I bought this Hamilton Beach slow cooker 8 years ago and I still use it to this day. It has held up great and works just as well as when I first bought it. It has a little staining under the crock from years of use, but the white has not yellowed over time like other appliances. It is no frills. It's a basic white. It is not programmable and only has a few options: off, keep warm, low, and high. It takes as long to cook as the time listed in most recipes. It takes about 8 hours to cook a large pot roast. It's easy to use even for beginners. The crock is a little heavy which can make it difficult to clean. The size is big enough for large cuts of meat. It doesn't come with a strap for traveling which is a feature I would really like to have. The price was really affordable and I've definitely got my money's worth out of it. I would recommend this to anyone that doesn't want to fiddle with a programmable slow cooker.

statler

USA

i have only used one other slow cooker and considering this one is a little older it works just fine. it doesn't have fancy programmable features but it works for me. Time to Heat it heats up really quickly which is nice that i can get my food started right away. Cooking Performance I have had issues using the crockpot for desserts as it tends to overcook quickly. But now that I am more used to it, it is easier. Ease of Cleaning for the most part soaking it gets rid of most of the effort of cleaning. sometimes if i am making something i know will burn i just use a crock pot liner. Ease of Use it would be nice to have a programmable setting but it's use is really self explanatory. off, keep warm, low, and high are the settings. Design i like the oval shape. it is big enough to cook a whole chicken. the oval seems to fit better in my kitchen than a circle. Durability we have had this for a while and have had no issues with durability. it still works just fine.

jilliann1

Stockton, CA

For the price, this slow cooker/crock pot is a good value. Affordable, large capacity and easy to use. That is where the good ends with me. It has come in handy when I want to put in a roast. I can set it on low for along period of time, but since there is not a temperate setting or a thermostat it can get too hot and start to cook to fast. I will say that we have had several dry roasts over the years and many burnt pots of rotel cheese dip. I DO like the conveinence of the slow cooker and not having to heat up the large oven. But honestly with high temp and dry roasts we tend to just pop it in the oven. I really should invest in a quality cooker. This has served us well, but I am ready for something else.

jwool1118

Lewisville, TX

We got this slow cooker for a wedding gift. It is a nice slow cooker. It has a lot of room and we've never needed something bigger. There are a couple down falls to using this slow cooker. We wish that we would've got a slow cooker that had a specific way to set the temperature. Often times while slow cooking something it will burn or cook a lot faster than the recipe specified because it gets too hot (or too cold as the oppositie problem). We've learned to cook things for 2-3 hours less than normal, but it'd be nice to set a time and a temperature and go. If we were to purchase a new crock pot that would defenitly be a feature that makes or breaks our decision in purchasing one. Our crockpot came with this really nice cover that can go directly over the crock pot itself and has an easy way to carry it, so that is something that is really nice, keeps things warm and isn't "hot" to carry!

reviewdad

Pocatello, ID

I've had this crockpot for about 6 years.  I have had absolutely no problems with it.  It cooks evenly, and food comes out very tender.  It has a control to keep it warm, in case you're late coming home.  It is easy to clean because it has a removable crock.  I now put the plastic slow cooker liners in it, which are very inexpensive, and I can just lift the food out into a bowl.  

Carnoel

Punta Gorda, FL

This is a nice if you need a large capacity crock pot. It is perfect for doing large batches of soup or if you are cooking a meal for a large group. It does a great job cooking and is very easy to clean.It is fairly durable as well - I have dropped the lid before and it did not break. I do wish that this had the ability to program cooking time, but otherwise I have no complaints. It seems to heaat up evenly and the food on top gets just as warm as the food near the bottom and edges. I have noticed that it does sem to cook a little faster than my other crock pot, so you need to keep an eye on it the first few times you use it until you can judge appropriate times in order to avoid overcooking your food. Itis very easy to use and turns on with a simple turn of the dial. I have always found Hamilton Beach to be a reliable and durable brand and have never had any problems with this crock pot. I use it all the time and the food always turns out great.

alis2215

Pottstown, PA

When I got this slow cooker as a wedding present, my first reaction was to return it. I have never (nor has anyone in my family) ever used a slow cooker. After a few months of it collecting dust in the pantry, I decided to look up some recipes and give it a whirl. I'm so glad I did! I love this slow cooker, I obviously have nothing to compare it to- but it does its job and is VERY easy to use. There are 3 settings: warm, low and high. That's IT! as a beginner, less choices is much better. It is also very easy to clean. I find that the food cooks faster than any of the recipes say to cook the food for, not sure if there is a standard temperature on these things. There is also a rubber piece to seal it so if you take it with you you can ensure a proper seal. The outer part of the machine feels a little flimsy, but I have not had any problems with it yet. I wipe the outside with clorox wipes and the inner dish is fully washable.

lenzz

Astoria, NY

I have had my Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker for about 2 years now, and I love it. My only complaint would be the poor finish on the crockery itself. Firstly, the size of this slow cooker is easily the best part. I can make loads of chili, appitizer for a potluck, or cook whole cuts of meat. My dishes turn out great and evenly cooked, and it does well keeping food warm for serving. This slow cooker has a removable crock and is good for travelling. It only has 3 settings, which makes it very easy to use, but doesn't let wou really customize how you cook. I've also noticed that high is sometimes too hot for 'gentle' foods or soups. My only complaint with this slow cooker is the crock itself. It has a poor finish, and, even with non abrasive hand washing, wears off quickly. These worn spots lead to stuck food and make it harder to clean the next time. Overall, this is a great, inexpensive family slow cooker. I'd definately reccomend it, the small cons are easily outweighed by the many pros.

bachanaliannights

Phoenix, AZ

My mother-in-law gave me this crock pot as a Christmas present to replace a smaller version that wasn't fitting our needs anymore. The large capacity and see-through lid are great. Because of the oval shape, I can cook larger cuts of meat or make soups, chili and stew for a crowd. I know there are recipes out there for baking cakes in a crock pot and other unusual uses but I haven't ventured that far yet. The Hamilton Beach 6-quart crock pot has easy to use controls. Basic. Low. High. Warm. I do find that the "high" setting cooks food really quickly and I've even had some food burn to the side of the crock pot if I don't watch it closely. Normal recipes that are recommended to take 6-8 hours in a crock pot take at least an hour or two less in this one so that's something to watch. Though I also love the removable, ceramic pot, it's heavy on a crock pot this size and can sometimes be hard to get completely clean. Still, it's a winner.

joni4122

Woodbine, NJ

We have used this model for a year or two now and love the large capacity of food it will hold.  We have a large family and we can easily cook enough for all 5-6 of us with plenty of leftovers for the next day.  My favorite part is being able to take the crock liner out and place it on the table to serve from. It has 3 temperatures of high, low, and warm.  The warm setting works wonderful for our potlucks to assure that everything is still warm by the time we eat. It has a very easy to clean surface which is important to our family being that sometimes the younger ones wash dishes.  I love being able to leave for the day and come home to something already cooked and ready to eat.  Do be careful of the cord that wind over the lid that it does not lay against the side of the crockpot.  Mine did once and melted it in half.  I tied it in a knot and still use it though but be careful of it.

vbree2000

Bloomington, IL