I received this as a gift since my family calls me the crock pot queen. I really liked the concept of having a pot to fit exactly what my need was. I started using the smaller pot first and made a few deserts in it and it was perfect size. Themed size works very well for side dishes for my large family and at family gatherings and Sunday dinners. The large pot is great my family as we are a big family and even a simple meal takes a big pot. The bowls are beautiful and so pretty compared to to the normal black pot that comes with other crock pots. It really does make it go from crock pot to serving table wear with out transferring to another bowl. I do have a few issues,the first being the power word is so short. It really needs to be a little longer and makes plugging this up at a church table a bit harder. My second issue is the pots seem harder to clean than a typical crock pot. My only other issue is a personal issue and that's storing these. I think this is a beautiful set,worth the money and a great addition to any kitchen,

destyne

hastings, FL

After working hard all day it is wonderful to come home to a hot home cooked meal, this is what makes owning a crock pot a wonderful thing for those who use them. I am one such person, I use my crock pot all the time, in fact I own 4 of them. I prefer them for cooking certain things such as ribs, pork roasts and corned beef, because the food comes out perfectly every time with very minimal fuss. I also use crock pots for parties. I have had several parties over the years, and I always do all the cooking myself, I could not have accomplished this with out my little crock pot collection. Slow cooking is a great way of cooking, you add all the ingredients and the slow cooker does the rest. With the Hamilton Beach MealMaker you will find that your roasts come out tender and your chicken will fall off the bone. This 6. quart slow cooker is durable, and easy to clean. Inside of the outer surface is a ceramic bowl. This bowl can be removed for washing and is dishwasher safe, since the actual heating element is actually in the outer part you do not have to worry about getting any of the electrical components wet. Most of the time the bowl is easy to clean but occasionally a good scrubbing is required especially if food is left at the high temperature too long and it starts to burn a bit. The bowl is supposed to be stain proof, and I have used mine for several years and so far that has proved to be true. You will also find that the circular even heating will cook your food evenly from every angle. And with it's large size you can easily make enough to serve 8 people. Most meat items take about 8 hours from frozen to cook thouroughly. This crock pot is large enough to put an entire chicken into it and still have a little room left over for potatoes, carrots or other vegetables. After the food is cooked you can switch it over to the keep warm setting. When you do this the food will be less likely to burn but will stay warm. One of the things that I like best about slow cookers is that you can put on the keep warm temperature setting and you will be able to keep food warm and ready to eat for hours on end. Great for families that have everyone on different schedules. Plus you can keep hot dips warm all night if your having a party. Or you can prepare warm cider or hot cocoa for those cold winter nights and keep it warm as long as you like. The uses are endless. This crock pot also comes with a tempered glass lid that has a locking mechanism in case you want to take your crock pot somewhere and want to lock the lid on. It also has handles on either side for easy carrying, the handles can get a little hot though. I don't recommend transporting a crock pot full of food anywhere. I tried this on a couple of occasions and although the lid stayed on some sauce and grease did manage to seep out between the crock pot and the lid, I had no idea this was happening until I got where I was going, unfortunately was transporting it on the front seat of my car, and I had a huge puddle of sloppy joe sauce on my car seat when I arrived. Yes crock pots are great for bringing pot luck items to parties but I highly suggest you cook the food ahead of time either in or out of the crock, place it in a good tight sealing bowl such as tupperware, then plug it in at the party when you get there and place the food in it while at the party. Most items like chili, or meat balls or anything with juice or sauce will heat up in about a half hour, just make sure you are one of the first guests to arrive, most hosts don't start serving the food right away anyways, then after the food is heated and ready to serve make sure you remember to switch it over to the keep warm setting. The only downside of the slow cooker is that it is heavy and bulky. Not that you are going to pick it up a whole lot but ceramic bowl that is inside is a bit heavy when you lift it out for cleaning. The crock pot does come with a little booklet with a good amount or recipes in it, so if you do not have any crock pot experience this booklet will really help. Over all I have been very happy with my Hamilton Beach Crock pot. I have cooked many, many meals in over the years and I can't say that I have ever been un-successful at cooking meals in it. I have not always had an easy time cleaning it, but since it offers me a nice hot meal after a long day I guess I can forgive it for not being completely non stick. Time to Heat Heats up quickly Cooking Performance Excellent I have no complaints Ease of Cleaning The interior bowl comes out and is fairly easy to clean unless something has burned on it. the bowl is heavy which makes holding it and washing it a challenge. Ease of Use Couldn't be easier, plug it in and turn it to the cooking temperature you want. Design It's pretty plane, nothing to write home about but it fits with any decor. Durability I have had mine quite a long time and it still works so I would say it is quite durable.

ladym33

Crystal Lake, IL

I bought the Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 crock pot 1 1/2 years ago. I bought it because my stepmother got one, and I thought that having the three separate pots would be a really neat feature. What I like about it... the three different sizes are very nice. I find that food cooks better if it is the right size of crock, and depending on what I am making, I sometimes only need the small one. It is very easy to use, and warms up quickly. It also has a warm feature, in addition to high and low settings, which is nice. What I don't like... storing is a challenge- because it takes up more room. Then when I go to put one of the crocks away, I have to take one out and stack it. I also find that they don't clean up as easily- I often have to handwash even after running through the dishwasher (and we have a really good dishwasher). Temperature control is iffy-- even on the low setting, it still sometimes seems too hot. All in all, I like it, but don't know that I would buy it again.

crystalleah

Lakeville, MN

Finally, a crock pot that really has a low setting that doesn't cook like it was set to high. I love this crock pot. I have a family of 4 but I like to freeze meals for emergencies. The versatility is what sold me on this particular model. I have used the 2 qt for sauces, the 4 qt for chili and the 6 qt for roasts. Everything that I cook turns out great. I love it for when I make a big pot, i can transfer the left overs to the smaller size and keep reheating in the base, or I have the option to use the bowls for serving. I love that all 3 crocks nest togewther and only take up the counter space of one. The stonewear is attractive. What's really nice is that because it looks more like a dish than a traditional "liner" you can set it in the middle of the table and serve right out of it. It's very convenient. You can also make use of all three pots when cooking for the holidays. This is the only slowcooker you will ever need, buy it.

Pyrodjm

Saint Albans, NY

I've had my share of crock pots through the years and they always seemed to run too hot and burn the meal or to low and it came out raw. After reading the reviews of this site and consumer reports, I decided to go with the Hamilton Beach 3 in 1 slow cooker. What a difference!! I started out making a pot roast for my daughter and I and started it in the morning before I left for work. When I came back home, the first thing I did was take a piece of roast and also a piece of potato and tried it out.... WOW!!! It was soooo tender that the meat melted in your mouth and the potato was so soft and juicy. I then realized that I had found the crock pot of my dreams. Being a single mom working at least 50 hours per week, I was just too darn worn out and didnt even have the energy to cook a meal. The Hamilton Beach is my secret weapon for all types of cooking. I put ribs in one morning and again, when I got home, the meat was so juicy, tasty and fell off the bone. It has made a believer out of me and I couldn't use any other brand now that I'm spoiled with this one. It makes cooking so much easier and its all in one cooker, so no clean up except the crock pot itself. It made a believer out of me, and I know it will for you as well...

orlandogal

Altamonte Springs, FL

  This is much more than a crock pot because...... You have 3 different sizes which your "every day" crock pot does not . It is very easy to clean and is a very reliable name brand .This "cooker" is not just a slow cooker I have cooked many things including frying with this cooker. As a matter of fact there is not much that his cooker will not cook.         Lets talk fried chicken french frys chicken wings ...  And the smaller size pots that come with this makes it just that much better. I mean its not everyday you want to make 5 gallons of chilli even though I do make about that much and freeze it . There are some things that will not freeze well like cooked potatoes for example. they go to mush.           This 3 in one cooker is well worth every cent I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond it was only about 50 . I have found that many of their products are a much beter quality than that mega retailer .

jleetw1

Salisbury, NC

This is the best thing ever! there is 7 of us and sometimes I need to just make something small and then sometimes I need to make a big roast! this si the smartest idea! I love mine!! I love how all the bowls stack nicely into each other to put away convienently.

cherryannlaird

Vacaville, CA

We love this set of slow cookers. We use all 3 of the sizes regulary but don't have 3 cookers to find space for in the pantry. I also think that the bowls look much nicer to seve from at the table and are safer because there is no cord dangling from the serving bowl.

pauapixie

Colorado Springs, CO

We love this slow cooker so much that we've recommended it to multiple people. In fact, my mother-in-law liked ours so much that she went out and bought her own! The shape of the bowls makes them easy to clean; however, I have noticed that they've gotten a bit stained over time. That hasn't effected their usefulness at all, though. This crockpot cooks our food quite well, and I really like having three different-sized bowls. It's very versatile in that regard. I use mine for cooking whole chickens or large batches of broth or soup, but I can also use it to cook just a few servings of meat. I like that the buttons on the front light up when the appliance is on. I have another slow cooker with no lights and until the device starts to heat up, there's no good way to tell if it's actually working. I've been very happy with the 3-in-1 slow cooker and would certainly buy it again.

tonymeg

Streator, IL

I don't know how I ever lived without this! I love being able to use the pot in a practical size for whatever I am preparing. I have used all three sizes on numerous occasions tho I tend to use the med one the most. I also love that you can put the bowl in the dishwasher for easy cleanup! Love my slowcooker and use it all winter!

Icrad

Edmond, OK