A friend recommended I buy the West Bend slow cooker & I couldn't be happier with it. Dry beans cooked in this cooker are the best we've eaten since we used a wood stove and iron pot to cook them all day. During the summer I can set the cooker outside & keep the kitchen cool. The unit is compact so that it doesn't take up valuable storage space, it heats up quickly, and temperature is easily regulated. The glass lid serves also as a serving dish. This is one of my favorite small appliances and I use it several times a week.