Cuisinart CSC-650 6-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Cuisinart CSC-650 6-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker
Customer Review: What a classy appliance!
Summary: 4 Stars
I ordered the CSC 650 Cuisinart Slow Cooker and received it 3 days later. The order was placed after I searched and reviewed every slow cooker I could on the internet...I kept going back to amazon.com. I was fearful because one or two of the csc 650 crock pot reviews talked about how HOT it is....Well... every different model crock pot I reviewed had a least one that talked about a "hot crock Pot" so I learned that this is typical of crock pots and you probably don't want to leave any such appliance on "high" for 4, 5 6 hours at a time. The day it arrived I put it to work, cooking a wonderful soup recipe my relatives love.. it turned out great but I did have to start it on high then reduce it to low for the rest of the cooking period. The next day I made breaded pork chops for a hungry crew of eight. I called my husband from the mall and asked how it was coming after 2 hours... he said it was quite hot.. I told him to reduce it to low. 3 hours later... 16 porkchops in gravy with 8 whole potatoes were done and it had automatically switched to warm. The features that sold me were the size, the timer/warmer, the retractable cord, and most of all the 3 year warranty. I am not disappointed so far but I've only had it for two days and have used it almost continuously for 24 hours. Tomorrow, chili will cook for 10 people. It is such a beautiful, attractive unit too--the stainless cleans up very nicely. I know I need to watch this cooker if I start it on high.. it will need to be reduced to low. If I'm going to be away from home for a long period of time, I will definitely start it on LOW.Customer Review: not so slow
Summary: 4 Stars
Bought this after looking at quite a lot of other options, and after reading all these reviews (thanks guys!) - $99 isn't necessarily cheap for a slow cooker.
The retractable cord is a great idea, makes the cooker a little more counter friendly and storage that much simpler (not having to wrap the cord around the cooker or stick it in the pot for storage).
This and the rectangular shape does make storage a lot easier - somehow round pots just don't seem to be as packable & stackable as square ones.
The lid seems under done - given the heft of the rest of the unit, it's not perfectly fitted to the pot, so you lose more steam than I'd like.
The pot is heavy, I can see why some people have had cracking issues, you'll need to be careful with the 'hot meets cold' problem. Be patient, let the thing cool all the way before dumping it in the sink, don't add 'fridge cold' or frozen things to the pot when it's cooking.
That said, the weight of the pot means you will get a nice even temperature.
I did find that the cooker appeared to be faster than expected: I followed a couple of recipes from the book and they were obviously done before the time expected. I'll work around that by adding more water so as not to dry things out.
The steel 'box' itself is nice enough, there were a few spots on the unit that were hotter than others, which I did not expect (as in, warm Vs. ouch!) but then again, I don't suppose you're meant to be moving the thing around when it's in use...
Customer Review: Add me to the negative list
Summary: 1 Stars
Well, I tried to be satisfied for over a year. It was used for soups, stews, chili, spaghetti sauce, refried beans, and more. The Cuisinart name and reputation as well as satisfaction with other Cuisinart products attracted me to the CSC-650 Slow Cooker. A high price for a quality product is justified in the long run was the thinking. Right from the start there were temperature control problems. "High" setting is unusable after an hour. "Low" setting boils after two hours. "Warm" produces bubbling after 3 hours. "Warm" is the only setting used now and it is still too hot. There are "hot spots" that cause the food to stick in certain areas of the bottom regardless of the temperature setting. Lining the heating container with heavy-duty aluminum foil was tried to help moderate and spread the heat to no avail. Just this morning a crack in the pot was discovered that runs from the top edge to the base. The cooker is headed to the dump. We have a smaller Rival crock pot that works well, was inexpensive, and will be easily replaced when a problem develops. Spending $100 on a disposable slow cooker that does not perform correctly from the start and then the ceramic pot breaks is not my idea of a bargain. The next purchase will be a low-priced cooker that can be tossed out when it fails without damaging the budget. Maybe the Cuisinart will be saved to put on the counter to impress guests with its looks while the real meal will be cooked in the garage under a cardboard box. :-)Customer Review: This crock pot burns food
Summary: 1 Stars
I got my first crock pot about 10 years ago and love it. I was looking to upgrade to a larger pot and a pot with a timer. I decided on the Cuisinart because of the quality associated with their products. I asked for this as a Christmas gift from my mother.
I received this crockpot Dec. 30, 2004 and I've had nothing but problems with it. I made two meals in the pot and both of them burned. I noticed that the lid was smaller than it should and didn't completely cover the crock. I called Cuisinart and they told me no problem and sent me a new lid which I received about a week ago. The new lid fits better but there is still a problem with moisture escaping and food burning as I discovered yesterday with yet another burnt meal.
I called Cuisinart again (each call to Cuisinart, I've had to wait 40 minutes to speak with a rep). The first rep told me to return the crockpot to the store I got it. I called my mom and she gave me the number of the store where she purchased the crockpot. The store would not take it back because we don't have the original box, even though the product is defective.
I called Cuisinart yet again. They are sending me a new unit. I will have to pay s/h. I sincerely hope this one works but have my doubts after reading a couple of the reviews. I have a feeling I'm going to have quite a fight trying to get my money back.
Don't waste your time or your money on this crock pot. It's no good.
Customer Review: Beautiful item but not functional
Summary: 2 Stars
I researched a lot before buying this slow cooker. I have a Nesco roaster that I love and use often. I needed a large slow cooker. I started researching. Started out with the all clad but everyone said it got really hot. I wanted a good one. The Cuisinart had good ratings elsewhere and I thought well even it cooks faster that is fine. I will just watch it until I get used to it and go from there. Every dish I have watched..they all cooked in LESS than half the allotted time. Today I made a crock pot mac and cheese casserole and it burned within ONE HOUR. Way too hot. I called Cuisinart several times and they said I may have a defective unit. Well I doubt it. I just think it runs hot. I really was dismayed because I love the size and the design of this cooker. Really was not up to par with Cuisinart products that I know and love.
Let me also say that I am a good cook. I feel that I know my way around any appliance. I was not happy that I was not going to be able to leave this cooker all day but I was ok to give it a try. It is not at all what I expected. I read the other reviews here and wish I would have taken heed of them. I had read good reviews elsewhere and saw two articles in magazines on this cooker being the best.
If you are going to spend 100 bucks on a slow cooker, stop, get one of the higher end rival ones with a timer and then get a nesco roaster. You can cook anything all summer without heating up your kitchen.