Slow cooker -will I use it or is it just a phenomenal dust gatherer?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

We're a mainly vegetarian household (only DS eats meat and he won't eat stews )

Would I use a SC? I'm thinking if I make soups or lasagne sauce (veg mince) or chilli (veg mince)]

Rather than hob cooking (and making sure it doesn't bloody burn )

I'd need to find space for it .
Is it worth it?

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

It cooks the best jacket potato! I use mine a lot in the winter months, not sure much in the summer

Mine's awfully dusty but others live by it. Hopefully you'll hear more from them!

How do you do the jacket potatoes 70?

Buy an instant pot instead. Does what a slow cooker does and far more.

I use mine loads in the summer because it means I don't have to have the oven on. it's hard to judge because you will either use it for everything, or not at all.

One of the most used items in my kitchen. I do veggie chilli, curry, soups and stews, jacket spuds and you can do chutney too

I absolutely love mine, more of a winter thing but you'd prob get one cheap this time of year in the Argos sale or something!!!
Veggiewise I cook (although we eat meat too!)

Jacket potatoes
Anything with Quorn mince
Ratatouille
Soups
Chickpea & Lentil Dahl
Curry's
5 bean chilli
Boston beans

You can get loads of recipes online, I'd say yes it's great coming in from work to the smell of tea!!!

I've thought about Instant Pots and PKP but they're massive and I won't use all the features.

I don't trust pressure cookers, I like to steam veg so it doesn't overcook.

The one I'm eyeing up is in Argos , I've made sure the bowl is dishwasher safe , its a 2.4l (which I know won't hold 2.4 litres but should be big enough)

Off to clear space .....

The cleaning of them is an arse - get to home bargains (or amazon) and get some slow cooker liners - just pick the liner up and put it in the bin

• absolute genius. Have to buy in bulk on amazon but I'm home bargains were 5 for 59p!

I only ever managed to make mush. But I’m sure that is user error.

We got the argos one. Ive had it about two years and it does get its use. It usually hibernates for summer. But come September its used at least twice a week.

I like to do dump bags - large sandwich bags from ikea; chop all veg add all sauces and spices etc, brown meat and add, seal, flatten and freeze. Do four or five at a time.

Then i put one in the fridge overnight, into SC in morning and dinner is done when I get in.

I'm just binning mine. Have an Instant Pot & I hear what you're saying but it's smaller than than the slow cooker, the food tastes nicer (chilli, soup, curries, eggs, veg & stews, generally with just two of the programs) & it's way more flexible. Use mine every day. Sc has been in the garage for several years...

I LOVE MINE.

I make all sorts in it. You can make vegetarian lasagna, casseroles, cook chickpeas, curries, cakes, I even make my homemade cosmetics in it (lip balms/hairwaxs etc, all edible organic ingredients.)

What I do is tend to batch prepare veg and then freeze. So all I have to do is lift out the night before, defrost, pop in slow cooker and leave it to cook all day.

You will lose days on Pinterest...

Also, vin chau at Christmas.

Potatoes cooked all day are lovely too.

I use mine a lot - make stock, sauces, stews etc. But if I were getting one now, I would get an instant pot.

What do you do with jacket potatoes? Just put them in for a few hours on low??

I also chucked my slow cooker out when I got an instant pot, and my rice cooker! Just love it. One gadge does all really. Cook loads of beans, lentils and grains from dried in it. Stews and casseroles taste so mich better and it does a brilliant risotto too.

It's got an electronic timer, so veg like broccoli is just done on 0 minutes, absolutely perfect. More precise than steaming & great if you have issues with distraction, like I do!

I didn't believe the hype prior to getting one & I think you won't get one but I'm posting for others who read this thread. (-:

I have an electronic pressure cooker AND IT SLOW COOKS TOO!!! It's bloody brilliant.

Pippylou- I binned my slow cooker too. You're right I don't think op will get one but I mentioned it too for others. The hype as you say is rightly deserved.

I know you say you've considered and discarded the instant pot, but honestly i love mine and use it pretty much every day for something. My slow cooker has been banished to a cupboard now. I urge you to re-consider the instant pot.
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I have an Instant Pot too. I make yoghurt in mine as well as using the pressure cooker and slow cooker functions. It's great for cooking potatoes, quinoa, etc with no hassle.

I use mine a lot - it's great for when you are doing large meals or lots of dishes.

IME OP no it isn't worth it for a mostly veggie household. We eat meat very rarely at home and I haven't found any veggie SC recipes that are particularly inspiring (and a version couldn't be cooked quickly on the hob). Ours gets used maybe twice a year. Getting rid is on the 'to do' list.

Hmmm, reading all these , I might well body swerve the SC .

I watched a video for the Pressure King Pro, man, it looks complex !

They had Instant Pots in Costco a while back, but I wasn't looking for a new cooking appliance to add to my collection back then.

DMum offered me one of her pressure cookers, I was "Hell No" , I can only use them as a huge pan+ lid , not with the valve in place , even then, I'm really careful about timing (I know the IP does all the times for you).

Back to drawing board .

I got my instant pot from Amazon, (watch it for a while, the price fluctuates, i got mine for a very good price on a black friday deal, 18 months ago). It's very easy to use (once you've got over the fear), you can start things off sauteing in it, then as long as it's got enough (1 cup full) liquid in it, you just put the lid on, set the time you want it to cook at pressure for and walk away. It does everything else and then goes into a keep warm mode so you can happily get distracted while the meal does it's thing. Seriously, it's my most favourite kitchen gadget and that and the coffee machine are the 2 things i would replace straight away if they went wrong.