Customer Reviews

West Bend 84755 5-Quart Oblong Slow Cooker, White

5 star:		(95)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

I have had this slow cooker for about 12 yrs now and it is wonderful. It cooks to perfection and is easy to clean. The lid can be used a a oven dish even.I use mine often for roast chicken and pot roast, A great product. I gave one to my mother for a gift and she loves it and uses it all the time.

Have used this for slow cooker recipes where instructions tell you to pour off drippings. It's much easier using this cooker rather than the stoneware crocks. Also, the non-stick coating makes clean-up a snap. Also, like the meat rack that is included so meats don't have to sit in so much fat. Seems to cook as well as the heat surrounded slow cookers. The lid fits more snugly than on other cookers.

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!

I bought this 5 quart West Bend slow cooker as a replacement for my 4 quart model. I used my old WB cooker for over 10 years and it still works great but I cracked the plastic lid so decided it was time for a replacement. This 5 quart model uses the same size base and lid (glass) as the smaller 4 qt. but has taller sides which work well for larger soup dishes. What is great about this slow cooker is that you can put the pan on the stove to brown roasts and later make gravy. It easily washes up with the non stick surface. The $35 Amazon price was a real bargain. You won't find one cheaper anywhere else including ebay.

I've had mine since 1971. Back then it had an orange enamel body but the base and shape were similar to this. It's the only slow cooker I've ever had. I've never had less than perfect results with it. My husband loves the pot roasts and beef stew that come out of it, and the pancakes I cook on the griddle base. It still works as well as the day I bought it (and the base still heats evenly!). I just ordered a new one, only because my old friend is showing its age (the non-stick coating has finally worn off) and it's time to give it an honorable retirement after a lifetime of excellent service.

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!

Have used a 6 qt version of this cooker for about 25 years. It has been hard to locate in retail for several years but found one last Fall, a 5 qt. unit. The variable temperature feature is a must have as opposed to the low,med,hi settings on most of the other available cookers on the market. A beef roast will brown nicely in this unit, unlike a crockpot type cooker. My 6 qt. is still going strong, but the no-stick coating is long gone. For those folk who are opposed to a teflon coated unit, there are several 8 qt. roasters, surround heat, variable temp, with an enamel interior on the market. I use one for BIG batches, like cooking down a turkey carcass or roasting a ham. I am sure that the stand-alone units save energy over using the stove oven.

I have been hunting all over for this slow cooker. I started using it 29 years ago and I love it. It is not available in stores anywhere. I have had two so far. It is used on a daily basis. I am thrill that I found it on your web site. I will let others who are searching for it where to find it. Thank you very much for still making this great slow cooker.

I've owned the 4 quart version of this cooker for about seven or eight years, and it quickly became the "star" of my kitchen. After using the West Bend cooker, I got rid of my "true" slow cookers because they were too "slow." The adjustable temperature control on the West Bend Cooker is so much better than the "hi, med, low" settings (or on some only "hi and low") on crock pots!! The West Bend cooker lets me cook as slow or as fast as I want. The low temperature settings cook, I think, just as well as a "true crock pot." I get much better results with the West Bend cooker than with a conventional crock pot. I do not use the grill feature -- no need to. So, I've always wanted the larger version, and decided to buy it here on Amazon because of the terrific price, and also not being able to find the 5 qt version at any stores near me. Received my 5 qt cooker today, and can't wait to make a big batch of stew. All the things I used to put in a "real" crock pot cook as well or better in the West Bend. Tough cuts of meat like round steak turn out wonderfully tender and can be done in 2 or 3 hours instead of taking all day! Chicken stays juicy and turns out great. Soups and stews can be ready in a few hours instead of 12. I use this cooker more than my range top or oven. (In warm weather, it doesn't heat up the kitchen like a range oven.) I can put what I want for supper in the West Bend cooker and go about my business knowing the food will be ready when I want it, and I don't have to babysit it. As far as I am concerned, this cooker can't be beat. My husband says that now I can have two of them going at the same time, both the 4 and 5 quart -- and maybe I will!