Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

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HappyDaze
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Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

Post by HappyDaze »

I need to buy a slow cooker and a toaster - mine both recently perished and went to small appliance heaven (lesson learned, no more cheap small appliances from Dollar General and Family Dollar). I really don't care about brand names - for example, the slow cooker doesn't have to be the Crock Pot brand.

Do any of you have a toaster or slow cooker that you really like - and what do you like about it? I'm thinking my "price points" are $25 for the toaster and up to $50 for the slow cooker - I need one that will take being used about 2x a week for years to come. I would like it to be at least 5 qt. size - up to 10 qt.

Also - any ideas what to do with an old crock pot insert? Can you bake in the oven with them? I took the old toaster apart - I had a crazy idea of a "crafty thing" I could make with some of the parts - ended up cutting my hand pretty bad - and trashed the whole thing.

Thanks for any advice!
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MackerelCat
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Re: Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

Post by MackerelCat »

My slow cooker is a basic Hamilton Beach model and the toaster is a Black and Decker. Both have worked fine for years. The toaster does have wide slots for bagels and a setting dial that includes frozen bread.
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colonialgirl
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Re: Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

Post by colonialgirl »

I would avoid Crock Pot if you plan on cooking for long time durations. They raised the temperature on the hi and low and whereas I used to cook things on low for 10-12 hours while I was at work, they came out burnt with the new temperature settings. They are fine for 8 hours or less.

I really like my Cuisinart slow cooker. It has 4 temp settings and the simmer is like the old CP setting of low, Criticism -the finish on the crock dulls and you need to use a cooking bag with it to be able to get it clean.

I will be watching your toaster recommendations. need one that will toast both sides the same.
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LWolfT
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Re: Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

Post by LWolfT »

I have a Hamilton Beach and a Crock Pot brand and like both of them. Though I don't use my Crock Pot for long-duration cooking.

I, too, want to hear toaster recommendations. We have an el-cheapo that may-or-not toast bread, or burns it to a crisp. I personally think it's possessed: It's been known to fling bread out on the counter.
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Sandy
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Re: Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

Post by Sandy »

HappyDaze wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 2:41 pm I need to buy a slow cooker and a toaster - mine both recently perished and went to small appliance heaven (lesson learned, no more cheap small appliances from Dollar General and Family Dollar). I really don't care about brand names - for example, the slow cooker doesn't have to be the Crock Pot brand.

Do any of you have a toaster or slow cooker that you really like - and what do you like about it? I'm thinking my "price points" are $25 for the toaster and up to $50 for the slow cooker - I need one that will take being used about 2x a week for years to come. I would like it to be at least 5 qt. size - up to 10 qt.

Also - any ideas what to do with an old crock pot insert? Can you bake in the oven with them? I took the old toaster apart - I had a crazy idea of a "crafty thing" I could make with some of the parts - ended up cutting my hand pretty bad - and trashed the whole thing.

Thanks for any advice!
I have a 6.5 quart COOK brand that I bought from JC Penney 100 years ago and it's still going strong (I use it when I do a roast and add lots of vegetables since it always gets them done in 8-9 hours on low). The other is a 5 quart Hamilton Beach that I paid $20 for from Walmart a couple of years ago and it does great when I want to fix a roast alone (no veggies) since it doesn't get as hot as the COOK brand on low and vegetables always are a bit on the "tender/crisp" side.

My toaster(s) are Black and Decker (doing good after 20 years) and a Hamilton Beach (again from Walmart, for $19.99) that I bought 2-3 years ago to get a toaster with wide slots for bagels.
SandiSAHM
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Re: Recomendations? Slow Cooker and Toaster

Post by SandiSAHM »

Looking into the recommended crock pots as ours gets used a lot on homeless outreach and, frankly, it was bought before DS was born so.... might be good to have a backup.

Toaster: we have a Farberware 4-slot (2 on the left with their own time control, 2 on the right with their separate time control), it has a "frozen" function in case you want to heat a waffle and the slots are big enough for bagel halves. It's 10+ yrs old, got it at Walmart, no complaints. Don't remember the price but I do remember that before it we went through 2 cheap ones, the last of which tried to 'zap' DD so out it went!

Oh for pity's sake. I just looked up Farberware 4-slot toasters and now they're digitally controlled! No wonder nothing has a useful lifespan anymore.

DH has decided we need an electric super-fast water heating carafe for our evening ginger/mint tea. I'll entertain him but, seriously? I've made tea with (close your eyes traditional tea lovers) a microwave or just water in a saucepan for over 35 years. This is a WANT, not a need.
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