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All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker


scrat68

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Does anyone have an All Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker?

All Clad Slow Cooker - WS

Any feedback on how well it works?

Is it worth the money?

How well does it clean up?

I like the idea of being able to go from stovetop to cooker in the same pan. As fall approaches, I would like to be ready for some braising!

Sorry if this is a repeat but didn't see anything when I searched!

Pat

"Unleash the sheep!" mamster

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My only comment would be to examine that insert carefully, and read the manual in reference to how it cleans up. If it's a PITA to clean, you may not want to use it as much. That is one heckuva costly slow cooker. But with All-Clad's quality, who knows -- it may be less expensive in the long run than the discount store variety.

We looked, briefly, at this one before replacing our old one. The price was the determining factor for us. There's no getting around, however, the convenience of being able to brown food on the stovetop and then just transfer the whole thing to the slow cooker. The one we bought has a black ceramic interior that usually takes a lot of scrubbing to clean up without a film clinging to the inside. I also would love to be able to program the unit to cook for an hour on high (to get up to temperature) and then drop to low for a few hours. If the All-Clad can do that, you have a very good reason for spending that much money on a slow cooker.

Do let us know whether you like it, if you do buy it.

Also understand that today's slow cookers tend to cook at a higher temperature than the old ones. My understanding is that it's a deliberate thing caused by food-safety issues. Monitor it closely the first few times you use it.

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As with most things Williams-Sonoma, it seems like overkill.

I have one of these guys ... clicky clicky and it works very well, for nearly half the price I might add. Sure you might be able to brown the meat in the All-Clad insert, but I already have pans I can do that in.

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I think Marlene has one!!  Maybe she'll chime in.

No I don't! I've thought about it, but so far, haven't seen the need to spend the money since I so seldom use a slow cooker these days. And since the insert in the All Clad is non stick, regardless of what they say, there won't be that many tasty carmelized bits from browning!

Edited by Marlene (log)

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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...And since the insert in the All Clad is non stick, regardless of what they say, there won't be that many tasty carmelized bits from browning!

Exactly. Exaggerated prose to hype the cooker.

If it's the idea you like of using one pot one the stove (to brown the meat, for example) and then putting it in the slow cooker, take a look at the West Bend Slow Cooker. The insert can also be used on the stove and then used on the slow cooker base.

There's a previous eGullet discussion about slow cookers somewhere around here...

 

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Tim Oliver

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For that money, you could pick up a slow cooker on eBay and rig it with an Auber PID.

How do they work? I know that this is probably a stupid question but do they control the temp or just monitor it?

"Unleash the sheep!" mamster

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I have one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MSUP7...6S1RC4809PPF1KA

It can also go on the stove-top. However, it's performance in browning is not as good as a decent pan. After deglazing, the extra pan is not hard to clean, so even though it was a major point in my decision, I would not consider ability to brown in the same vessel to be important.

However, being able to put it on the stove top is still very important to me. Reason being is that I can quickly bring the contents to temperature before placing in the cooker. This means the lag time from room temp to cooking temp is nil. It removes the need to be able to program the thing for one hour of high, and then low.

I highly doubt the extra cost of the all-clad is worth it. Plus, with it's computer, I would be concerned about repeatedly cycling the power through an external pid. I would have no such concern with the rival.

The vessel that the rival has holds heat extremely well. It's really a tremendous pot. And the reputation that rivals have for being too hot on the low setting is not applicable to this model. I find the low setting appropriate, a touch on the high side, but not too much. For example, if I use it on low to make a stock all day the contents barely simmer. That's filling it right to the top. If I braise some beef and it's 2/3 full, it's at a decent simmer. Too hot (in my opinion) for a nice braise. I use it mainly for making stews, stock and oatmeal.

I definitely recommend it.

Mark.

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