and cook overnight and the soup is thick and superb.Ideal for freezing.
serious6,
Apr 13, 8:34pm
So, I pulled out Mum's old fashioned crockpot - ceramic brown bowl.I cut up gravy meat, onion, carrots and threw in a tin of tomatoes.Put it on low at 9.30am.At 6pm I opened the lid!Disaster.The onions (cut very small) were not transparent and soft, the carrot crunchie and the meat was seriously not tender.
So, I left it and turned it on the next day for 4 hours on low.I opened the lid thinking it would be amazing and it was chew, chew, chew, spit out a ball of knotted, chewed meat. Pizza for dinner! I did notice the lid did not fit tight, it kinda rocks.Same with my big oval one that I can't get to produce anything tender.
I have got to get this sorted and under my belt, so I can be working and not worrying about dinner!
Are there any modern ones that DO work!
katalin2,
Apr 13, 9:10pm
I had the big oval one from Briscoes ( Zip) which was great- could do big batches of soup or casseroles- tender meat every time. Broke in the earthquake- my local Briscoes fell apart as well. Bought a Sunbeam replacement at Farmers again big oval one but I don't like it one little bit. It still cooks well, but is much heavier and the bottom heats through so I can't have it on the bench- need to have it on the metal drainer by the sink which is a pain. Will eventually replace it with a Zip.
fifie,
Apr 14, 12:40am
Mmmturn cooker on to high to heat up while preparing meal and thaw out meat first! cook on high for 1 hr to get c/p up to temp then turn down to low sounds like it needs longer cooking .Braised beef usually takes about 9-10 hrs cooking on low in C/Pot shorter time in S/Cooker as its hotter.My new S/cooker lid dosen't fit tightly either but it dosen't seem to affect the cooking.My ancient c/p is 30 yrs old lol, and makes lovely stews, always put vegs in bottom first then meat on top, if i'm cooking on low i start it about 7-7 30am for around 6-30 -7pmdinner depending how much is going in and i always brown meat and veg in frying pan to give them a head start and stir maybe once during cooking each time you lift lid it cuts down the cooking timearound 20 mins. Iuse old c/p for stews, smaller beef roasts, whole chooks,chicken legs,nibbles etc and new s/c for soups, cornbeef,silverside,steam puddings, larger roasts anything really that needs to be cooked a bit hotter. Great machines for busy people good luck.
gardie,
Apr 14, 4:04am
Serious - I always cook meat on high - the only time I use low is for sausages and even then, I'll do them on high for a couple of hours first - or when I'm cooking something overnight.The extra 4 hours you did just weren't enough - low is so low that it probably spent the 4 hours just getting up to heat.Overnight on low would have done the trick.
cgvl,
Apr 14, 10:21am
I too have a sunbeam, 4lt, round one. bought about 10years ago. My mum had the smaller Ralta (early sunbeam) one years ago. It was used well and I enjoy using mine. I too put crockpot on high before I start to prepare vegies and meat. Also put water/stock in hot (bring to boil first). Sometimes but not always I brown the meat but its not necessary except for chicken and pork (my preference). On high for at least an hour to 2, then turned down to low until I am ready to eat Dinner. Generally around 8 to 9 hours. ie in at 9am, dinner between 6 and 7pm.
willow123,
Apr 14, 11:21am
I had a sunbeam for about 20 years till I killed it from overuse. Then I tried 2 different Breville ones and didn't like either of them - the food just didn't taste the same Now I have another Sunbeam one and everything tastes the way it should So . Sunbeam all the way I say
rainrain1,
Apr 14, 8:49pm
I have an oval Breville which serves me well, apart from that I know nothing more about it or any other brand.I'm sure newer ones and different brands are cleverer than mine, but I wouldn't swap her for the world.well maybe for a batch of those chocolate caramel muffins in another thread :-)
veejay13,
Apr 14, 10:14pm
I have an oval George Foreman for about 3 years and haven't had a disappointing result yet.It has the "auto" option which I mostly use - I have used all types of stewing steaks, do pot roasts, shanks, chicken.
The reason I swapped my round one for the oval is that I couldn't get the shanks or legs into the round one
With onions I find a better result when I saute them first - you can put them in the slow-cooker bowl with a bit of butter and microwave them for a few minutes until they look clear.
grandma,
Apr 14, 10:23pm
Ditto with cooking the onions in the microwave beforehand.Mine is an older style Sunbeam Crock Pot which needs to be on high for most of the day to cook meat - with good results.
craig04,
Apr 15, 4:56am
Another vote for Sunbeam here - mine is 11yrs old and works perfectly. I get better results for beef and lamb on the 'high' setting after browning in a hot pan first - nice and tender. Makes divine lamb shanks
serious6,
Apr 15, 6:39am
Well, the neighbour lent me her slow cooker to borrow and try it out.I bought the exact same meat, used the same ingredients as I did for my disaster.I am amazed at the result.Tonights casserole was so tender that each piece of meat fell apart as I picked it up!
It is a small Russell Hobbs.I am now thinking that maybe I'll go buy the bigger Russell Hobbs and hope for the same result.
So how can my Cascade large oval one not produce this result!
fifie,
Apr 15, 8:23am
Can't answer your question,Go with whatever works for you, if your buying another one go oval shape for a family better for doing lamb shanks,chooks,larger roasts etc. Good for you getting a nice meal done, keep trying other things the family like and you will be surprised.
donnabeth,
Apr 16, 11:09am
My 32 year old Ralta is used at least once a week and often more. Maybe you can still pick them up second hand! Last year it was used most days and I considered buying a second one. At Easter time I seriously wanted to buy a big one, but I didn't have the cash to spare at the time. How big is big compared to the old Ralta!
glenngt,
Apr 16, 4:00pm
I have a large Russell Hobbs one from Briscoes. Cooks great, only problem is the control switch is very flimsy plastic and will break. Went through 3 in 6 months but now have replaced with a wooden knob and no probsfor 3 years.
celtica,
Apr 17, 7:58am
I have a 3.5l Chefmate from farmers. It has auto, low and high settings. I usually set it on auto while I'm at work, then when I get home I turn it on high for another 2-3 hours. Even the cheapest cuts (chuck, gravy steak etc) come out melt-in-the-mouth tender.
brightlights60,
Apr 17, 8:44am
Going to put another vote in for Sunbeam here. The other half (sitting next to me!) has had a second hand 4L one for 25 years! Has had the inner, lid (twice), thermostat and plug all replaced at some point in its long life, and still going strong. Which is why they are so good, you can still get all the spare parts! She puts it on high first for an hour and then on low for the day. Its often on all night on high with the remains of a couple of roast chicken carcasses and lots of veges for soups. She picked up an even older, small one at a garage sale to use in the caravan. The newer ones seem a bit lightweight, but she did say if she was ever going to guy a new one (God forbid!) we may go for one of those that you can remove the inner and brown the stuff on the stove first. Great tip is when you buy the cooked chooks from the supermarket, switch your crockpot on before you leave home and pop them in when you get home to stay hot for that night;s dinner.
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