Hamilton Beach Programmable 5 Quart Slow Cooker | Model# 33453

I received the Slow Cooker- the first thing I looked at was how it was constructed - the weight of it-did it appear to be durable and yes to all the above- the removable stoneware insert is heavy for its size and the lid fits tightly - this is important. My test of a good slow cooker is beef stew- I used chuck steak-favorable cut of meat but very tough- I seasoned the meat - browned it in my cast iron skillet - put the browned meat in the slow cooker with the broth and set it for 8 hours- went to work and when I got home the aroma brought me back to my childhood and grandma's kitchen. The meat was very tender-however and this is my fault I should have used more broth-it was almost totally gone. If I have any suggestions it would be to add a browning element-there is a hot-shot right were the heating element is so use a small rack or line the bottom with foil- the controls are easy to see and understand and the stoneware insert is easy to remove and clean-great buy I really enjoyed using this slow cooker- and the best part is you can put frozen foods in the slow cooker and when you are ready to eat your meal is waiting for you - So busy people there are no more excuses - get to cooking

I have had an old slow cooker for a long time. It was not programmable and that was a problem. I was hesitant to use it because I always worried that I was going to forget about it or not get home in time and would end up burning it. I would hate to ruin a twenty dollar piece of meat. This is a programmable slow cooker and that alleviates all those worries. It is a little bigger than my old one and I liked that. I used it last night and I had more than enough room for a chuck roast with red potatoes and carrots. I set it for 8 hours and went to bed. I did not have to worry because after 8 hours, it automatically changes to warm mode. That way, if you are going to cook it for 8 hours but not get back for 10 or more hours, it will still be ready to go when you get there. It will turn itself off after 14 total hours (cooking plus warming) but I think that is a good thing because it is possible I could forget about it and go on a trip or something. It is just nice that you can set it and then not have to worry. My roast came out great and cleaning up was really easy. I also really like the stainless steel look. Overall, this is a great slow cooker.