Recommend me a slow cooker?

[CallmeGoose]

So im after a slow cooker now on the recommendation by a friend. Budget of about £50 max ish. What should I be looking for feature wise? Also if you have any slow cooker recipes for soups post them in detail here :-)

[BertRoot]

Just give the Mrs some temazepam. That will slow her down in the kitchen.

[keyser666]

Cor you dont need to spend £50 on a slow cooker, cheap as chips these days. You first need to decide how big, 3 family members then <3.5L and if more then probably the 6.5.

They are all much of a muchness. Doing joints of beef in there or a whole chicken, absolutely lovely for sunday dinner, once you have done it you wont go back. As for recipes, I use the ones on MSE, those ladies have recipes for everything

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...=131302&page=1
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...32&postcount=9

[CallmeGoose]

excellent. its just me and the missus, so a 3.5L should be adequate?

any particular brands ie. breville etc? that are better than the others?

[keyser666]

Oh 3.5 will be more than adequate. Wonderful for me as I leave first thing in the morning and get home late at night and dinner all done, dont need to be cooking after being at work and commuting on top. The 3.5 will be enough for you both to take some to work if you want too.

I have a morphy richards one, got it from Argos on offer, had it for a few years now and dont know why I never bothered before. Food tastes far better, like spag bol or chilli, seems the flavours get into the meat and as for curries, forever doing them. I dont think are any real differences, there wasnt when I bought mine, it has a Auto, low and High switch and that is it. Just make sure it is a ceramic bowl.

In the first link there is a link on which ones to choose, you will get loads of viewpoints there for your needs

[CallmeGoose]

superb, thanks for the advice keyser

[ilscuro]

I see loads of these on car boot sales, cheap as chips, and usually brand new too.

[WRATH OF BOD]

Breville £29.95 4.5 ltr ( i use this one)
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/4231473.htm
Breville 3.5 ltr £17.99
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/4201276.htm
clockwrks 3.5 ltr £12.95
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produc...er/4228709.htm

[matthewburton79]

I think I paid a tenner for ours from asda.
Best tenner I ever spen on kitchen gadgets.
I've done whole chickens, legs of lamb & joints of beef, even an apple crumble!!
Like Keyser says chili's & currys taste loads better from them.
The Mrs picked up a cheap recipe book from a charity shop & it's has some good ideas in it.

[macmilm]

As above mate .. tenner from your local Supermarket.... I use mine 3 or 4 times a week...
Get the cheapest fattiest cut of meat and when you get home from work it is the most succulent piece of food you can get....

Also as a little tip... My mrs has some issue with mince.. wont eat it.. so I tried e.g.

For a shepherds pie.... would slow cook a load of cheap lamb in the slow cooker and then take meat off bones e.t.c to make shephers pie.... sooooo much better than mince... add mint and peas
same for cottage pie....
also use slow cooked beef for lasagne e.t.c
slow cooked pork for strogonhof the list is endless

healthier and fucking meatier

[macmilm]

P.S you can make jam... chutneys and preserves in em....

[keyser666]

I think I paid a tenner for ours from asda.
Best tenner I ever spen on kitchen gadgets.
I've done whole chickens, legs of lamb & joints of beef, even an apple crumble!!
Like Keyser says chili's & currys taste loads better from them.
The Mrs picked up a cheap recipe book from a charity shop & it's has some good ideas in it.

People are so surprised you can cook a whole chicken and joints in there, never had meat so succulent and falling apart.

[Hippie on hill]

The Gordon Ramsay one is the rather good imo as it's the only 1 I could find with an analogue temperature control so I can sous vide a bit of steak and heat things to specific temps for long periods, if you buy a thermometer too.

[H4ss4n]

Me and the mrs have got this one.

What I like about it is you can sear meat in the pot first then put the pot back in the slow cooker.

[Shotgunjim]

Mum just asked for one if these for Xmas, great thread!!

[WRATH OF BOD]

some links for great slow cook recipes
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/c...on/slow-cooker

http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipe...es/slow-cooker

[QfanatiQ]

I am not sure if they all have this, but whatever you go for, make sure there are two settings, low and high. I rarely use high, but there is one recipe that requires high only.

Enjoy!

Q

[Basset]

Just converted to using one myself as well and can see the benefits. Try a cheap one as the only "Features" you really need are a setting between low and high. Did me and the kids a chicken curry yesterday and it was really good. Still struggling to get my head round the fact you need less liquid in something you cook for 8 hours.

[Goldberg]

Bit old but just saw the thread.

As many others I got mine from Sainsburys, non branded for £8.

Been going very very strong for years and it is fantastic!!! No need to spend £50+ on one at all!

[H4ss4n]

Aldi will be selling a 6.5 litre slow cooker on Thursday 24th October for £17.99

https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/in-store-leaflet/