The size was good the price was great

This is a great basic slow cooker that is large enough for pretty much anything. Good for large portions. Be careful of the ceramic insert. It broke pretty easily when I put frozen chicken in after it had been heating for a while. My fault - shouldn’t have turned it on until after the chicken was in. Great buy on sale - under $25!

The **Crock-Pot**, also known as a slow cooker, is a staple in many kitchens due to its ability to cook meals with minimal effort. It’s a versatile appliance that’s perfect for busy people, allowing you to prepare flavorful meals with little hands-on time. Here’s my experience with it, including both its advantages and some of the challenges I’ve encountered.### **Design and Build**The **Crock-Pot** comes in a variety of sizes, ranging from **2-quart to 8-quart** capacities, making it suitable for everything from individual meals to large family dinners. The design is simple, typically featuring a **removable ceramic pot** that fits into the heating base. The ceramic pot is durable and easy to clean, either by hand or in the dishwasher.The **lid** is usually made of glass, which is great because you can see how your meal is progressing without having to lift it and release heat. The design is functional, though some models have **locking lids** for spill-proof portability, which is helpful if you need to transport your dish to a potluck or event.### **Ease of Use**The main selling point of the Crock-Pot is how easy it is to use. Most models feature **low, high, and warm settings**, allowing you to adjust the temperature based on the recipe or how quickly you want your meal to cook.You simply **add your ingredients, set the temperature**, and walk away. The slow cooking process ensures that flavors develop over time, resulting in rich, tender dishes like soups, stews, and roasts. It’s great for people with busy schedules—you can start a meal in the morning and come home to a fully cooked dinner.### **Cooking Performance**The Crock-Pot excels at cooking dishes that require **low and slow heat**. It’s ideal for:- **Stews and soups**: The long cooking time allows flavors to blend beautifully.- **Meats**: Cuts like pork shoulder, beef brisket, and chicken thighs come out incredibly tender after being slow-cooked for several hours.- **One-pot meals**: You can throw in vegetables, protein, and broth for a hearty meal with minimal cleanup.The **low and slow** cooking process also makes it perfect for **meal prep**. You can make large batches of food, divide them into portions, and refrigerate or freeze them for later use.### **Challenges and Considerations**- **Lack of Browning**: One of the main drawbacks of using a Crock-Pot is that it doesn’t **brown meats**. If you want a deep, rich flavor from caramelized meat or vegetables, you’ll need to sear them in a separate pan before adding them to the Crock-Pot. This adds an extra step to the cooking process, which can be a bit inconvenient, especially if you’re looking for a true one-pot solution.- **Long Cooking Times**: While the Crock-Pot is designed for long, slow cooking, the downside is that it’s not ideal for **quick meals**. If you realize at the last minute that you need to make dinner, the Crock-Pot won’t be much help unless you have hours to spare.- **Overcooking**: Though the Crock-Pot is designed to slowly cook your meals over several hours, it’s possible to **overcook** certain foods, particularly vegetables like peas and zucchini that become mushy if left in too long. Meat, on the other hand, tends to fare better, but you still need to watch cooking times to avoid overcooked or dry textures.- **Cleaning the Pot**: While the ceramic insert is dishwasher safe, it can be **heavy and cumbersome** to clean if you’re washing it by hand, especially when there’s food stuck to the bottom. Some models come with **non-stick surfaces**, which are easier to clean but can scratch over time.- **Bulky**: Depending on the size, Crock-Pots can be **bulky** and take up a lot of counter or storage space. If you have a small kitchen, this might be something to consider, especially if you don’t plan on using it frequently.### **Energy Efficiency**One of the benefits of the Crock-Pot is that it’s relatively **energy efficient** compared to using a traditional oven or stovetop for long periods. It uses a lower wattage and heats slowly, which can result in energy savings if you’re cooking meals that take several hours.### **Pros**- **Hands-off cooking**: Once your ingredients are in, you can walk away and come back to a fully cooked meal.- **Versatile**: Perfect for soups, stews, meats, and even desserts.- **Tender, flavorful results**: Slow cooking enhances flavor and makes even tough cuts of meat tender.- **Convenient for meal prep**: Ideal for making large batches of food with minimal effort.### **Cons**- **No browning**: You need to brown meat separately for certain dishes.- **Long cooking time**: Not ideal for last-minute meals.- **Can overcook vegetables**: Some vegetables get too soft if cooked too long.- **Bulky**: Takes up a lot of counter or storage space.### **Final Thoughts**The **Crock-Pot** is a fantastic kitchen tool for anyone who enjoys low-maintenance cooking, especially for meals that benefit from slow, gradual heat. It’s ideal for people with busy schedules who want to come home to a ready-made meal. However, it does have its limitations—like the need for browning meat separately and the potential for overcooking delicate vegetables. Despite these minor drawbacks, I find the convenience and versatility make it a worthwhile investment for any kitchen.

Lots of room for a big roast and lots of veggies. Super good deal. Turn on and leave and it has a warming heat. So after cooking it keeps the food warm, not over cooked. Except addition.

I was telling my adult daughter that I had purchased our old crockpot for my mom when I was a teenager. Her eyes got big and she exclaimed, “So it’s a hundred years old?!!!!” “Ahem,” I said, “I’m only in my seventies!” However, we both realized our old original Crockpot that we still used was 50-60 years old! She recently had to cut a good sized roast into three hunks to fit it into the small liner. I spotted this one on sale and ordered it. No more cutting up roasts to fit! Plus, we love the simplicity of its controls - Low, High, Keep Warm and Off. Perfect. I tested it out on a spicy stew recipe. It cooked it perfectly.

This is the best slow cooker I’ve had in a while. It’s the perfect size, cooks at a great temp and is easy to clean. I love that the lid doesn’t have a rubber seal on it as well like some others do. It has 3 rubber bumper feet in the bottom which surprised me, I thought it would have 4 but regardless I really do recommend this slow cooker. We’re a family of 3 so we get a few meals out of whatever I cook in it.

When we have family over, my spouse and I don’t like spending much time cooking, because we want to be hanging out with everyone. We’d been using our crockpot more and more often (as well as a tiny crockpot), and we decided to get a second one! Couldn’t be happier. We recently used one for spaghetti sauce and the other for Alfredo to offer our guests a variety, and all we had to make during their visit was the pasta and garlic bread. It was a hit! This summer we put taco meat in one before guests arrived and made a cherry crumble (the crockpot crumble recipes are so good and easy) in the other. Having two has just been so convenient, and we’re excited to make even more use of them this coming holiday season! Lastly, the stainless steel looks rad, matches our appliances, and is different from our older black one— contrasts nicely.

I don't need a fancy programmable crockpot. This very reasonably priced slow cooker has off, low, high and warm. That covers everything I need for my weekly cooking chicken legs until the meat falls off and yields perfect bone broth. It's great for numerous other family favorite recipes for inexpensive cuts of meat that cook tender and juicy. Finally cook and serve recipes set on warm, like chili, buffalo dip, etc. The liners make clean up a pleasure.

I don't know how we survived without a crockpot in the past. This is a must have for easy dinners for busy families. I for one hate standing over the stove for hours every evening.. So I toss all the mixins in the crockpot , set the temperature and off to work I go. Dinner is ready when we come home. This one works great. Very happy with this purchase

I had a crockpot for 20 years and loved it. When I finally had to replace it, I bought another high end brand with all the bells and whistles and I hated it. It was complicated, had too many pieces that I had to figure out how to use (and store) so I went back to the simple crock pot. I use it all the time and I love it. They are simple and sturdy and I don’t need to read a bunch of directions to figure out how to use it. I will stay with crock pot.