This crock-pot serves it's purpose well. It cooks food thoroughly and helps to make any piece of meat fall to pieces. The only downfall to this particular crock-pot is that it gets very hot on the outside. I have to be sure to keep it way back on the counter so little fingers don't get burned. Otherwise, great product.

kidzclothes

Shermans Dale, PA

If you have a large family to cook for - or like leftovers, this is the crockpot you need. I have had mine for 5-8 years and I love it. I have not always used it so much, but within the last year have made crockpot meals between 4-6 times a week, and it is still going strong. My crockpot came with a cover and a rubberband type latch for transporting, which makes it perfect for carry-in dinners. The band wraps from under one handle (which has grooves to hold it in place), criss-crosses, goes over the lid handle, criss-crosses again, and then hooks under the other handle. It is very easy to do. The cover is especially nice because the outside of the crockpot does get very hot. In fact that's one of the few things I don't like about this crockpot. I always have to make sure to keep it pushed back on the counter so little hands won't get burned. The dial on the front is also an attraction, so even if it didn't get hot, I would need to do that. My crock pot cooks VERY quickly. I think it must be faster than most other models out there because when I read a recipe online that says to cook on high for 5 hours, mine will be done in about 3. I usually start our evening meal at the same time I am making lunch. It definitely doesn't have to cook all day. My old crockpot was one of those round ones, and it does take forever to cook. I can start a meal the evening before with that one. Not with this one. It would be mush even by lunchtime. One of my favorite features is the "keep warm" setting. I usually pay attention to the crock to see when the food is about done, then switch it to keep warm, and we're ready to eat whenever. It still stays hot enough that I don't have to worry about bacteria growing, but it allows me to cook a meal faster when I'm not sure what time we'll eat. One other problem I've had with all my crockpots is that if you drip food on the outside, it is impossible to ever get it clean again. Maybe a different outside material would help with this, but I've had this problem on all my crocks.

tjboyce

Pinedale, WY