Good brand of crock pot?

[FloridaJim57]

My wife is shopping around for a large crock pot. Any suggestions on which brand or make or model to buy?

 

[Gumby]

We've had a Dazey DCP-6 Chef's Pot since the 1990's. Its six quart ceramic crock can be lifted out for cleaning, and the metal base unit supposedly can be used for deep frying (we've never done so). It's still working like a champ after more than 25 years. I don't think it is made anymore, but if we had to replace it, I'd look for the same thing on Ebay or someplace like that.

 

[Jerry1]

We used to have one like Gumby’s where the crock was removable and you could use the inner pot for cooking. Our current one is not like that, but it was a nice feature. Personally, I’d look for one that is bigger than 6qt. Seems like when I’m using the crock pot, I’m making a big meal, like pot roast for the extended family.

 

[OldShooter]

Instant Pot. Far more than just a crock pot.

 

[Jerry1]

Instant Pot. Far more than just a crock pot.

But it’s not a crock pot. A crock pot has a crock and cooks slow and gentle. The InstaPot may have something that comes close, but without a crock, it’s not going to do it as well.

 

[Sunset]

But it’s not a crock pot. A crock pot has a crock and cooks slow and gentle. The InstaPot may have something that comes close, but without a crock, it’s not going to do it as well.

Sounds like a lot of crock

 

[ivinsfan]

But it’s not a crock pot. A crock pot has a crock and cooks slow and gentle. The InstaPot may have something that comes close, but without a crock, it’s not going to do it as well.

A crockpot stands alone IMO..And just pick your size and look for one on sale. Be sure it comes with a glass cover.

 

[ncbill]

But it’s not a crock pot. A crock pot has a crock and cooks slow and gentle. The InstaPot may have something that comes close, but without a crock, it’s not going to do it as well.

Not anymore...the "low" setting on new crockpots has been raised to the point that "low" is now hot enough to boil water.

If the OP wants one with a true "low" setting they'll have to buy used.

 

[Montecfo]

Unfortunately crock pots are not the super slow cook tools of yesteryear. Modern ones get way too hot way too fast in the interest of food safety.

Not sure I would buy one now but we have 2 and the instant pot, which seems like a good alternative.

 

[OldShooter]

But it’s not a crock pot. A crock pot has a crock and cooks slow and gentle. The InstaPot may have something that comes close, but without a crock, it’s not going to do it as well.

As you like. As an engineer its not clear to me why a "crock" and a stainless bowl would cook any differently. Crock will heat more more slowly and cool more slowly, but I don't think the food cares.

You got me curious and I looked at a few articles on using the IP as a slow cooker. Most of the concern seems to be that the IP heat settings may be different than those of a particular slow cooker. Another point, easily remedied by using the IP's optional glass lid, is that a slow cooker allows moisture to escape while the standard IP locking lid does not.

We have learned not to buy single-purpose kitchen appliances. DW actually has two IPs, small and large, and they get used a lot. So if she wants to slow cook something I'm sure she'll stick to the IP for it.

 

[tmm99]

As you like. As an engineer its not clear to me why a "crock" and a stainless bowl would cook any differently. Crock will heat more more slowly and cool more slowly, but I don't think the food cares.

You got me curious and I looked at a few articles on using the IP as a slow cooker. Most of the concern seems to be that the IP heat settings may be different than those of a particular slow cooker. Another point, easily remedied by using the IP's optional glass lid, is that a slow cooker allows moisture to escape while the standard IP locking lid does not.

We have learned not to buy single-purpose kitchen appliances. DW actually has two IPs, small and large, and they get used a lot. So if she wants to slow cook something I'm sure she'll stick to the IP for it.

I imagine you could open the IP vent slightly to mimic the glass lid if necessay?

 

[W2R]

I have never had a crockpot. Back "in the day" I didn't think I could afford one. Now that I can, well, I haven't been in a rush to buy one. Instead I bought an instant pot in 2018 and I love it! I assumed I'd buy a crockpot at some point later on. But from what you all are saying, such as this,

Unfortunately crock pots are not the super slow cook tools of yesteryear. Modern ones get way too hot way too fast in the interest of food safety.

it seems crockpots are rapidly becoming obsolete. Oh well... I missed the entire crockpot era! C'est la vie.

 

[OldShooter]

I imagine you could open the IP vent slightly to mimic the glass lid if necessay?

Good idea. The vent is kind of an on/off thing but even when venting I can't imagine it is much more venting than the lid of a crock pot. But, regardless, someone who believes in crock pots is not going to be interested.

 

[Gumby]

... We have learned not to buy single-purpose kitchen appliances....

We have a somewhat different philosophy. In my experience, multipurpose tools (kitchen or otherwise) rarely serve any one of their purposes as well as a dedicated single purpose tool. We are not unaware of the Instant-Pot hype over the last few years, but we already have a first rate pressure cooker, a rice steamer, a crockpot, and a yogurt maker. They serve our needs quite well and we have no lack of room to store them all.

 

[ivinsfan]

Good idea. The vent is kind of an on/off thing but even when venting I can't imagine it is much more venting than the lid of a crock pot. But, regardless, someone who believes in crock pots is not going to be interested.

Or someone that believes in IP is not going be interested in the CP at Christmas time you can buy a full sized Crockpot for well under 20 bucks...if people like IP fine but I don't get dissing the CP, they are not the same appliance.


I'm with Gumby...

 

[Another Reader]

Good idea. The vent is kind of an on/off thing but even when venting I can't imagine it is much more venting than the lid of a crock pot. But, regardless, someone who believes in crock pots is not going to be interested.

I believe the crock pot mode in the IP is unpressurized.

Now I'm going to have to go through the garage to see if my parents' crock pot is hiding out there. The two I have are post-minimum temperature regulations so they may be off to Goodwill. Haven't used them in years and that may be why...

 

[tmm99]

Just curious, did people become sick from using old crockpots due to low temps? In the 80s, I had a friend who had a degree in some kind of food science and I remember her wondering how bacteria didn't proliferate in a crockpot.

 

[Gumby]

Just curious, did people become sick from using old crockpots due to low temps? In the 80s, I had a friend who had a degree in some kind of food science and I remember her wondering how bacteria didn't proliferate in a crockpot.

That's exactly what you do when you make yogurt - allow the lactobacillus to proliferate.

 

[tmm99]

We have a somewhat different philosophy. In my experience, multipurpose tools (kitchen or otherwise) rarely serve any one of their purposes as well as a dedicated single purpose tool. We are not unaware of the Instant-Pot hype over the last few years, but we already have a first rate pressure cooker, a rice steamer, a crockpot, and a yogurt maker. They serve our needs quite well and we have no lack of room to store them all.

I only use my IP to saute and pressurize. And oh, I make basmati rice with it too (pressure cooking) as my Japanese rice cooker is more suitable for medium/short grain rice. If you are short of storage space, I imagine a kitchen appliance with multiple functions makes perfect sense.

 

[tmm99]

That's exactly what you do when you make yogurt - allow the lactobacillus to proliferate.

Yeah, I get that, but I'm talking about cooking stuff like a meat stew in an old-fashioned low temp crockpot. They changed the minimum temp with newer crackpots for a reason and I was wondering if it was because people got sick with older crackpots or it was just the change new in guidelines.

 

[braumeister]

That's exactly what you do when you make yogurt - allow the lactobacillus to proliferate.

And what makes a sous vide setup so great for yogurt making. I favor two different strains that each like a different temperature, easy with sous vide.

 

[OldShooter]

... In my experience, multipurpose tools (kitchen or otherwise) rarely serve any one of their purposes as well as a dedicated single purpose tool. ... we have no lack of room to store them all.

Agree that special purpose tools can be better but we are in the opposite situation re storage -- we don't have a lot. Hence our conclusion.

 

[tmm99]

BTW, I have a 10-year-old(ish) crockpot in storage. I was never a huge fan of it. I'm not even sure if my tastebuds can distinguish an 8-hour chilli made with a crockpot from a 1-hour chilli (and rest overnight) made with my IP.

 

[Gotadimple]

I think most think of a crock pot as only good for making a stew or soup. I have two different sizes. I do make soup in them, and Pasta Primavera, and one dish meals (rice and...), and meatloaf. But all but the meatloaf can also be made in a dutch oven on a stove top with a low flame.

I have the Crockpot brand. And as someone else said you can find the on sale before the fall holidays.

 

[Another Reader]

BTW, I have a 10-year-old(ish) crockpot in storage. I was never a huge fan of it. I'm not even sure if my tastebuds can distinguish an 8-hour chilli made with a crockpot from a 1-hour chilli (and rest overnight) made with my IP.

Ten years is not old enough. The earliest Crock Pots has lead in the ceramic bowl. Test those from the 70's (i.e avocado, burnt orange or fiesta red jackets). I can't quickly find the changeover date for the temperature but it was before the current stable was purchased.