Another great comparison. Those would be handy on a daily basis to save energy and reduce heat in the house during the summer. Much appreciated.

Dear Pam: I have to get your attention to apologize for a comment i made the other day about my putting food into canning jars and they popped without being processed. I’m sorry. I guess i was asking you to be a magician in telling me how long they would last. I was so excited that they had popped and i was listening to you at the time. Reason left my brain. I have put some in the freezer and eating the rest. Next time i will prepare them to be processed. I can’t tell you how much you have inspired me. I am 82 and have long forgotten canning with my mother. The idea of putting meals in a jar for me is truly a godsend. Thank you for all you and Jim do.

“Those beads have a life of their own!” Hahaha… Made me LOL. I can see those little devils!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

They are very sneaky!

The stanley plus the wonderbag would make a really good pairing for even longer heat I would imagine for off grid slow cooking.. Thanks for the review Pam.. 😉

@thehadster7043

2 жыл бұрын

Agree!

@synocrat601

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely agree the Stanley plus the wonderbag would be a great solution. Especially if you reheat in the middle of the process.

@lovelife4111

Жыл бұрын

I was just thinking the same thing

Thermal cookers used to be called "Haybox Cookers" or "Sunday Cookers." The classic is a box filled with hay, inside is a trivet with legs. A dutch oven full of boiling food is put into the box and more hay is put in the box and a lid put on. Sometimes a flat heated stone would be put on top of the trivet and the pot set on that. It was important to have a leggy trivet so there was insulation all around the cooker. These types of cookers could have puffy wool long snake shaped pillows instead of hay. This was common on sailboats, gypsy wagons, or households that kept to strict "no work on Sunday"

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the information.

@user-xk9kf1tl9g

2 жыл бұрын

It is healthy to use cast iron Dutch oven for slow cooking a soup with this perticuler way?

@marygallagher3428

2 жыл бұрын

The KZread channel "Utility Jude's Wartime Cookery" has a good video demonstrating how haybox cookers were used in Great Britain in World War II :-)

@jennil7797

2 жыл бұрын

My grandmother, born in 1889, learned to use a haggis from her own grandmother, long before WW2. She was still using it in the 60s and taught me as a kid but my wonder have (small and large sizes as required) are easier..... Except the cat thinks it is a heated her for him to lie on!

@tiddlesa.6125

Жыл бұрын

@@user-xk9kf1tl9g I have a thermal cooker on its way, I use my cast iron pots in this way but they loose the heat quicker. I’m excited to test this out.

As someone who spent time in a testing lab (not food), this was fascinating! I do wonder if the outcome might be different if all pot ingredients had the same beginning temperature. I'm not knocking your speed - you were very quick! If i tried to hurry like that, I'd have probably dropped something ;-) Ok - Calculate percent of heat lost from your chart, apply that same percent if all had started at 190-ish (I can't recall the exact temp on the thermos pot batch). The last batch still fails, but your cooler+bag would've been very close to making the grade! I'm so pleased with the Wonder Bag, bought one years ago. It made fine ham and beans on a test run of 5 hours, iirc. Thank you for the hard data!

Thanks for taking the time to do this! I went ahead and purchased the Stanley Stay 3 Quart Hot Camp Crock. I would have purchased the Wonderbag BUT it was too difficult to purchase in the US so I purchased an alternative off of Amazon... Anyway thanks for taking time to put this together!

I find the wonder bag works better when the pot is hot not just the content.

@TheErador

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely, less loss to thermal shock. Preheat pot with hot kettle water.

Truly, to test these gadgets fairly, you need to use them as instructions require. When using the wonderbag, or your cooler method, you would bring the pot to a boil, boil for 5-10 minutes, then put the hot pot directly into your wonderbag WITHOUT peeking. You lost a lot of heat by opening the pot and pouring the beans into a cold pot.

@songlyon7795

2 жыл бұрын

My thoughts also

I think I would note the room temperature also. In a grid down situation you might be subjected to living in cooler/cold atmosphere because of lower energy usage or limited room heating availability. Just a thought. Great testing! Never heard of these methods. 😀

I love the scientific approach that you take and I always feel confident following your advice. Thanks for ALL you contribute

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Ba: You are so welcome! Jim

@tonette6592

2 жыл бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead Yes, I have to say that I just started pressure canning and my husband said to me the other day, "If I had not seen her [Pam's] scientific explanations, I would never have let you even try!"

@cynthiafisher9907

2 жыл бұрын

@@tonette6592 I understand your sentiment, but I think it’s sad that your husband has to “let” you do things or not.

@tonette6592

2 жыл бұрын

@@cynthiafisher9907 I almost didn't make his quote public because, not knowing my husband, people might jump on that in the wrong way, but he, having taught science himself, would have a major voice here for advice as to what was safe or not for our family. I don't 'let' him do certain things; it's a partnership where we rely on each other's experience, advice and knowledge.

@rashonryuu

2 жыл бұрын

@@tonette6592 Thanks for explaining. It gives me warm fuzzies to see examples of mutual respect between spouses. I have endless examples of my husband's simple "I don't think that's going to work the way you see it in your head." has been a very very wise warning. I love that he knows that that is all he needs to say so get my attention because he knows I respect his opinion. (admittedly, I don't always respond gracefully, but I do stop and think)

I love how you get me to think. I never thought of the importance of the temperature of “slow cooker” foods. Before this video, I didn’t know the high and low temperatures of the safe zone. I never really gave it a thought other than what was written in specific written directions or how my mom taught me to put food away after a meal (especially a picnic). Thank you, Pam and Jim!

BBC did a show on Wartime Farms (1940s). In one segment, Ruth, a historian made a one-pot meal but she placed it in a wooden box lined with straw & if I recall right, newspaper. When it was time to serve, the meal had finished cooking & was still hot. Very enlightening to see what passed your test! Definitely hitting Save on this video!! Great job!!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

sue: That is an interesting segment. I am not sure how that would with today's materials. Jim

@sueeus4869

2 жыл бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead me neither. Your segment just reminded me of their segment on cooking but saving fuel. 😁

WoW!!! A LOT of work for you, Ms. Pam, and I appreciate ALL your hard work!!! We now know which 2 slow cookers are the best for heating/cooking beans in 4 hours and keeping them in the safe zone of no bacteria growing!!! Such an EXCELLENT resource video for us!!!! Bless you and thank you.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I appreciate that.

Just got the Stanley and did an initial test. Preheated with 12 cups boiling water and then refilled with another 12 cups of boiling water. 206.8 F water temp. 10 hours and 45 minutes later water temp was 139 F. So it’ll hold water above the danger zone for 10 hours. From what I remember temps need to be above 175 F for thermal cooking. Rough math is showing about 5 hours to drop from 206.8 F to 175 F. So I’ll test that next.

Holy cow, am I impressed! That was a fabulous video. You even made your own cooker. I am pretty interested in the Stanley for another off grid cooking option. I am not sure how you and Jim do do much, but I definatly am enjoying watching and learning new things. Thank you. ❤

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome. We enjoy doing this and find it so rewarding that so many people are engaged in preparing for the future.

I have a Stanley like the one you used. I've used it a couple of times just to test it out. Thanks for taking the time to run the comparison test and providing the results.

I tried my wonderbag in the summer (hot) with a casserole, encasing it at 7.30am. Then I went to work. I arrived home at 4. 15pm. The casserole was well cooked and, although not scalding hot, was still hot to eat. Obviously I could not have left them any longer, but I had a great meal. I would not leave it that long normally but it was a good test.

@jvallas

Жыл бұрын

But you don't know what the temperature was of the final dish, right? I wonder if, after all that time, it was in the safe zone. Obviously, you're still aIive 😁 - but that doesn't necessarily mean there was no risk.

Thank you. I have a few of the Stanley's on order. Also, thank you for the numbers and conversions. I am a retired industrial forensics, operating SEM, FTIR, microscopes and associated equipment. I miss the chase but not the rat race. God Bless and stay safe.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

What a great career choice. I like your chase vs. rat race comparison!

@joeyhardin1288

2 жыл бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead I am an electrician by trade, thinking about getting a part time job at a home improvement place to keep my mind busy and pay off those nagging little bills.

Very helpful! I have the Wonderbag. Will use it now thank you!

I was unable to comment last night when I saw the video, so probably others will have already addressed this. I have a Saratoga Jack thermal cooker and the instructions are to boil the contents in the inner pot on the stove for 10 minutes--that means the contents AND the pot and its lid are hot. Then put the inner pot into the thermal jacket and close the outer lid. This has never failed me and even many hours later the contents are still hot. I also have two home-made wonder ovens for my two oval crockpots (one ceramic or porcelain I think and one corelle). They also work wonderfully when placed in the totes I bought specifically for them. They key is to totally fill the space with stuffing. I noticed when you closed your cooler that the stuffed parts bounced back (opened up). I love watching your videos and appreciate how precise you are, so I was very surprised. I would suggest you re-do your experiment, making sure to boil your product in your pots before insulating them.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

That would most certainly be more efficient.

Thank you so much for taking the time to test these methods and products. Good info!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Kim: You are so welcome! Jim

Wonderbag reminds me of how my grandma cooked rice when I was a small child - she boiled it and then wrapped the pot in an incredible amount of goose down comforter and blankets.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

It is nice to see those old ways coming back!

Another great experiment! Thank you so much for all the different things you find and do tests on. Love watching your processes.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Paula: You are so welcome! Jim

Thank you so much for this demonstration. I have a Wonderbag, but really didn’t know how it compared to other products. This is great information.

Wonderful experiment leading to very important knowledge/information. Thank-you, Thank-you! After living thru the TX Freeze last yr (with a week without electricity) this is really up my alley. I just went to Amazon and ordered a Stanley 3 qt cooker. Amazon normally sells them for $70, but they are now on sale, about $20 off. Additionally there are some available in "used" condition, (meaning warehouse price on merchandise returned, but, still in original boxing, and, fully returnable). Right now, there are 15 others still available at the warehouse. I got mine for $39, including tax! A great deal for anyone interested. P.S. After reading the Amazon reviews, I think I will also use mine for some camping trips and picnics...baked beans etc. May God Bless you both richly for all you do!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Jo: Thanks for the information. Jim

Yes! I was just researching these items and am very glad to hear your input. Thank you!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Thank you for showing us this video. Great information to know ❤️

Definately important experiment, thanks for doing this and publishing the findings! Love to know the most efficient method for being prepared Pam! So appreciate all your efforts in keeping us informed.

The wonder bag is amazing. I was really surprised by the Coleman pot. Learned something very important here just now. Thank you very very.

The cooler set up will probably work better if you have no empty space inside the cooler. Try it again and stuff blankets in those dead pockets around your insulator pillow.

I would have guessed the Zega would have held the beans at a much higher temp, because they were brought to a boil inside the pot. This has been an insightful demonstration.

@marygallagher3428

2 жыл бұрын

I think that if the Zega had been placed inside the DIY cooler thermal cooker Pam made, it might have cooked the beans fully and stayed in the safe temperature zone. The Zega is apparently not very well insulated on its own :-)

@janetbishop6031

2 жыл бұрын

@@marygallagher3428 I agree however it’s too bad I bought the Zeag Last year. I wanted it so badly, but I still haven’t gotten around to using it yet. I will have to do a trial run, but thanks to this video when I bring it up to temperature I will put it in my hay box.

@KatDoyle_Focus

2 жыл бұрын

I think the Zega is meant to be used without removing the lid. For Mrs. Pam’s experiment, the lid had to be removed to obtain the beginning temperature. If she had not removed the lid, the result might have been different.

Excellent information. Thank you so much. Your channel is always informative and fun to watch.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Marna: Thanks for watching! Jim

Fantastic video. Thank you for the reviews. Excellant.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome.

I love watching your experiments. Applying science to food preps.

I really appreciate all the effort you put into these informative videos! Thank you!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

So nice of you. Thank you.

Loved this video! Thank you. Valuable and fascinating information.

Thank you for your efforts! Great to know!

Great video! I've been trying to decide on a thermal cooker for some time and this helped me make up my mind.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Glad we could help!

I love learning with you!

I have the Saratoga jacks large pot and it keeps the heat and works wonderfully! Enjoyed the video!

Great ideas to have in your disposal when needed.

Thank you for reviewing and testing. I just bought the Stanley one on Amazon. Bonus is that is it on sale! You also reminded me to get my navy beans done as fast beans. Looking forward to trying the Italian soup. I did the pinto beans and they turned out great!!

Another informative video. I made a wonderpot and have used it a few times.

Excellence in demonstration and helpful.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you think so! Thanks!

Thank you for doing this, as I have wondered about both the bag and the cookers like Stanley. Now I know. I thought the Stanley would do the best, but had to see it. This is a wonderfully informative video that will help many. Thank you for all your hard work and precision. Much appreciated.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Jay: You are so welcome! Jim

Thank you! I was interested in getting the Stanley camp crock for off a grid cooking. I will go ahead with my purchase after watching this video.

Thanks for all of your hard work!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure!

Again, you did a great job! I also got the Stanley. I am thinking about Saratoga Jacks Thermal Cooker, which is much like the Stanley Thermal Cooker, but supposed to be even better. She advertises that you can make your dinner in the morning and have dinner prepared for the evening meal. That would have to be tested, as you did. She, at Saratoga Jacks, does boil everything for 10 minutes prior to letting the meal set for hours in the thermal cooker. Your content on your channel is perfect for us. I so appreciate you and Jim teaching us, and in safety too.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome. As you say, I would want to test any thermal cooker before I let food sit in it for hours to be sure the food stays safe.

@marygallagher3428

2 жыл бұрын

I have two Saratoga Jacks thermal cookers and they are great!

Thank you for all the data gathering. Not just for survival,but off grid living,

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome.

Interesting demonstration, thank you, I will invest in a Wonder-bag.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Fantastic information Pam! Thank you

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome.

I enjoyed your test. I have a Saratoga Jacks Thermal Cooker. It has an Insulated outer container. Inside are 2 stainless containers: a large 7L triple layered bottom and a smaller pot that fits inside the 7L pot. I also have another set with a 5L largest pot. The stainless pots are brought to a boil and cooked for 10 minutes then placed into the insulated outer pot. I can cook beans in the large pot and rice in the small pot. Can also bake bread. The pots stay in the safe zone for up to 8 hours if the pots are 75-80% full. This type of cooking comes in handy during hurricane season when we frequently lose power.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

mpennington27: Let us know the results. Jim

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

I really need to investigate Saratoga Jacks cookers. Several people have commented on them. Thank for sharing what you do.

@mpennington27

2 жыл бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead Check out Saratoga Jacks Thermal Cooker and Let's Make Sense of Thermal Cooking Cookbook on KZread

I really love your videos. Such a lady with the unique skills. Thank you

@RoseRedHomestead

Жыл бұрын

Damian: Thank you so much! Jim

Just love comparison. Just love that the wonder bag worked to well

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

It really did. It has been a very handy tool for us since we bought it about 4 years ago.

Your vids are great. I never would have thought of this

I'm glad to see your video because I had a wonder bag made. Now I know it works good 😊

Thank you, great testing and showing the results

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome!

You always have such interesting and informative videos. Thank you so much for your time and effort. ❤️🙏❤️

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are welcome.

What a great experiment, and to have at least one of the two best, wonder bag are the Stanley. Thank you both, for the off grid experiment. Blessings Pam & Jim ✝️💟

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Linda Lou: Glad you enjoyed it! Jim

Another great video. I always learn from your experiments.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

So glad they are useful for you.

Thanks for helping me decide.

Those are so cool. Now I need that bag

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

It is a great thermal cooker!

Great video. Thank you for doing this. The comparison, and how specific you were with recording results, was very informative. I think the Wonderbag is intended to be used with the pot you cook the food in. The pot would be hot when you put it in the bag. It might have held more heat that way. Your version, with the cooler, probably would have also. As Tray, another reviewer mentioned, the Stanley with a Wonderbag could be a great solution.

I made two wooden boxes lined with closed cell insulation, one was R-22 and the smaller one was R-11. They hold a 4.5-6 litre pot in the middle and seal up well. Both hold 60C for 10 hours, both cook at 65C for as long as 8 hours. They are a modern version of the “haybox”. My home made thermal cookers outshine anything on the retail market. Strongly recommend making your own, safer, better.

@RoseRedHomestead

6 ай бұрын

That sounds fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing.

Love this bag and pot! Thank you!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Echo: You are so welcome! Jim

Great to see your review. I have been using my little Stanley thermos like you used and guess it is a keeper!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Miz: Good to hear! Jim

Still learning so much from you. Thank you Very, very much. Dianne

Thank you! I debated about getting the Stanley cooker for camping at our off grid cabin. I will add it to my wish list. On your homemade cooler design, I noticed that the insulation is really only on the two ends and not much on the long sides. It may work better with added insulation and a heavier type of pot. We have an old cooler, I think I will use with the Stanley.

Have a whole set of thermos pots that were advertised on tv years ago & they r wonderful. Such a great idea

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Very cool!

Gosh again, you and Jim are a blessing to me and this community. I’m so impressed with the findings!! I’ve had the Stanley and wonder bag in my Amazon list ever since I saw one of your other videos on off grid cooking. I know which two I’m going to get. Thank you!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome.

@stewartdahamman

Ай бұрын

It has been 2yrs - how has it worked out?

Love your scientific way of experimenting! I have been wondering if the Stanley would work as advertised and I am excited to see it did. It's interesting that the most expensive gadget did not do as well. If combined with the bag I bet it would be a great system but not cost effective. Great information. Thank you for doing this!!

I click like first. Then I watch the video. God Bless !!

I bought a Stanley for myself for Christmas I’m glad I did! Thanks for your info!!❤️

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Nothing like being your own Santa! Love it! LOL.

@SpecialK8

2 жыл бұрын

@@RoseRedHomestead Absolutely! Something I wanted but wasn’t sure I needed! Thanks for the video showing it was a good investment! We must consider energy costs and thoughts for emergency situations in the future! 👍 I love your scientific approach !

Great video thanks for doing this.

You are such an interesting woman! Thank you for this video. I learn so much from you and Jim.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

Brava! Fantastic video! Such great information.

Thanks for your time and knowledge sharing (specially the data in °C make it easier to me to understand).

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome.

I have that Stanley and yes it works great. I also have a smaller one that I use almost weekly to thermal cook oatmeal for my husband and myself. I set it up in the morning before walking our dog and when I get back, the old fashioned (the 10 minute variety, not quick oats as I like it hearty) oats are ready to eat.

Great information!! Thank you

Thanks for this. It was entertaining and valuable information.

I do love my Wonder Bag. I have had mine for almost seven years. I will definitely try out the Stanley Thermos slow cooker too. Thank you!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

That sounds great!

@laurasack6479

2 жыл бұрын

What size would you recommend?

Very helpful. Thank you.

Haha this is amazing! Awesome share!!

I noticed the fancy “Star Wars”style word graphics. 😁. This was a really informative and fun experiment, Pam and Jim. Thank you.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are very welcome.

Thank you for this video. I use the cooler method in conjunction with my solar oven, when we aren't ready to eat yet, but the sun has dropped below the tree line.

Wow this is great info. Thanks so much .

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Lyn: You are so welcome! Jim

Wonderful, thank you!!!!!

SUPER excited! I ended up buying two of the Stanley Crocks "used" on Amazon for $32 each and one of the Hungry Fan bags. I plan to use these in my everyday cooking. What an AWESOME energy/fuel saver! Thank you!

@charlenesmith2989

2 жыл бұрын

I bought a "used" one too, right after watching the video! I've never been disappointed at buying a "used" item from Amazon, usually just the box is crushed or something!

@gingerhawkinshills

2 жыл бұрын

@@charlenesmith2989 Me too ☺

You need to put some Velcro on your homemade pillows to help hold them together. ❤ your channel, I look forward to it all the time😃

Great experiment!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

This was a good test!

Thank you for this video. It reminded me of my late grandmother who would "cook" whole one pot meals by putting a large pot that had just boiled up once into her bed, surround it with pillows and cover it with a big feather and down duvet.

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds great! Love that story!

Brilliant demo, I have the Japanese Thermos Shuttle Chef and have been amazed how good this type of cooking works! What surprises me is that no one in the UK does this although Thermos flasks are really popular here.

Thank you for this experiment. But I think the coolbox could have been better if the sides and the top were also with beadcushions.

Reading the comments is VERY rewarding. The flyer of danger zones may very well have saved a lot of lives in the future. Are you two angels 😇 in disguise? Love your hearts 💕 . By the way, Thank you for the sneak peek...

Great video

I LOVE YOU AND ALL THAT YOU DO FOR US!

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

You are so very welcome.

I have the Zega and love it because I can leave the house and not worry about it being plugged in. I always pressure cook my beans, so they would be already cooked before adding them to the pot. I brown meats, sautéing the onion and add the other ingredients and bring to temperature. I don't want to use the Zega as a typical slow cooker. It works great for doing a stew or soup for a couple hours and that's what I like it for. I chose the Analog model instead of the digital but have the Zega app on my cell phone. All one needs to do is to take note of the cooking time for the recipe and then just let the pot sit until the time is up. Simple enough!

Brilliant video . Thanks

@RoseRedHomestead

2 жыл бұрын

Debbie: Thanks! Jim