Crock-pot with adjustable temperature?

[Dawgluver]

Zagut, my Nesco must be REALLY old, it goes down to 150°.

 

[bakechef]

Well Kayelee it is more expensive then a Crock Pot but not by much.

Crock Pots are dirt cheap but I'm thinking a more adjustable temperature control is well worth it. Low, Hi, and maybe Warm don't cut it.

I like my Crock Pots and have had much success with beans and chilies. I've even has success with more elaborate recipes as long as I'm around to keep an eye on them and watch cooking times.

But todays Crock Pots really seem to cook at too high a temp for the toss it in in the morning and have it still acceptable to eat at dinner time that I'd like to find and remember from days gone by.

Overcooked whatever is what I get if I attempt it these days with my newer crock pots.

The Nesco looks good but it only goes down to 200f. I'd like to find something lower if it's out there. Also 6qts is big for those of us cooking for one and sometimes smaller is better. But I know how to freeze leftovers so it might be the way to go for me.

Guess it's time for me to see what Google can do.

And folks, So what if a thread is old? This one has been timely and informative for me.

I'm old too and hopefully that won't relegate me to the scrap heap.
Cooking food is old too so I guess not cooking food is the way to go.
But I'll bet ya folks didn't cook food before they cooked it.
I'm so confused.

I have a Hamilton Beach that I really like, it doesn't boil just simmers around the edge. I also have a Ninja cooker that has a metal insert and the ability to brown inside the cooker and then switch it to slow cook, this also seems to do well at slow cooking.

The ones I linked before also seem like a good option since they have adjustable temperature, not just low, high and warm

 

[Zagut]

Dawgluver, Mr./Ms. Google so far says the Nesco 6qt. goes down to 175f and the 5qt. goes down to 200f. That's looking better then the Hi, Low Warm on the Crock Pots I have but haven't really tested yet. 175f is more along the lines I'd like attempt cooking at for the "Set it Forget it" cooking that would be nice.

Bakechef, I'll look into the Hamilton Beach line. Thanks.

I realize that tossing it into the pot at 6:30am and getting home at 7:00pm and wanting to eat at 8-8:30pm will never produce gourmet meals but I'd like to believe there is a way to get an acceptable meal that didn't include overcooked meats.

Well experimentation is the fun and soul of cooking and Mr./ Ms. Google so far has lead me here.

How to hack a Crockpot!

I don't recommend this for everyone but being cheap and seeing I have the parts needed on hand I'm going to give it a shot.
Wish me and my thermometer luck.

And as I experiment I'll also keep looking to see what Mr./Ms. Google has to offer.

 

[bakechef]

Dawgluver, Mr./Ms. Google so far says the Nesco 6qt. goes down to 175f and the 5qt. goes down to 200f. That's looking better then the Hi, Low Warm on the Crock Pots I have but haven't really tested yet. 175f is more along the lines I'd like attempt cooking at for the "Set it Forget it" cooking that would be nice.

Bakechef, I'll look into the Hamilton Beach line. Thanks.

I realize that tossing it into the pot at 6:30am and getting home at 7:00pm and wanting to eat at 8-8:30pm will never produce gourmet meals but I'd like to believe there is a way to get an acceptable meal that didn't include overcooked meats.

Well experimentation is the fun and soul of cooking and Mr./ Ms. Google so far has lead me here.

How to hack a Crockpot!

I don't recommend this for everyone but being cheap and seeing I have the parts needed on hand I'm going to give it a shot.
Wish me and my thermometer luck.

And as I experiment I'll also keep looking to see what Mr./Ms. Google has to offer.

I also use a lamp timer for my slow cooker when I'm using the more basic one without the timer.

 

[Zagut]

I also use a lamp timer for my slow cooker when I'm using the more basic one without the timer.

I've thought of doing that but never got around to doing it.

The hack with the dimmer switch just sounds like fun.

 

[bakechef]

I've thought of doing that but never got around to doing it.

The hack with the dimmer switch just sounds like fun.

Yes it does, heck I may even give it a try sometime

 

[Cheryl J]

Well Kayelee it is more expensive then a Crock Pot but not by much.

Crock Pots are dirt cheap but I'm thinking a more adjustable temperature control is well worth it. Low, Hi, and maybe Warm don't cut it.

I like my Crock Pots and have had much success with beans and chilies. I've even has success with more elaborate recipes as long as I'm around to keep an eye on them and watch cooking times.

But todays Crock Pots really seem to cook at too high a temp for the toss it in in the morning and have it still acceptable to eat at dinner time that I'd like to find and remember from days gone by.

Overcooked whatever is what I get if I attempt it these days with my newer crock pots.

The Nesco looks good but it only goes down to 200f. I'd like to find something lower if it's out there. Also 6qts is big for those of us cooking for one and sometimes smaller is better. But I know how to freeze leftovers so it might be the way to go for me.

Guess it's time for me to see what Google can do.

And folks, So what if a thread is old? This one has been timely and informative for me.

I'm old too and hopefully that won't relegate me to the scrap heap.
Cooking food is old too so I guess not cooking food is the way to go.
But I'll bet ya folks didn't cook food before they cooked it.
I'm so confused.

Zagut, I also live alone and just cook for one (most of the time, anyway) and the 6 qt. model isn't really all that big. I wondered about the size before I got it, and am glad I went ahead with it. It's nice to have something not too huge for a couple of meals for just one, but big enough to make planned leftovers and freeze some.

Mine also goes down to 175. I so agree with you about the newer slow cookers - they seem to only have high, and slightly less than high.

Also, just have to say I love your posts.

 

[Dawgluver]

Crock pot with adjustable temperature?



Mine is quite elderly and scratched up a bit (as I just noticed), but it goes down to 150°. I think the Millenium has been discontinued, though you might be able to find one on Ebay.

 

[Cheryl J]

Wow Dawg, that really is a vintage. It's probably made better and will outlast any of the newer ones, though! Mine is about 6 years old and looks pretty much like the ones on the website.

My mother-in-law had a HUGE Nesco. She used to roast a good sized turkey in it for Thanksgiving, and saved the oven for all the sides. It always came out browned and crispy.

 

[Kayelle]

View attachment 22306

Mine is quite elderly and scratched up a bit (as I just noticed), but it goes down to 150°. I think the Millenium has been discontinued, though you might be able to find one on Ebay.

Dawg, since it's called the Millenium, I'd guess you got it around 2000. Mine goes down to 150 degrees also and I remember getting mine when my first grand was a baby so that would be 20 years ago. It's not as pretty as it once was, but neither am I. We're both going strong though.

 

[Zagut]

[snip]

Also, just have to say I love your posts.

Cheryl J, I guess 6qt isn't all that big compared to my 4qt crock pot. And making leftovers is a good thing.

Bakechef, A rheostat is old school tech and plug ends (male and female), wire, boxes, and dimmer switches are things I toss out everyday at work. So to try this is all but free for me.
If I ever do get around to cobbling together a contraption I'll let you good folks here know how it works.
My only concern would be that it might cause harm to the heating elements in the crock pot. But if it does it gives me a great excuse to upgrade to something like a Nesco.

Dawg, & Kayelle, Could you kindly explain to me the difference between Slow Cook, Cook, Roast, Bake, and Steam I see on the dial in Dawg's pic. Steam has my interest the most.

And personally. Items with a patina are much more beautiful then items fresh out of the box.

 

[Dawgluver]

Crock pot with adjustable temperature?

Zagut, the Nesco comes with a wire rack. You can put in water and steam away. I even did some small batch boiling water canning in mine. The higher you turn the dial, the higher the temperature goes.

Your gerryrigging fascinates me. A rheostat would make a lot of sense to control the overly high "low" heat of the current CPs. Looking forward to your experiment!

 

[Dawgluver]

Dawg, since it's called the Millenium, I'd guess you got it around 2000. Mine goes down to 150 degrees also and I remember getting mine when my first grand was a baby so that would be 20 years ago. It's not as pretty as it once was, but neither am I. We're both going strong though.

Ha ha! You're right about the year, Kay! I remember I bought it in Manitowauk, or was it Luddington, at their wonderful kitchen store.

Apparently Nescos have been around for even longer than yours has!

 

[Zagut]

Thanks Dawg, It seems that the Nesco's are much better suited for versatility in cooking then crock pots are and for not much more of an investment.

Sometimes being cheap up front costs you more in the long run.

The concept of the dimmer makes sense but as far as precise temp control goes I think it might be hit or miss.

I'd be more then happy to lower the temp of my current crock pots and if I destroy them in doing so then that's a small price to pay.

Bakechef's use of a timer is also something I've considered since my biggest complaint is that things seem to be overcooked. My concern with this is that letting foods sit at room temp before the cooking starts(The timer kicks in) and food safety. Don't want to be heating up a Witch's brew.

Toss it in in the AM and chow down at night(I get the browning of meats and prepping of other ingredients) without some sort of attention with what's going on in the pot simply seems like a pipe dream to me.

 

[Kayelle]

Ha ha! You're right about the year, Kay! I remember I bought it in Manitowauk, or was it Luddington, at their wonderful kitchen store.

Apparently Nescos have been around for even longer than yours has!

Nesco's have been around longer than me Dawg! Take a look at this one..

Vintage Nesco Electric Roaster Oven Catelog 118 1940's w Lidded Servers Nice | eBay

 

[Dawgluver]

Nesco's have been around longer than me Dawg! Take a look at this one..

Vintage Nesco Electric Roaster Oven Catelog 118 1940's w Lidded Servers Nice | eBay

Yes! I remember the church ladies having similar!

 

[Kayelle]

If only expensive appliances lasted as long as Nesco's! My grandmother did her delectable turkey in hers.

 

[Cheryl J]

Yes, so did my late mother in law....she had her Nesco for I don't know how long....she roasted her turkeys in that big son of a gun and they always came out golden crispy.

 

[Flavio]

Just the thread I was looking for!

I'm planning to buy a slow cooker but they're not easy to find in Europe.

This one from Morphy Richards seems nice:

Flavour Savour 4.5L Digital Slow Cooker | Cooking & Baking Appliances

- It's easy to store, you can fit the base inside the pot

- 3 different functions: brown, stew and slow cook

- The stainless steel pot can be put on a conventional stove

- And my personal favourite: automatic keep warm function (for 2 hours, if I'm not mistaken)


User reviews on Amazon.com are positive but many complain that sometimes it burns the ingredients on the bottom.

 

[Zagut]

Flavio,

First Welcome to DC. They/We are an eclectic bunch.

Slow cookers are nice but since the food police have taken over they seem to have become the overcookers.

Be careful before you invest but only you know what's right for you.

I'm still playing with mine and haven't been impressed with the factory settings that come with them.