Slow Cooker 6.5 Litre

[Meli]

I wanted to take one of these when I go on holiday as a gift for my parent's flat.
Saw quite a few good reviews for a cheap one in Argos for £20 (Buy Cookworks Signature 6.5 Litre Slow Cooker. at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for . ), but wonder if it is as good as the Murphey Richards one which is going for almost £15-20 more.
What is it that I should be looking for in a Slow Cooker? Thought they are all the same, but must be some differences with the prices on them.

 

[soccermom]

Thats the one I have Meli and can definitely recommend it, but we are a family of 5 and its a good size for us but if its for 2 people it may be to big unless they batch cook and freeze.

HTH x

 

[MichelleB]

I would imagine that the only difference between that and some of the more expensive ones are you are paying for the brand name with others.
Some of the cheaper ones might not have different heat settings - my first slow cooker only had a medium setting.
I have the 6.5L Morphy Richards one, but hubby got it in a sale for about £25. Although I like it, to be honest I haven't used it much since being on SW as if you cook meat with all visible fat removed, it is still sitting in fatty liquid (IMHO) while in the slow cooker thus absorbing it.

Michelle

 

[Meli]

I think I'm going to get this one as the only reason I'm getting it is so that we can pop something in the slow cooker in the morning and go off to the beach; and hopefully by the time we come back we can have something ready to eat. Glad you recommend it soccermom! Now need to go and look for easy recipes to make in them

 

[Circes]

Well as said 6.5L is a big slow cooker and you need to think about where it can be stored when not in use. I have a 3.5L and think it a fine size for 3 or 4 people. They also say that slow cookers need to be filled to a certain level in order to operate at their best - on a 6.5L this will obviously be more, so will be want to cook in those sort of quantities?

It also depends what they will be cooking - if they will be doing joints and whole chickens then an oval one is better than a round one.

Most basic cookers will have a low, high and warm setting. You can also get ones with a timer and an automatic setting that switches it to to warm at the end of the cooking time. I think this is a useful function but you pay more for them, so maybe a more basic model would be better for someone who is new to slow cookers.

 

[Circes]

I haven't used it much since being on SW as if you cook meat with all visible fat removed, it is still sitting in fatty liquid (IMHO) while in the slow cooker thus absorbing it.

Michelle

The solution to this problem is simple - just scrunch up some balls of tin foil and put them in the slow cooker. Sit your meat on top of the top and the fatty liquid will drain through to the bottom while your meat sits safely on top.

 

[Lovely_Laura]

That will be lovely after the beach. I always find everyone's exhausted and cold when we get back so something already cooked would be perfect. Don't forget, some clever soul on here said about cooking a whole chicken and baked potatoes in it. I did the chicken and it was lovely and moist.

 

[Alcoholiday]

I have the Cookworks one and can't fault it. I do a full chicken in it every week. I cook it on a bed of carrots, onion, celery and garlic and it's absolutely lush

 

[foodjunkie10]

I have a murphy richards one and swear by it its fantastic and gets used two or thee times a week from the meat joint on a sunday to spag bol to stew. i love it its my favourite peace of equipment and i always take it on holiday as it takes all the hassle out of cooking.
I brought my mil a cookworks one a few years ago for xmas and she too is a slowcooker convert now

 

[fillymum]

www.slowcookerrecipes.org.uk



Hope this helps you.

xxxx

 

[Shrinking_Bev]

I lubs my (((slow cooker)))

 

[Meli]

It will be 4 adults and 3 kids, so think this size should do the trick. Thanks for all your comments. I have a really small one, but still haven't used it yet! May start so I can take some nice recipes along with me.