Is a slow cooker worth it?

[Pinkbell123]

Do slow cookers save energy? I'm planning on making a lot of stews when I'm on maternity leave and after the baby arrives so I don't have to worry about cooking something when dh gets home.

Is a slow Cooker more energy efficient than a pot on the stove for a couple of hours?

I don't know which is more efficient but I have found my slow cooker useful as it means I can make dinner at 5am if I'm up that early or during a morning nap. If I'm cooking on the hob I have to cook at a more specific time which may be when ds wants to be playing with me. I would recommend one.

I don't know if it's more energy efficient or now but it definitely stopped me ordering loads of takeaways when I was on maternity leave with DS. I'd definitely recommend one, at least if I had a tough day I'd still be able to have a nice home cooked meal at the end of it!

A slow cooker is good if you don't want to watch over the food while it is cooking.

Definitely worth it - convenience is a big factor (chuck everything in in the morning and forget about for hours) as well as the fact that you can cook joints of meat in them too, along with dozens of other non-stew recipes. Indian style chicken wings and BBQ pulled pork are now firm favourites in our house and both take very little effort in the morning. Not sure about efficiency but

Argh cats!
... our oven/hobs are gas, would be difficult to measure.

Really cost efficient about the same as a lightbulb

One way of saving money is the fact that because meat is slowly cooked even the cheaper stewing steak and lamb come out lovely and tender.

I thimk they are energy efficient - but can't link anywhere to prove it. However, as others say, the main reason is the convenience of being able to just chick the stuff in and put it on at whatever time you like - you don't have to be cooking at a time2 hours before you want to eat, or whatever, you can do it when you get chance / when fits round the baby. Also, cheaper cuts of meat are just so tender and lovely when they've been in the slow cooker, you may well begin to save that way too.

Love mine. Great for hotpots and curries.

I love my slow cooker! Definitely my best buy appliance!

I tried one but couldn't get on with it, after I had smelt the food cooking all day as I am a SAHM by dinner time I didn't fancy it any longer...

definitely, and they only cost about £15.

doesn't save much time but shifts the cooking to earlier in the day when you have energy, never boils over and turns cheap meat into ultra-tasty stuff. Love it.

Thanks all! Noticed today that Aldi have a 6.5l one in next week for £18 so will pick one up.

I love mine, I do joints and whole chickens mainly, stews are good though especially with home made dumplings.

They cost 200 watts on high and 100 or so on low. An oven is more like 2.5kw.

Yes they're great. You can throw allsorts in and just forget about it. Some good recipes on the Slow Cooked Wonders Facebook page plus lots of tips.

Budget recipes.

They are definitely more energy efficient, you can buy ones specific to this job. They are well worth it, I do joints of meats, stews, casseroles, soups, chilli. They are excellent for busy mums who would much rather mumsnet then watch over a cooking pot!

Another one who couldn't get on with mine, so I just sold it on eBay !

Maybe I'm weird, but I can't abide the smell of dinner time food before lunchtime. It always makes me feel queasy, walking past the school kitchen and you can smell what's going to be for lunch, first thing in the morning on the school run.

I love my slow cooker but weirdly only use it when I'm about the house...have never put it on to cook while I'm out at work...terrified it would go up in flames! Crazy or what?!

I love mine, use it quite often more in winter. I chuck everything in and when we get home from work/school dinner is almost ready Schwartz do slow cooker specific powders as well, we're having the Beef and Tomato Casserole tomorrow.