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Up until recently, I was hesitant to commit to a slow cooker. My kitchen space is very limited, and I wasn’t sure that I could find a machine that didn’t contain lead or other heavy metals that might leach into my food.

And then I heard about the VitaClay Chef.

vita clay slow cooker

The VitaClay features an unglazed clay pot that is free of aluminum, lead, and non-stick coatings, so no chemicals will come into contact with your food. Clay has traditionally been used in cooking because the it imparts a specific flavor to food that can’t be reproduced in a traditional crock or metal pot. It’s known for bringing out great flavors and preserving nutrients for healthier meals.

A unique feature of the VitaClay is its double-lid design that creates micro pressure cooking, which results in 60% more cooking efficiency. This saves up to 50% more energy, when compared to traditional slow cookers. It also means your meal will be ready faster! (This is extra convenient if you’re juggling work, or a baby, and forget to start dinner early in the day…) If you don’t want your meal ready for a few more hours, there’s an easy delay function that will automatically start the cooking process whenever you please.

I chose the 8-cup model for my home, which is capable of creating:

  • Stews & Soups
  • Tender meats
  • Steamed vegetables
  • White rice, brown rice and sticky rice (plus a reheating feature)
  • Yogurt

So far, I’ve used mine to prepare my Curried Butternut Bisque, which was so quick and easy!

curried butternut bisque in a slow cooker

I simply threw all of the ingredients into the clay pot (except for the almond milk, which I added at the end) and allowed it to cook for 2 hours– which is the equivalent of cooking for 4 hours in a conventional slow cooker. When time was up, the vegetables were perfectly cooked and ready to be pureed with an immersion blender. So easy! The Vitaclay will automatically switch to “warm” mode when the cooking time is up, so your food will remain at the perfect serving temperature until you’re ready to eat.

I’ve also used it to make fresh coconut yogurt!

coconut yogurt in a slow cooker

I blended up the meat and water from a few young Thai coconuts, along with the contents of a few probiotic capsules, then let the machine do all the work! (The VitaClay comes with instructions for making other types of yogurt, as well as numerous other recipes!)

Overall, I’m very pleased with the VitaClay, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone else looking for a non-toxic multi-cooker. It’s made my busy life just a little easier!

Disclaimer: Thanks to your Facebook recommendations, I contacted the VitaClay company and received the above machine as a complimentary sample to review. As always, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, and will only share products on this blog that I’d be happy to use in my own home.

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. Hi detoxinista,
    Do you have any concerns about the cooking element on the Vitaclay? The 2parts that cook the food, don’t know what material they are. Just curious since clay is porous.
    Thanks,

    Helen

    1. That didn’t worry me too much, since my food was only in contact with the clay pot. But, I should also mention that my clay insert cracked a few years ago and it was difficult to replace at the time, so I bought an Instant Pot instead, and that uses a stainless steel liner.

      1. Hi, thanks Megan for reply.
        The company does provide replacements for the clay part, as far as I am aware. They also make a bigger size which is 6quarts. It also has only a clay lid top. This may be good since the other ones have another lid with aluminum on the interior. My concern was that the inner clay lid had holes for steam & I didn’t want aluminum getting into the food. Do you think this would be of concern? The heating element is aluminum also & they say clay is porous so I was worried about that too.