diff --git a/app/models/solid_cache/entry.rb b/app/models/solid_cache/entry.rb
index 2cb4865..21cfc6d 100644
--- a/app/models/solid_cache/entry.rb
+++ b/app/models/solid_cache/entry.rb
@@ -1,35 +1,34 @@
 module SolidCache
   class Entry < Record
+    # This is all quite awkward but it achieves a couple of performance aims
+    # 1. We skip the query cache
+    # 2. We avoid the overhead of building queries and active record objects
     class << self
       def set(key, value)
-        upsert_all_without_clearing_query_cache([{key: key, value: value}])
+        upsert_all_no_query_cache([{key: key, value: value}])
       end
 
       def set_all(payloads)
-        upsert_all_without_clearing_query_cache(payloads)
+        upsert_all_no_query_cache(payloads)
       end
 
       def get(key)
-        uncached do
-          find_by_sql_bind_or_substitute(get_sql, ActiveModel::Type::Binary.new.serialize(key)).pick(:value)
-        end
+        select_all_no_query_cache(get_sql, to_binary(key)).first
       end
 
       def get_all(keys)
-        serialized_keys = keys.map { |key| ActiveModel::Type::Binary.new.serialize(key) }
-        uncached do
-          find_by_sql_bind_or_substitute(get_all_sql(serialized_keys), serialized_keys).pluck(:key, :value).to_h
-        end
+        serialized_keys = keys.map { |key| to_binary(key) }
+        select_all_no_query_cache(get_all_sql(serialized_keys), serialized_keys).to_h
       end
 
       def delete_by_key(key)
-        where(key: key).delete_all.nonzero?
+        delete_no_query_cache(:key, to_binary(key))
       end
 
       def delete_matched(matcher, batch_size:)
         like_matcher = arel_table[:key].matches(matcher, nil, true)
         where(like_matcher).select(:id).find_in_batches(batch_size: batch_size) do |entries|
-          delete_by(id: entries.map(&:id))
+          delete_no_query_cache(:id, entries.map(&:id))
         end
       end
 
@@ -41,25 +40,27 @@ def increment(key, amount)
         end
       end
 
-      def touch_by_ids(ids)
-        where(id: ids).touch_all
+      def id_range
+        uncached do
+          pick(Arel.sql("max(id) - min(id) + 1")) || 0
+        end
       end
 
-      def id_range
-        pick(Arel.sql("max(id) - min(id) + 1")) || 0
+      def first_n(n)
+        uncached do
+          order(:id).limit(n)
+        end
       end
 
       private
-        # Calling upsert_all directly will clear the query cache for all connections
-        # We want to avoid that - we don't use it any for reads as they
-        # are cached locally by the local cache.
-        def upsert_all_without_clearing_query_cache(attributes)
+        def upsert_all_no_query_cache(attributes)
           insert_all = ActiveRecord::InsertAll.new(self, attributes, unique_by: upsert_unique_by, on_duplicate: :update, update_only: [:value])
           sql = connection.build_insert_sql(ActiveRecord::InsertAll::Builder.new(insert_all))
 
           message = +"#{self} "
           message << "Bulk " if attributes.many?
           message << "Upsert"
+          # exec_query does not clear the query cache, exec_insert_all does
           connection.exec_query sql, message
         end
 
@@ -89,13 +90,35 @@ def build_sql(relation)
           connection.visitor.compile(relation.arel.ast, collector)[0]
         end
 
-        def find_by_sql_bind_or_substitute(query, values)
-          if connection.prepared_statements?
-            find_by_sql(query, Array(values))
-          else
-            find_by_sql([query, values])
+        def select_all_no_query_cache(query, values)
+          uncached do
+            if connection.prepared_statements?
+              result = connection.select_all(sanitize_sql(query), "#{name} Load", Array(values), preparable: true)
+            else
+              result = connection.select_all(sanitize_sql([query, values]), "#{name} Load", nil, preparable: false)
+            end
+
+            result.cast_values(SolidCache::Entry.attribute_types)
           end
         end
+
+        def delete_no_query_cache(attribute, values)
+          uncached do
+            relation = where(attribute => values)
+            sql = connection.to_sql(relation.arel.compile_delete(relation.table[primary_key]))
+
+            # exec_delete does not clear the query cache
+            if connection.prepared_statements?
+              connection.exec_delete(sql, "#{name} Delete All", Array(values)).nonzero?
+            else
+              connection.exec_delete(sql, "#{name} Delete All").nonzero?
+            end
+          end
+        end
+
+        def to_binary(key)
+          ActiveModel::Type::Binary.new.serialize(key)
+        end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/solid_cache/cluster/trimming.rb b/lib/solid_cache/cluster/trimming.rb
index 0c67e90..fbabaae 100644
--- a/lib/solid_cache/cluster/trimming.rb
+++ b/lib/solid_cache/cluster/trimming.rb
@@ -30,11 +30,9 @@ def trim(write_count)
         end
       end
 
-
       private
-
         def trim_batch
-          candidates = Entry.order(:id).limit(trim_batch_size * TRIM_SELECT_MULTIPLIER).select(:id, :created_at).to_a
+          candidates = Entry.first_n(trim_batch_size * TRIM_SELECT_MULTIPLIER).skip_query_cache!.select(:id, :created_at).to_a
           candidates.select! { |entry| entry.created_at < max_age.seconds.ago } unless cache_full?
           candidates = candidates.sample(trim_batch_size)