Electric Dutch oven

[yogi42]

I'm a new member on eGullet and this is my first post. Hoping some food enthusiast out there can help. I'm looking to replace a circa 1970 Oster electric dutch oven with something new. Mine is battered and scraped, but I can't bring myself to get rid of this appliance that I use several times per week. It makes great soups, stews, sauces, beans, stocks, everything this vegetarian loves to eat. What is the #1 complaint about slow cookers? You have to saute ingredients before putting them into the crock pot. With my dutch oven, I can saute, turn down the heat and simmer all day. It's really a wonderful appliance, and I've never seen one other than mine. I've done a pretty thorough search on the internet and can't find anything except electric skillets and those won't work for my applications. Any suggestions? Maybe someone knows a product developer at one of the major kitchen stores and can suggest this as a "new" product. Thanks

[andiesenji]

I often use my electric pressure cooker in the cooker OPTION - that allows cooking without pressure but you still have that option, which really comes in handy at times.

Mine is the Aroma, digital, programmable seen here

The 6-quart size is perfect for me. I had a smaller 4-quart that never quite fulfilled my expectations - the capacity was insufficient.

I have done braising in it on the "simmer" function, and can be set for 1, 2 or 3 hours - it may go beyond that - it does have a 12-hour "Keep Warm" function (automatic after the pressure cooking and other tasks), but I have personally never set it for beyond 3 hours.

It also has a steaming function - with the VENT OPEN so pressure does not build up and I successfully steamed a very large cauliflower head that would not fit into my regular steamer/rice cooker.

[Dave the Cook]

Breville, and probably others, make something similar to Andie's pressure cooker.

If you want something less elaborate, perhaps the Presto Multi-Cooker would work? I had something similar a few years ago, and it worked pretty well. Since the electronics are minimal, there's not much to go wrong.

[Kerry Beal]

West Bend seems to make one (also 70's judging from the avocado green) - check e-bay.

[andiesenji]

The Breville is much more expensive and the Presto has a (to me) fatal error - the non-stick coating flaked off the one I had a few years ago.

I gave the Presto to a friend, her husband removed all of the non-stick coating and she uses it to melt wax for candles and occasionally for a batch of homemade soap.

[pbear]

West Bend seems to make one (also 70's judging from the avocado green) - check e-bay.

This is what came to mind when I saw the OP. Here's a link (not avocado green). Can't speak to how well it cooks. I got one for the pot, which happens to be a nice fit as an insert for the Sous Vide Supreme. But, if I were the OP, it's what I'd try.

[Kerry Beal]

Here is the vintage one I was looking at.

[yogi42]

WOW! Thanks for all the suggestions. I've never used electric pressure cookers, but I'm looking at that option now. I especially like the WestBend oblong slow cooker if I find I can actually saute in it. I have some research to do now.