My crockpot is officially dead - Anyone use the self stirring kind?

[Aerows]

I made chicken in it on Monday, and I had to put it in a skillet to get it hot, but I figured it was something I was doing to it.

Well, today, I made Navy beans in it, and after two hours on high, they weren't even bubbling or much past warm. I've made beans in this pot at least a hundred times over the years. The one I have has a glass center that can be removed to serve the food and can be put in the dishwasher.

Anyone have a recommendation for a good crock pot that maintains good temperatures and has a removable inner portion? I don't want to spend a fortune. I'd just like something that functions.

I think mine is probably as old as 8-track tapes LOL, since my mother gave it to me already well-used. It has a 70's style mushroom print on the side and the inside is this strange burnt orange type color for the serving/cooking part, if that gives you any indication of how old it is. I think the heating element has finally given up the ghost.

EDIT: It's a Rival LOL.

[Fridays Child]

1. Well, it is the right time of year for cooking appliance sales.

Watch your mail or go online for pre-Thanksgiving sales. Sometimes Kohl's has good prices on crockpots. Macy's, too.

[NJCher]

2. I had the same one as you

And when mine gave up the ghost, I bought a new stainless steel one. Didn't pay a lot--maybe 30 bucks or so.

However I was annoyed with myself for buying the new one when I was in the second-hand shop and saw about five or six on the shelves for prices of $5 and similar.

And I saw one that was exactly like the one that had broken. I'd prefer to have that one, as I "knew" how long it took everything to cook.

With no room for another, I've stuck with my stainless steel slow cooker.

So my advice is to check your second-hand shop.


Cher

[grasswire]

3. agreed -- thrift shops are full of them.

Bread makers, too.

[Aerows]

7. Mine is probably nearly as old as I am

That's a good thought, though, to check a second hand shop. I'm not sure how many of the "new" features I need beyond "does it heat the food and slow cook it" and "can I take the inside out and put it in the dishwasher".

I editted my post because I saw some newfangled on that stirs the food on a schedule. Seems like it might be helpful if it doesn't make it more expensive, but I wonder how badly that is going to affect cleaning the sucker.

[Freddie]

4. I have 2 of them

A Rival and a no-name, both work fine. They now make some models that you can set a timer to lower the temp to "keep warm" after so many hours at high or low, that will be my next one.

[Aerows]

8. Keep warm sounds like a nice feature

I don't have it on mine, I just have low and high.

[Aerows]

5. I saw a self-stirring kind with a paddle that stirs food every 30 minutes

Anyone ever used one of those? It doesn't exactly break the bank at 30 bucks, but I there are bunch that are cheaper that don't include that feature.

I wonder how hard the paddles are to clean and the crock pot itself how hard it is to clean with that included.

It's more expensive, and might be harder to clean, so that's a con, but it could be convenient and blend the food while I'm away which is a pro.

I've never used one, though and have no experience with a self stirring appliance. I might just go with a $17 dollar one that is 4 qt. if so.

[Major Nikon]

6. Mine is a Hamilton Beach and I use the hell out of it

I've had it for many years and they don't make one exactly like it anymore, but this one is similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-7-Quart-Slow-Cooker/dp/B000GWEYFO

[Aerows]

9. Bit bigger than I need

I was leaning towards 4 qt because I made a lot of 4 or 5 portion sized beans in mine, and too big of a pot will probably dry them out because they will spread out too much.

[Major Nikon]

10. I make beans in mine more often than anything else

These days I usually make 1lb of dried beans at a time which isn't all that much, so I'm not sure how that compares to your needs. Hamilton Beach makes a 4qt model that looks like a scaled down version of what I have:

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33140V-4-Quart-Cooker/dp/B002G74US8

I used to have a 4qt also, but I gave it to my son. I don't remember who made it because I rarely used it since I like my 7qt so well.

[Aerows]

11. That looks about the size for my needs

Though I saw someone cooking lamb roast in one. I now want to know how to do a roast (lamb or beef) in a crockpot. I've never done one that way. How does it come out? I suspect a larger one is probably better for that, but I don't want to sacrifice moist, delicious beans for cooking meat in it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. Try Etsy

you can put in the search box any info you want, such as ..crockpot Rival and even adjust search for price limit.

Etsy, I have found, is a great source for what they call "vintage" stuff...1970/80 kitchen ware is plentiful, and of the quality we are used to before cheap off shore crap was thought of.
I have used it to replace Pyrex, Kitchen Maid, Corning items, and for 1970's sheets and towels of good qualty, in original wrapping.
Very good prices, even with shipping.
My very first go-to place when I need something.

[Aerows]

13. Thanks DG for a good idea!

I'll check it out. I don't need anything too extravagant, really, I think that "self-stirring" business sounds like more trouble than a feature. I just want a crock pot with "High" and "Low" and "Warm" if it is available.

[Major Nikon]

14. I've never done a dry roast with mine

I prefer other methods for that. I know a lot of people who use them for dry roasting, but the problem is slow cookers like these have no thermostat like an oven. I suspect the cook temperature is going to be around 250-300F or so on high, but I really have no idea. Hamilton Beach makes a programmable model that has a meat temperature probe. Evidently it switches to keep warm mode once it gets to the target internal temperature. That would be a nice feature to have for dry roasting if you like using a slow cooker for that.

One thing I forgot to mention is mine has a glass lid with a rubber seal. This is a really nice feature to have. Liquids condense on the glass and return to the pot and the rubber seal helps to prevent moisture loss. I would never buy a model with a plastic lid again. This was the problem with the cheap 4qt model I used to have.

http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/programmable-slow-cookers.html

[Aerows]

15. Dry roast

is as bad as beans that are too dried out, too. I'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the advice. I'm not sure which one is the right size and price, but I see what you are getting at that they can be very different even though they are advertised as the same appliance.

[Major Nikon]

19. I meant dry roast as opposed to a pot roast

I guess I should have made that more clear.

[Warpy]

16. That sounds like 1978-early 80s

Mine is the 1970 avocado green with the non removable crock. It's also going strong cooking beans, posole, and whatever. Later tonight, I'll put some chicken breasts, olive oil, lime, chile, garlic onion, cumin and black pepper in it and let it go on low for 12 hours for chicken asado to shred and stuff into tacos, some frozen for future use.

Mine was two bucks at a thrift shop. If it dies before I do, I'll probably shed a tear or two.

[Aerows]

17. I'm kind of shedding a tear over this one

I've cooked just about everything you can imagine in this baby. It has seen more office parties, family dinners and holidays than most Presidents .

[Galileo126]

18. Two things....

(a) I love posole!

and

(b) a crock pot should never be bought retail. It's a yard sale/Craigs List item.

One can find a crock pot to fill you needs on the cheap. Really. It's just a pot with electric wire around it to heat the inner crock slowly.

I would never pay more than 10 bucks for a crock pot. And, I update mine every 2-3 years.

just sayin',
-g

[intheflow]

23. I also got my crockpot at a thrift shop.

I've had it for well over a decade now. At the time, it was the only crockpot I could find with a removable crock. I've gone through two glass tops, but can always find another in the "miscellaneous top" section at any thrift shop. You can also use regular pot tops if it's a round model. (Mine is.) I swear I'll never buy a crock pot new since I'm pretty sure most people ditch them at thrift stores when the tops break and aren't smart enough to think they could use another pot's top or tin foil. And I, too, will probably shed a tear when this one dies.

[HappyMe]

20. I have a nice one.

It's a Crock Pot brand that we got on sale a couple of years ago. It has 4, 6, 8 and 10 hour cook times and also a warm setting. Once the food is done cooking it clicks over to warm. The ceramic liner is easy to clean.

[csziggy]

21. I love my Hamilton Beach 3- in -One Slow Cooker

Comes with 2, 4, and 6 quarter crocks that are removable. Has a High, Low, and Warm setting for each size. I like being able to use the size for the amount I'm cooking - and having the different choices in one device.

http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/all-slow-cookers-3-in-one-slow-cooker-blackstainless-33135.html

[Aerows]

24. I caught a going out of business sale!

I picked it up from K-Mart and it's a really nice one . 5 qt, has a strap so that you can seal it for taking it to a party or a pot luck. It's really nice, and I'm thrilled with it. It was 16 bucks, and not bad at all for the features I got with it.