Please tell me about your crock pot!

[Deanie]

Originally Posted by expaik Let me guess... you have the stainless steel type? Those get way too hot. If you want genuine crockpot cooking (i.e. SLOW cooking), you need to get your hands on the older ceramic style. Look on craigslist - here people are selling the vintage Rival crockpots for around $5. They think that because these are from the 70s and 80s, they're worth nothing!

Do you mean there's stainless steel in the bigger, heater-element part and then the insert is ceramic? If so, yes that's what I have.

It's a Rival. I'm not a fan, but have read so many different things from different people about different styles (or different things about the same styles) that I just don't know what to try next. I don't want to waste my money, you know?

[mommysweetpea]

I have a Rival Oval 6 qt crock pot that I got as a wedding present 10 years ago. I love it and it has always cooked right on temp. Like a roast on low (frozen) about 8-10 hours. On high about 4-5 hours. I love it. I'm actually making a roast with carrots and potatoes in it right now. Smells so good.

[B's Mommy]

I don't remember what brand mine is, but I used to think it cooked too fast, until I started making sure it was at least 2/3 full....for smaller things like a small roast, I find that if I put one of my silicone bread "pans" in there and put the meat in that, it cooks at the right slowness instead of cooking the meat in just a couple hours.

[madebymommy]

Originally Posted by Deanie Do you mean there's stainless steel in the bigger, heater-element part and then the insert is ceramic? If so, yes that's what I have. It's a Rival. I'm not a fan, but have read so many different things from different people about different styles (or different things about the same styles) that I just don't know what to try next. I don't want to waste my money, you know?

I have 3 crock pots all together (and I've been known to use all 3 in one day, haha) and I have 2 like yours... and they BOTH do the same thing. I love the fact that you can remove the crock and put it in the dishwasher, but I hate how quickly they cook no matter what, and how hot the outside gets!

I have the biggest oval-shaped one, and the only thing I use it for is cooking a whole chicken... it works great for that, cooks the chicken in about 6 hours. I don't trust it for anything other than that!

I have the large round Rival with the removable crock... I avoid using it because it takes FOREVER to warm up, and then all of a sudden its overcooking my food. I don't get it.

And then I have a smaller old school round crock pot that is from the 1980's, all one piece. I LOVE it. I do everything in it and its the first one I reach for unless I'm cooking a chicken. I make yogurt, soups, stews, I even try to cram pot roast in there!! I wish the other two were as great and reliable!

[slimy72]

I have two Rival crockpots. One cooks fast, one cooks slow. So I use which one I need based on when I need dinner done. The one cooks about on low the same as the other does on high. It's really kind of crazy. So when I do my favorite Mexican meal of barbacoa sweet pork and pinto beans, I put the pork in the slow cooking one and the beans in the fast cooking one turn them both on low when I leave for work and come home to just right perfectly done food. I actually need to replace the fast cooking one because it's falling apart. I'm really not looking forward to getting to know a new crockpot though.