Old vs New slow cookers

[Joshatdot]

I've read here that the older slow cookers are better, because they cook at a lower temp, or have a lower warm setting?

But I haven't seen/read on which of the old ones do this. Is it the old kind w/o the removable pot? What Brand and/or Model should one look for? like at Thrift Stores...


Because I recently got my mom a newer-ish one (from Thrift Store) with removable pot, and her old old one didn't. I haven't used the newer one yet, just turned it on and what not to see if it worked.

[MoodyBlueFoodie]

I like the older ones a bit better for performance, steady, slow and even heat it seemed, but no removeable crock, and the heavy glass lid was a bummer. The new one we've got cooks too hot on the hot setting, and has no keep warm setting. I can't get used to either, and my mom keeps switching it to the off setting when she really wants the keep warm.
I guess as with most things they don't build them like they used to.
I think even the crock is made of cheaper materials, because it sticks a lot more. Oh, and those reynolds crock pot liners are a waste of money in case you're wondering! I think the removeable crock is worth the changes though, for ease, I take the new version any day!

[Joshatdot]

Originally Posted by MoodyBlueFoodie

I like the older ones a bit better for performance, steady, slow and even heat it seemed, but no removeable crock, and the heavy glass lid was a bummer. The new one we've got cooks too hot on the hot setting, and has no keep warm setting. I can't get used to either, and my mom keeps switching it to the off setting when she really wants the keep warm.
I guess as with most things they don't build them like they used to.
I think even the crock is made of cheaper materials, because it sticks a lot more. Oh, and those reynolds crock pot liners are a waste of money in case you're wondering! I think the removeable crock is worth the changes though, for ease, I take the new version any day!

So old or new? You seem to contradict yourself...

[Barbara L]

I don't really see a contradiction. She said she prefers the performance of the older ones but the ease of the new ones.

I agree that there are good and bad points to both. You can actually find at least one other older thread on this topic. Apparently, from what I remember reading, manufacturers were worried that the lower temperatures of the older ones did not get some foods hot enough, especially when people started them when some of the foods were cold. So I think it is mainly just a case of safety over-ruling some of the convenience.

Barbara

[DaveSoMD]

I have a Crock-Pot (Brand name) that I have had for over 15 years and I love it. Why? I find that the newer ones with the removable liners get too hot to the touch for my comfort, where this one does not. I believe (my opinion only) that is why they cook so hot, they have to get that hot to heat the liner, they really are just metal containers that the liner sit in, where the older sealed one-piece is sealed.

[Joshatdot]

Thanks Barb & Dave ... and Moody, I didn't mean to sound or come off as a @$$, but I agree they sure don't make em as good as they used to.

Well maybe with my good ol' Hakko 936 Soldering Station, I can mod the newer one with higher impedance resistors, so it won't get soo hot .. Well maybe I'll try that, I just need to goto the Thrift Store and buy one to take apart

[Joshatdot]

Instead of making a new post, I thought I'd give the newer cooker a try tonight.

My impromptu Vietnamese Spicy Beef Broth Stew/Soup

- about one cup of each: Celery, Carrots, Potato, Onion
- some Green Onion
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed in press
- 1 lb of beef stew chunks, cut into ~1/2in cubes, seasoned with Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning
- 1 can of Soup Bo Kho: Spicy Stewed Beef Flavor Broth (Hot) 28oz

Put it all in the Cooker, mix it up a bit .. and let it cook. I'll take pix of the final stew/soup when its done.

[Barbara L]

Your soup sounds good. Are you going to brown your meat first?

Barbara

[Joshatdot]

Nope, not this time .. I want to see how it'll come out, I haven't tried making a soup/stew w/o browning the meat before.

pic of it slow cooking

[Andy M.]

One or another meddling government agency responsible for such things decided the old slow cookers didn't run hot enough to assure food safety. Thus, new regulations that require hotter temps. Hotter temps make the food stick, not cheaper materials.

I suspect if you're used to the old ones and try to switch recipes made for old ones to the newer ones, you would have problems. Recipes and times would have to be revised to accommodate the hotter temps.

[Barbara L]

Originally Posted by Joshatdot

Nope, not this time .. I want to see how it'll come out, I haven't tried making a soup/stew w/o browning the meat before.

pic of it slow cooking

I'm looking forward to hearing the results. I'll let you know where to send the leftovers later.

Barbara

[Joshatdot]

Hehe okies Barb

About an 50min into the slow cooker on High...starting to smell like a Pho restaurant

[Joshatdot]

2 hours into Soup/Stew ... it is smelling so good. Set Cooker to Low now, gona let it simmer/cook on Low for another hour or two.

[Joshatdot]

Hmmmm...suck down some of the broth, this is very good!

[Joshatdot]

...The Low on this cooker is kinda like High & Low. The High was very very hot to the touch, and Low was also hot, but not as "cool" as the old cooker.

If this cooker had a "warm" I would guess this would be like a "Low" + alil lower temp.

[Barbara]

Rival crock pot supposedly does not get too hot. don't know I have one of the old ones and I'm hanging on to it. The new ones boil things even at low setting.

[Joshatdot]

For S&Gs I got newer one about 3/4 full of water & measured the temp on Low & High. On Low I got a temp of just over 140*f .. and on High I was getting at least or just slightly below 212*f (my meat thermometer stopped at 190*f) .. plus when I took off the lid the water was bubbling slightly.

Rival Crockpot: Stoneware Slow Cooker, model 3150, 135watt & 210watt

[Joshatdot]

I just found out that the older (circa 1984) Rival 3150 had wattages of 120 & 210.

[jbeee7]

..hi i have owned new high end slow cookers ....gave them to the kids ....started the hunt for west bend cooker the one with the heating element seperate form a medal pot which you can brown meat in same pot ...had one many years ago ....loved every min of useing it ...found it on e-bay ....there still asking a healthy price....

[CharlieD]

I broke my old pot, dropped it. Got the new one, it is total disaster. I need the food to cook for at least 20 hours or so, on hot it burns completely, on low it still burns, on keep warm it is beraly warm, and definitely not cooked proparly