Customer Reviews

West Bend 84716 Versatility 6-Quart Oval Slo-Cooker

5 star:		(93)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(15)

 

 

What I love about this product:

- Cooking times are accurate. If a recipe specifies 8 hours to cook a pot roast, that's how long it will take. I've never owned a slo-cooker that came close to this degree of accuracy, and I've owned many over the years!

- Ridiculously easy to clean (non-stick).

- The removeable cooking pot is very light-weight, and can be used in the oven, on the stove, or in the refrigerator, hence the term "versatility".

- 6 quart capacity and oval design accomodates most recipes and cuts of meat...it is ideal for me.

- I've cooked 15-20 meals of all types with this cooker and have NEVER had a problem with the results.

Why I could not give this product 5 stars:

- It does not have an on/off indicator (light), nor does it have an "off" setting - once you plug it in, it goes into a "warm" mode, even though the heat switch is turned all the way to the left.

- Speaking of switches, the one on this model appears (to me) to be a bit flimsy with no positive feedback as to whether it is on high or low or somewhere in between. No big deal, and for all I know it might last through a nuclear war, but if it ever breaks, the appliance will probably be rendered useless.

All in all, based on ease of cleaning, light-weight design, and of course consistency of results, this is the best slo-cooker I've ever owned and would, despite its price, strongly recommend this appliance to any and all interested in purchasing a slo-cooker.

This is a much better product than a Rival crock pot. For one thing, it will do so much more ("Versatility" is a good name for it). You can, for example, brown your pot roast in it on your stove before setting the pot on its heating base to slow cook. Hence, fewer pans to clean up. I consider the variety of settings a plus. More choices means more control. Also, the "keep warm" settings come in really handy. I haven't used the heating base as a griddle but it's nice to know I have that option. The only thing I don't like about it is the chord length- it's a bit on the short side. Other than that I love it! Everything comes out tasty. It's easy and convenient to use. It's easy and convenient to clean. It's even light weight!

Oh, well, in all fairness I guess I should mention some things the Rival is equiped to do that the West Bend is not: 1) the Rival pot can break if you drop it or subject it to sudden significant temperature change. 2) The Rival handles on the heating base can crack and eventually crumble into small pieces. (Mine did.) 3) Since it weighs so much, the Rival can probably get you into pretty good shape if you lift it enough times. (I use hand weights myself.) I mention these things just in case someone is looking to pay money for this sort of thing. (Well, you never know!) However, in my opinion these are not desireable features in a slow cooker so it's just as well the West Bend doesn't have them. : )

I hope this information helps you make a good decision!

I bought this slow cooker for two reasons. First, it was nonstick, which is a BIG plus in my house. Second, I liked the idea that it wasn't a heavy crock.

Well, I have been so happy with my decision! I have used this slow cooker more times over the last month and a half than I ever used the three or four crockpots that went before it.

Yes, as someone pointed out, it does seem flimsy when you first look at it. The key word here is 'seem'. You're so used to a crockpot being a big, heavy crock that this thinner nonstick version seems less substantial in comparison. But it's not. I have no fear of it bending or giving. It's as tough as a crock, if not tougher, but loads lighter and therefore easier to handle.

And, yes, as someone also pointed out, the cover can slip, but only when you're putting it on -- it's not like it spontaneously decides to slip off while cooking. The reason the cover needs precision when it's put on is, I think, due to the fact that there isn't a sunken ring around the edge of the pot as there is with a crock. But, if you're worried about this being an issue due to the other reviews, let me just say: don't be. It's only happened to me once and that's because my head was turned away when I tried to put the cover back on.

Now that I've dealt with the supposedly negative aspects of this slow cooker (none of which bothered me in the least), let me tell you all the good things.

Number one -- clean up is a breeze. I just made ribs in the pot and I was able to basically rinse the pot out and it was clean. (Well, I used soap but you know what I mean.)

Number two -- you can brown meat in this on top of the stove. You know all those newer cookbooks that call for browning meat, and all those people who complain because they don't like having to dirty another pot? Non-issue with the Westbend Slow Cooker. And, just as an aside, it's absolutely true that stew meat tastes better in the pot when browned first. It also keeps its consistency. But even for chili, all you have to do is throw the meat in the slow cooker pot, put it on top of the stove, brown it and then put the pot onto the slow cooker base, add the rest of your stuff and you're good to go. Wonderful!

Number three -- there is a wide range of heat settings. From warm to high and everything in between. It makes it easy to find the right temp for everything.

Number four - the oblong shape makes it easy to fit anything you want, from ribs to a chicken.

In summary - buy this slow cooker! You won't be disappointed.

Two years ago I wrote a glowing review about this product and gave it 5 stars (the editing feature here won't let me change the stars, only the text).

I threw it away a couple of months ago and I want to let you know why:

It says it is dishwasher safe, but after a few months I noticed that the nonstick coating was wearing off in the inside! Eww... that's not supposed to be safe, is it?

I grew pretty nervous about cooking with it, if the coating came off so easily. I tried using those new plastic crockpot liners with it, but then decided that defeated the purpose of wanting to cook economical meals, if I always had to buy those bags!

The nonstick coating is not robust if you want to use it 1-2 times a week and clean it in the dishwasher, as I did.

Like a few other reviewers, I was disappointed when I received this cooker. It did look flimsy and light-- not at all "substantial" as I envisioned a crockpot should be, and the lid didn't seem to fit in a way that would keep a good seal. But given the good reviews I read, I decided to keep it and try it out. And I'm very glad I did. The cooker works flawlessly. My mother had a Rival, and complained that it always got too hot and scorched and overcooked her food. Not a problem here, the Versatility cooks with a slow, even heat, and meals are ready exactly when I expect them to be. The ability to take the pot from base to stove is a great plus-- you can brown meats and vegetables without dirtying another pan, and the unit is very easy to clean. Nice non-stick coating.
Yes, the cord is very short. I wish it were longer. Although the base is also billed as a griddle, I wouldn't use it as such. It is small. If you want a griddle, buy a griddle. I haven't had any problems with the shape of the lid.
I am a pretty serious cook, and before this purchase I was pretty much of a snob about crockpots and slow cookers. I thought they were better-forgotten remnants of another era, but this cooker has changed my mind. The Versatiliy has allowed me to prepare hearty and delicious meals in my own time frame, and I highly recommend it.

I just received this item for xmas and I love it! I spent a long time deciding which slow cooker I'd want on amazon and this was the one that had the best features, value and ratings.

So far I've made two delicious meals on high and low settings. Both came out perfectly. After cooking a whole chicken, I took the chicken out and transfered the pot to the stove where I was able to make a gravy. The pot did great on the stove without any burn marks or damage from the gas range. The pot is also non-stick so it was extrememly easy to clean up, no sticking at all. I think the one thing that really sold me on this was the fact that I could take the pot and easily wash it. Older slow cookers required careful washing since they were all one unit. I haven't used the bottom unit as a griddle yet but it does get pretty hot on the high setting and it's also a non-stick surface so I think it would work well.

As far as possible cons go:
- Yes the cord is too short. It's detachable but it could have been made at least a foot longer.
- The oval lid does fall into the pot if you're not careful but I love the oval shape and I think just a little extra care when placing the lid will avoid that annoyance. So I wouldn't really say its a con... just a possibly issue.

All in all "Versatility" is a perfect name for this item since that's what it's all about. I'm absolutely recommending this item to friends and family.

I had West Bend's previous version of this slow cooker and loved it. I only replaced it because it was 24+ years old and began to worry if the wiring was still safe, although it had no obvious problem.

I originally replaced my old faithful with a new programable crockpot which boiled everything even on low and produced dried out food. When I saw that West Bend had this updated version I ordered it right away. Once again I can actually cook something "all day long" and not have dried out food.

I love the variable control knob because your choices are not limited to low, medium, or high. You can place it between settings if you feel low might not cook fast enough, but medium might be a little too high.

The only improvement I would like to see is a metal utensil safe interior.

Don't be fooled by other reviews sharing concerns about the a short cord, a lightweight pot, oiling the pot to keep it conditioned or a tipsy cover. All are NOT issues with this amazing crockpot! I really almost didn't buy this crockpot because of the reviews with these four concerns. I'm glad I didn't listen and I want to share my take on these concerns in order to help ease your mind a bit (if you were wondering):

First, the short cord - it has plenty of length for me to plug it in on my countertop in my kitchen. I don't think any more cord would help me out any; in fact, it measures 26-1/2 inches long and my old crockpot measures at 34 inches. Both cords just sit in a heap on my counter...the older crock having more of a "heap" than this new one.

Second, the lightweight pot is a crockpot lovers dream come true! How many times over the past 10 years haven't I hoisted out my HUGE and heavy glass pot in and out of the sink, the crockpot base, the cabinet? How many times haven't I almost dropped the slippery, soapy glass base in the sink? Not with this one! Light as a feather and plenty durable, this is one of my favorite features on this thing! Easy to lift and set on the base, take to the stovetop (another bonus!) or put in the fridge!

Third - the oiling to keep it conditioned. It only requires that after you put it in the dishwasher, which for me with my old crockpot didn't happen much. I usually have no room in my dishwasher once my family is fed, for such large pots, so I hand wash it in the sink. The same is true with this new one (except the pot is LIGHT and easy to handle in the sink!). :)

And finally, the tipsy cover - you'd have to really smack that thing around to get the top to drop into the pot. In fact, I've tried...and tried again...just to see if this would happen since that was a big concern I had about this pot. I just can't get it to drop into the pot for the life of me. So yeah, I would say, no worries on this issue that other reviews have brought up.

Truthfully, this is the best crockpot I've seen in a long time. I've been using a crockpot for just over 10 years to cook EVERYTHING and this one by far is worth the money - it is amazing and SO practical and SO functional. Don't look at any more crockpots...this one has sold me completely and will you too!

This cooker is about what I expected. It is small enough to store between uses and big enough to cook for a family of five or so. It heats up fast and holds temperature well. It is much handier to use than a cooker with a crockery insert. It is extremely light and easy to clean. Perhaps its best feature is the fact that it lends itself to the stove top to be used for browning meat directly before slow cooking. That, in its self, is worth the price. The glass top is also a great feature. It prevents removing the lid for cooking progress observations and subsequent loss of heat in the head space of the cooker. The only downside I can see is a flimsy heat control with "guesstimate" settings. All in all, it is a nice unit.

I purchased the Oval Slo-Cooker as an alternative to replacing my 30+ year old crock pot with a newer model. I researched crock pots and slow cookers until I was presented with this model. I am so grateful to the reviewers who wrote about this product. This cooker has become my favorite small appliance and is indespensible in my kitchen. The 6 quart capacity is very adequate for large quantities of chili, soup or one-dish meals. The non-stick surface makes cleaning effortless. I really like the graduated heat selection which ranges from very low to hot - a feature which I find extremely useful and superior to most crock pot settings. The oval pan can be taken to the stovetop for browning or food assembly which is definitely a plus. You can even use the non-stick base as a griddle if you desire. Unlike the "crock" in a crock pot, the oval pan is very light weight making the entire assembly easy to transport. I also like the glass lid so you can see the food as it is cooking at a glance. I would highly recommend this cooker. The name says it all - Versatility !!