Do you use the Thermowell?

[chipperhiker]

Well, my first try didn't get a single response, so I'm trying again by rephrasing the question. I'm really hoping for your opinions, since there are so many obviously happy Chambers owners on this site.

Do you value the Thermowell on your stoves, or do you ever wish for a fourth burner?

Do you find them awkward to load or unload? I'm trying to imagine a big pot of hot soup being lifted out of a Thermowell. In my mind it seems like it might be a bit difficult.

Stoves without a thermowell have a 4th burner that has a higher BTU output (6 gas points, instead of the daisy burner's 4 points). Would this be a useful thing? I like to do a lot of canning, which is why I'm looking at these stoves in the first place, so I wonder if a hotter burner might not be a good thing?

Frankly I like the idea of the Thermowell, and am intrigued by them. I think I would prefer a stove with this feature, but have seen a nice 4 burner stove, too, and I need to decide by tomorrow on this particular stove. Yep, it's an ebay item, and I happen to be traveling to that part of the country in 2 days, so it woud be convenient for me.

The bottom line, though, is will I be missing out if I choose a stove without a deep well? I can always wait for another stove to come along. I'm not in a rush, I'd just like to bring a Chambers home in the next year or so.

Please help out a sincerely interested prospective Chambers owner. I have really enjoyed reading this group's comments and look froward to your opinions. Thanks.

[Todd W. White]

Personally, I think that a CHAMBERS without a Thermowell is like a baseball without players - hard to imagine why there would be a need for one without it!

To me, the Thermowell is one of the most versatile and handy features CHAMBERS ever developed.

I could go on and on about it, but won't for the sake of time.

I have seen a few without the Thermowell, and, to me, they seem naked and severely limited.

[chipperhiker]

Thanks for the push back in the right direction, Todd! I let that stove go (it was tough).

You said you could go on and on with the Thermowells's praises, and I'm sure I'm not the only Chambers novice that's interested in hearing. If you do have some time, I would really like to hear more about the them from yourself or anyone else. Who knows how long it will be before I get my own stove up and running!?

How are they to unload when full of hot food? How do you regulate the temp for the thermobaker function? Can you use other pots besides the originals and the Mirro aftermarket-types? How about adapting recipes - anyone good at this?

I'm in the process of getting a copy of your version of the Idle Hour Cookbook, but real world experience from users would be most useful.

[annnt]

I would be interested in the answers to all these questions also since I have yet to delve into the world of the Chambers thermowell.
Ann

[Joe Pieweed]

Okay, I'm ready to blab.

Thermowells, like Chambers themselves, are great. They make life a little more interesting and fun. AND, they save time and gas. I could just shut up here.

Nah.

Fer instance: with the set of three 2qt. pots: take one of the pots, put in one cup of rice and two cups of water. Drop it in the thermowell and fire the gas full for 15 minutes. Shut off the gas and in one hour you will have perfectly cooked rice, and if you had to run out of the house and forgot about it and came back two hours later, the rice is still perfect AND warm AND not burnt to a crisp as it would be if you had simply had it in a pot on a top burner.

Same deal with pies (I bake lots of them in the thermowell and oven), and practically any other single item, not to mention multiple items and more complicated recipies. Just peruse the cookbook and you will see the possibilities. It take a while to wrap one's head around this method, but it is FUN and it is interesting. Conventional cooking: okay. Microwave cooking: boring. Chambers cooking... Truly satisfying.

They're beautiful, well made, fun, economical, last forever and do a great job. Throw a pie in the thing, go on a 4 hour date and invite him/her over for dessert: you will be married in 5 seconds flat. Just buy the d**m thing!

Joe

[chipperhiker]

I'm trying, Joe (to buy one, that is).

I just need to find one that I think I can manage and that's at least somewhat nearby (within 10-15 hour drive, or so). I'm looking, despite the fact that a Chambers will NEVER fit in my kitchen without a significant overhaul. I don't even have a gas hookup at the moment, which is why I'm focusing on a C, much as I love the looks of a highback B. It would have to be LP, and that sounds tough with a B.

Maybe I'll have to buy a new house, just to have a place to use it! I'm smitten.

Thanks for the help, Joe.

[lorikeets]

OK, I have to add my 2? here as well. I think the Thermowell is one of the best features of this range. I use it often. In fact, just cooked a wonderful corned beef meal in there last night. And I had to laugh when my hubby came home and asked when I was going to start dinner. "Just check the Thermowell, it's done".
It's great for the meal-in-a-pot type things (pot roast, etc.). As for baking, it's terrific for a small family - don't have to heat the whole oven for a few baked potatoes, for instance. I've done casserole type dishes too (mac-n-cheese, scalloped potatoes).
The house stays nice and cool, uses a small amount of gas, food stays moist and wonderful, I could blab on and on!
As to the question of removing the pots, as long as your lid is on tight with the clamps, the pots lift out quite easily and safely, even when full.
May the more knowledable correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that extra burner was an add on to the Thermowell, and could be removed or added if an extra burner was needed? However, I can't see the need for a fourth burner. Just use the well for one or two or three of the planned dishes...
Hope this isn't too long!
Gwen

[lorikeets]

Hey Chipperhiker (sorry, don't have your real name),
I was looking through my paperwork for another reply and came upon an oven canning chart. It has the steps and instructions for canning in the oven with the heat turned off. Since you like to can a lot, thought you might be interested.
Gwen

[chipperhiker]

Hello, and thanks for the offer. I would be very interested in canning info. My email is [email][email protected][/email] if it's easier. I hope that doesn't get censored out - don't know the rules here.

As for my name, it's both "Chipper" and Jennifer. Either works just fine. For some reason, when you start hiking thousands of miles at a time, other hikers start to give you new names (usually when you do something strange, like when I broke 2 teeth), so I was rechristened Chipper a few years ago. When I'm not dreaming about getting a Chambers up and running in my house, I dream about hiking more long-distance trails. Odd, I know...

[Todd W. White]

The Cookbook gives you a LOT of ideas about how to use the Thermowell to cook delicious, nutritious, home-made meals without having to heat the whole oven or go to a lot of trouble. The "C" series is especially nice, because you can use the ThermoBaker in it - LOVE it!

I think that the Thermowell is great for small families, especially.

You don't have to resort to frozen dinners for one to three folks - just make up a small dinner for yourself, you and your spouse, or whatever in the Thermowell! MUCH better for you, and MUCh better tasting!

Some people have asked about the aluminum pots - as far as I have been able to research, the scare about aluminum causing Alzheimer's, etc., was unfounded.

I do NOT, however, like to use aluminum pots of any kind with foods that are acidic, such as tomatoe-based dishes. I MUCH prefer stainless steel for this.

That said, I am working with a fellow CHAMBERS owner on a source for a stainless steel replacement for the large, 7-quart Thermowell kettle. The ones I am looking at have the same kind of lid, but sans clamps. I'm working on a source for the clamps, and, if successful, I might have found a nearly ready-made unit that is easily adapted to for Thermowell use. I'll let ya'll know...

As for the Oven Canning Chart, I have newly scanned and carefully cleaned up ones available. Anyone who needs one, whether "B" or "C" owners, may order one. I'm trying to get all of the orders I have out tomorrow (Mom's cancer is advancing, so I'm pretty buried right now), but the Canning Guides are already printed and ready to be mailed...