Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless


I spent a year looking for a good slow cooker that (1) When set on low did not boil food too hot (2) Could hold enough for large batch cooking (3) Did not have a hinged lid (hard to clean and breaks easily) (4) Is programmable for a set amount of time, then switches to warm (5) Was reasonably priced. I tried cheapo store brand round slow cookers which nuked my food - no need to explain since most people have had one at one point or another. Last fall I purchased the top of the line All Clad slow cooker with non-stick insert from Williams Sonoma. After sales tax it cost me a little over $300 which made me nervous.

The first meal I made in it was braised short ribs. I browned the ribs in the slow cooker insert on the stove and set it on low for several hours. The food was delish and it kept a gentle simmer but I was horrified to find light scratch marks on the inside of the insert as I was washing the dishes. I used the All Clad for several days and then finally returned it because I couldn't bear the thought of having paid that much money for something that wasn't going to last. Besides, I felt a bit weird about simmering food for many hours in that non-stick coating that may one day start coming off. I then decided to look for a traditional crock pot with a timer - if I need to saute or brown I now do it in a cast iron pan the night before, deglaze, then dump all of the contents into a container that goes into the fridge if I am going to start the crock in the morning. When I get up I fill up the crock pot with the prepped food from the night before, hit the buttons, then leave for work. So far the Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless ELume version has been great.

Pros: The low setting is actually a low simmer. I've made Indian lentil/dahl curries, bbq pulled pork, baked beans, Chinese jook/congee, Beef stew, Chili verde,red chili, soups, stock, the list goes on. I typically program it to cook for 10 hours on low and it works like a charm. Food is really slow cooked, and there are no hot spots, burned, stuck on food like previous appliances I've owned. The polished stainless finish looks beautiful - although not it does not have as high of quality finish as the All Clad.

Cons: The programmable button/pad area can be improved - the numbers are difficult to read unless you are looking at it directly at eye level, meaning you have to bend down to see what you're pressing. Mine came with a burned-out area on the keypad but I didn't bother returning it since it didn't affect the function - you can still see that it's the "on" button, it just doesn't light up. The black keypad part feels a tad cheap and you can almost pry it off if you wanted to (esp. when it gets hot) because it's glued on (!) albeit very sturdily - hopefully the Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless lasts for a while. The crock pot itself gets a bit hot when cooking but not excessively hot like ones I've had before.

Bottom Line: I paid about $125 for the Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless including tax. Purchased at Linens N Things with a coupon. I'm giving this a four star rating - good quality for that price but I would pay no more. Compared to my week of owning a $300 slow cooker, this is a bargain.

Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker



You must think I'm crazy with a heading like this, but it really is what a Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker can give you. If you are a busy mom, like me, you will know that you do not always have the time to cook healthy homemade meals. Well, this is where the Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker comes in.



With a Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker you can have the meal ready, without being there, at exactly the time you want it. For me that is so important as you can set it all up in the morning, program it and come home tonight to a tasty home cooked meal. I have to admit, I'm totally in love with my slow cooker and I'm convinced you will also wonder how you ever did without one!

There are so many tasty dishes you can cook in your slow cooker, soups and stews and even desserts. I have a few very tasty dessert recipes that I have adapted for the slow cooker with great success. You will find it very easy, all you normally have to change is the amount of liquid you add before you place the dough in the pot, cook it for about one and half the time you would have on the stove or in the oven and you will have a tasty dessert you did not have to worry about.

CONTENTS AT A GLANCE


Here Are A Few Of The Features And Benefits Of The Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker


For me the biggest benefit is that it is programmable. You will not have the problem of an over cooked meal because you had to leave very early in the morning. You simply set it for the time you want it to be ready and the machine will do the rest for itself. If for some reason you are later than you expected, the Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker will stop the cooking and go to the keep-warm setting to prevent over cooking.

The touchpad control panel and the 24-hour LCD countdown timer with the 4 cooking modes makes for a perfect meal every time. There are no complicated controls to master, simple and easy is what you can say about the Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker.

I hate washing dishes and I'm sure you feel the same. For this reason I think that the fact that the lid and pot is dishwasher safe is one of it's biggest benefits. No big job after a lovely meal. You can sit back and let the dishwasher do the trick!

The nonslip rubber feet and stay-cool side handles for safe transport endures safety. It will not slip and you will not burn yourself taking it to the table for dishing up. I love this safety feature because I have a tendency to burn myself with hot pots and pans!
The Crock-Pot SCR300SS 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker is made of stainless steel and has three convenient settings. This allows you to start a meal in the morning and have it perfectly cooked for dinner when you and your family arrive home. It also allows you to quickly heat up a dip or a full meal if you need to. It has a dishwasher safe stoneware inside, which makes clean up much easier and it is priced to fit any budget.

When you are looking for a good crock pot you want something that is not only the right size for your family, but also will deliver a consistent cooking temperature. The Crock-Pot SCR300SS 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker is perfect for families of 3 or 4 and can cook a 3 pound roast. It delivers the consistent temperature you need to slow cook a roast or to let a batch of chili cook while you are at work.


  • The Key Features of The Crock-Pot SCR300SS 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker:
  • 3 quart round crock pot
  • High, low, and warm settings for slow cooking and fast heating
  • Great for making a small roast, chili, stew, soups, and more
  • Stoneware is dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
  • Modern look for the modern kitchen


With The Crock-Pot SCR300SS 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker you will get a great crock pot for the smaller family. It also allows you to easily slide the stoneware out of the crock pot so that you can put it on the table and allow everybody to dig in. This is simply one of the better choices for a small and affordable crock pot.

Click here to read customer reviews

“I’ve had a Rival brand Crock Pot for years and decided I needed another one so that I could keep more than one dinner item warm for when company comes. I choose the Crock Pot brand because my first one has served me well although the new Crock Pot does not say Rival on it anywhere so I guess they’ve sold the name. I saw this one and it had the keep warm setting and the price was so affordable I decided to try it and I’m very happy I did. The shape is lower and wider than my old one and the lid is glass as apposed to the plastic lid on the old one. I admit the new ones lid does not fit tightly (see update below). I really love the handles – they are open in the middle and easy to grip. And I can wrap the cord around and tuck the plug end into one of the handles for neat storing. Also love the stainless finish, it’s very sleek and attractive. Update – the crock has small bumps around the top perimeter that hold the lid up off the rim a bit (like a couple of millimeters). This does allow moisture out. I only cook vegetables in my crockpots and if I use this new one I get a stew with little moisture. If I use my old crockpot where the lid sits securely on the rim of the crock I get more of a soup. So depending on what you are cooking this design may or may not suit. I’m wondering if a layer of foil between the crock and the lid would serve to keep moisture in, pressing down in the middle of the foil so steam that collects on the foil will fall into the food and not down the outside of the heating part. I still like this new crockpot and am glad I bought it.” – B. Davis (FLA USA)

Hamilton Beach 33967 Set 'n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

The Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker is one of the most popular slow cookers on the market. It is affordable, very reliable and most of all works like a charm. If you have a busy schedule and don’t have time to prepare your evening meal in the afternoon, then let this slow cooker do it for. Just add your ingredients in the morning, choose the settings on the machine and you’ll come home to a ready prepared wholesome meal that the whole family can enjoy!




Amazon.com has the best range of slow cookers including the Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker. Click here to check it out.

The Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker is a large unit with an oval shaped stoneware pot. This means it is large enough to cater for the whole family or small enough if you just want to cook for yourself. It has an easy to ready flat panel digital readout which makes setting it up a breeze. It also comes with a temperature probe so you can test the meat and see if it’s cooked properly without having to take the food out of the pot. It is a perfect slow cooker for making things like curries, soups, pot roasts, stew and casseroles.

Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker Features


  • Fully programmable 6 quart machine with a bright LED digital control panel.
  • A choice of 3 different cooking programs and an automatic keep warm feature.
  • Fully dishwasher safe stoneware which is easy to clean.
  • Comes complete with user instructions and recipe guide
  • The size is approx 10x16x16 inches


Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker Reviews

We have found and read through 463 reviews from buyers of the Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker and almost all of them are positive and gave it 5 stars out of 5. In fact, almost 400 people gave it at least 4 stars which only tells us that this cooker delivers on quality and reliability.

The only negative reviews we found were basically because they had been sent units which failed. This of course does happen with any type of electronic or kitchen equipment. But this was only a handful of people from 463 reviews, so we are very confident that in the most part this is a great product.
Of all the positive reviews, people seem to really love the automatic probe feature. One says that they just insert the probe into the meat and when it reaches the correct temperature, the machine then automatically switches to a lower setting that keeps it warm until you are ready to eat it. This means that you don’t have to keep checking on it and wondering if it’s done or not.

Summary

The Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker is our top pick of all the slow cookers we have researched. The sheer number of positive reviews cannot be wrong. This is a slow cooker that will deliver for you whether you have a large family or not. You’ll be able to take away all the hassle of preparing your evening meals forever!T

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom 3-cup Rice Cooker and Warmer AKA Best Slow Cooker Ever!

Great Slow Cooker or Greatest Slow Cooker? The jury is out and I say the Zojirushi NS-LAC05 is a slam dunk!

My husband and I recently decided we wanted to add a rice cooker to our slow cooker fleet. After hunting and pecking all over amazon.com we finally settled on this one. At the time of this writing, it has a hefty 263 reviews, 218 of which are 5 stars! I couldn't argue with the logic there. At the time of writing this, this slow cooker is the HIGHEST RATED slow cooker on amazon.com Wow!

When I received the Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom I was thrilled as a child on christmas morning. I've made  a myriad of ricing products such as basmati, sushi rice, wild rice medleys, and every other product in between.

Dal? (Basmati / Red / Yellow lentils with Curry) -- No Problem.
Mujadarah? (Basmati / Green Lentils / Caramalized Onions, Yum!) -- Delicious!

I've used it as a warming device to gently steam scallops for a delicious appetizer as well. Let me tell you, veggies and flavored broths test AMAZING out of this machine.

Now -- back to business. When I first received the Zojirushi Rice Slow Cooker, I put in WAY too much water, since the directions were a little unclear. Finally I figured out that water marks on the cooking bowl itself include the rice at the bottom, not the actual level of water. Amateur Mistake!

After I figured out this little mixup the results were perfect each and every time. The rice is as good (okay, much better) than from a restaurant (fresh too!), and I can't ignore the fantastic savings of making your own rice at home. I purchase 10lb bags of rice from costco and it ends up lasting me most of the year. Lately, I've been doing a lot of sushi rice, while it's not quite perfected, this Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micom Slow Cooker does a fantastic job of churning out delicious tasting sushi rice when you do everything right. Soaking the rice grains hasn't really seemed to change the outcome for me, so hopefully I can nail down this process soon. In this case, the timer really seems to help a ton.

Speaking of which, the timer works great on this slow cooker. I LOVE waking up to the fresh smell of rice in the morning. A few times this week I prepared the ingredients for fresh Dal and then left the house to go work out. When I came home, it was wonderful.. I cracked the lid to find some steaming hot, perfectly cooked dal and the aroma wafted through the house leaving an absolutely divine sensation for the rest of the day. I am pretty sure it gently steams, then cooks at or below a soft boil, and then steams again. This really does fantastic work with any kind of lentil or bean that requires more attention than others. No falling apart from rough treatment here, the long slow simmer of this cooker makes sure you get a great tasting lentil every time, and I think it really contributes to the greatness of the rice too.

This Rice Cooker is easy to use, has a small profile for the counter top, and is an attractive yet portable slow cooker that you can take with you anywhere. Last week I took it to a friends house for a pot lock holiday meal. During the ride over, the rice stayed warm and steamy and even kept a foil wrapped loaf warm and toasty. Speaking of which, the warm function on this slow cooker keeps rice, casseroles, anything you put in it warm for hours with no quality problems.

My favorite part of the day of course, is when the Zojirushi makes cute sounds when it starts up and finishes off it's cooking, and let me tell you it is a dream to clean! There is no disgusting white residue or starch all over the device, and no scalding steam or water to deal with. Just a quick wipe down with a damp rag and it's ready for the next time. It almost seams to clean itself up from regular use, which is amazing in and of itself.

So, what's not to like? Understandably the price is a little expensive. I purchased mine for $144 on amazon.com which was the best price I could find on it anywhere online. I had considered a few others, but in the end the reviews and great things everyone had to say really won me over. This is a newer model rice cooker and really competes with other slow cookers on the market.

It's perfect for me, makes large batches of rice every time, and with the free shipping you can't really go wrong. I considered some other American Rice cookers, hot pots, etc. They were all junkers and I wasn't too sure that the results wouldn't turn out messy clumps of rice similar to elmers glue. I am SO glad that I went ahead and stuck with a trusted name like Zojirushi for my slow cooking needs. The quality of beans, rice, lentils, stews, broths, have all been nothing short of outstanding. And I can't forget how much cash I save by not buying carry-out and seasoning foods just to my liking.

There is no food cheaper, more comforting, or nutritious than rice and lentils, and you can keep the butters and oily fats to a minimum and keep the caloric count low all while not feeling too deprived of humane desires. I think I will start using it to prep lunches too, which means this Zojirushi NS-LAC05 Micim Slow Cooker will pay for itself in just one short month.

Since it's arrival I have hardly even touched the microwave, and oh man does my food taste better. If I had anything to say about this product in one sentence it would be: You gotta buy this man, highly recommended, I can't live without it!