Previously, the housewives in the kitchen had only pressure cookers from the helpers, and lovers of oriental cuisine bought a pressure cooker, where it was possible to cook dietary dishes for a couple. Today, the range of household appliances for cooking various dishes has expanded greatly, so many consumers are wondering which household appliance will be better to help the housewife in the kitchen - a double boiler or a slow cooker.
Each of these household appliances has its own characteristics, so making a preference for one of them will be difficult without knowledge of the technical parameters, advantages and small minuses. To find out all the nuances listed above, we advise you to carefully read this article, where you will find answers to all questions.
Content
What is the difference
The steamer has a narrow specialization: it is designed for cooking different products only on water steam, and the multicooker is a universal appliance that can replace several different kitchen units for cooking food.
Both products can cook a variety of dishes, but the double boiler can’t cope with the preparation of pilaf or home-cooked roast, and the multicooker successfully cooks rather complex dishes only due to the presence of automatic programs, and their taste is completely different, although everything is cooked in one dish with non-stick coating .
A unique unit can also be steamed, but experts believe that a steam boiler is more suitable for dietary nutrition, because its design ensures the safety of vitamins in full. In addition, this miracle of engineering allows you to completely abandon the use of all kinds of fats during cooking, and this is an additional health benefit.
A double boiler allows the hostess to cook several dishes at once, for these purposes special containers are provided where the products are placed: for example, you can cook meat, seafood, vegetables and boil eggs at the same time. The crock-pot perfectly prepares first, second courses, but only each of them takes turns. This is the main difference between the two.
Now, about the cooking speed: here again the steam cooker comes first, and as for the service, then it is at its best, because steamed food does not burn, and washing all containers is quite simple. The multicooker has a working bowl with a Teflon coating, but after using it, you still need to wash it from oil and food debris using special means.
Instrument Features
A crock-pot is a fairly versatile appliance designed for offline cooking of various dishes with minimal user involvement, you just need to add all the necessary ingredients to the work bowl and turn on automatic mode. After completing the cooking process, a smart technique will inform you that dinner is ready, with a sound signal.
Modern models have up to 25 automatic programs and about 30 with manual control in their arsenal, which allows you to cook many dishes: rich soup, clear soups, pilaf, homemade fries, crumbly cereal, knead the dough, and then bake fresh bread or pie. In addition, an active assistant will cook jam, yogurt and even thick aromatic jam with almost no participation from the hostess of the kitchen.
The built-in timer and recipes, as well as the delayed start function, allow it to turn on at the time set by the user, prepare the ordered dish and maintain the desired temperature until your arrival. This household appliance does not require special intervention during operation, and care for it after use is not so burdensome.
The main difference between a double boiler and a slow cooker is a highly specialized operating mode. Its design allows the simultaneous laying of different products, but they will all be steamed, without the addition of fats, i.e. dietary. But fragrant pilaf or roast with pre-fried potatoes and meat she can no longer afford.
An electric double boiler works quite simply: water is poured into the lower container, food and necessary spices and ingredients are placed in containers. On the control panel, set the time necessary for cooking and turn on the unit. During cooking, the user can mix the products, add the necessary ingredients or add water.
A fairly wide range of double boiler with a decent set of necessary functions is presented on the home appliance market today:
- adjustment of the amount of steam and its temperature;
- delayed start;
- continuous heating mode.
The main advantage of this product is the simultaneous preparation of various dishes, the possibility of burning is also excluded.
Advantages and disadvantages
We will consistently talk about each product, first we find out all the positive aspects of the multicooker:
- Full autonomy - the user only puts the products and ingredients with spices into the working bowl, sets the necessary mode on the control panel, and then the device works completely independently.
- Heating function. After cooking, the product can maintain the set temperature of the dish for an hour so that you can serve it hot on the table.
- A delayed start allows you to bookmark products in the evening, so that the slow cooker prepares breakfast at the appointed time and frees you more time for the morning exercise.
- The built-in program for baking bread, cooking diet food for a couple or yogurt frees you from acquiring other household appliances, which significantly saves space in the kitchen.
- Simple use. Even an inexperienced in culinary art, the user will be able to cook quite complex in consistency dishes using a slow cooker.
- Small dimensions allow you to transport equipment to the country or take with you on a trip, carefully placing it in the trunk of your car. At any campsite you will always have delicious and hot food.
Of course, not without negativity:
- only one dish is prepared at a time;
- if you do not have extra working capacity, you will have to wash it after each use;
- the usable volume is always one liter less than indicated in the characteristics, for example, if the bowl is 5 liters, then in actual use only 4 liters;
- the heating function does not turn off, so if it is not needed, turn off the product;
- Teflon coating or ceramic requires a careful attitude;
- such products are not suitable for housewives who wish to enhance their culinary skills.
The double boiler has its own advantages:
- Convenient cooking of several dishes at once, thanks to the presence of several containers. You just need to remember that long-term products are laid down, for example, first we put fish, on top potatoes, then vegetables, and put eggs in the upper container.
- During cooking, all vitamins and valuable properties of the products do not disappear.
- You can quickly defrost food.
- Easy cooking without adding fat.
- Food cannot burn during cooking, so rinse containers or baskets after use.
Cons are few:
- all food seems fresh, there is no favorite crust, so some users have the feeling that they are eating raw food;
- dishes are prepared a little longer than on an ordinary stove, especially meat.
In addition, if you have a gas stove, then the consumption of electric energy with frequent use of a slow cooker and a double boiler will increase significantly.
Comparison of their functions
By versatility, the double boiler loses to the slow cooker, because it cooks everything for a couple, and its opponent can vary the cooking modes. Using a double boiler you can:
- defrost food and heat previously cooked dishes;
- cook various products, such as rice, shrimp and eggs, laid in a special stand;
- prepare a three-course set lunch in one working process;
- sterilize baby nipples and refillable bottles, as well as cans during seasonal harvesting;
- warm baby food.
On sale there are models with a blender function to grind cooked foods if necessary.
A slow cooker performs the functions of several household appliances at once: a pressure cooker, an oven and a double boiler. Its design is rather complicated: it contains a heating element, a steam generation system, and a microprocessor responsible for autonomous operation. With its help you can:
- boil first courses and cereals;
- bake pies and cakes;
- fry;
- stew;
- steam or grill.
If you compare these different household appliances, then it is more advisable to buy a slow cooker, because it is universal and can cook any dishes with or without oil, and a double boiler is a narrow specialization in cooking any products for a couple.
average cost
Experts assure us that buying a double boiler is much cheaper, because their average cost is 3 thousand rubles, with a minimum price of 1200 rubles. In multicookers, everything is much more complicated - the average cost in Russia is 9897 rubles, although you can buy Chinese models with a plastic case and only six programs for 1600 rubles, but no one knows how long it will work.
How to make a choice
Comparing these two household appliances for the kitchen, we already concluded that they have individual advantages and disadvantages, so when choosing small kitchen appliances it is better to proceed from personal preferences.
Some users will choose a double boiler if:
- for them, the priority is the usefulness of cooked food;
- they are on a diet;
- the family has small children for whom it is necessary to constantly prepare special meals, warm bottles with milk and disinfect nipples;
- they are constantly saving due to lack of finances in the family budget.
Others will be happy to purchase a slow cooker, because:
- they love comfort and because of busy work cannot constantly stand at the stove;
- do not have special culinary abilities, and such an acquisition for them is a find and a way out of a predicament;
- They like to cook different dishes, but do not have free time for this.
To finally choose which equipment to buy, you can consult friends who have been using a slow cooker or a double boiler for a long time. Believing the same user reviews on the Internet is only 50%.
findings
A double boiler and a slow cooker are quite different household products, and it is very difficult to compare them, because they perform different functions. If you are committed to a healthy diet, then choose a double boiler - all products will retain vitamins and beneficial properties 100% after heat treatment. When the whole family likes to eat, but there is no time for daily cooking, the multicooker will do everything for you - just put in the ingredients and set the cooking mode.
