Thanks to everyone for the quick responses. Yes, I am using plain
chocolate, mainly for dipping cookies, some truffle like candies, nothing
fancy, and I do it in BIG lots, so using coture is not an option, moneywise.
I'll save that for my Chocolate Fountain time. I appreaciate all the helpful
advice, and I do know about using the waterbath and using the heating pad,
but for the amount I am looking to do, it seems both of those methods might
not be the right way for me to go, personally. My small chocolatier unit
works great, I just spent 8 hours at a friends house dipping 7 batches of
candy and it really does work great. Nothing fancy, but much easier than
trying to keep melting chocolate at the right temp. I figured that the
crockpots would be too hot, but because this particular unit (Chocolate
Heaven) looks a lot like a crockpot, I was wondering if I was just buying a
crockpot. I can't find any info on what temp it keeps it at etc, but as
someone stated, sine they are touting it as a candy dipper/maker, I have to
assume it is a low heat type of crockpot. So, for the $13 I'm going to
check it out. Worst that happens is it ends up in the next yard sale, or it
could be the best thing I ever bought!



Thanks again for all the helpful info!


"Bunny McElwee" > wrote in message
...
> I currently have one of the small version of a chocolate dipping
> machine which has two settings, warm to keep the chocolate liquid and hot
> to melt the chocolate from solid. It's a great machine and I love to use
> it for the holidays for dipping all sorts of candies. My question is - Can
> you use a crockpot on low to do the same thing? I got an advertisement in
> this months Good Cook magazine selection and it is for a unit called
> Chocolate Heaven, being toughted as a candy maker and a fondue pot. It
> basically looks like a crockpot. Has removable insert and everything. It's
> $12.99 and holds up to 24oz. The one i have, which was some special unit,
> cost me twice that and holds about 8oz. I do a LOT of candy making,
> especially at Christmas and I was wondering if this Chocolate Heaven would
> be a good thing for me to buy and use for dipping large batches or if
> buying a small crockpot from Wal-Mart would do the same thing. I'm not
> looking for pristine style dipping as I am only a basic home candy maker,
> but I would love to be able to dip more than a few at a time and not have
> to stop to add more chocolate every 10th peice of candy. Anyone have any
> ideas on this unit or their use of it or a crockpot to dip candies??? It
> would also be useful to keep both units and have one for chocolate and one
> for white chocolate or something as well.
>
>
> I guess my main question is, Do I need the Chocolate Heaven unit (is it
> something special?) or can I do the same thing with a low heat crockpot?
>
> Thanks in advance
>