Crock Pot Question

melissa0726

My crock pot insert cracked, so I'm in the market for a new one.  I've never bought one before, my mom gave me this one as a gift a gazillion years ago.  So, I was really surprised at the wide range of prices and options available when I started looking online.  Is there any reason to get a fancy digital one?  I'm home during the day, so I don't really need a timer, I don't think.  Does anyone have one that they really like and would recommend?  I don't really think I'm looking to spend any more than $50 or so. 

NotSharknado

mananana said:

If you don't need a timer and you don't need the clamps to close it and travel with it, I'd just keep it basic and cheap.  You can get a perfectly fine one for $30.  Now if money were no object, I wouldn't mind having a Ninja.  It's ridiculous to pay that much for a crockpot probably, but I love that you can brown meat in it too.  

Yup. I bought my $30 Crock Pot 11 years ago and it's still going. I stand behind the brand CrockPot.

kikalynne

Yeah, it's technically a "slow cooker" unless it's actually made by CrockPot. My dad works for Hamilton Beach and I love their slow cookers. They have a great Stow-n-Go option if you need to travel with it. My personal favorite is their 3-in-1 Slowcooker. It has 3 different sized porcelain inserts that you can switch out depending on the size of the meal you're making. Sometimes I cook things for just DH and I, other times I'm feeding a crowd, and I struggled with the rule that it has to be at least half full. Here's the link to the model I have and love:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000R8A1OK

melissa0726

mananana we saw a Ninja when we were at the mall tonight, and DH said, "Why don't you get that nice one?"  I told him that was a crazy ridiculous amount of money for a crock pot!  But now that I'm reading up on what it does it sound pretty amazing. 

@shanado I also had my Crock Pot brand for about 10 years.  I'm so used to how it cooks temp and time-wise, I don't want to have to "learn" a new model.  I don't like change.

kikalynne that 3-in-1 sounds awesome!  And the 2 qt pot might help me branch out on side dishes since I always stick to things that I can pull together quickly like minute rice. 

BnchaNums

I lost mine to the great remodel-with-no-sink-and-pork-rotted episode of 2013 and want my next one to have those clamps so that I can travel with it.

Rachey1082

I lost a piece of my old one during our move (it must have been in the lost box of pots...). Anyway, I just bought a new one on sale at Target. It is the CrockPot brand with only three options "keep warm", "low", and "high". It was $24. Sometimes, I feel like the more simple the better.

melissa0726

BnchaNums clamps looks like a great feature, I'll def keep that in mind as I'm shopping around.

@Rachey1082 that sounds exactly like the one I had that just broke.  Very basic, and it lasted for nearly 10 years, I loved it!