Tower Hobbies T16018, Safety And Instruction Manual

16

6 - Troubleshooting

Questions

Answers

The food in my slow 

cooker is not cooking 

evenly.

To ensure even cooking, cut foods such as vegetables into small, 

evenly shaped pieces. 

Foods such as root vegetables need to be placed at the bottom of 

the slow cooker so that they are in direct contact with the cooker. 

Root vegetables take longer to cook, so in order to have everything 

cooked evenly, this is a must. 

My food is too 

watery.

Too much liquid has been added to the slow cooker. Only small 

amounts of evaporation occur in slow cookers, so it’s important to 

add up to 50% less cooking liquid to a dish than you would if you 

were stovetop or oven cooking. 

If you notice throughout the cooking time that you’ve added too 

much liquid, remove the lid approximately an hour before the 

cooking has finished, and cook the food on the high setting. This 

allows the liquid to evaporate and thicken. 

Can I heat the 

cooking pot when it 

is empty?

No. The cooking pot must never be placed on a stovetop, in the 

oven, or heated in the slow cooker when empty. 

The slow cooker is 

smoking when it is 

first turned on.

There may be manufacturing oil on the heating element or housing. 

This can cause a slight smoking and/or burning smell during the 

first few uses of your slow cooker, but will stop after that.

Check that there is no spilled food residue on the heating element 

or housing. 

Unplug your slow cooker and allow it to cool fully before cleaning it 

thoroughly and towel drying before your next use. 

Food is sticking to 

the bottom of the 

cooking pot/burning.

You may need to add more liquid to your slow cooker. If you do not 

add liquid, food will dry up as it is cooking, causing it to stick and 

burn. 

Cooking with the slow cooker uncovered can also cause these 

problems. You should not cook with the lid of the slow cooker 

removed unless you are thickening up the liquid towards the end of 

the cooking process. If you cook with the lid off, the cooking liquid 

evaporates, causing the food to dry out and burn. 

Can I cook a roast 

in the slow cooker 

without water?

Yes, if the slow cooker is set to LOW. The liquid is needed to soften 

and cook the vegetables properly. The more fat the meat has, the 

less liquid is needed. 

How can I remove 

hard water stains 

from my slow 

cooker?

Many things can cause a build-up of calcium deposits and lime 

scale inside your slow cooker, including hard water or cooking dried 

beans. 

To remove stains, empty your slow cooker once you have finished 

cooking and fill the cooking pot with hot water. Add a small 

amount of washing up liquid and about 250ml vinegar to the hot 

water and leave it to soak overnight if possible, or for a couple of 

hours. Once it has soaked, empty the cooking pot and clean as 

normal.