Customer Reviews

Crock-Pot 5-1/2-Quart Oval Countdown Slow Cooker, Stainless

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(23)

 

 

I purchased mine about a month ago (except mine doesn't have a digital timer). While the fact that it's bigger means more you can cook food, you have to adjust your recipes accordingly and increase the measurements. I didn't and twice my food actually BURNED! It also seemed to cook my food way faster than the time would indicate (but that could be due to the fact I wasn't putting enough food in). If you want to cook lots of food, this is for you. But if you are only cooking for two, you're better off with one of the smaller models.

I bought this crock pot despite the negative reviews. Several of them said the crock smoked and it was returned, only to find the new one smoked too. Well, read the first page on the manual and it says in bold letters that it will smoke the first few uses. I guess sort of like new brakes on a car (they stink! and it goes away and the brakes work like a charm). I liked the design of the crock, so I was willing to give it a try with low expectations. So, I just filled mine with water and turned it on (before cooking a meal) to let it stink away.

I have cooked chili, pot roast and a pork tenderloin. All came out wonderful. This model is much larger, so you have to make sure you are accommodating the space with food and liquid. If you don't .. duh.. it will burn. I was cooking for a large group and the roast came out wonderful. I have my own recipes and times for cooking, so I generally kept the temp on low for about 6 hours my first run. It worked perfect. The cranberry tenderloin was a little different, so I watched it closer (since I was home). It probably would have gotten too dry if I had left it, but that was my fault, not the crocks. I simply didn't have enough sauce in it. Anyway, bottom line: I am very happy with my crock and glad I gave it a chance. It hasn't let me down yet and I've had it for about 6 months, now. If you are cooking for a larger family, this one works great. I wouldn't recommend it for a smaller group because it is simply too big for general recipes and will burn things...and make you an unhappy camper.

You have to watch this crock pot closely or it will start to boil your food, even on the LOW setting! It does not slow cook, and recipes that require 6-8 hours of heat are done in under 4 hours. Not a good product if you want to be able to add your ingredients and actually leave the house. This slow cooker is a piece of junk.

I use this item most of the 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 It heats rapidly then slowly.
Most items are boiling in an hr even when put on the slow mode.! Because of the quick heat your basic crock-pot recipes might be hit-and-miss in this thing.The best thing howwever to cook with this is to stay at home and keep checking on it after every couple of hrs or two.YOu can't leave items in it and return home in the evening and expect things to be done! It can actually burn them if left alone!

Still, it pinch-hits for a true slow cooker in most applications.The automatic timer in it is great because you can program it to cook for as many hours as you think it might need. It makes great soups and stews, and I have also cooked some Foreign country stews in it with sucess.


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.

I got this last Christmas and have just ordered one for my mother in law. The first few times I used it, I burned everything, and couldn't figure out why. Then I read in a crockpot cookbook that in order for the heat to disperse properly, the pot must be filled at least two-thirds (and preferably three quarters) full--otherwise the heat gathers in the empty space and burns your food. So I started doubling recipes and freezing half, or heating some up for lunch the next day, and it's fantastic! Just use it correctly. I use it for mulled cider at parties, too.

I've experienced the problems others have described, and no, the problem is not caused by insufficient volume. The booklet itself says "the recipes in this book may be used, as printed, in the 4-6.5 quart crock pot slow cooker."

I have done many recipes that are similar in food volume to the ones that come in the cooker's own booklet (whole chickens, 3 lb roasts, etc.), and the lid still leaks and foods cook way too fast on "low." Several times I have come home to a wet mess all over the counter and a burnt meal in the crock pot. This thing is absolutely not to be trusted by itself! Indeed, as I write this there is a 3.5 lb pork roast sitting in my crock, which I put in stone cold frozen 4 hours ago, and in that amount of time on low, it is completely cooked and ready to serve. According to their booklet, I should add an additional 4 hours of cooking time on low for frozen foods, for a total of 12-14 hours!

We had two crock pots when we got married--this one, and a smaller one. We gave away the small one when we purged our duplicate appliances, and having now had to live with this one for a while, I really regret it.

Having assumed that it was my lack of expertise in handling a slow (?!) cooker, I have been blaming myself for every mishap with this Rival slow cooker. Whether it was stew, warm dips, roasts, you name it . . . this slow cooker turned everything into a hockey-puck-like consistency. Had I read these reviews before impulsively buying this, I would never have purchased it.

Unlike other reviewers, I have found that that there simply is no adjusting recipes to make this thing work properly. There is no low setting, that's for sure; and, even after 30 minutes of cooking on low, food items have already begun to burn. I thought that this would be the magic bullet to prepare a tender, melt-in-your-mouth roast. Instead, we were left with the largest chunk of beef jerky in the universe. Please don't waste your money, and Rival . . . please take note of all these unhappy customers. Why on earth is this still available and on the market?!

Wish I had seen the reviews before purchasing this insane appliance. Nothing "slow" about it-- burns everything, even on the Keep Warm setting. Best you can get out of it is 4 hours before you absolutely have to return home and shut it off. If not, your evening meal is small burnt pieces of food welded to the bottom of the pot. I swear, this thing is possessed! My old Rival Crock Pot was the best appliance I ever purchased, this one is the WORST!

I recieved this crock pot as a gift. I liked the oval shape and the chrome exterior -- nicer than my old round crock pot that wouldn't hold a roast and looked so old. HOWEVER, the performance of the new pot was horrible and I returned it. It cooks too hot even on the low setting (and yes, I did put an adequate amount of food in it). The lid seems like it fits, but the steam that built up during cooking rattled the lid loose and dripped water down the side of the unit onto the counter.
To me, the whole benefit of a slow-cooker is being able to leave it unattended while it cooks (SLOWLY and safely) all day. Don't even think about it with this model.

The lid on this crock pot is not designed with enough weight to keep the pressure in the pot. As this crock pot begins to build up heat, the lid begins to jump. As time progresses, and condensation begins to accumulate inside the lid and pot, hot water is splashed out of the pot with each jump of the lid. The first time I used this new crock pot, I returned home to find my cabinet top standing in water and the lid still jumping. I have since stayed home when I use the pot in order to try different settings but have experienced the same problem regardless of which setting I choose.