West Bend 84866 6-Quart Versatility Slow Cooker with Glass Cover, Stainless Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I don't know why the other reviewer rated this versatile slow cooker so badly? I have used mine for over a year for roasts, whole chickens, chili, soups, etc. and all are done to perfection on "low". Sounds to me like the other reviewer had a defective one. This slow cooker really IS versatile! I have the stainless steel model, not the black aluminum one. You can slow cook all day or speed things up by using medium or high temperature settings. I will replace mine immediately if it wears out...don't know what I would do without it! I use it almost every day.
R in Florida

Click Here to see more reviews about: West Bend 84866 6-Quart Versatility Slow Cooker with Glass Cover, Stainless

Get 32% OFF

Click here for more information about West Bend 84866 6-Quart Versatility Slow Cooker with Glass Cover, Stainless

Read More...

Hamilton Beach 33163 Stay Or Go 6 Quart Oval Slow Cooker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have owned many slow cookers; all which were given to me, also they were typically hand me downs. This is the first cooker that I have actually bought. For me, this cooker does a great job, it does not cook any better or worse than the other cookers I have had, but it is larger and has a few nice features. 1, it has a sealed lid than can be tightly connected for travel (the other night we moved 5 quarts of hot pasta sauce to my sister-in-law's house. There was sauce all over the inside of the lid, but none of the sauce made it out). 2, It comes with a plastic spoon; nothing special about the spoon, but it attaches to the lid for travel. 3, there is a lid rest that allows you to set the lid to the side without setting it on your counter. 4, the side handles have a rubber coating , are securely attached and extend quite a way from the side of the cooker (which is good because it gets hot). This cooker did not come with the carry case, but there are versions that do. Those versions cost more than the $28.00 that this one cost me.
Some reviews go own about the cookers being too hot on the low setting. I put 4 quarts of water in the cooker. After 6 hours, the water temp was 208 degrees. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I don't think it should boil (212 degrees)on the low setting.
The cooker is roughly 13.5 pounds (on my scale)
I measures approximately 10.5" tall by 17' wide by 13" deep.
It cleans up well, the crock is removable and dishwasher safe. The exterior is stainless steel;I use a stainless polish on my appliances. The cord is not detachable.
I believe this is a great little cooker, it has Off, High, low, and warm settings. It does not have the fancy electronic controls and timers that some of the more expensive units have, but I kind of like the reliability of the switch style controls.
Perhaps the feet on the bottom of the cooker could be a little better than the protruding metal dimples. It slides very easily (maybe too easy) across the counter.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hamilton Beach 33163 Stay Or Go 6 Quart Oval Slow Cooker

Click here for more information about Hamilton Beach 33163 Stay Or Go 6 Quart Oval Slow Cooker

Read More...

Hamilton Beach 33141 4-Quart Oval Slow Cooker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)There are 2 kinds of slow cookers, depending on where the heat source is. This Hamilton Beach unit has heat coils around the sides which stay hot, as opposed to slow cookers with heat sources in the base, which turn on and off intermittently. I have found that with this type of constant heat slow cooker (with the coils around the sides) I don't need to add as much liquid. In fact I cut the liquid (water or stock) by half of what the recipes call for when I use this cooker. The 4 quart size is good for roasts up to 3 or so pounds. If you slow cook chicken or game hens in it, cut the bird up into pieces and remove the skins. Don't slow cook a whole uncut bird (in any kind of slow cooker).
This is a nice little slow cooker for a single, a couple, or a small family. I have had no problems with the knob* (as yet).
*The knob problem probably arises from the close proximity of the heating element to the knob, as opposed to slow cookers that heat from the bottom, away from the knob...
NOVEMBER 2007 UPDATE: We still love this little slow cooker. It is perfect for making Irish beef stews all winter long. The knob on ours has not broken yet but we try to be gentle with it, due to the warnings we read.
DECEMBER 2008 UPDATE: We're still using this 4 quart slow cooker. We have used it for a lot of baked beans and slow cooked barbecue beef dishes on the weekends. The knob has not broken yet, but we are not rough with it either. We really like this little slow cooker.
FEBRUARY 2009 UPDATE: The cooker still works fine. We have used it once a week or more this winter, for everything from navy beans to chuck roasts. The knob has not broken yet (we are gentle with the knob if it's hot).
JANUARY 2010 UPDATE: The cooker still works well and the knob is still intact. Took it to work last Tuesday, cooked stuffed chicken cutlets & veggies in the kitchenette/break room, everybody loved them, there were no leftovers.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hamilton Beach 33141 4-Quart Oval Slow Cooker

Get 15% OFF

Click here for more information about Hamilton Beach 33141 4-Quart Oval Slow Cooker

Read More...

West Bend 84915 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker with Tote Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is my third West Bend Slow Cooker in 20 years. I got rid of my oldest one and now have two I use regularly. I ordered this one because it had a carrier tote; I take my slow cooker with me to covered-dish dinners and church socials. This is a nice extra feature, but I would have bought a West Bend anyway; I like the adjustable heat-not just high, medium and low. I use my slow cookers to thaw and reheat frozen foods,cook turkey breasts, and make soups.You can put ingredients in the cooker in the morning and come home to a hot dinner. This is a good product, easy to clean and can be used on the stove top or even in the freezer. I highly recommend it.

Click Here to see more reviews about: West Bend 84915 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker with Tote

Get 41% OFF

Click here for more information about West Bend 84915 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker with Tote

Read More...

Crock-Pot 3735-WN 3.5-Quart Slow Cooker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I'm single and live by myself, and I have found that this Crock Pot is an excellent way to have a really nice meal waiting for me when I get home from work. I can make enough to last a few meals, but the Crock Pot works great even with a smaller amount of food -- you just want to make sure you've got plenty of liquid in there. I use my Crock Pot all the time, and it has worked perfectly from the moment I took it out of the box. It is also quite easy to clean; even if you forget to clean it right away, a bit of a soak with hot soapy water does the trick.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Crock-Pot 3735-WN 3.5-Quart Slow Cooker

This slow cooker is ideal for smaller families and singles, after all even if you're dining solo you still deserve a hearty healthy meal, don't you? Operation and clean up are easy. Coming home to a hot and tasty dinner will make it seem as though some kind of cooking fairy visited your home while you were out to work. 3-1/2-quart oval-shaped slow cooker from the original Crock Pot makers. Removable stoneware crock features rinse-clean lifetime stick resistant coating. 3 knob settings: off, low, and high. Wraparound heat cooks evenly; no stirring or supervision needed.

Click here for more information about Crock-Pot 3735-WN 3.5-Quart Slow Cooker

Read More...

Crock-Pot 5025WG 2.5-Quart Slow Cooker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have this Crock Pot but my crock insert is white instead of black. I bought this slow cooker probably in the late 1990s. I own three slow cookers (the Rival 3-1/2-quart oval and the Rival 6-quart), and this is the best one and the one I use the most. It is 2-1/2 quarts and is perfect for two people. It cooks the best out of all three of my slow cookers as it does not overcook the food as the other two will. I find that the cooking times listed in most slow cooker cookbooks are very accurate for this Crock Pot, but for my other two larger models, I must reduce the cooking time. I have never had overcooked food in this slow cooker. Everything has always cooked to perfection. Most recipes in slow cooker cookbooks are written for 6 to 8 servings. If I cut the recipes in half, they will fit perfectly in this Crock Pot and fill it 3/4 full. That is just enough food for my husband and me and will usually leave leftovers for one or two more meals for one person. This slow cooker also looks very nice as it is all white and matches my kitchen, so it is always out on the counter. I use it many times a week and I am very happy with it. Since it cooks at such a low temperature, whenever I cook meat, I use the high setting for the first hour and then reduce it to low and cook for one hour less than the stated recipe (since one hour on high is equal to two hours on low). Everything turns out perfectly this way. The potatoes and carrots are perfectly tender and have not cooked down to mush as has happened in my larger, more powerful Crock Pots.
I highly recommend this model if the size is big enough for you because it works the way slow cookers are supposed to work - cooking the food slowly and gently.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Crock-Pot 5025WG 2.5-Quart Slow Cooker

Click here for more information about Crock-Pot 5025WG 2.5-Quart Slow Cooker

Read More...

Aroma ARC-733-1NGR 6-Cup Rice Cooker & Food Steamer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We have owned this for over 3 months now. It is our first rice cooker and I have only praise for it. But make sure that this fits your needs, otherwise you might be disappointed.
1. We use it pretty much only when we are traveling.
2. For two people, the quantity is just right. (If there are more members, a bigger volume cooker might be a better option.)
3. We read the earlier reviews and we switch off the cooker once the switch turns to warm after the rice is done.
4. We have made noodles and attempted a few Indian dishes (upma) which turned out quite fine.
5. If you wash the rice in the pot, it is a good idea to wipe the outside of the pot with a dry cloth before placing it in the cooker. That way the water won't ruin anything inside.
Just a couple of drawback:
** The amount of water needed varies slightly with each brand of rice. So I pretty much ignored their instructions and got it right after varying the water amount for 2-3 experiments.
** The etched measurement levels and water level markings in the dark background are pretty much impossible to read.
Overall, for the price, it is a great product. I think we recovered our money in the first 2 weeks itself.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Aroma ARC-733-1NGR 6-Cup Rice Cooker & Food Steamer

Click here for more information about Aroma ARC-733-1NGR 6-Cup Rice Cooker & Food Steamer

Read More...

Black & Decker RC3303 3-Cup Rice Cooker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Ever since I purchased this item, I've been using it almost every single day! It is extremely convenient and is a snap to use. I live in a small apartment and this is the perfect size for one person. I always cook 1 cup of uncooked rice and it is a hearty serving for one person. It is very easy to measure all your ingredients because the non-stick bowl has marked lines on the inside (1 cup, 2 cup, and 3 cup) to show you how much water to add. Clean-up is a breeze because of the non-stick bowl.
My favorite rice to make is jasmine rice with lots of lime juice, a little lemon juice, and cilantro. I add the rice to the non-stick bowl (1 cup uncooked). Then I add enough lime juice so that all of the rice is wet and soaking in it. Then I add just a little bit of lemon juice (1-2 tsp.). Then add a bit of butter and some salt. After rice is cooked, mix in 2 tsp. of cilantro and stir well. It's delicious and it's the only rice I ever make.
The only problem with this unit is that you have to check the rice occasionally during the cooking phase, otherwise the bottom of the rice will brown. It's not a catastrophe and is easily remedied. First off, let me just say that if the rice browns a bit, it only looks unpleasant. It still tastes just as good. To avoid this, you need to wait until the rice has absorbed almost all the water. Take off the lid and stir the rice thoroughly. Once the rice has absorbed most of the water, just switch the mode to "keep warm" manually (instead of waiting for it to click). Then occasionally stir the rice while you wait around 5-10 minutes (give or take). Once the rice has absorbed all the water, you can leave it on "keep warm". I like to switch the mode back to "cook" for around 3-4 minutes so that the rice gets nice and hot. The trick is to take it out before it browns the bottom. This sounds complicated, but it really is not. Just check it occasionally, stir it a few times, then switch it to "keep warm" just before all the water is absorbed (95% or so should be absorbed). This is the only flaw with this unit (hence only 4 stars). Otherwise, I think it is fantastic and it is my new favorite kitchen appliance!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Black & Decker RC3303 3-Cup Rice Cooker

Get 10% OFF

Click here for more information about Black & Decker RC3303 3-Cup Rice Cooker

Read More...

Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spent a year looking for a good slow cooker that (1) When set on low did not boil food too hot (2) Could hold enough for large batch cooking (3) Did not have a hinged lid (hard to clean and breaks easily) (4) Is programmable for a set amount of time, then switches to warm (5) Was reasonably priced. I tried cheapo store brand round slow cookers which nuked my food - no need to explain since most people have had one at one point or another. Last fall I purchased the top of the line All Clad slow cooker with non-stick insert from Williams Sonoma. After sales tax it cost me a little over $300 which made me nervous. The first meal I made in it was braised short ribs. I browned the ribs in the slow cooker insert on the stove and set it on low for several hours. The food was delish and it kept a gentle simmer but I was horrified to find light scratch marks on the inside of the insert as I was washing the dishes. I used the All Clad for several days and then finally returned it because I couldn't bear the thought of having paid that much money for something that wasn't going to last. Besides, I felt a bit weird about simmering food for many hours in that non-stick coating that may one day start coming off. I then decided to look for a traditional crock pot with a timer - if I need to saute or brown I now do it in a cast iron pan the night before, deglaze, then dump all of the contents into a container that goes into the fridge if I am going to start the crock in the morning. When I get up I fill up the crock pot with the prepped food from the night before, hit the buttons, then leave for work. So far this ELume version has been great.
Pros: The low setting is actually a low simmer. I've made Indian lentil/dahl curries, bbq pulled pork, baked beans, Chinese jook/congee, Beef stew, Chili verde,red chili, soups, stock, the list goes on. I typically program it to cook for 10 hours on low and it works like a charm. Food is really slow cooked, and there are no hot spots, burned, stuck on food like previous appliances I've owned. The polished stainless finish looks beautiful - although not it does not have as high of quality finish as the All Clad.
Cons: The programmable button/pad area can be improved - the numbers are difficult to read unless you are looking at it directly at eye level, meaning you have to bend down to see what you're pressing. Mine came with a burned-out area on the keypad but I didn't bother returning it since it didn't affect the function - you can still see that it's the "on" button, it just doesn't light up. The black keypad part feels a tad cheap and you can almost pry it off if you wanted to (esp. when it gets hot) because it's glued on (!) albeit very sturdily - hopefully this lasts for a while. The crock pot itself gets a bit hot when cooking but not excessively hot like ones I've had before.
Bottom Line: I paid about $75 for this including tax. Purchased at Linens N Things with a coupon. I'm giving this a four star rating - good quality for that price but I would pay no more. Compared to my week of owning a $300 slow cooker, this is a bargain.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless

Get 28% OFF

Click here for more information about Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touch Screen Slow Cooker, Stainless

Read More...

Hamilton Beach 33167 6-qt. Slowcooker Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Cooked my second meal in this crock pot (wishfully), went to check it and the lid had totally shattered spoiling my family dinner, not only my husband and myself, but my daughter and her family and my son and his family, total of 10 people's dinner was ruined. Total waste of money. Lid was not damaged in any way. Have had other crock pots and this is the first one that I have ever had a problem with.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Hamilton Beach 33167 6-qt. Slowcooker

Click here for more information about Hamilton Beach 33167 6-qt. Slowcooker

Read More...