Fare-thee-well oh crock pot mine?

[scoots]

Many years ago, my Mom purchased an Emril slow cooker off QVC which I inherited. It's actually worked beautifully, and I especially like the fact that the crockery cooking bowl comes out for cleaning.

Unfortunately, I've also discovered it has a huge "T" shaped crack in the bottom of the crock and it's on both the inside and the outside. This model has been discontinued and replacement crock bowls sell for a lot of money (North of $50, for an appliance my Mom bought for $100). I am also discovering that this cracking is common.

 

I'm reluctant to throw away a good modern appliance, but I can't see spending that kind of dough on a crock that may crack the same way soon. An internet search suggested the use of a sealant and a liner. Here's the comment - what do you all think?

"Mine cracked too, inside and out. I just purchased a sealant that's food safe and high temp safe up to 400 degrees. It's called Midwest Hearth Hi Temp BBQ Grill Smoker Sealant FDA Food Safe RTV Silicone Adhesive in Black and I got it through amazon, but I'm sure any good Hardware or BBQ/ Grill place would carry something similar. I'm also using a liner to be on the safe side."

 

Thanks for the input.

 

 

 

[iowabear]

Personally I wouldn't bother trying to repair it.  These are pretty inexpensive appliances on sale.

 

I wouldn't like the risk of lifting/carrying a boiling crock of food in a repaired crock.  A lot of potential for a big mess.

 

[rp2813]

I agree with Jim.  New ones in a similar size can be found on sale that should perform as well as the Emeril and can be similarly programmed.  The one thing to watch for is a heavy enough lid.  I got my mom a cheap one and the relatively lightweight lid would allow condensation to escape and it would spit it onto the countertop.

 

I was at a party once where the host was carrying the removable crock from the kitchen to the buffet table in the dining room and the bottom fell out onto the carpet.  I wouldn't trust a repair to hold.

 

 

 

[maytagbear]

Every

new slow cooker I have seen in the stores comes with a removable liner.

Give it a fond farewell pat, or keep the liner and plant something in it, bring it in during the winter if you must.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[wayupnorth]

My ancient Crock Pot is a 70's from K-Mart and still works just fine. Just soak and scour it out after using. Lovely Avocado that I gave to my mother for Christmas one year and inside is not removable. Dont want to bother to buy a new one when this old thing has always worked just fine.

 

[polkanut]

Check out any estate/tag sales in your area.  One can usually find some nice small appliances with a lot of life still in them.  I found this near mint Hamilton Beach crock pot/slowcooker at an estate sale just up the street from me 3 years ago.  I love the auto shift feature.  The instruction booklet says that when using Auto-Shift it switches itself from Hi to Lo after about 1 ¾ hours.

 

[oliger]

RE: #4

I also have one of the first crock pots with the non removable crock. Mine is harvest gold. I have the whole set of small appliances from the early 70's and they have all lasted except the waffle maker; it burned out last year.
I really love my crock pot, and I would encourage other people to go out and find one somewhere.

 

[xraytech]

I have several of the older Rival CrockPots from the 70s-mid 90s
I didn’t care for the new one I tried, so when I find an older one that is mint or NIB I grab them.

Even with the Old ones Rival had 4, 5, and 6 qt models with removable liners, and by the early 80s there were 3 1/2 qt models with removable liners too

 

[rp2813]

I've also heard that newer slow cookers run hotter.  I suppose this is a scheme to make them seem not so slow or some other manufacturer rationale.  If you like true slow cooking, a vintage model might be a better choice.

 

I have a HB "Crock Watcher" with auto shift and I use that option all the time.  I also have an oval Farberware slow cooker and it has a similar feature, but I timed it and it switched to the low setting (per the indicator lamp) after only 20 minutes.

 

[scoots]

The deed is done ... its race is run.

Thanks to everybody for their input on this. The crock insert has been put in the trash and the cooker element is going to the scrapper this week. I have a mid-70s crock pot that works just fine. I'll dig it out and just be happy with my harvest gold Rival.

 

[lordkenmore]

>I've also heard that newer slow cookers run hotter. I suppose this is a scheme to make them seem not so slow or some other manufacturer rationale.

I've heard this, too.

I have looked at slow cookers in thrift shops, and I have noted that the watt listing on newer slow cookers seems higher than an older model of the same make and general size.

I've read experts who suggest newer models that run hotter arguing better food safety. This might be a reason why makers have cranked the heat up.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I believe it is to do with food safety. Likely to reduce the amount of time it takes to reach the 160 F.

 

[justjunque]

Tim, Reply #5,

I love it!
I believe my mom had (or might still have) the exact same one.

Barry

 

[ozzie908]

In the last 2 years of living here

I have not yet moved the slow cooker off the shelf under the stairs as my oven has a slow cook setting reaching 80c and staying there I have had great success with Hams and joint of Beef of which I can do both in different casseroles of course at the same time thus saving electricity I just leave to its own devices overnight and the results are perfect so I think I may as well take the Slow Cooker to the charity shop.

Austin