Question from Jenny
Hi Debra,
We have been looking for a slow cooker for a long time and have not found any solutions as there seems to be issues with the paint used in crock pots.
I learned about the wonderbag non electric portable slow cooker on amazon and love the idea that the purchase might help someone in need. And that we can use a pot we already have and not use electricity for the slow cooking.
Before I put this on our Christmas wish list for a couple family members who asks what we are hoping for . . .. . I wanted to ensure there are no health issues with the foam used in the product.
Under the Q&A section on the web page of the product (middle of page) it says this:
Q: I want to know EXACTLY what the insulation is made of. “Foam” could be almost anything: foam rubber? what’s in this thing and is it recyclable?
A:Wonderbag obtains repurposed foam remnants from furniture factories near our manufacturing facilities. We take these larger foam pieces and break them into smaller pieces (chips) to fill the inside of the Wonderbag. We feel great about it because this material would otherwise end up in a landfill.
The Wonderbag consists of an inner layer of insulation containing recycled polystyrene balls, with an outer, draw-string covering of poly-cotton textiles. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderbag
Debra’s Answer
I am concerned about toxics in both the foam and the cover.
Poly cotton is usually treated with a formaldehyde finish and I have not reason to believe this one isn’t.
Recycled foam is most certainly polyurethane foam and most likely contains fire retardants if it’s from furniture manufacture.
These are questions you might want to ask the company.
Let me know what their answers are, if you do ask.
This idea of cooking in an insulated pouch is an old one. There is nothing new here in the design.
I think it’s a GREAT idea!
Here are some links I found with DIY instructions for this technology.
DIY instructions for a Wonderbag www.iwillprepare.com/cooking_files/Wonder_Box.htm
www.instructables.com/id/hay-box-cooker
foodstorageandsurvival.com/building-a-wonderbox-style-insulated-cooking-box
nakazora.wordpress.com/tag/solar-box-cooker
This one has you wrap the pot in towels or blankets rimstar.org/efficiency_conservation/heat_retention_cooking.htm
See, the wonderbag is a great idea. It would be great if someone made them from less toxic materials.
