Should I get a slow cooker?

[Magmatic80]

Been wondering for a while and have been inspired by the non-casserole slow cooker ideas thread. It's only DP and I, and we're out of the house nearly 11 hours each day. Is that too long for slow cookers?

Also, am alarmed by people saying they put whole frozen chicken in. Is that recommended? If so, brilliant! But I am worried by veeerry slooooow warm up, wouldn't that encourage bacteria to grow? Or does the eventual temp kill them off?

You could get a timer.

I wouldn't put anything in from frozen. But have no idea if safe or not. Id defrost night before and bung in before leaving house.

Do you have an oven that can be programmed to switch on during the day?

it is a long time. but you could do meals easily in it at the weekends and freeze. i wouldn't put things in from frozen - well apart from small amounts, like frozen chopped onions

I've only just bought one ...slightly reluctantly but I have to say we love it ...
The new ones now have the inner that you can place on the hob to sauté your food ( onions spices meat etc) then place in the slow cooker all day ... I use medium but turn to low if I'm leaving it for along time
It's so handy as we as a family are all over the place with work school shifts etc
Don't use it all the time but fairly often.
Yesterday morning Made a jamie Oliver beef stew recipe it was lovely for last night and loads left over for today or freezing
So yes I would reccomend.

I think i prefer my pressure cooker now that i have recently bought one. I find everything tastes the same done in the slow cooker...

Yes.
I cook nearly everything in the slow cooker at the moment. Frozen chicken no, but fresh/chilled is awesome. Soups, rice pudding, daal, sausage casserole, beef stew, porridge (sometimes though microwave usually), curries etc.

Its terrific. I was giggling to myself how even when exhausted its a rough quartered onion and a rough chopped potato on the bottom, chicken on top, timer on and hey presto I can lie in till 12 and have a fall off the bone baked chicken for lunch.. groovy!