Cooking apparatus and method

1. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an outer shell comprising a base;

a heating element positioned inside the outer shell;

a thermally conducting liner removably located inside the outer shell over the heating element, the liner comprising:

an annular flange; and

a first integral handle comprising a first latch; and

a lid configured to be placed over the liner, the lid comprising:

a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid;

a top surface; and

a second integral handle comprising a second latch, the second latch comprising a latch actuator configured to be pushed over the lid,

wherein the first latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner.

2. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first latch comprises a latch actuator configured to be pushed over the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange.

3. The cooking apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first latch comprises:

a latch binder attached to a top side of the integral first handle and the latch actuator; and

a latch base attached to a bottom side of the integral first handle.

4. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a retractable power cord which is extendable from the base.

5. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller for controlling the heating element.

6. The cooking apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the outer shell further comprises a user interface communicatively connected to the controller.

7. The cooking apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the user interface comprises a timing device.

8. The cooking apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a memory for storing cooking information.

9. The cooking apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the cooking information comprises preset recipe information.

10. The cooking apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user interface is configured to alert a user to add ingredients at predetermined times according to the preset recipe information.

11. The cooking apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user interface further comprises an audio signal generator for alerting a user.

12. The cooking apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the audio signal generator comprises a beeper.

13. The cooking apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to send instructions to the controller.

14. The cooking apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to operate in a predetermined cooking mode.

15. The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein, when the predetermined cooking mode is a quick re-heat mode, the heating element is configured to:

increase a heat output to a predetermined cooking setting;

maintain the predetermined cooking setting for a predetermined time period; and

reduce the heat output to a predetermined warming setting.

16. The cooking apparatus of claim 14 , wherein, when the predetermined cooking mode is a soak and cook mode, the heating element is configured to wait for a predetermined time, then to increase a heat output to a predetermined cooking setting.

17. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising third and fourth handles attached to an outside surface of the outer shell.

18. The cooking apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising a fifth handle attached to the top surface of the lid.

19. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a heat-conducting layer disposed between the outer shell and the liner; and

a thermal insulating later disposed between the outer shell and the heat-conducting inner layer for reducing heat transfer from the heat-conducting layer to the outer shell.

20. The process of claim 19 , further including a second integral handle also comprising a latch, wherein each latch is capable of contacting the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner.

21. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising insulation connected to the annular flange.

22. The cooking apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least 25% of power input is used directly for cooking.

23. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an outer shell comprising a base;

a heating element positioned inside the outer shell;

a thermally conducting liner removably located inside the outer shell over the heating element, the liner comprising:

an annular flange; and

a first integral handle comprising a first latch; and

a lid configured to be placed over the liner, the lid comprising:

a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid;

a top surface; and

a second integral handle comprising a second latch, the second latch comprising a spring configured to clamp the latch over the lid;

wherein the first latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner, wherein the first latch comprises a spring configured to clamp the latch over the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange.

24. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an outer shell comprising a base;

a heating element positioned inside the outer shell;

a thermally conducting liner removably located inside the outer shell over the heating element, the liner comprising:

an annular flange; and

a first integral handle comprising a first latch; and

a lid configured to be placed over the liner, the lid comprising:

a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid; and

a top surface, and

a second integral handle comprising a second latch, the second latch comprising a rotatable pivot configured to clamp the latch over the lid;

wherein the first latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner, wherein the first latch comprises a rotatable pivot configured to clamp the latch over the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange.

25. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an outer shell comprising a base;

a heating element positioned inside the outer shell;

a thermally conducting liner removably located inside the outer shell over the heating element, the liner comprising:

an annular flange; and

a first integral handle comprising a first latch; and

a lid configured to be placed over the liner, the lid comprising:

a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid;

a top surface; and

a second integral handle comprising a second latch,

wherein the lid further comprises a second catch; and

the second latch comprises a U-shaped clamp removably attached to the second catch,

wherein the first latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner, and

wherein: the lid further comprises a first catch; and the first latch comprises a U-shaped clamp removably attached to the first catch to secure the lid to the annular flange.

26. A method of assembling a cooking apparatus, the method comprising:

placing a heating element inside the outer shell;

placing a removable conducting liner inside an outer shell over the heating element, the outer shell comprising a base, and the liner comprising:

an annular flange with a thermally insulated material; and

an integral handle comprising a latch;

a second handle comprising a second latch; and

placing a lid over the liner, the lid comprising:

a top surface; and

a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid,

wherein each latch is capable of contacting the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the latch is further configured to be pushed outward over the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein the latch is further configured to clamp over the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange with a spring.

29. The method of claim 26 , further comprising electrically connecting a retractable power cord to the heating element, the power cord being extendable from the base.

30. The method of claim 26 , further comprising a timing device.

31. The method of claim 30 , further comprising a memory for storing cooking information.

32. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an outer shell comprising a base;

means for heating positioned inside the outer shell;

a thermally conducting liner means for removably locating material to be heated inside the outer shell adjacent the means for heating, the liner means comprising:

an annular flange; and

means for latching; and

means for covering configured to be placed over the liner means, the means for covering comprising:

a top surface; and

means for sealing at an outer edge of the means for covering,

wherein the latching means is configured to contact the top surface of the means for covering to secure the means for covering to the annular flange,

wherein the means for latching includes two handles each with a latching means configured to contact the top surface of the means for covering.

33. A cooking apparatus comprising:

an outer shell comprising a base;

a heating element positioned inside the outer shell;

a thermally conducting liner removably located inside the outer shell over the heating element, the liner comprising:

an annular flange; and

a first integral handle comprising a first latch; and

a lid configured to be placed over the liner, the lid comprising:

a sealing ring at an outer edge of the lid;

a top surface; and

a second handle and second latch on the liner and the second latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner,

wherein the first latch is configured to contact the top surface of the lid to secure the lid to the annular flange of the liner.