Gadget Tuesday: CrockPot Smart Pot

This week I am going to talk about my CrockPot . The idea behind it is great- put your food in the crock in the morning and have a warm tasty meal waiting for you at the end of the day.

The first Christmas that my husband and I were dating, I asked for a slow cooker. I tend to be overly practical at times when I should probably be more extravagant, but I was a broke graduate student and thought it would make life easier.  He balked at the idea of buying a kitchen appliance for me and said that it wasn't a real gift. It was the only thing I really wanted.


We flew to Arizona so that he could meet my parents and dragged all of our gifts with us. As he handed me the large and very heavy box I knew what it was- my CrockPot. I peeled back the wrapping paper and saw that it was an old beat up crockpot box. He had gotten me a used one- he really was perfect!! :P After some encouragement and a couple strange looks from my sisters I opened the box to find a brick and a big jewelry box. I know- your thinking engagement ring! I did too for a minute, but it was actually a beautiful gold A&M watch that I had mentioned wanting one time. Awesome surprise and a great gift! The ring came a couple months later. Anyway, I was also told that I had a brand new CrockPot waiting for me at home.

There are many, many thing about about this crockpot that I love.  The 4.5 quart capacity give me lots of room to cook big roasts and huge batches of chicken and dumplings for our family of 5.  Its black and stainless exterior matches the rest of my kitchen which thrills my husband. It has a timer that goes up in 30 minute increments. At the end of the time it switches over to keep warm so your food stays hot, but doesn't continue cooking.

I have friends who this works out great for. For me however- I end up with a black charred mass if I try to cook more than half as long as the recommended cook time. My Crockpot has a flaw -  its WAY WAY WAY too hot. It boil liquids on keep warm and can cook a roast in about the same time as my oven. The longer I have this CrockPot, the worse it gets. The thing is starting to earn the nickname Blaze in my household. Its like it is ramping up to take on the sun. Considering that I am at home most of the time, its not really a big deal. I just cook things for a shorter period and add liquid if necessary. I can melt a giant pot of chocolate for Christmas candy in 15 minutes! From reading some reviews and looking online- this happens to a lot of people with this model of CrockPot.

Would I suggest getting this slow cooker or looking for another one? I would definitely suggest a different model and doing lots of research beforehand. I however will be keeping Blaze. After 7 years she is a member of the family.