1.5 quart crock pot gift for myself...

[Ultralight]

Saturday I was walking through the Kroger getting some groceries. Needed some oats and berries!

I cut through the kitchen appliance isle and saw the 1.5 quart crock pot on sale for $7.50 (plus tax) -- which means it was half price.

The crock pot I have currently is huge-a-mungo and covers much of my counter space. So I thought: "What the heck. I will grab this little crock pot for a low cost and donate my big one."

And as I reached up and grabbed it off the shelf I realized: "I am probably not ever going to get married again or have a life partner."

This one-man crock pot fully confirms my status as "born again bachelor."

[Float On]

And now you can always bring the cheese dip to the parties.

[Ultralight]

And now you can always bring the cheese dip to the parties.


Very true!

[happystuff]

When I use my crock pot, it is on from when I leave for work about 8:30 until I get home around 4:30. I always wondered whether the smaller crock pots would do okay for that long a period. I would love to hear your thoughts after you have used it a few times.

[Ultralight]

When I use my crock pot, it is on from when I leave for work about 8:30 until I get home around 4:30. I always wondered whether the smaller crock pots would do okay for that long a period. I would love to hear your thoughts after you have used it a few times.

The 1.5 has one setting: low.

So if you are making pulled chicken that you'd cook for 4 hours in the big one on high, then you cook it for 7-8 hours in the 1.5.

Also, you just plug it in to turn it on. You unplug it to turn it off.

[iris lilies]

The 1.5 has one setting: low.

So if you are making pulled chicken that you'd cook for 4 hours in the big one on high, then you cook it for 7-8 hours in the 1.5.

Also, you just plug it in to turn it on. You unplug it to turn it off.

I had one of those small ones for a while. I didn't find it worth the space it took up. Whatever you can cook in the small one, you can cook in the big one. This worries me a little, UL, because an “extra”crockpot is what normies buy, or even kitchen hoarders. Keep an eye on that acquisition urge.

In crockpot news: i have made two batches of spaghetti sauce this week. We have tone of garden tomatoes coming in, so I cut them up, added fresh basic, dried oregano, garlic, onions, parmesean, cheese, and cooked for hours. While these werre not Roma type tomatoes for sauce, they were ok.

There is something wrong with my brain because I haven't thought to use the crockpot for this before. When we make tomatoe sauce we cook it on the stove, and for hours. And have to watch it. And it is messy. Doh. Crockpot really good for this use!

[JaneV2.0]

I bought a crockpot about that size to make cannabis salve a couple of years ago. Since I probably won't make it again, it's likely to go out with the next purge.

[Ultralight]

I had one of those small ones for a while. I didn't find it worth the space it took up. Whatever you can cook in the small one, you can cook in the big one. This worries me a little, UL, because an “extra”crockpot is what normies buy, or even kitchen hoarders. Keep an eye on that acquisition urge.

I threw my older bigger one in the trash! No worries.

I also flogged myself on the back for several minutes after the purchase. So I think I am all set.

[catherine]

Last year I bought a mini-crockpot for $10 at Target. I bought it because someone said it's a great way to make steel-cut oatmeal overnight, and I sure didn't want a gallon of oatmeal every day. Also, I thought I might use it because in my mind it would be easier to make smaller meals than big meals. I love veggie-only soups and stews, but DH doesn't. But I'm not sure that it IS any easier.

Bottom line: I have never once used that crockpot. I think I value my time such that I really want to only make crockpot meals that I can save for the future. I still miss my larger crockpot. It's a tough decision but I may bring my maxi-crock to my mini-cabin next year. And give away the small one.

[bae]

I will confess. I have never used a slow cooker of any sort.

In my current reduced circumstances, I am wondering if it might be wise to investigate them more fully.

[happystuff]

The 1.5 has one setting: low.

So if you are making pulled chicken that you'd cook for 4 hours in the big one on high, then you cook it for 7-8 hours in the 1.5.

Also, you just plug it in to turn it on. You unplug it to turn it off.

Thanks. I might look around for one.

[SteveinMN]

In my current reduced circumstances, I am wondering if it might be wise to investigate them more fully.
Maybe. Can your kids cook meals in your absence? Are there options for take-out or meal-prep (think Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, etc.; maybe not in your location) that you find nutritionally and economically attractive? As a firefighter, are you okay with leaving the house while an appliance built to a price is heating up for hours on end? :~) (People do this all the time with furnaces and water heaters, but those are built more with that kind of duty cycle in mind.) Do you want to "complicate" your life with one more "thing"? A slow cooker is not quite a one-trick-pony but there are only so many things they do well and many things they do in a mediocre fashion.

I think those questions can start your investigation.

[JaneV2.0]

I will confess. I have never used a slow cooker of any sort.

In my current reduced circumstances, I am wondering if it might be wise to investigate them more fully.

Don't forget to investigate the Instant Pot, as well--the Swiss Army knife of appliances.

[bae]

Maybe. Can your kids cook meals in your absence?

I will shortly be the only resident here, as my daughter heads off to the UK for grad school. Well, except for the dog and the cat, but they seem unable to cook at all:-)



As a firefighter, are you okay with leaving the house while an appliance built to a price is heating up for hours on end? :~)


On this point, no. I'm presuming I'd only use this to sit on the counter and Do Stuff while I am at home Doing Other Stuff.



Do you want to "complicate" your life with one more "thing"?


Only if the invested complexity pays dividends in time/bother saved. I'm thinking if I go this route of the Instant Pot solution, so I *allegedly* may be able to reduce the number of appliances I have sitting around the kitchen.

(Similarly, I am investigating decent toaster ovens, as I suspect most of my baking/... needs for just myself might be accomplishable in a toaster oven, and I'd be able to avoid firing up the big wall oven, which is a nice oven but takes forever to preheat and uses an amazing amount of power.)

[Tybee]

All of my adult children use toaster ovens--I think one is a Cuisinart or similar nice brand? it shocked me because I never had one, though my mother did. They have made quite the comeback. One son doesn't even even have a regular toaster.

[Tybee]

We need a trading forum. I would trade some white china for the mini crockpot. . .

[catherine]

We need a trading forum. I would trade some white china for the mini crockpot. . .

You have a deal!

[Tybee]

Awesome--I will pm you re the china

[bae]

All of my adult children use toaster ovens--I think one is a Cuisinart or similar nice brand? it shocked me because I never had one, though my mother did. They have made quite the comeback. One son doesn't even even have a regular toaster.

I was speaking to my mother about the toaster-oven idea just yesterday, as I remembered she used one quite a bit in The Olde Days. She confessed to me that she still does for most of her 1-person cooking jobs, and rarely uses her large kitchen oven.

[Teacher Terry]

Once my Dad died my Mom did the same thing.

[catherine]

Our convection/microwave eliminates most of our need for the oven. So I guess it depends on what you use your big oven for--if it's broiling, you're better off with a toaster oven, but if it's baking, you can't beat a convection/microwave.

We're debating on whether or not to bring up a toaster next year. This year we buttered bread on both sides and then toasted it in the cast iron pan. It works fine. I have to weigh a little extra convenience with the idea of another gadget in the kitchen.

[Tybee]

This one says it's convection. Wow!

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-TOA-60-Convection-Toaster-Silver/dp/B01K0W8LTE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537560084&sr=8-2&keywords=cusinart+toaster+oven

[bae]

Our convection/microwave ....

Convection/microwave. I may swoon. In my endless anticipation of the flying cars and Mars colony promised to me in my youth, I somehow overlooked this great leap into the future.

Oh brave new world!

[Alan]

Convection/microwave. I may swoon. In my endless anticipation of the flying cars and Mars colony promised to me in my youth, I somehow overlooked this great leap into the future.

Oh brave new world!
Convection/Microwave units are pretty standard these days in motorhomes, we have one in ours. Unfortunately, I have very little experience using it. We've found that if we use it while the A/C is on, we blow a fuse, but I hear they're wonderful.

[catherine]

This one says it's convection. Wow!

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-TOA-60-Convection-Toaster-Silver/dp/B01K0W8LTE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537560084&sr=8-2&keywords=cusinart+toaster+oven

Yeah, that's nice!

[JaneV2.0]

This one says it's convection. Wow!

https://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-TOA-60-Convection-Toaster-Silver/dp/B01K0W8LTE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1537560084&sr=8-2&keywords=cusinart+toaster+oven

I've looked at that one and the Breville--they both get good reviews.

[Teacher Terry]

We bought a microwave in 2005 that is also a convection and regular oven. It was expensive (800). We were entertaining a lot then so frequently used that oven and my big oven. Fast forward to moving to this smaller house 6 years ago and haven't used any of the oven features once.

[SteveinMN]

bae, you don't sound like slow-cooker material. There's nothing you can do in a slow cooker that you could not do with a large cast-iron pot and a stove. It's basically a portable 250-degree oven and if you already have a vessel and heating source, it's nothing new for you.

Now if you choose to go with a toaster oven (I did, for many years, as a married twosome and single, until a strong preference for real toast by Someone Else made purchasing a toaster sufficiently necessary), you may not have the physical oven space for that large pot. You might want to consider how often you (at least plan to) cook foods that require low-and-slow-and-wet and adjust your appliance purchases accordingly.

[Tybee]

I do like a regular toaster for toast--not sure why I prefer it. I have never been able to get the same toasty results at my son's house with the toaster oven. But my sil makes wonderful cinnamon toast with hers.

[Teacher Terry]

The nice thing about a crockpot is you don’t have to be home to watch it like you do if you use the stove.

[SteveinMN]

I have never been able to get the same toasty results at my son's house with the toaster oven.
Physics. A toaster oven has to heat a lot of air around the bread. In a "real" toaster the bread is much closer to the heating elements and gets the bread hotter sooner. That's why someone who loves toast is unlikely to be happy with toast from an oven.

[bae]

Physics. A toaster oven has to heat a lot of air around the bread. In a "real" toaster the bread is much closer to the heating elements and gets the bread hotter sooner. That's why someone who loves toast is unlikely to be happy with toast from an oven.

Well, that saves me a research project and some counter space :-)

Your wise advice on the toaster oven and slow cooker are much appreciated!

[Ultralight]

I made black beans from scratch yesterday. And DAAAAAAAAAMN! They was good!

[SteveinMN]

I made black beans from scratch yesterday. And DAAAAAAAAAMN! They was good!
I've always preferred the texture of dried beans, reconstituted and cooked (slow cooker or otherwise). Much better than canned or frozen IMHO.

[iris lilies]

Today I am on my 4th crockpot of tomatoes, cooking them down into pasta sauce. The thing is reall really handy for that.

It has been a good year for tomatoes.

[JaneV2.0]

I have sausage-kale soup cooking in the IP. I think total cooking time was about 25 minutes.

[Teacher Terry]

I make my homemade spaghetti sauce in the crockpot and it always turns out perfect.