On 7 Oct 2010 08:50:20 -0400,
[email protected] (Al Dykes) wrote:
The quality control regarding temperture is excellent, those heating
elements are made to the same standards as those used in much more
pricy appliances. But with these types of low tech electric
appliances the temperature varies with the the line voltage to your
residence (same with electric stove tops) and over the long periods
these appliances typically operate voltage will vary considerably. If
these slow cookers had voltage regulating circuitry like a computer
and TV, or even a thermostat, then their temperature would be constant
but they don't. Slow cooker temperature is also very dependant on
which time of day they are used. If turned on early in the day and
left to operate all day until dinner time then that is the period when
voltage varies the most and is typically lower... using a slow cooker
over night is best because that is when voltage is most consistant and
and at it's peak. An electric stove top element will operate at about
a 10% lower BTU rating at noon then at midnight...dinner time is when
electric stove tops perform most poorly, especially when one lives in
a densely populated area, most especially a large apartment complex.
Dinner time is when it takes the longest to bring that large pot of
water to the boil, and have the poorest results stir frying. Late
night is the best time to run your motorized appliances so that they
perform optimally and so their motors last longer... and off peak is
when many utility companies offer a lower rate. People don't notice
the voltage drop at home during daytime because they don't have their
lighting on. In industrial/business areas utility companies supply
more stable voltage, they install better more costly equipment, those
are their big users. Electric companies don't give two beans about
your slow cookers. And this is another reason why gas cooking is
better than electric, more consistant stove top temperature, with gas
I can keep a pot at an evenly consistant temperature all day. The
only real advantages to a slow cooker is that it's well insulated and
its earthernware crock evens out temperture fluctuations... just too
bad there is no thermostat, but it would need to be a probe directly
in what's cooking... I used to have a jumbo size GE microwave that had
a probe, did fantastic slow cooking, especially since I could peek,
taste, add ingredients, and reseason as much as I wanted and it would
electronically adjust the power level to maintain precise temperature.