What to use as cheaper alternative to

[Dennis]

..a pickle tank? I use a pyrox dish on our oven, but the rings have gotten a tad rusty, plus I am not so keen on fiddling with pickle in the kitchen and rather have a safer solution.
Would a slow cooker do the trick?

Yes I use a slow cooker quite successfully, but the water does need toppig up every day, it is quite slow to heat up, and the metal around the glass lid gets corroded. They start at about £20, but it is worth getting one to accomodate you longest pieces. Dennis

[agent_44]

I use a Slow Cooker and don't find it needs topping up that regularly. If you give the metal rim on the lid a wipe now and again, it prevents/slows down the corrosion. Mines a few years old and is fine. You could always see about stripping off the metal rim, I have thought about it but not tried so don't know how easily it will come off. If you look in Argos you should get one for not much more than a tenner, maybe even cheaper in the January sales.

[mizgeorge]

I just put a bit of electrical tape round the metal rim. It stretches more than enough to enclose it completely. I also don't need to top up very often at all, but I only use the 'keep warm' setting.

[MuranoSilver]

I only use the keep warm setting too.

[lynnm]

Was you Neil? And what caused you to change so dramatically?

I think it was my hormones

Oh that did make me laugh! great way to start the day!
I'm still using my slow cooker type chocolate fondue for my pickle, great size!

[daisychain]

Have a look in charity shops and at car boot sales for slow cookers - I got mine for a couple of pounds at a car boot sale and it does a wonderful job! It's one without a ceramic insert, but I just put the pickle in a pyrex dish and put the dish in water in the slow cooker.

[david_bedwell]

I use a Team electric hob which I bought some time ago on ebay to heat my pyrex. Mine is double and is useful as a plate warmer when we entertain. Single ones are available.

[Cathy at the Beach]

I use a coffee cup warmer with a old pickle jar on it. I thought the pickle label was a nice touch. Its small, but so far I haven't had anything too big for it. I do have to keep topping it up due to evapouration

[lynnm]

I use a chocolate fondue. It's the same as a slow cooker but it's much smaller ( .5 litre I think) and it works really well

[Lindyloo]

Argos are doing a special on slow cookers at the moment.