Crock-Pot 3.5L Manual Slow Cooker

This was a replacement for my Russell Hobbs 6L Slow Cooker purchased from Amazon in 2008, which I used frequently! The pot had cracked & I toyed with the idea of purchasing just a replacement pot direct from RH but for the price it was going to cost to replace it (£14 + £4 p & p) I thought that it was time for a new machine. This is much smaller than my old one but fits better on my kitchen unit and, as we’re a family of just 2 adults, is absolutely ideal for our needs. I always tend to go with ‘basic’ & this is no exception, with just 2 heat settings (low & high) & a ‘keep warm’ setting, it’s practical. I’ve used it twice since I had it! I generally use a timer switch too so the machine turn itself on when I’m at work and the meal’s ready when I get back. It’s easy to clean and much more manageable than my old one. I used the Amazon Warehouse which was slightly cheaper at £17.59) and I’m extremely happy with my purchase. This is a brilliant machine from a brilliant brand! Crock Pots/Slow Cookers prove invaluable to busy family & work lives! 👍

We bout his as it was cheap and basic-which was ideal as this was our first venture into using such an item. The post comes out and is easy cleaned. The top lid, doesn’t seem to have a tight fit but this doesn’t seem to impact on the cooking. The settings are very easy-high, low and warm. It’s easy to use and not too large,so can be stowaway in a cupboard. I would recommend it if your wanting to try out slow cooking but are not sure if it’s for you as the price is pretty cheap.

Used this to make a delicious chunky chicken soup at the weekend. The only drawback is that it doesn't have a light to indicate that it's on but other than that it works perfectly

I’ve really loved this, very easy to use and very easy to clean. It’s also a very good size for 2-4 people. However, having now used it I would prefer having a slow cooker with a timer on, so I can delay cooking or choose to have it on for a certain amount of hours whilst I’m out. At the moment, I can’t be out for a full day and use it which kind of defeats the purpose of using it.

I love my Crock-Pot. It was ready to use as soon as I took it out of the box. Just rinsed the earthenware bowl under a hot tap, and put all the ingredients in, in the morning, and by 6pm I had a delicious meal, vegetables still green and crunchy, but cooked until tender, and the meat fell off the bone. I love the way you can put the cheapest cuts of meat in, and because they cook slowly for a long time they come out tender and melt-in-the-mouth. I made a vegetable stew, and I put some wholewheat pasta in, making sure the pasta was covered by the liquid ingredients, and I got perfect results again. Economical to use, will save me money and fuel. Very happy with purchase, which will pay for itself in a short time.

Full disclosure- I bought this as a replacement for the exact same model I was gifted 14 years ago.You will never make a better investment for your kitchen. Incredibly simple to use, very energy efficient and a great time saver for the "lazy" cook. While most recipes advise some browning or softening of ingredients before hand, I have never bothered. Just chuck everything in, turn it on to low and wander off for 8 hours. The occasional stir and tasting, if you like, and dinner is done.Also good for overnight, but if you are doing breakfast casseroles or overnight porridge you might want to use a liner, makes it easier to get things out.The dish cleans easily, and you can even pop it into the oven to brown the top of anything- great for stew and dumplings.My first one lasted 14 years, and I used it a lot. After a suitable period of grieving I popped on Amazon and was delighted to see the same model still available. My shiny new model is currently making a sausage casserole for dinner later, and my home smells lovely.

I’m still getting to know my first slow cooker. I shall use it for stews and curries and be happy to be saving so much electricity! In fact I got it because of the rocketing fuel costs.My first stew was of skinless chicken thighs with leeks and potatoes, and I was impressed by the way the meat was almost falling apart but the potatoes and leek rounds were perfect, and not falling apart. With my second stew I put dumplings in for the last 30 minutes and they were fluffy and moist and yum!The main thing to remember is that the added stock is not going to be evaporated, so you can end up with too much juice, not a problem for me as I love that.I was a bit alarmed that with cold ingredients it was a good two and a half hours before I got a seething bubble. Four hours on high makes a good stew. Warming the ingredients and adding hot stock is what I have learned. I don’t see steam escaping but the smell of food really fills the house for the last two hours.The unit is neat and the very heavy inner pot goes into the dishwasher.

Really simple to use, switch it on, turn the dial to the desired level and it soon heats up. It’s quite small but perfect size for 3 of us.Only down side, like a few comments have already stated, there’s no light on it so the only way to check it’s working is to touch it! But, minor detail really. Great value for money.