Runs HOT
This is a nice Crock Pot in a size that is often called for in slow cooker recipes. The lid has an attached rubber gasket and when latched, forms a secure seal. The gasket also helps maintain the moisture level in the pot, since even without the latches (which aren't used while cooking), the lid seats better than the lids on many slow cookers. I didn't test the security of the seal by transporting the Crock Pot in the car, as you would for a potluck, but there's no doubt it will avoid spills better than one without the latching feature. I think the bonus Little Dipper pot will be handy, as well.
Two things bothered me, though. The first is very trivial: There is no indicator light to show that the pot is turned on. Of course, you can see whether the dial is set to cook, but a light is handy and reassuring. More than once while I was trying out the pot, I glanced across the kitchen and thought "Oh no, I forgot to turn it on." Not a deal breaker, but a nice little...
Some nice features, but also some drawbacks
There are lots of things to like about this Crock Pot. The larger size is really helpful when it comes to slow-cooking a roast or a chicken. The the side latches come in very handy for moving the Crock Pot from one point to another. The Little Dipper works very well; I have made a number of very nice hot dips without any problems.
HOWEVER --- some of the criticisms of other reviewers are spot-on. This thing does run hot, and if I am preparing a dish which requires 8-10 hours of slow-cooking, I return to my older, smaller (but more reliable) Crock Pot. This thing cooks way too quickly, and if you left a cut of meat in this for 8 hours at the temperatures it tends to run, it would obliterate the meat. I use this newer Crock Pot only on weekends when I can monitor things, and every time I have used it, I have had to cut short the cooking time by two or more hours. This is not a good thing if you are depending on this to have dinner ready on a week day after work...
GREAT DESIGN, I ALSO LIKED THE LITTLE DIPPER
As one who has been using a crock pot over the years, what caught my eye on this one was its low oval shape. I like the fact that it's lower and wider than my old crock pot (the old one was higher, not as wide and was shaped round). I feel that the design on this new product is safer, the pot is easier to carry since it's oval and I particularly like that you can actually lock in the glass cover as there two locks that snap in (one on each side); this feature comes in really handy especially if you have to transport the crock pot in your car and are concerned with spilling any food, and the fact that it's lower, there's less of a chance of the crock pot flipping over. Also, I want to add that the crock pot feels pretty sturdy when I pick it up.
I also really liked the the "Little Dipper". I tried it with a couple of different dips and it worked really great for keeping the dips hot; my only problem with it is that the inside liner does not come out for easy cleaning where...
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