September 25, 2008

Review: Crock-Pot eLume Touch Screen Slow Cooker

Crock-Pot has a new touch screen slow cooker coming out this Fall, and we've been doing some hands on testing of this new model. It features a luminescent touch screen interface instead of the more traditional dial controls found on most Crock-Pots. The eLume model also is very large, allowing you to make meals large enough to feed 8+ people. We decided to make the famous Kalua Pig plate lunch recipe we've recently been taught friends for our first meal with the Crock-Pot.

Kalua Pig Recipe:

4.5 pound pork butt
2½ tablespoons Hawaiian salt - we used smoky salt from Penzeys
1/2 bottle of liquid smoke
Garlic from Penzeys - we'd normally used fresh garlic but tried their new dried minced garlic
1 head of cabbage

The controls on the front are very easy to use, and the glowing lights are also a pleasant addition to the kitchen ambiance. We dialed up 6.5 hours, and then put it on high. Pressing start allows you to start the countdown.

Very classy and cool looking controls.

After the cooking time the results were in - perfect Kalua pig. Yep - perfect. Clean up was also really easy, and the middle lifts out and the sides because they are chrome also clean up pretty well. Our only complaint was the display angle sometimes was hard to see if you were right up on the crock-pot. We're also 6 ft, but Maya didn't have any issues reading the display the entire time it was cooking.

The finished kalua pig with cabbage mixed in.

Overall - the controls and ease of use is what you'd expect from a Crock-Pot, and if you're in the market for a gift this Fall - this looks like the crock-pot to get.

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