I'm intriqued with the pasta cooker as well. I get the feeling that since it doesn't look insulated, by the time it "cooks" it'll be luke warm when it's time to serve.
I saved this site for the Fireless Cookers alpha phi:
http://www.mizbee.net/past.htm
Fireless Cookers
The use of the fireless cooker is spreading rapidly on account of its saving in fuel, time, work and worry. It consists of a box or chest packed with a good non-conductor of heat, into which a kettle, containing food heated to a boiling point, is placed. The lid, consisting of the same non-conducting material, is closed, and heat cannot escape, consequently the water in the kettle remains at the boiling point for several hours, and food in the water is bound to cook the same as if it were on a stove.
These cookers are now being manufactured by many firms. Some of them, however are not as good as home-made ones. A fireless cooker can easily be made by packing excelsior in a square box or bushel basket tightly around the kettle to be used, and on removing the kettle, cotton cloth can be placed over the excelsior and tacked to remain, and a cushion of excelsior made to fit over the top. About 3 inches of excelsior should be left solid at the bottom and the sides of the box lined with newspapers, before putting the excelsior therein. about 4 inches of excelsior should be left between the kettle and the sides of the box, and the same kettle should always be used so as to fit snugly in its own nest.
In the fireless cooker, there is no evaporation. All the goodness and flavor of the food is retained by this slow and thorough mode of cooking. Onions and cabbage may be cooked without the odor permeating the house. While doing the dinner dishes, you can cook what you want for supper, put the kettles in the fireless cooker, and attend to other things, or go out, without the slightest anxiety, and at supper time find it hot and deliciously cooked.
You can cook the oatmeal, or any cereal for 5 minutes after supper, put it in the firelss cooker, and find it thoroughly cooked and hot at any time in the morning needed. You can cook a boiled dinner, on a hot summer day, without any odor or heat in your kitchen. All this can be done on a fireless cooker.
We give below a few directions for cooking, with this new cooker, which will enable the beginner to avoid loss or worry by mistakes.
Baked Beans
Soak over night in cold water. In the morning drain and add 2 qts. of fresh water for each quart of beasn, and a piece of salt pork; boil hard on coal or gas stove 10 or 15 minutes; remove quickly to cabinet for 3 or 4 hours; then take from cabinet and boil hard 10 minutes more and return to cabinet for 3 or 4 hours longer; pour into bake dish and brown in oven.
Cereals
Measure, into your granite kettle, water required; salt to taste; stir in your cereal slowly and boil 5 minutes. Remove to cabinet and leave for 3 or 4 hours or over night.
Oat Flakes- 1 c. oats to 3 c. water. Leave 4 hours or more.
Oatmeal- 1c. oats to 4 c. water. Leave 4 hours or more
Cream of Wheat- 1 c. wheat, 6 c. of water, 4 hours or more.
Cornmeal Mush- 1 c. meal, 4 c. water, 4 hours or more.
Boiled Rice- 1 c. rice, 5 water or milk, 2 hours or more.
Save your money, don't buy anything offered on Tee Vee. Wait a while and it will be offered at a local store "As Seen on TV," then you can see for yourself what a bunch of crap the item is.