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.. 😉
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"
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!
@@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 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.
@@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)
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!!
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!
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.
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 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.
Having just watched this. It did strike me that I would have heated the containers as well. I would preheat if I was using a thermos flask. Also, the coolbox, didn't look well insulated on top. If I remember correctly it went down to 135F, I wonder if better insulation in the cool box and starting with a hot container, would have kept it over 140F?
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.
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 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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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. ❤
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.
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.
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!
Pam in all fairness your ice chest beans (the bags came apart when you replaced the lid. Perhaps you could pin or fashion a tie to secure bags over the pot. The large red bean bag had pull ties to chinch and secure coverage. Thanks for all the information and the analysis. Very interesting. Also granite countertops will suck the life out of anything. ha ha. In a bug out situation I will be leaving my granite counters behind. When filling our plates at dinner I sit mine on a cutting board to prevent the plates from getting cold. I like piping hot food.
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!
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!
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.
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 ✝️💟
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.
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 :-)
@@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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
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.
In some of my reading on thermal cooking it was mentioned that space was the number one enemy to thermal cooking. Maybe that’s why the Zega lost heat faster.
One thing I noticed - with the exception of the cooker that was taken from the stove, it did not look like the other metal pots were already hot when you put the hot beans and water in. Would that have made a difference since the cold/room temp pot would drain heat from the cooking process. What if they had been cooking on the stove too before being put in their holding state? Seems like the cheap cooking bag won the test over the special metal pots.
I'm in Australia and recently purchased a 'Billy Boil' which has a stainless steel cooking pot which fits snugly into a thermos like outer pot. I have been delighted with how hot it stays and how well meals cook, provided I achieved the correct temperature for a period before putting it into the pot.
I am very grateful for this video. I was planning to buy a zega, but, changed my mind after seeing this. I do have a thermos shuttle chef (not sure if thats only Australian) it is a thermal cooker, with a heat retaining bag also… it is incredible… food stays too hot to eat, even after 6 or 8 hours..
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.
this is what I eventually want to do. maybe I can put wheels on it, a cushion on top, decorate it, and call it my ottoman for seating, too. we can keep *eachother* warm.
I purchased the Stanley thermos cooker and the Wonderbag on your recommendation. I need to try using them before I actually need them. We had a power outage last week for about 16 hours. A real wakeup call. We moved recently and I still haven't found all my camping/cooking stuff or winter wear. I about froze!
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.
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.
I was just explaining this method of cooking to family members the other day. A few years ago I made my own with a half banana box and old fleece blankets. I didn't cook beans but cooked soup with potatoes and carrots, etc. It worked great.
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!
I have a couple Saratoga Jack thermal cookers. I haven't measured the temp but I'm glad to know that 140 is my goal. I think the food is well above that.
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.
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!!
Excellent test Pam. Great information and data on this video. I bought the Stanley Thermo right after I saw it on your previous video. Now I wonder how would be result of the Thermo inside the wonder bag????. Thanks once again Pam and Jim
Yes, I've been wrestling with myself as to whether I think I want to spend the money on both. I do have a thermal cooler, but it wouldn't be flush up against the pot the way a wonderbag would. Could get around it with towels, etc., but the wonderbag just seems so much more elegant!
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.
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!!
Using my Le Creuset or Emile Henry enamel cast iron Dutch oven with my @TheWonderbag worked better than the thin walled enamelware container in holding the heat to between 160-163 for the finished beans we made. A friend used a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven that she lined with foil and then parchment paper before she poured the beans she had cooked on the stove for 10 minutes, and I saw where her Lodge Dutch oven held the temperature at 170 for the finished beans. I think that is because her cast iron Dutch oven had a thicker wall.
Good information to know. While I am not concerned about the grid going down, I have decided to live full time in my RV and I do not want to use a generator or pay for caravan parks so I wanted to find ways to slow cook food that does not require hours of mains electricity.
Very interesting test! It would be interesting to see how the DIY cooler thermal cooker Pam made would perform if, instead of just pouring boiling water over the soaked beans, the soaked beans were themselves brought to boiling in a pot of water on the stove and then the pot was placed in the DIY cooler thermal cooker (which, to my understanding, is the usual way to do thermal cooking). Also, I'd be very interested to have Pam test a Saratoga Jacks thermal cooker and a Shuttle Chef thermal cooker to see how they stack up against the 3 Qt Thermos cooker she tested in this video :-)
I think she did bring the beans to a boil as well. Though the pots were cold. I agree that if we do a similar test with everything hot, our versions of the cooler thermal cooking should cook and stay in the safe zone within 4 hours.
Looks like the cooler setup would have possibly worked just as well as the bag if the starting temp for that pot would have been the same as the bag pot. Really shows how important it is with this type of cooker to act quickly to get things wrapped up when they are as hot as they can possibly be!
On your design of the wonder cooker: if you made a topper for inside your cooler cooker so the pot would remain incased, or made straps to keep the sewn material tightly attached to the pot, you might get improved numbers. I noticed that when you removed your hands and closed the cooler, the material quickly spread away from the pot. Thank you for the demonstration.
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.
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.. 😉
Agree!
Definitely agree the Stanley plus the wonderbag would be a great solution. Especially if you reheat in the middle of the process.
I was just thinking the same thing
If the wonderbag can be found….
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"
Thanks for the information.
It is healthy to use cast iron Dutch oven for slow cooking a soup with this perticuler way?
The UA-cam channel "Utility Jude's Wartime Cookery" has a good video demonstrating how haybox cookers were used in Great Britain in World War II :-)
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!
@@ΝΙΚΗΦΡΑΓΚΟΥ 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.
I love the scientific approach that you take and I always feel confident following your advice. Thanks for ALL you contribute
Ba: You are so welcome! Jim
@@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!"
@@tonette6592 I understand your sentiment, but I think it’s sad that your husband has to “let” you do things or not.
@@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.
@@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)
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!!
sue: That is an interesting segment. I am not sure how that would with today's materials. Jim
@@RoseRedHomestead me neither. Your segment just reminded me of their segment on cooking but saving fuel. 😁
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!
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.
Thank you so much! I appreciate that.
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 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.
mpennington27: Let us know the results. Jim
I really need to investigate Saratoga Jacks cookers. Several people have commented on them. Thank for sharing what you do.
@@RoseRedHomestead Check out Saratoga Jacks Thermal Cooker and Let's Make Sense of Thermal Cooking Cookbook on UA-cam
I find the wonder bag works better when the pot is hot not just the content.
Definitely, less loss to thermal shock. Preheat pot with hot kettle water.
Having just watched this. It did strike me that I would have heated the containers as well. I would preheat if I was using a thermos flask. Also, the coolbox, didn't look well insulated on top. If I remember correctly it went down to 135F, I wonder if better insulation in the cool box and starting with a hot container, would have kept it over 140F?
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.
That would most certainly be more efficient.
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.
What a great career choice. I like your chase vs. rat race comparison!
@@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.
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.
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.
I have two Saratoga Jacks thermal cookers and they are great!
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!
Jo: Thanks for the information. Jim
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.
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.
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. ❤
You are very welcome. We enjoy doing this and find it so rewarding that so many people are engaged in preparing for the future.
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.
Those are so cool. Now I need that bag
It is a great thermal cooker!
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.
It is nice to see those old ways coming back!
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!
You are very welcome.
It has been 2yrs - how has it worked out?
“Those beads have a life of their own!” Hahaha… Made me LOL. I can see those little devils!
They are very sneaky!
Thank you for all the data gathering. Not just for survival,but off grid living,
You are very welcome.
I love watching your experiments. Applying science to food preps.
Thank you for making this effort! Now I know what to buy.
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!
That sounds great!
What size would you recommend?
Pam in all fairness your ice chest beans (the bags came apart when you replaced the lid. Perhaps you could pin or fashion a tie to secure bags over the pot. The large red bean bag had pull ties to chinch and secure coverage. Thanks for all the information and the analysis. Very interesting.
Also granite countertops will suck the life out of anything. ha ha. In a bug out situation I will be leaving my granite counters behind.
When filling our plates at dinner I sit mine on a cutting board to prevent the plates from getting cold. I like piping hot food.
Thank you.
Interesting demonstration, thank you, I will invest in a Wonder-bag.
Glad it was helpful!
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!
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!
@@charlenesmith2989 Me too ☺
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.
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 ✝️💟
Linda Lou: Glad you enjoyed it! Jim
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.
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 :-)
@@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.
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.
I realise that this video was made some time ago, but I think you might need to look at the Ecopot thermal cooker from Australia.
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.
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...
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.
I click like first.
Then I watch the video.
God Bless !!
I have the Saratoga jacks large pot and it keeps the heat and works wonderfully! Enjoyed the video!
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.
Jay: 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.
Have a whole set of thermos pots that were advertised on tv years ago & they r wonderful. Such a great idea
Very cool!
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.
My thoughts also
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.
In some of my reading on thermal cooking it was mentioned that space was the number one enemy to thermal cooking. Maybe that’s why the Zega lost heat faster.
That's what I've read for thermal cookers. The more food in the container, the less air and the less heat loss.
The wonder bag is amazing. I was really surprised by the Coleman pot. Learned something very important here just now. Thank you very very.
One thing I noticed - with the exception of the cooker that was taken from the stove, it did not look like the other metal pots were already hot when you put the hot beans and water in. Would that have made a difference since the cold/room temp pot would drain heat from the cooking process. What if they had been cooking on the stove too before being put in their holding state? Seems like the cheap cooking bag won the test over the special metal pots.
I'm in Australia and recently purchased a 'Billy Boil' which has a stainless steel cooking pot which fits snugly into a thermos like outer pot. I have been delighted with how hot it stays and how well meals cook, provided I achieved the correct temperature for a period before putting it into the pot.
That is fantastic.
Yes! I was just researching these items and am very glad to hear your input. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I am very grateful for this video. I was planning to buy a zega, but, changed my mind after seeing this. I do have a thermos shuttle chef (not sure if thats only Australian) it is a thermal cooker, with a heat retaining bag also… it is incredible… food stays too hot to eat, even after 6 or 8 hours..
Karen: Thanks for the information. Jim
Great video
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.
That sounds fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing.
this is what I eventually want to do. maybe I can put wheels on it, a cushion on top, decorate it, and call it my ottoman for seating, too. we can keep *eachother* warm.
You are such an interesting woman! Thank you for this video. I learn so much from you and Jim.
You are so welcome!
I purchased the Stanley thermos cooker and the Wonderbag on your recommendation. I need to try using them before I actually need them. We had a power outage last week for about 16 hours. A real wakeup call. We moved recently and I still haven't found all my camping/cooking stuff or winter wear. I about froze!
Karen: I we agree, test your equipment before an emergency, so you know how they work and what the limits actually are. Jim
Fantastic information Pam! Thank you
You are welcome.
I really love your videos. Such a lady with the unique skills. Thank you
Damian: Thank you so much! Jim
Another great experiment! Thank you so much for all the different things you find and do tests on. Love watching your processes.
Paula: You are so welcome! Jim
Excellent information. Thank you so much. Your channel is always informative and fun to watch.
Marna: Thanks for watching! Jim
Great video! I've been trying to decide on a thermal cooker for some time and this helped me make up my mind.
Glad we could help!
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.
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.
Sounds great! Love that story!
I noticed the fancy “Star Wars”style word graphics. 😁. This was a really informative and fun experiment, Pam and Jim. Thank you.
You are very welcome.
I was just explaining this method of cooking to family members the other day. A few years ago I made my own with a half banana box and old fleece blankets. I didn't cook beans but cooked soup with potatoes and carrots, etc. It worked great.
C5Rose3: Wow! That sounds interesting. Jim
Very helpful! I have the Wonderbag. Will use it now thank you!
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!
Just love comparison. Just love that the wonder bag worked to well
It really did. It has been a very handy tool for us since we bought it about 4 years ago.
I have a couple Saratoga Jack thermal cookers. I haven't measured the temp but I'm glad to know that 140 is my goal. I think the food is well above that.
Saratoga Jack's instructions prefer you keep the food at 145F or above, so they like that safety margin.
I love learning with you!
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 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.
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!!
Excellent test Pam. Great information and data on this video. I bought the Stanley Thermo right after I saw it on your previous video. Now I wonder how would be result of the Thermo inside the wonder bag????. Thanks once again Pam and Jim
Yes, I've been wrestling with myself as to whether I think I want to spend the money on both. I do have a thermal cooler, but it wouldn't be flush up against the pot the way a wonderbag would. Could get around it with towels, etc., but the wonderbag just seems so much more elegant!
Another informative video. I made a wonderpot and have used it a few times.
Fantastic video. Thank you for the reviews. Excellant.
You are very welcome.
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.
The Mr D thermal cooker is available in the UK.
@@crfoat my new Stanley one arrived last month
Still learning so much from you. Thank you
Very, very much.
Dianne
Thank you for this experiment. But I think the coolbox could have been better if the sides and the top were also with beadcushions.
Thank you for showing us this video. Great information to know ❤️
I'm glad to see your video because I had a wonder bag made. Now I know it works good 😊
Tfs, good to know. Please stay safe and sending hugs to you both 💜😎
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!!
Thank you for your efforts! Great to know!
Excellence in demonstration and helpful.
Glad you think so! Thanks!
Using my Le Creuset or Emile Henry enamel cast iron Dutch oven with my @TheWonderbag worked better than the thin walled enamelware container in holding the heat to between 160-163 for the finished beans we made.
A friend used a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven that she lined with foil and then parchment paper before she poured the beans she had cooked on the stove for 10 minutes, and I saw where her Lodge Dutch oven held the temperature at 170 for the finished beans. I think that is because her cast iron Dutch oven had a thicker wall.
Very interesting! Thank you.
This shows you that cast iron is actually a good insulator, (and not a good conductor).
Good information to know. While I am not concerned about the grid going down, I have decided to live full time in my RV and I do not want to use a generator or pay for caravan parks so I wanted to find ways to slow cook food that does not require hours of mains electricity.
The saratoga jack thermal cooker is nice also.
Very interesting test! It would be interesting to see how the DIY cooler thermal cooker Pam made would perform if, instead of just pouring boiling water over the soaked beans, the soaked beans were themselves brought to boiling in a pot of water on the stove and then the pot was placed in the DIY cooler thermal cooker (which, to my understanding, is the usual way to do thermal cooking). Also, I'd be very interested to have Pam test a Saratoga Jacks thermal cooker and a Shuttle Chef thermal cooker to see how they stack up against the 3 Qt Thermos cooker she tested in this video :-)
I think she did bring the beans to a boil as well. Though the pots were cold.
I agree that if we do a similar test with everything hot, our versions of the cooler thermal cooking should cook and stay in the safe zone within 4 hours.
Looks like the cooler setup would have possibly worked just as well as the bag if the starting temp for that pot would have been the same as the bag pot. Really shows how important it is with this type of cooker to act quickly to get things wrapped up when they are as hot as they can possibly be!
Thanks for helping me decide.
Great ideas to have in your disposal when needed.
Great to see your review. I have been using my little Stanley thermos like you used and guess it is a keeper!
Miz: Good to hear! Jim
I used a home version for rice, it was great. For beans it looks like you have to reheat for 10 min. after 2 hours. It would still save on energy.
More hassle, but yes, it would speed things along and ensure the food stayed in the safe zone.
Thank you so much for taking the time to test these methods and products. Good info!
Kim: You are so welcome! Jim
On your design of the wonder cooker: if you made a topper for inside your cooler cooker so the pot would remain incased, or made straps to keep the sewn material tightly attached to the pot, you might get improved numbers. I noticed that when you removed your hands and closed the cooler, the material quickly spread away from the pot. Thank you for the demonstration.
Karen: Good point! Jim
You always have such interesting and informative videos. Thank you so much for your time and effort. ❤️🙏❤️
You are welcome.
I had two thermal cooker "Tiger" made from Japan. I use it to make chicken broth all the time. I think that is the best thermal cooker.
Great video thanks for doing this.
Haha this is amazing! Awesome share!!