bethben Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 (edited) I really have to get a big family crock pot. I've had the same one since I got married over 20 years ago and it's really just too small (4 quart). Is there a recommended one that won't leach lead into my food from the ceramic insert? ETA: Am I really looking at an Instant pot with the stainless steel interior? Does that have a decent slow cook setting? Thanks! Edited September 9, 2016 by bethben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 I was reading reviews on Amazon and someone tested the lead content after cooking to more than 80 degrees. Apparently, the ceramic insert leaches lead into your food when cooking. Most use cheap ceramic inserts made in China. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Well, that's why I didn't replace my crockpot after it died. Until I got an instant pot. It has a stainless insert. I haven't used it a ton as a crockpot, but you might read some reviews to see what people think about it for that purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I have a Ninja and like it. Although it cooks really fast, especially smaller meals. It is really big though and is not ceramic. I do have to keep a close eye on it to prevent burning/overcooking. It has multiple functions, so that's an added bonus. I do miss my large basic crock though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen3kids Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I got an Instant Pot about a month ago. I use it 2-3/week for various meals - plain rice, steel cut oats, mac and cheese, mongolian beef, pork chops, chicken dinner, pulled pork, roast beef... and today I made cheesecake in it!!! I highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 The IP keeps things warm on the "keep warm" setting, rather than slowly cooking it. I like all the other things IP does too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I love the IP. The insert goes in the dishwasher and won't break when you drop it. I've killed a few crock pot inserts. I don't use the Slow Cook setting very often, but it works just fine. The default time is 4 hrs and then it switches to Keep Warm. I'd look at the 8 qt with a large family. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I not used my crock pots since I got my Instant Pot after Christmas last year and I used to use crock pots all the time. I now use my Instant Pot almost daily. I have not tried the slow cook function because I just use the pressure cooker functions or steam function. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I got rid of my crockpots and my rice cooker when I bought my Instant Pot last year and have never looked back. I use the slow cook setting quite often and vastly prefer it's functionality to my old crockpots. In fact, I'll use my IP slow cook function to make chili for dinner on Soccer Saturday. I used the slow cook function mixed with the manual pressure cooker function to make a bean and pasta dish for dinner on Tuesday, the pressure cooker function to make potatoes for potato salad and chickpea seitan on Monday (1 1/2c water, 5lbs potatoes, 3 minutes manual). Works great for corn on the cob too (same setting/time as the potatoes). Very few weeks go by that I don't use the IP multiple times a week. I love my IP. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Another vote for the IP! They're dreamy. :wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcmommy Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I held off on the IP for years despite the love affair the Hive was having with them. I was certain it was hype. It is not hype. Get the pot. you will not regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 So, it does well as a slow cooker? What about soups and things that tell you to simmer for 4 hours on the stove? Can you actually get those type of things to cook faster yet still have that slow cooked taste where all the spices combine well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalytic Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Why Instant Pot? Why not one of the other, cheaper, just as well reviewed electric pressure cookers? (Seriously, just curious, I've had my electric cooker since 2012 and I love it...and it's less than half the price of IP) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 So, it does well as a slow cooker? What about soups and things that tell you to simmer for 4 hours on the stove? Can you actually get those type of things to cook faster yet still have that slow cooked taste where all the spices combine well? Yes it does. And I think things turn out far better in it than any crock pot ever dreamed of. I am definitely not a crock pot person for most things. But I am a huge IP person. The pressure cooking infuses the flavors much better in your soups than the slow cooker, and will do so in a fraction of the time. For other slow cook items like beans, I have found you get that second day flavor on the first day, if that makes sense. It's one of those things you really have to taste to believe. :) Why Instant Pot? Why not one of the other, cheaper, just as well reviewed electric pressure cookers? (Seriously, just curious, I've had my electric cooker since 2012 and I love it...and it's less than half the price of IP) Agreed. I think there are a ton of good electric multifunction pressure cookers. I'm not married to IP brand- I simply bought it because it was a hell of a deal on Amazon. I think there are a lot of great brands out there now, so like Catalytic is saying, definitely price and feature shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie~Phlox Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Why Instant Pot? Why not one of the other, cheaper, just as well reviewed electric pressure cookers? (Seriously, just curious, I've had my electric cooker since 2012 and I love it...and it's less than half the price of IP)But does it have a stainless steel liner, that's one reason I'm going for the instant pot. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalytic Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 But does it have a stainless steel liner, that's one reason I'm going for the instant pot. Mine does not have a stainless pot, but there are plenty that do on Amazon. Normal price, most are cheaper than the 6 quart IP. Not sure if you catch the IP on sale. I've been seeing all the IP hype for a couple of years, I looked at it very briefly a couple of years ago, long enough to see the price and decide that was one kitchen gadget I didn't need. I didn't realize it was just an electric pressure cooker. Over the past few months, I have seen at least a dozen people on my FB who have bought an IP because of the hype...and none of them got it on sale. They rave about it almost every day. I finally, 2 days ago, decided maybe I would bite the bullet and get one, because of their hype and the recent threads here. So I hopped on Amazon and searched for it, and realize it's just an electric pressure cooker. So I Google'd about the difference, and honestly I'm just not seeing enough differences between IPs and other electric PCs to warrant the extra money. (On sale, the IP is comparably priced for the most part, but I'm not sure how often they run that sale) Anyway, I don't really care how people spend their money, if they want to pay full price for an IP, hey whatever....except when that person posts daily about their money troubles and everyone is all sympathetic...I'm just like, really? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrittanyM Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 The IP isn't just an electric pressure cooker. You can also sauté, slow cook and make yogurt (if you have the newer one) in it. It is the best small kitchen appliance IMO! And to OP, yes the slow cooker works great! I think it cooks a bit quicker than the normal crock pot but that isn't an issue because it holds the moisture in much better than the crock pot. I rarely use my crockpot anymore. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalytic Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 The IP isn't just an electric pressure cooker. You can also sauté, slow cook and make yogurt (if you have the newer one) in it. It is the best small kitchen appliance IMO! And to OP, yes the slow cooker works great! I think it cooks a bit quicker than the normal crock pot but that isn't an issue because it holds the moisture in much better than the crock pot. I rarely use my crockpot anymore. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk According to the IP info, it is a "Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Saute/Browning, Yogurt Maker, Steamer & Warmer" Mine does all of that, except possibly yogurt and it calls the saute "brown". I haven't actually made yogurt in it because my family doesn't like yogurt and I have a yogurt maker (which is how I found out they don't like it lol), but I know you can make yogurt in a slow cooker, so I see no reason i couldn't make it in my PC. *Most* of the electric pressure cookers can cook everything the IP can, they just don't have as many buttons. There are a few without the slow cook function. Anyway, I'm not saying IP isn't wonderful, I have been a huge fan of pressure cooking for about 30 years. I've never owned an IP. I have owned stovetop pressure cookers, pressure canners, and an electric pressure cooker. I'd just like people to know there are other EPCs with a lower price point. Their name "Instant" was genius, electric pressure cooking had minimal resources before they came into existence, so now that I realize what they are, I probably should thank them for the hype, because I have noticed more EPC recipes/websites in the past year or two. (I bought mine on Black Friday or Cyber Monday 2012 from Costco, and websites with info about cooking in it were few and far between.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momee Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 (edited) I bought this at a much higher price at a specialty store. It's been a great crockpot for our large family. Note: small electronics not included in the extra 25% off sale though... http://www.jcpenney.com/cuisinart-3-in-1-cook-central/prod.jump?ppId=pp5005211889&country=US¤cy=USD&selectedSKUId=78040250018&selectedLotId=7804025&fromBag=true&quantity=1&cm_mmc=ShoppingFeed-_-GooglePLA-_-Slow%20Cookers-_-78040250018&utm_medium=cse&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=slow%20cookers&utm_content=78040250018&gclid=CjwKEAjwgdS-BRDA7fT68f6s8zMSJADZwHmvThoYbdiTIoyYM9GVi87nDF40d9fzxzQr7hMk73i-wBoCeI7w_wcB&kwid=productads-adid^45810122978-device^c-plaid^81646490018-sku^78040250018-adType^PLA Edited September 11, 2016 by momee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethben Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 How big should I get? 8 quart seems like overkill, but 6 quart doesn't seem like it would be enough. What says the hive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalytic Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 How big should I get? 8 quart seems like overkill, but 6 quart doesn't seem like it would be enough. What says the hive? I have an 8 quart Crockpot (I mean, it's a brand name Crockpot, not a Hamilton Beach or something) and I am not so sure I would recommend it to anyone. I have no idea when I got it, I remember telling my husband I was NOT going to buy it because it got bad reviews...but somehow I have it. So. I've used it twice in the past couple weeks, and both times, cooking on HIGH, things that should have taken 3-4 hours have taken 12-16 hours. I don't know if this is because I have a defective pot or if it's due to the volume, but I can tell you it's on its way to the trash can....and that makes me sad because I LOVE slow cookers. I use a $20 turkey roaster for a large slow cooker when i need a larger one than my usual 6 quart oval. (Again, I have no idea where this 8 quart came from, but it's the first one DH unpacked after we moved, so it's in the kitchen and the 6 quart I've been using for years is still in the garage) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
school17777 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 How big should I get? 8 quart seems like overkill, but 6 quart doesn't seem like it would be enough. What says the hive? The 6 qt is fine for my family, but I am mostly cooking for 4 of us now. I would probably start with the 6 and if you like it and use it enough, upgrade to the 8. A lot of people have more than one. I cooked all of tonight's dinner in it, and it would have been faster to use two pots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I bought my IP juuuust before they came out with the 8 qt. one, like a couple of weeks before. If I'd waited, I would have gotten the 8. The 6 just barely holds enough for my family of seven, and we still have one kid not here yet and we only have one teenager so far (and she doesn't eat meat). But it'll hold five or six chicken breasts, and some water, and when the chicken is cooked, I can chop it a bit and add two cups of rice, three jars of sauce (maybe 16-18 ounces each?), and a bag of frozen green beans, and that's enough for my family right now, plus maybe a salad for half of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Mine does not have a stainless pot, but there are plenty that do on Amazon. Normal price, most are cheaper than the 6 quart IP. Not sure if you catch the IP on sale. I've been seeing all the IP hype for a couple of years, I looked at it very briefly a couple of years ago, long enough to see the price and decide that was one kitchen gadget I didn't need. I didn't realize it was just an electric pressure cooker. Over the past few months, I have seen at least a dozen people on my FB who have bought an IP because of the hype...and none of them got it on sale. They rave about it almost every day. I finally, 2 days ago, decided maybe I would bite the bullet and get one, because of their hype and the recent threads here. So I hopped on Amazon and searched for it, and realize it's just an electric pressure cooker. So I Google'd about the difference, and honestly I'm just not seeing enough differences between IPs and other electric PCs to warrant the extra money. (On sale, the IP is comparably priced for the most part, but I'm not sure how often they run that sale) Anyway, I don't really care how people spend their money, if they want to pay full price for an IP, hey whatever....except when that person posts daily about their money troubles and everyone is all sympathetic...I'm just like, really? I have not seen any slow cookers with stainless liner. They just have stainless outside and the liners are ceramic or teflon coated aluminum:( I love my IP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalytic Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I have not seen any slow cookers with stainless liner. They just have stainless outside and the liners are ceramic or teflon coated aluminum:( I love my IP! I was referring to electric pressure cookers with stainless steel liners. I haven't seen any dedicated slow cookers with stainless steel. bethben, if you were asking about the size of pressure cookers, I would go with an 8 quart. I think mine may be 5 quart but I do wish it was bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I really like my Ninja 4 in 1. I have an IP, but I've only used it once. The Ninja gets used constantly -- it is a crock pot, oven, stove top, and steamer. I guess I need to figure out how to use the IP. It's not doing me much good in the cupboard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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