West Bend 84755 5-Quart Oblong Slow Cooker, White
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of West Bend 84755 5-Quart Oblong Slow Cooker, White
Customer Review: Love it so far!
Summary: 5 Stars
I had planned on purchasing the West Bend 6-quart cooker but went with this 5-quart when it showed up on Friday sale (with the tote bag). Yesterday and today I cooked a slab of ribs and then sweet-and-sour chicken in the cooker and the unit was plenty big and also cooked the items to perfection in *exactly* the times listed in the instruction manual on setting #3. Cleanup was a breeze and the small size of this unit also makes it a breeze to store. Be aware that the power cord is short and, because the pan is metal, the unit gets hot on the outside. I personally like shorter power cords and also was looking for a metal pan that I could brown meat in and take straight to the slow cooker base, so those are good for me but may not be for you. Happy cooking!
*** January 2007 update *** One year later and I'm using this cooker more than ever. The ability to sear meat and then slow-cook all in the same pan produces fantastic flavors that you can't get with a ceramic-type cooker. Oh, sure, you can brown the meat in one pan and then transfer it into a ceramic cooker, but 1) that gives you an extra pan to clean, and 2) you lose some of the flavor from the first pan. Now I'm not sure how long the non-stick coating is going to hang in there, but so far, so good, and I figure I already got my money's worth out of this unit anyway; I use it that much. One of my best purchases ever!
Customer Review: Nice Basic Slow Cooker
Summary: 4 Stars
I have had my West Bend for a couple years now and use it a couple times a week on average. I love all the different temp settings, which enables me to fine-tune cooking time. I've used it for everything from defrosting chicken that I forgot to take out of the freezer, to boiling gravy. Three temps would never hack it with me. Also, I actually find the griddle quite useful. I detest leftover pizza or hamburger heated up in the microwave, and used to have to heat the entire oven just for one hamburger. Now I just pull out the little griddle, and it's done before the oven would've even been heated up. Not to mention that it doesn't heat up the house or use as much electricity. The pot is lightweight, as is the lid, and takes up less room than a stone pot. It is also much easier to pour from. I like the oblong shape for the many roasts and briskets I make in it. I have noticed no drawbacks from its heating only from the bottom instead of all around. Drawbacks: I wish the pan were a little thicker. I wish it had a light to indicate that it's on and I wish you could turn it off without unplugging it. I have absentmindedly turned it to "1" on several occasions, thinking I had turned it off. Other than that, it's a great little cooker!Customer Review: Finally, a slow cooker that actually cooks slowly!
Summary: 5 Stars
I read many reviews before I purchased this, as we have a Rival crockpot that cooks way too fast even on low. I discovered that many of the Rivals simply control the temperature by cooking on the high setting and turning off occasionally to let it cool for the "low" setting. The problem is that they don't always turn off long enough to slow the cooking.
The temp control on this was not dissapointing. We were able to cook moist, tender meat the very first time we used it - and it was not overdone! We have even been able to use the heat coming from the bottom to our advantage by putting the vegetables on the bottom to cook more and the meat on top of them so that it is not overdone.
The instructions say that the lowest settings can be used to warm rolls - we are excited to try that. The hottest settings are for use of the griddle alone.
One reviewer was concerned over the thinness of the pot, but I can say that it is still very solid and I cannot see it posing any problems. It is still too thick to warp when it heats.
I am very pleased and would recommend over any of the other brands out there. If you grew up with a real "slow" cooker, and have been trying to find one that will not fry your foods, this is the one!
Customer Review: Changed my life
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had this for about a month and I can't say enough good things about it. I have a crock pot, but never really used it most likely because it was too small and I didn't feel like putting it on the table with the chord hanging off. I became exhasted coming home from work and having to cook for the kids. This slow cooker saves me so much time. The best part about this is that the pot is so versatile and is separate from the heater. It saves me from cleaning multiple dishes and makes serving easy.
My favorite recipe is chili. After putting the kids to bed at night, I can start the meal for the next day. I put the slow cooker pot right on the stove to brown the ground beef. Then drain the fat, cut up my vegetables, add spices, and put in the refrigerator. The next day before leaving for work, I put the pot on the heater. When I get home from work, I boil some noodles, take the pot off the heater and put it right on the table for serving. I always cook extra and will put some in the freezer for another day.
Customer Review: Nice item - but not a true slow cooker
Summary: 4 Stars
I use this item all the time and am pleased with the purchase. That being said, the buyer should be aware that it's not a true slow cooker in that a) it's metal and not crockery, b) the heating element is not wrap-around, and c) it heats rapidly rather than slowly. Because of this, your basic crock-pot recipes might be hit-and-miss in this thing.
Still, it pinch-hits for a true slow cooker in most applications. It makes great soups and stews, and the baked beans recipe in the manual is standard fare for my cookouts.
I've never used the nonstick grill surface for anything, and really can't see a reason for it. Most pans will give you more surface area and be a lot easier on the cleanup. On the other hand it does have some potential as an extra hot plate for buffet serving.
Overall, I'm glad I have one, though I'd wish I'd realized at the time of purchase that it doesn't work quite like a real slow cooker.