Taking it slowly.. (Tesco SC356 Slow Cooker)

Member Name: anwar7

Product:	Tesco SC356 Slow Cooker
Date:	28/10/08 (600 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: see review

Disadvantages: see review

A few weeks ago I read a review on here about the Tesco 3.3 litre capacity slow cooker. As it was on half price at just £9.96 I decided to buy one. I did own a slow cooker in the distant past but a friend managed to drop and break the bowl and I had been meaning to replace it ever since.

What you get for your money.
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The Tesco slow cooker comes in 3 parts. There is a brushed stainless steel base unit that contains the heating element. A 3.3 litre ceramic brown bowl and a glass lid. For something so cheap I was very impressed with the look of this slow cooker.

The cooker is oval in shape and does not take up too much room on my kitchen work surface. It has non-slip feet so stays put! The bowl is removable and can be washed in the dishwasher. As it is ceramic it is of course, breakable and it is not possible to buy a replacement.

The cooker comes with a very basic instruction manual but no recipe ideas.

How to use the cooker.
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Using the cooker is simplicity itself. There are 3 heat settings to choose from. I recommend you start your meal on the high heat setting and then turn down to low once the meal is cooking. I have made numerous dishes in this cooker and all have worked well. I like to make a vegetarian stew as detailed below-

Vegetarian stew.
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1 onion.
3 peppers-1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow.
4 carrots.
3 parsnips.
2 tins of chopped tomatoes.
A handful of pearl barley.
½ a butternut squash chopped.
1 pint of vegetable stock.
1 tin of chickpeas.

Simply chop up all the veg and place in the bowl. Add the liquid and the other ingredients. Set the cooker to high until everything is bubbling then turn to low . Leave for about 5-6 hours until the vegetables are tender.

I do find that I need to cook either the potatoes or rice separately as the cooker is just not big enough to feed our family of 4!

I have also made several soups in the cooker. There are lots of recipe ideas on line for you to choose from. It also makes a decent curry as the slower cooking means the flavours of the spices can really penetrate the food.

The pros.
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For the price I think this slow cooker offers really good value for money. It looks good and isn't too big. It is very convenient to be able to go out and leave the meal coking for when you return. A slow cooker enables you to use cheaper cuts of meat, important when money is tight!

The cons.
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The ceramic bowl and the glass lid are breakable and once broken cannot be replaced. The outside unit does get hot so you will need to be careful when small children are around. I think this cooker is the ideal size for a family of 2. However for 4 it is a bit small so I cook the potatoes separately.

My overall verdict.
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I have no hesitation in recommending this slow cooker. It is very easy to use and clean. It is really useful to be able to prepare a meal in advance and have it ready in the evening. I often find I have little energy left by the evening, especially in the winter so preparing the meal in the morning suits me well!

Summary: slow cooker from Tesco