Customer Reviews

Hamilton Beach 33134 3-in-1 Slow Cooker with 2-, 4-, and 6-Quart Crocks

5 star:		(80)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

This is the best slow cooker I've ever used. Having three sizes of crocks let us cook just for the two of us, or for the whole family when they're home. And they stack inside each other for storage, so they take up little room. The crocks and heating unit wipe up easily. The simple, manual controls are all we need. I make a large crock of chili or soup, using a liner, serve and then freeze the remaining portion in the liner. After a few weeks, I take out the chili in the liner, put it in the smaller crock, and heat it through in the slow cooker. I saw a version of this slow cooker in Target for $59.99, but all the crocks were tan; this is much prettier. You can't go wrong with these, and you'll be the envy at your next potluck.

I have been using an old crockpot for 30 years. Wish I would have updated before, because I'm really enjoying this new one. The freedom to carry the crock to the table for serving, and the metal rimmed lid that prevents chipping is great. I also like the choice of sizes. It cleans easily and looks beautiful.

This is my first slow cooker and I am glad I got the 3 in 1. I love the versaltility of the three sizes. I've used all 3 for dips, stews, and pulled pork/pot roast.
The inserts are very easy to clean too. I always hated the thought of cooking in a plastic bag just to save on clean up, but that isn't an issue with this slow cooker.
I can't think of any cons to this product.

I purchased this one to replace an older crock pot/ slow cooker that had developed a lot of crazing/tiny hairline cracks & supposedly that is not healthy so it was time to replace. I wanted to give this 5 stars but I could not due to the cheapness of the thin glass lid. It is the thinnest glass I have ever seen in crock ware. I feel I should look for a replacement before to have on hand, you know, just-in-case. I thought it odd that the glass lid has an intentional little round hole in it, at first I was perplexed thinking it was defective, I could not find an explanation anywhere for it, I checked all the booklets, owners manual, instructions and no mention of the purpose for the hole in the lid...BUT I decided to use it anyway, I had been too long without a crock pot, after the first use I figured out what the hole in lid is for: it lets a bit of steam out so that the lid does not keep bobbing up and down like all the other crock pots I've had that let steam escape all around the sides & splattering onto everything in the nearby counter top vicinity when the lids bobs up and down.
The versatility is 5 stars, how clever to create a cooking device that has 3 different crock sizes all fitting into the same base. I have used all 3 sizes and they all produce great food, I thought maybe the 6 quart would not function well because so much of it sits above the cooking base but as long as you select the right size crock button (the cooking base has 3 push buttons labeled 2, 4, 6 so you just press the size of crock you plan to use) it performs as good as the 2 & 4 quart bowls.
I will say a couple things about the 3 heat selections: I like that it is a simple dial knob not a thought provoking digital and the settings are straightforward: high, low & warm; it cooks too hot and quickly on high setting for most of the dishes I prepare in a crock pot so I always use the low setting and sometimes finish up on warm setting. But that is just my opinion based on the things I prepare in it. I do not have any particular style or color theme in my kitchen so I found the different color crock to be perfectly acceptable, they are more of a tuscany collection of colors not at all retro like described by another reviewer, but people have different perceptions. In my opinion the 2 quart bowl is an earthy orange/pumpkin/cinnamony color, not brash at all, the 4 quart is a lovely shade of muted butter yellow/gold/mustardy color and the 6 quart is a beautiful subtle earthy green tone and the base cooker part that the crocks sits into is a nice cream and beige color in a barely-there pattern akin to old world style plaster walls (sounds like tuscany doesn't it?) I am glad I got these colors I have seen it in a stainless steel base with 3 black glossy crock bowls that would be perfect for more modern kitchens with stainless steel appliances and I've seen in a bright white base with 3 white bowls, it looked a little sterile and boring...so I am happy with my choice of colors. I highly recommend buying this product just know you are getting a thin glass lid, but I do understand most new crocks are being sold with cheapy glass lids. The versatility can not be beat, the price is right and shipping was free, it came to my door well packed safe & sound. Buy it!

I really love the versality of this crockpot. Generally I use the smallest pot (2qt) as I am making meals just for me, but it's great to have the ability to make a larger pot of food for company or a huge pot of food for parties!

My only reservation is I think the crockpot might get a bit hotter on the low temperature than recipes use as the norm as I always need to calculate based on the lowest timeframe for recipes when I use this crockpot, i.e., if a recipe says 6 to 8 hours, the food will definitely be done in this pot in 6 hours.

I'm not saying that's a bad thing, it's just something of which you have to be aware when cooking from a recipe in the pot.

When I finally agreed to replace my old Rival Crockpot (it still worked, but had a big chip in the crock), I was reluctant to spend a lot of money on a new version. I looked around, and found the new slow cookers to mostly be huge, expensive, and loaded with options that I don't need. Space is important, we live in a condo. I stumbled across this slow cooker by searching Amazon, and I'm very grateful I did. The three crocks allow me to cook a small amount for just the two of us in the 2 quart crock, make a larger batch of chili or soup to freeze in the 4 quart crock, or to make a big tub of beef or chicken broth in the 6 quart crock. I've used them all, they worked perfectly, and I'm very pleased with the value for the price!

I filled the 6 qt. pot about 2/3 full, set it on Low, and then pushed the 6 qt button. I checked on it after 2-3 hours, and could see that the food was literally boiling! I plan to return this item. A slow cooker without a reliable Low setting is of limited value to me.

I bought this crockpot for two reasons. One of the reasons is that it had various size cooking pots and one that was as small as 2 quarts which is an excellent size for 2 people. And, the largest size is great for larger recipes. The other reason I bought it, is the fact that does not overcook/overheat as I was experiencing with my other crockpot; as a matter of fact, I got rid of my other crockpot which was only 6 months old as it over cooking everything. And, it is easy to store - I have a very small kitchen so being able to store all sizes in one spot is great. My only complaint is that is rather 70's looking in it's colors - I could have spent more on the stainless steel but I was so burned on last crockpot, I didn't want to spend the extra $$.

My mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas, and I told her I wanted a crock pot. This is the one she gave me, and I am absolutely thrilled with it! The multiple bowl sizes are such a great concept. The unit heats up quickly, maintains a steady heat, looks nice, and cleans up easily. It even comes with some really yummy recipes. I've owned other crock pots in the past, and this is by far the best. I've been telling my friends about it and they all want one!

Pros: Flexibility, great temp control
Cons: Died after a year of use

We used this slow cooker nearly every week for a year, and it worked really well for us. We used the 2-quart insert, mostly, but we did use the 4-quart insert a couple of times and it's great that we have the option on size. Easy to use, the temperature settings are superb (especially the "low" setting), and the inserts are easy to clean and durable.

However, after using it for almost a year, the pot slowly died. First, you couldn't make your pot size selection (one of the necessary steps to having it start heating) without holding the button down for an hour or so. We used a magnet to hold down the button (tape didn't work). Then, it started to require you to hold down the button the entire time you needed it to cook. Then it stopped responding entirely.

I completely took apart the machine to see what went wrong. I didn't see any residue from any liquid, so no sauce got in there, and the button WAS pressing correctly. In the end, we had to get a replacement from Hamilton Beach. This requires only sending in the end of the cord, but you also need to pay S&H for the replacement ($12.50).

I'm really hoping it was a fluke and that the next one will last longer. "Renting" it for $12.50 every year doesn't seem like a good deal to me.