Of the two slow cookers I own, this Hamilton Beach 5-Quart Slow Cooker is by far my favorite. It has a well-sized crock, though a large family would most likely prefer a 6-quart model. The settings are simple to use: off, keep warm, low, and high. Simply turn the knob and come back in several hours. I really like that the lid has a rubber lip to help with eliminating spills during transport to your family gatherings and parties elsewhere. The large rubber band that is intended to attach the lid by hooking under the handles is a good idea but I have only successfully attached it once. Typically, my slow cooker is hot when I want to transport it and I don't want to wrestle with the hot stoneware and a very tight rubber band. Instead, I usually just sit the slow cooker in a box to transport it. Because of the rubber lip, the lid sits nicely in place. This is a great value starter slow cooker. I would recommend it to young people just starting out in their first apartment or home or to anyone who wants a simple slow cooker without bells and whistles. Time to Heat It heats quickly. Cooking Performance Cooks evenly. The amount of time needed generally matches recipes well. The hot setting doesn't overcook food. Ease of Cleaning Identical to any other slow cooker I've used. Just be sure to let your stoneware soak for a bit if anything is baked on. Liners are available if you don't have the time to wash the stoneware. Ease of Use Choose a setting, set a kitchen timer, and walk away. Easy peasy. Design Modern housing to match many kitchens. The rubber band to hold the lid on during travel, however, could be reworked. If you travel a lot, look for the other models that have a lid that latches on. Durability Going strong for three or four years now with no problems or signs of wear.

KBelmonte

USA

I love this thing. It has warm, low and high settings. Just put it in, turn it on, a few hrs later you have a great dinner. Time to Heat It's a slow cooker and it lives up t the name. It takes about eight hours on low to do a stew on low setting. If cooked on high, it will be much faster. Cooking Performance The cooking is very even and there are no signs of something overcooked or something under cooked in the same pot. Ease of Cleaning Although it may seem easy to clean, it's not as easy as it looks. The pot comes out and it can be scrubbed but it takes awhile to get it clean. I suppose if it were wiped off and could fit into the dishwasher it might be easier. Up to now, I have cleaned it by hand after letting it soak for a few hours. Ease of Use Very easy to use. Put in the food, turn it on and go about your day. When you get home, it's done. Design I do like the oval shape as compared to the round but there is a small vent hole on the top of the lid which puzzles me. it seems the cooking might go a little faster without it but I suppose it's there for a reason. The older cookers didn't have this however. Durability We all know these slow cookers last a long time. I've had this one over a year and use it twice a week and it still looks new.

mikegotcha

Undisclosed

I find myself using my slow cooker for a lot of my cooking because it is such a huge time saver and this warmer has been very easy to use and feed my family with. I didn't think I needed a huge warmer so this one fit my family perfect. I haven't encountered any run over while cooking or any messes. I love the warm setting which I know some don't have. Since I purchased this product I have used it at least 3 times a week. The ease of cleaning this product is simple which differs from other earners I've bought. You can clean everything on this. Time to Heat I've never had anything burn or undercook if I followed directions. Cooking Performance It's helped me cook healthier for my family and give them more of a variety. Ease of Cleaning Everything on this product can be washed. Ease of Use Very simple, add food, turn a knob, cover pot and cook!! Design I love the stainless steel look of this, it's modern and can fit in any kitchen. Durability Sturdy, quality material, beautiful look!

AprilTolley

USA

Insert is heavy as usual but the base is light weight. Cleans easily and works well. Really enjoyed the ease of preparing meals. Used mostly on low to ensure tender meals and good melding of flavors. Worth the price. I also love the choice of colors with this model. I have a lovely red version.

AmandaFlorio

Warnerville, NY

i love the hamilton beach slow cooker it is really good and comes in handy for so many occasions or simply everyday cooking even when the cook is not home. Often times I will leave my meats cooking overnight and by the time I get up in the morning it is ready to go.

msespinoza1

Moreno Valley, CA

I would be lost without my Hamilton Beach 5-Quart Slow Cooker. I had a 6 quart Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker that I used for over 3 years and the lid broke so I threw it away and was without a slow cooker for nearly a year because we didn't have extra money to buy a new one. Well I finally got money and purchased this one. It came with a little bonus dip warmer. The dip warmer gets way too hot and burnt my sisters dip she made. There is no heat control on that. So if you want to buy this 5 quart just because it has the warmer, do not get your hopes up. The slow cooker itself is great. I have a three year old and an 8 month old so being able to chop up my ingredients and throw them in the slow cooker and forget about them for a few hours is unbelievably awesome. There are so many recipes online available for slow cookers. Hamilton Beach always has good appliances. I love that you can remove the crock and wash it. I mostly use the crock pot bags so clean up is even easier. One thing I do not like about my slow cooker is that it has a lid that has a rubber ring around it. The rubber contains the smell of whatever I cook and that is rather irritating. It doesn't matter how I scrub or what I use to clean it, it always smells like food. I wish it was a plain glass top. Another thing that bugs me is the slow cooker came with a rubber ring that you hook on the handles so it "doesn't spill" when you carry it. Well I do not see how it wont spill because when the rubber band is in, I can see cracks in the lid and see right into the food. I would never carry the slow cooker for this reason. It heats nicely and my food is always at or way above the doneness temperature. I do think it does get too hot and if you do not stir your food, the edges burn and get dry. I made a roast beef in it last night and the roast was so tough I could not get over it. I do not know if I just got a tough cut of meat or it got too hot for too long. All in all I would recommend this because it has saved me so much time and hassle and I would use it every day if I could.

MelissaWlasniewski

Andover, NY

I LOVE my Hamilton Beach 5-quart slow cooker. I used to have a small slow cooker but received my Hamilton beach slow cooker last year for Christmas. I cannot imagine how I got along without it. I love the oblong shape. It fits roasts, chickens, and pork tenderloins in it perfectly. I love that it has a removeable black inside. It makes it so much easier to clean. I just do simple recipes in my slow cooker so I did not want a slow cooker that had a lot of buttons and settings. It has a hi and low setting, along with a warm setting. It was reasonable prices. My sister borrowed my slow cooker and the lid slid of the top when she was carrying it and shattered. She replaced the slow cooker. I have not personally experienced anything like that with my lid slipping. I would highly recommend the Hamilton Beach 5 quart slow cooker!

treasuref

Edmond, OK

I absolutely love using a slow cooker, and the one I have, Hamilton Beach 33550 5-Quart Slow Cooker is almost perfect. I use my slow cooker all year long, but I seem to use it more in the winter since that's when we tend to eat more warm, comforting meals. This slow cooker has four settings: High, Low, Keep Warm and Off. All of the setting work perfectly, but if you do use the High setting, make sure you mix things occasionally or you might get burnt edges of food along the border of the inside. I use my **Hamilton Beach 33550 5-Quart Slow Cooker** for making: pot roast, soups, queso dips, cider drinks and many other things. It's perfect for 95% of the things I make, but every now and then, it would be nice to have a larger slow cooker or one that has snap-on sides for easy transportation. Clean up is a cinch with my slow cooker because all I have to do is put the removable crock in the dishwasher! I love my **Hamilton Beach 33550 5-Quart Slow Cooker**. There are times when I wish it was a little bigger, but when I do use it, I am never disappointed!

this2shallpass19

Camp Lejeune, NC

This little low cost slow cooker from Hamilton Beach was such a deal. On sale all through the holidays I bought my self one on Christmas eve because I needed another Slow Cooker to help with the holiday meal. I really love this little slow cooker. I have another huge round crock pot but I hate to use it because it is so big and bulky and heavy. This smaller slow cooker is just right. I also has 3 temp settings instead of only 2. It has High, Low, and Keep Warm. This work great to keep mashed potatoes warm for hours on Christmas Eve. My daughter has the same crock pot and I used hers too for the stuffing. After Christmas I used it several more times to make Ham and Scalloped Potatoes. They turn out perfect in this slow cooker. I wish I had 2 of them and I would get rid of my other big round one. The crock fits in the dishwasher and in the microwave and can aslo be used in the oven. The only drawback was that the outer metal of the heating base can get hot to the touch...but not that bad. I really really can't recomend this little cooker highly enough. I really like mine a lot.

DeeCadeau

Ironwood, MI

If you work outside the home and want to have a hot homecooked meal waiting for you to serve, either just yourself or the whole family then a Crock pot is a must.  This isn't your Mother's crockpot either.  Where Mom's was round, all one piece this is oblong, you can take it out of the electrical component and put together what ever you want cooked, that hen you have in the freezer and haven't used or the roast that looks too pretty to cut up to fit in a circle crock pot.  You can assembly your meal, put the lid on the crock pot and store it in the fridge then in the morning when you get up, put it inside the crock pot.  Knowing that when you get home there will be a delicious meal waiting for you, and yours. Another feature from cooking your meal in the crock pot instead of oven, when you get home you will find that whatever you cooked has not reduced in size by half which happens when cooked in the oven.  The house is still comfortable rather than hot from using an oven all day to cook a roast or other item.  This way you can have the roasted turkey breast or a nice pot roast, even chili or spaghetti sauce ready for the noodles and then you will serve family favorites. The crock pot is so simple, a child could do it...though I suggest supervision.  And if you are called away from home, for a few days for whatever reason, its even hard for your husband to fail to serve up a delicious meal. This item is a lovely gift to a new homeowner.  It allows them to cook a meal without worry and concerns for burning.  I urge you to buy one today.

debbie79720

Richmond, KY