Best slow cooker on the market
586395
This slow cooker is multi-functional and so easy to use.  I have used the bottom part as a small griddle many times.  The cooker can be used for many things and it is so easy to cook with. I love west bend products.
2105204
This is an amazing slow cooker. I love the timer feature. It is easy to use and cooks my food perfectly every time!
1361497
Thank you, Hamilton Beach, for making a slow cooker that isn't an electric kettle built for simply boiling food!

I am using my slow cooker to make meals for 2 adults and 3 children under 10, and the capacity that 6 quarts provides is wonderful.  I've been tempted by the 8+ quart cookers out there, but the reviews that this machine receives are there for a reason.

Features:

1. A power cord that is approximately 2.5 to 3 feet long.  This is quite a bit longer than previous cookers that have included cords that were generally less than 2 feet.

2. Off, warm, low and high settings are available via rotary dial.  It's not programmable.

3. Large, attached handles.  This is a serious bonus as these handles never get even close to hot.  On other cookers, the handles are either molded extensions of the body or they are much smaller and close to the body.  In both cases, they tend to be very warm during cooking.  Also, since the grips of the HB handles are above the rim of the cooker, there is minimal danger of accidentally burning your hands if you happen to tip the cooker when carrying it.

4. Locking lid - great for transporting.

5. The included serving spoon/ladle can be stowed (attached, really) securely on the lid as shown in the pictures.

6. At least 1 port in the lid to allow for a thermometer to be inserted or simply for the escape of steam/pressure during cooking.

7. The manufacturer's label on the front doubles as a holder for 2 varieties of paper inserts. Some are pre-printed with common items such as "Swedish Meatballs."  Others are blank.  There aren't many, but I suppose you could use one as a pattern to make your own should you need more.

8. The style of this cooker matches the stainless steel style in my kitchen.

9. There are no noticeable hotspots during cooking.  It's very even.  When cooking a whole chicken, the wings were no more or less done than the thighs or breast.

10. The rubber "weather stripping" around the underside of the lid (where it rests on the ceramic) is a great upgrade!  It creates a better seal and it is compressed when the lid is locked, making the lid and the contents more secure.

Thanks again, HB!
1850982
This is the third one of these I've bought. I bought my first one way back in the seventies, yes you read that right. This is the best slow cooker I have ever owned. There is a lot of control over your temperature setting. Everything I've made in this cooker comes out great. There's a reason why they still make this cooker. I will add that the newer ones don't last as long as the older one did, but than nothing does in this day and age.
4570999
I literally can't live without this slow cooker. I make big batches of stews and chili so I don't need to cook each night. At $50 the price is a true bargain.
4061846
My mother gave me her ancient slow cooker a couple of months ago, confident that I would use it much more that she ever could (she knows that I'm a devoted happy housewife who loves to cook). I was very hesistant to have one of these big ceramic monsters taking up space in my tiny condo, the only thing I could think of cooking in this would be some weiners and maybe a stew or two...NOT WITH THIS BOOK IN HAND.  Dammit, I use my slow cooker so much that it actually sits on my COUNTER.

At least 80% of the recipes have come from this book, the rest are from Fix-It n Forget-It and some recipes that my mother passed on to me. The recipes in THIS book, though, are super easy but the result is very good. Most of the ingredients are things you have in your house if you're a home cook. You can control some of the ingredients to your tasting and nutritional preference (just be mindful of the liquids!). The author gives some tips on using a slow cooker, then follows into some meal suggestions for entertaining before entering into her world of slow-cooked deliciousness. My only tiny, tiny complaint is that I wish it would list nutritional information, but most of the recipes use such fresh ingredients that I can't think to take a star out for that. I'll list some of my favorite recipes:

Chicken Stew with Rosemary Dumplings - This was the first one I made from the book, and it stays a favorite because even though I messed it up on my end (the dumplings broke apart because of a mismeasurement) it was a huge hit. I made them again fully following the directions and it was perfect. It also reheats really well.

Chicken Cacciatore - great dish with pasta, the recipe asks for chicken thighs but I used boneless chicken breast and it came out delicious.

Turkey Mushroom Loaf - This one is probably my absolute favorite to make. It's really easy, and it comes out looking gorgeous and tasting like something from a restaurant. With some mashed potatoes, you can't go wrong. The second time around I replaced some of the ground turkey with some veal and pork just to vary it, worked out.

Chicken and Black Bean Chili in Tortilla Bowls - Fabulous dish for a small casual dinner party. Doesn't it even just SOUND freaking delicious...tortilla bowls for pete's sake!

Burgundy Beef and Wild Mushroom Stew - the 'dark horse' stew of my house, I love how simple and rich the flavors result. Another great reheater.

I can't list all the ones I've made or even want to make in the future. This book is a must have and is used VERY often in my house. VERY OFTEN.
527420
Love this slow cooker! It is large, but I make my own dog food and need to cook alot of chicken at once and this fits the bill just fine. Have no issues w/this purchase. If you need a large cooker this one is the one to get!
254095
Subject says it all. Best slow cooker I've ever had. A must buy for anyone in the market without question.
4119070
I chose to purchase this slow cooker again because I wore my last one out. Had it for years and absolutely loved it. So easy to use and clean up is a breeze. I like the color of this one over my previous one. I never have to worry about it burning my meals like the new black crock pots. I would recommend this to all my friends if they are looking for a fantastic product and the price was within my financial range. Delivery was quick. It would make a nice gift for friends or a newly wed bride.
4670540
This has become my favorite cookbook.  I love casseroles and stews and that's what slow cookers are all about.  I have had this book for some time and have tested about two dozen recipes and would say that 75% of them have been terrific, I don't want to repeat the superlatives other have given it and will just point out three things:
1. These are not simple recipes, it's not a "throw it all in the pot and go away" book.  Some are very simple but most are not.  They are real recipes designed to result in good tasting food.  Most of the recipes require a fare amount of prep time, no more than any other cook book
2. You don't need a slow cooker to make this stuff, you can do it in an oven with equal results.  Here are the temperatures to use and they come from the manufacturer's settings for America's Test Kitchen's highest rated slow cooker from Hamilton Beach (I emailed them to get the temperatures)
Low = 185 F
Medium = 203 F
High = 212 F
3. Certain recopies call for making an aluminum ring of around the inside of the crock to prevent overheating of the part of the crock near the heating element.  I never bother with hit and haven't had a problem.  I don't understand their concern
3686262
Love the slow cooker!!!  I use it often and the meals are always easy and delicious!!! Stews, soups, one pot meals, chili,  healthy versions of vegetable medleys, and even bread pudding is easily made in the crock pot .  Price was right and color is beautiful!
3737357
This slow cooker is the very best, with crocks in multiple sizes and heat settings that range between high and warm. The heat source is extremely reliable and calibrated for typical slow-cooker recipes. As mentioned by other reviewers, it is a fairly large unit, but the big handles make manipulation easy and safe and it is worth the trade-off.

One reviewer mentioned that the heat calibrations were too high - I suspect that may have been the fault of the individual pot or, possibly, the user did not recognize the additional buttons on the front of the mechanism to set which pot size you are using. Additionally, they commented that the heat source was bottom only, not all around - that is typical of slow-cookers. They rely on the heat-diffusing nature of the crockery for evenness of heating.

I have had a number of slow-cookers over the years ranging from the most basic of 1970's era "Crock Pots" to expensive and high-end slow-cookers, and this one is my hands-down favorite.
4039638
i've made about 30 dishes in this raging from soup, stew, pulled pork, pulled beef, chili, and more! the slow cooker doesn't burn my food and keeps it nice and hot. preparation couldn't be easier!
2331067
I have alway's disliked Slow Cooker's, Crock-pots, whatever you want to call them.  In the last 22 years I have bought and given away more than I can count.  This model was my last shot, as in the interim, I have become very fond of a pressure cooker in place of the crock-pot.  In the pressure cooker, I can have pot roast dinner on the table in one hour, start to finish and it's perfect.  When I read the info about this unit, I thought well, I'll try one more, and if this one doesn't cut it I'm done.  I am happy to report that this is a wonderful model and I am so happy with it for a number of reasons.  The versatily in programming time is fantastic, cook chicken breasts for 8 hours on low and you will have saw dust, so nice to have other options and the warm feature.  The unit comes up to temp quickly and programming is easy.  I haven't used the  probe feature yet, but plan to soon.  Thank you Hamilton Beach for a lovely small appliance!  BTW if you're looking for a good Slow Cooker Cookbook, Fix it and forget it, the big book is the best I have found and I've looked at over 30 of them.
2358245
I love this 3-in-1 Cuisinart cooker. So easy to use with lots of cooking opinions. My favorite part is to sear and switch to slow cooker. I even browned potstickers then switched to steam by adding a little water and using the rack. Excellent!!!
4265309
This thing is awesome !!!  I have several slow cookers, but this is the one that I use the most. Just set the amount of time that you will be away, and PRESTO, your meal is cooked to perfection without worrying about overcooking. I have used this many, many times (from 2 hrs- to 12 hrs) and the results were perfect every time ! ! I highly recommend this. And the price was right.
1960581
Since I truly believe the slow cooker is God's gift to all who cook, I have read many slow cooker cookbooks.  I was a little leery of this one because I thought the recipes would be difficult and the ingredients might be bizarre.
However, I couldn't have been more mistaken.  I love this cookbook.  It makes grand meals seem so easy.  The ingredients are normal ingredients as well.  This cookbook provides the opportunity to try something you might not ordinarily try.  You'll find a lot of new favorites in this book!!  If you enjoy using a slow cooker or trying new foods - you cannot pass this book up!!!