Customer Reviews: Read 19 more reviews...
 Great Slow Cooker November 16, 2008
Von Hoff
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a great slow cooker at an affordable price. The ability to use it manually, programmable or with the meat probe and that the unit automatically switches to warm is great. I've made meals in the slow cooker, put the leftovers in the fridge and the next day used the manual mode on warm to warm up the food--this is so convenient. The meat probe is a welcome bonus, as I can slow cook more expensive cuts of meat, insert the probe, set the temperature and don't have to worry about the meat over cooking. Hint...I did set the temperature on the meat a few degrees lower (med rare) to allow for the fact that meat does continue to cook when removed from heat and the "warm" cycle probably does keep the meat cooking at a slow rate. My roast turned out to my liking. I make a traditional spaghetti sauce, which has to be simmered on the stove for about 16-24 hours. I used the slow cooker, programmed on low for the maximum amount of time and went to bed. In the morning I programmed the unit for the remaining time -- the sauce was fantastic; deep red and thick. I absolutely love this slow cooker; it is very versatile and would definitely recommend it.
I can now cook!!! November 16, 2008
Brandon Sowder
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This slow cooker has been great. I felt the price was fair, quick shipping, and the product was better than described.
 Great... until it broke November 9, 2008
Tina Marie Tedeschi (NJ)
This was a very good slow cooker, and I imagine it would continue to be a good one if I could replace the ceramic insert. I only used it a few times before it broke. I don't understand why it would have broken. I allowed the insert to cool and hand washed it. While I was drying it, it just snapped. I've tried contacting Hamilton Beach to see if I could buy a replacement, but they never got back to me.
 I hate this crock pot October 16, 2008
E. Mills (USA)
I owned a cheap, large crock pot that I was looking to replace. It still worked perfectly, but I needed one with a timer since sometimes I was gone for an extended period of time and occasionally food would cook too long.
I bought this crock pot and I hate it. I have probably used it 20 times, so I feel like I can offer a fair review. Here are the bad things:
1. Items do not cook evenly. You should be able to throw everything in at the beginning of the day, and come home to everything cooked just right. That's the beauty of a crock pot. But, if I do that, my meat is way overcooked and my veggies are still undercooked. To compensate I have to add everything in stages. I had veggies a few hours early, then throw the meat in with about an hour or two left of cooking. This is the same when I cook chili, after a full day of cooking, my beans were still hard (even after having been soaked overnight) and the meat was overcooked.
2. It is not deep enough. I like to cook chicken and turkey breasts in crock pots, but the average size you can get in the supermarket is around 6 pounds. These are slightly too tall for the lid to still be snug on the pot. I agree with previous posters that this is not 6qts.
3. I like the probe concept, and it does work, but if you don't use it, you have a hole in the lid! How in the world does this maintain the right temperature in the pot when heat is constantly escaping? Even if you aren't using the probe, you can put it in the block the hole, but it is not snug. The manufacturer should provide a plug to fully block the hole.
It was cheap, so I don't feel like I wasted too much money, but my twenty dollar cheapo crock pot I've had for 10 years did a much better job cooking the food.
Quit after first use September 15, 2008
Laurie Weber (Pittsburgh, PA)
My husband used the slow cooker for the first time and shut it off before going to work. I tried to turn it on when I got home and it would not work. The power came on but none of the other buttons would work, including the power button to turn it off. This will be going back to the store this weekend.
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