79 out of 79 people found this review helpful.
Dinner?s Ready When You Are!
Date of Review: May 7, 2004
The Bottom Line: This bottom line is happy to report delicious home-cooked meals that are easy to make, AND you're not tied to the kitchen for hours!
Since I was a little girl (too many years ago) I ve always loved Crock-Pot cooking. When my Mom began working for several hours a day over 30 years ago, she purchased a Rival Crock-Pot that she used almost every day. It was marvelous to come home from school and smell the delicious aroma of a yummy roast beef supper or a delicious stew ~~ hearty soup or a simple casserole. It made Mom s life a bit easier as she ventured out into the working world. The food was luscious and clean up was a breeze.
My Mom gave me the Rival Crock-Pot Stoneware Slow Cooker several months ago as a Christmas gift. When I asked Mom how much it had cost (hey, I m not rude just curious!), the only answer she d give me was that it was "around $30." Hmph okay. I had used a couple of slow cookers in my time but none of them had been something that I found to be a great product. They d either been too small or they didn t cook the food "just right." So I was excited to see how this particular Slow Cooker would work.
The main thing that I appreciate about this Slow Cooker is that it s a generous 6-quart capacity. I admit when I cook, I cook for an army and even for two people, this is a wonderful size to have. Leftovers aren t a big deal for my husband and I besides some foods just taste better after they re had time to "get happy" together (as Emeril says) I love to make pasta sauces, chili and flavorful bean soup in this Slow Cooker. These are a few of the foods that get better with time.
My Rival Crock-Pot Stoneware Slow Cooker is white in color and has a glass lid. The glass lid has an oversized, white knob for easy lifting. I like that because I can look at the cooking food to see how things are progressing, instead of having to lift the lid which, as everybody knows in slow cooking, is a definite no-no. The Stoneware bowl nests down into the heating element, which heats the Stoneware from the sides for even cooking. The outside of the element gets very hot, so be sure to be very careful with this part of the slow cooker. There are handles on the side of the element, and also little "handles" on the stoneware so that when you lift the stoneware from the element, it can be accomplished easier. There is a red light that illuminates when the Slow Cooker is in use.
How Does It Work?
There are four settings for this Slow Cooker: "Off", "Warm", "Low", and "High." As I mentioned in the "Con s" above, I wish it had a setting of "Medium" because I sometimes think that "Low" is too low, and "High" is too high for some of the recipes I ve tried. But this is only my personal opinion because when it comes down to it, everything that I have cooked in the Slow Cooker has turned out beautifully and delicious. The "Low" setting is recommended for foods that require slow, "all day" cooking. One hour on "High" equals about 2 to 2-1/2 hours on "Low." The "Warm" setting is for keeping food warm only, so absolutely no cooking is to be done on the "warm" setting. It s important that the lid is kept on at all times while cooking, because lifting the lid lets the heat escape and it takes several minutes to built the heat back up so try to refrain from that temptation. Also, stirring is not necessary unless a recipe specifically requires it.
Something that I love about my Rival Crock-Pot Stoneware Slow Cooker is that I can fill the bowl and refrigerate it, and then when I m ready to cook it, I can just set it in the electrical base and turn it to "Low" or "High." This saves me even more time, and it s helpful for a lot of busy people out there. Also, it s not always necessary to thaw meats first; just place the frozen meat in and cook as the recipe directs.
The removable Stoneware is ovenproof and microwave safe, however the lid is NOT microwave safe. The Stoneware and lid can be placed in the dishwasher, or they can be washed in hot, soapy water. I prefer to wash the Stoneware by hand, simply because it takes up a lot of space in the dishwasher and it s just easier for me to clean it by hand. The Stoneware bowl is very heavy, and when it s full of food it s even heavier still, so if you need assistance with the bowl, please ask for it. Using a soft cloth and warm soapy water can clean the outside of the electrical base. This part of the Slow cooker is NOT to be immersed in water.
Rival includes a booklet with their Slow Cooker that gives you Important Safeguards, How To Use Your Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, How To Clean Your Crock-Pot Slow Cooker, Hints, Questions and Answers, and a Recipe section. Just a few of the recipes that they give you are: Pot Roast of Beef, BBQ Ribs, Pork Chops On Rice, Chicken With 40 Cloves Of Garlic, Sweet And Sour Shrimp, Winter Corn Chowder, Fajita Steak Rolls, and several more delicious recipes. I ve tried several of these and they are very good! I will admit to experimenting with my own recipes and most of them have turned out very well, although my husband has told me that if I ever (and I mean ever!) use eggplant in another recipe, he s filing for divorce. Heh yeah. Right. I d be lost without him. Uh, I mean he d be lost without me! Yeah. That s what I meant.
Final Thoughts
The Rival Crock-Pot Stoneware Slow Cooker has made my busy life easier. It brings back warm memories of my time at home with my family from all those years ago, and I think every household today should have one. Granted, it can t take the place of an aromatic meal cooked in the oven, but it s a pretty close second. I have no doubt that this Slow Cooker lives up to it s claim: "The Original and America s #1 Brand of Slow Cookers."
Contact Information
Phone: 1-800-557-4825
Web: www.crock-pot.com
Rival warrants this product to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for 1 year.
