"the most uneven slow cooker at low temperature, and high temperature failed to push the internal temperature of the pot roast much over 190 degrees..."
It was just the size I was searching for with the low, medium, & warming settings.
It works great.
this is a very basic model and it put out great results in an average time frame for cooking!only used it once so far ,but it performed well and quicker than my old one the same size but different make.i would recommend this pot.
If you have the time to keep an eye on it, then you are ok, but that's not the purpose of using a slow-cooker.
I have used many slow cookers, and I will say this one is the best you could ever use.
i have a big hamiton beach slow cooker, but sometimes it's way too big for just my husband and i.
after going on-line to see what the temperature test was for food safety, i found it registered above the safe temperature limit.it cleans up really well and is very light to move around.
the outer heating portion is very light (the reason for only 4 stars under durability) and i imagine it would dent easily when the insert isn't in it, but if you keep that in mind it should be alright
can't talk about durability yet as it is kinda new, but don't see any reason to doubt that it will serve me well for a long time.
i'm not sure how it would stand up to bumps as the outside seems like it could dent pretty easily and the side handles are not as sturdy as my larger one.
this product also does a good job cooking and tenderizing meats.
works best for meats and beans.
you can use frozen meat and veggies for a sunday dinner taste with monday evening effort.
we've tried 3 recipes--chicken and beef and all came out wonderfully delicious.
i've been doing chicken breasts and they come out tender and juicy every time.
(that makes cookers less desirable to me at least) it has recipes for meats that i dont usually buy, like dark meats and pot roast and stuff like that...apparently chicken breast, etc come out dry.
chicken soup last night was great.
cooked a roast with potatoes and carrots.
it's big and formidable with a sturdy ceramic pot insert that transitions to the table nicely.
all of the latest slow cookers are made in china, so i was somewhat concerned about the construction quality.
it worked well to store meatballs i had made.
we received this crock pot as a wedding gift.
makes meatball appetizers quickly; holds a lot of them.
it works normally and i have cooked some very tender meat in it.
but still, every meat item was terribly overdone and dry.
it's the perfect way to make pulled pork or italian beef sandwiches (among many other great recipes).
a pot such as this represents a great though inexpensive investment in convenience cooking, as well as enabling users to save considerable money on cooking less-expensive meats.
i recently saw a slow cooker on a bride-to-be's registry that cost over $100.
the oval shape is nice for putting in small roasts.
My previous slow cooker wasn't actually a Crock-Pot, it was just a no name slow cooker.
has worked as it should the 3 times we've used the crock-pot...hawaiian pulled pork (kailua pig) that's the reason to have one of these.
strengths: looks good, nice size, large diameter for roasts and poultry weaknesses: way way waaaaaayyyyy too hot!
cons: cheaply made, lid handle poorly designed, overcooks food too easily.
i made a pork roast in it which usually works great but in this slow cooker it seemed to cook quicker with no liquid left because it evaporated through the faulty lid.
Pros: Inexpensive, easy to clean
Pros: Looks good (I got all white), cooks fine, easy to clean
Pros: Perfect for small meals, cleans up easily, good for people on the go
Pros: small, cheap, easy to clean
in this price range cooks illustrated recommended the hamilton beach programmable slow cooker with temperature probe, but for those with more to spend the highest recommended model was the all-clad
i use it for soups and stews every week.
A very good looking,very functional product.
In this price range Cooks Illustrated recommended the HAMILTON BEACH Programmable Slow Cooker with Temperature Probe, but for those with more to spend the highest recommended model was the ALL-CLAD Stainless Steel Slow Cooker with Ceramic Insert.
I told her of the times we use our crockpot and I have enough left over that I wouldn't have to cook for a few days plus it's conveinent for her to be able to put the food in the pot and slow cook it while she's at work so it can be ready to eat when...
Absolutely LOVE it!
The size is perfect to take to a party and it doesn't look like a typical 'crock pot'.
even thetoughest meat is tender in the slow cooker and it doesn't require constant attention.
it is practical that i can brown the meat and onions in the pan on the stove, then continue whatever i am making using the slow cooker aspect.
i liked being able to brown meat on my stove first and then put it on the slow cooker.
i never did care for the favor of roasts cooked in a crockpot style cooker, and my sister has had a westbend cooker for many, many years, and i always liked the way her roasts tasted from it.
you can use this cooker as a slow pot, or (and this is how i usually use it) as a roasting pan.
for instance, it's possible to brown the outside of a roast directly in the pot on a stove and then transfer it to the heating tray to finish off with slow cooking.
i tried a pot roast and it cooked perfectly in the specified time.
for beef stew or chili and then just bring the pot over to the base heater.
today i cooked a whole slab of ribs in it and there was room to spare.
i can fit a huge chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions ~ at one time ~ and it comes out perfect.
i bought this while i was purchasing the programmable roaster (another fantastic product) and it is worth every penney.for meals that are smaller or require a gravy/sauce in which to cook this was
used it first for meatballs and sauce and worked perfectly great for my kids (newly weds) first cooker!!!
i tried a slow cook recipe for old fashion stew beef.
we now have used it twice in the four days that we have had it, once, to cook my wife's favorite "taco soup" recipe, and, a beef roast.
i also made mexican shredded beef with it and it was excellent.
it would make a great wedding present or just to keep for yourself.
holds an 8lb chicken.
i have braised, made stews, sauces, and even corned beef in this not-so-little guy, and all have come out great.
it is perfect for cooking a moist, fragrant (using herbs) ~7lb roaster chicken, cooking dry beans overnight or during the day (without soaking!), chili, soup, tomato sauce from those big, cheap
stews, pasta sauce,chickens, pot roast, soups, carne asada, and other foods that require low and constant heat to cook properly are perfect for this crockpot-slow cooker.
used leftover xmas ham to make bean soup in this crock-pot and the size and convience of being able to program it for time and temperature made for some of the best soup i've ever made.
it is huge and everything i have cooked just falls apart it's so tender!
i'm using it less in the summer, but the winter months were vastly improved by the soups, stews, roasts, and other warm comfort foods i made in this!
i originally bought this crockpot because of it's large capacity; i regularly make things like chili and such to bring to work and this was perfect.
got this for christmas and have used it twice to make roast and had to wait over 10 hours for it too cook and still wasn't done.
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