When I was getting things ready to ship to Sweden in anticipation of living in a furnished apartment, I realized that one small kitchen appliance that may not be furnished is a crockpot. So, I was planning to bring mine. Whoops! So much for that idea. I’m glad I realized that the power was not the same. In the US we use 110, and in Sweden it would have to be 220.
The first two things on my list to acquire in Sweden were a hairdryer, and a crockpot. The hairdryer, or blow dryer wasn’t a problem after I found out I would not find it in a pharmacy type place, or a beauty supply place. I had to go to a store that sold small appliances. That was conquered! Got the hairdryer.
Still, no crockpot. Every store I went into that had an assortment of small kitchen appliances, I thoroughly checked out for a crockpot. They had every imaginable coffee pot, (this is Sweden) mixer, food processor, rice cooker, blender, citrus squeezer, coffee grinders, latte and espresso machines, electric water kettles, toasters, and flat bed toasters, herb choppers, sparkling water machines, and electric potato washer/peeler, that also works as a salad spinner.
I asked the person at the store, “Where are the crockpots?” I get a blank look, so I rephrased it as a slow cooker. Then I tried to describe it. “You know, it has an insert ceramic pot, and sits on the base where the heating element is, and has high and low settings, and you can cook the food real slow.” I was shown a rice cooker.
I started to ask people I would meet, “Do you know where I can get a crockpot?” The next statement would be, “What’s a Crockpot!” Thinking they maybe knew it by the name of slow cooker… that is the next thing I would say. Still they didn’t know. So, I would end up describing it, and the virtues of a crockpot.
Online was my next search, which brought me to a forum page where an expat asked the same question, and the Swedes were sharing where they finally found one. But the discussion went like, “If your husband travels to Germany, or Great Britain, do you think he would bring me back one?” Or, how much suitcase space and weight do I have to sacrifice to bring a crockpot back with me? Or, if I order one online from GB, it will cost at least $40 in shipping, and I would have to change the plug. Or, if I bring one back from the US, then I would have to buy an expensive down converter, and sometimes they don’t work well.
One person gave the name of a Swedish online retailer that deals in hard to find things that sells crockpots. Hurray! I promptly went to the site, and sure enough there were three models of crockpots. The smallest costing $175 in US dollars up to $295 for the usual size. My plans to buy a crockpot for temporary use in Sweden have “slowly cooked away.” Pun intended.
Another online source gave me a short article about the introduction of the crockpot in Sweden was going to be the appliance of the year. Dated January 2011.
The crockpot became the most wanted small kitchen appliance in the US in the 1970’s. Personally, I had one then, which has been replaced with a newer model. Sometimes I use it a lot, and sometimes I don’t.
Okay, Sweden, here is my commercial for a crockpot. Are you a busy person that would rather not take the time or have the time to prepare a nutritious meal every night of the week? Do you spend time away from the house, working for a paycheck, and have a hungry husband and kids wanting and needing more than fast food. Are you like most, and don’t have the budget to eat away from home at a restaurant every night. And do you want tasty food, while not needing to spend the money on expensive cuts of meat? In comes the CROCKPOT. Prepare the night before, and refrigerate till morning, or prepare the ingredients in the morning, then set the slow cooker for up to 8 hours. When you come home the aroma will greet you, and you will be able to feed your hungry family in no time.
Why is it that Sweden doesn’t have crockpots? You certainly have every other type of small kitchen appliance ever conceived. Maybe a cookbook of crockpot recipes for the Swedish cook needs to be developed. Anybody want to do that?
Let me know your comment, opinion, or answer below.
Globe Trottin’ Granny
LOL!!! What a fun post Kathleen! I do have a friend who bought a crockpot here in Sweden…I’ll have to ask where they bought it. It’s something I would love to have as well but I think being here a while you just start to adapt to other ways of cooking.
(((HUGS)))
This is hysterical. I am still laughing. I am attached to BOTH my crockpots..and I only cook for my hubby and myself. I took for granted that they were EVERYWHERE…Learned something new. I have that book you are showing and it is great. I can’t believe the prices of one for you there.. Oh my… No setting and forgetting for you I am afraid.
That’s crazy! I can’t believe how much they cost there!! Next time I go down that section in Wal-Mart I’ll be thinking of you
Do they have Ebay for there?
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Marie,There is ebay, and Amazon UK. But, they don’t ship to Sweden. Some things you can get from ebay, or Amazon, but not everything. If I got it from US on one of those sites, there would be high shipping cost, and Sweden has a VAT (value added tax) which can be 40% added. Thanks for the comment!
Thanks for visiting! I really enjoyed reading about IKEA and the founder..What an enterprising young man to start stuck a business at 17!! Tomorrow is the trip to IKEA for the furniture… I can’t wait… Hubby wants the meatballs…
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I love my crockpot and couldn’t live in Sweden without it! Hopping over from NaBloPoMo
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Their price (Sweden) is way too high for a crockpot! So this is an eye opener for those going to live or spend a long time there, please don’t forget to bring one. Very hilarious but admittedly, this post is teaching them the value of crockpots:-)
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