Customer Reviews

Hamilton Beach 33141 4-Quart Oval Slow Cooker

5 star:		(66)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

There are 2 kinds of slow cookers, depending on where the heat source is. This Hamilton Beach unit has heat coils around the sides which stay hot, as opposed to slow cookers with heat sources in the base, which turn on and off intermittently. I have found that with this type of constant heat slow cooker (with the coils around the sides) I don't need to add as much liquid. In fact I cut the liquid (water or stock) by half of what the recipes call for when I use this cooker. The 4 quart size is good for roasts up to 3 or so pounds. If you slow cook chicken or game hens in it, cut the bird up into pieces and remove the skins. Don't slow cook a whole uncut bird (in any kind of slow cooker).

This is a nice little slow cooker for a single, a couple, or a small family. I have had no problems with the knob* (as yet).

*The knob problem probably arises from the close proximity of the heating element to the knob, as opposed to slow cookers that heat from the bottom, away from the knob...

NOVEMBER 2007 UPDATE: We still love this little slow cooker. It is perfect for making Irish beef stews all winter long. The knob on ours has not broken yet but we try to be gentle with it, due to the warnings we read.

DECEMBER 2008 UPDATE: We're still using this 4 quart slow cooker. We have used it for a lot of baked beans and slow cooked barbecue beef dishes on the weekends. The knob has not broken yet, but we are not rough with it either. We really like this little slow cooker.

FEBRUARY 2009 UPDATE: The cooker still works fine. We have used it once a week or more this winter, for everything from navy beans to chuck roasts. The knob has not broken yet (we are gentle with the knob if it's hot).

JANUARY 2010 UPDATE: The cooker still works well and the knob is still intact. Took it to work last Tuesday, cooked stuffed chicken cutlets & veggies in the kitchenette/break room, everybody loved them, there were no leftovers.

JANUARY 2012 UPDATE: We're still using this cooker; the knob has not broken. Making franks & slow baked Boston beans for New Years Day football. (Go Pats)

I bought this cooker seven months ago, and really liked it. It's quite handsome, and I have no complaints about how it works. I've made many fine meals in it. Sadly, the knob broke a few weeks or a month ago. I glued it back together, but today it broke apart again. I don't think it will take a second gluing any better than the first, so now if I want to use it I have to use pliers or something, and I have to count clicks--which are not as distinct as I'd like--to know quite which setting it's on.

Such a shame this otherwise great cooker is now incredibly difficult to use because of such a "small" detail!

This was my first full size slow cooker (I have a 1.5 qt one too) and I've learned a couple of things I'll share for people looking for their first. The 4 quart size has been really good. I first bought it when I was living alone, so I'd have lots of leftovers, which I love. Now I live with my boyfriend, and the size is still good--we usually have enough left over for one or both of us to have lunch of it the next day. The oval shape has worked out well also; it's possible to fit larger things in it than I'd be able to in a round cooker of the same volume.

My next one, though, will be programmable. I'd thought the feature was silly, because you can only go from high to warm or low to warm, not high to low, or high to low to warm. Now that I have some experience using it, I see that the ability to switch to warm automatically at a certain time would be immensely useful, for those times when a recipe calls for 6 hours on low, but you'll be away from home for 8 hours.

Good luck choosing one!

Like most other slow cookers the high setting is burn setting if you have SLOW cooking in mind. The high setting is good for bringing the contents up to temp fast, just don't leave it there much over one hour! For $20 I thought this crock might look and feel cheap. It does NOT. I was surprised that it had a glass lid! We've only used it a few times, but so far it has far exceeded our expectations!

I agree with the several other reviews on this site which rate this crock pot high in its quality - other than its cheap plastic knob, which broke. Like others, I was really disappointed, having to take pliers to turn the knob. My husband told me Radio Shack has knobs of all kinds and sizes and offered to get one for me. And that was the perfect fix! He got a 1 1/4" Hexagonal control knob, "skirted and indexed" - package of 2, for approximately $3. It has the set screw to tighten against the post, and it fits perfectly inside the opening. Extremely durable. I was thrilled! Now I'm back to having dinner ready when we get home from work!
(Hamilton Beach should take a lesson and make a deal with Radio Shack to change those knobs on BEFORE people buy the pot so they can have fully satisfied customers.)

I have been using slow-cookers since college days in the 70's, and frankly, I don't think I could feed my family of 4 without my slow cookers (1.5, 4, 6 qt), my Kitchen Aid Toaster Oven, and Wusthof knives. This Hamilton Beach is the one I use the most. I have given this model as gifts and everyone comments how 4 Qts seem to be the perfect size. When I want to freeze meals I use the 6 Qt. For porridge and small amounts of food I use the 1.5 Qt. Noticed comment that it "gets hot on the outside". Yes, ALL slow cookers get hot "all over", even on the low setting. Be sure to put your slow cooker on a surface that can withstand the heat- granite, stainless, or even an earthenware tile from the flooring supply store, as the heat may damage your counter top. The most important thing to remember when using any slow cooker is to make sure the crock is AT LEAST half full, otherwise your food will cook too fast and may burn. Do not fill to the rim as it WILL boil over. Enjoy this great time saver, and the wonderful aroma of warm food when you come home to a prepared dinner - it's like having a maid who cooked for you all day.

7/3/2010 The knob is fragile. It broke in two after a year of use. I replaced the knob with a generic from RAdio Shack. Works great!

This unit cooks well and heats well. It is not easy to clean ( I guess because it is black; I always think it is clean until it dries and then you see it's not). The biggest negative issue I have with this unit is the temperature control knob breaking after only 2 uses. It cracked in half and fell off while sitting there heating. This must be cheaply made for it to do this.

Like many others, I had the old standby Rival crockpot with the non-removable crock for years. It was great and performed without a problem. When I replaced it with a new Rival Smart-Pot I expected great things. I'm guessing it was too big for my needs, because everything almost boiled and burned in there. I've read lots of comments about those pots. After reading a Buyer's Guide to Slow Cookers I decided to try this Hamilton Beach. Love it! Great for my family of 3, wonderful handles to move entire pot, glass lid rimmed in stainless to prevent chips, clean up a breeze, looks sleek, and it COOKS WITHOUT BURNING. Great purchase!

My knob broke the 2nd time I used it. Here is the manufacturer's website: http://www.hamiltonbeach.com

I have listed the customer service numbers below. They said they would mail a new knob to me (no charge), but they were on back order and no indication as to when it would be received. You'll need model # and serial #, they are both located on the bottom of the unit. Hopefully, the knob has been improved upon. It's gonna be pretty annoying if I get the replacement knob and it is made from the same junk as the first one.

Toll-Free Customer Service Numbers:

USA: : 1-800-851-8900 (all products except microwaves and water dispensers)
1-800-488-5080 (microwaves and water dispensers only)

Canada: 1-800-267-2826 (all products except microwaves and water dispensers)

This is my first slow cooker. I am a vegetarian and was very skeptical how much use I would get out of a slow cooker. But I am pleasantly surprised. I have been able to modify almost all of my regular recipes to adapt to the slow cooker and this Hamilton Beech slow cooker has excelled in every one of them. My stews are so full of flavor and I am getting compliments from everyone. I love the keep warm setting and it looks very good on my countertop too. The insert is not too big and fits nicely in the dishwasher. All in all I love it.

Like everyone else, the knob of my slow cooker broke after a few usage(I read the reviews, so I tried not to touch it at all). I called support and they were not apologetic at all, and want to charge $9.75 for the knob + shipping. Without the knob, it is such a pain to change the settings. I would not recommend this slow cooker.