West Bend 87905BK Slow Cooker Large Capacity Non-stick Vessel with Variable Temperature Control Includes Travel Lid and Thermal Carrying Case, 5-Quart, Black

I think it's the best alternative to buying a next to useless mini crock pot. West Bend has been around for About a 100 years or so. When I was a little kid my parents owned a harvest gold Sears branded version but it was made by West Bend. We kept it up until we bought a brand new house but but yes this is only for a household of 2 or thrbe adults. Even though I wanted this size from the description on Amazon's website and by looking at YouTube videos it looks much bigger than it is. I chose the blue one and the paint feels thick and durable well the inner pot also has a very nice premiumteflon lining. I used mine today to make Homemade sloppy Joe's with corn on the car. The metal pot fits right on top of the Pancake Griddle which seems awkward at first but it works. The inner pot gets it's heat by sitting on the pancake griddle. The unit is small and compact and doesn't pull very much electricity which is reflected in its rather underpowered base unit.. If you are a single person or an older empty nester I think this would be perfect and I have absolutely no gripes gripes about it's fit and finish. Save a couple bucks by choosing used like I did

I have had one of these for 15-20+ years after a friend recommended it and use it frequently for slow cooking meals. My boyfriend often takes food such as cheese dip to cornhole events so I got him one for Christmas and it was a hit. The griddle can be used independently, the pot is a large size which is easy to clean and one can control heat range from flat out cooking, slow cooking or keeping warm. It comes with a carry bag and tight fitting plastic lid for transporting so no spills in addition to the glass lid for cooking. It is metal rather than ceramic so no concern about cracks or breakage. Highly recommended

I have been using my new cooker for about a year now. I purchased the red one and I love it. The quality is great and the color so very appealing. On high, the appliance really cooks fast so watch what settings you are using. You'll need to experiment with different dishes so see what works best.I see a few negative reviews and I don't understand why people would give this anything below 4 or 5 stars. (I give it 5!) It works great and is one of my prime appliances in the kitchen. After all, I've been using it for a year and waited this long to write my review so I could be sure of my opinions. I would definitely purchase it again and have gotten the green and blue ones as gifts for family members. (The colors on those are very attractive as well.) The tote is a nice benefit for travel which I've also used. It fits snuggly and keeps the appliance from leaking while traveling. As a bonus, the tote also fits around my 3 quart crock pot. The straps fit so nicely on the inside to keep the cover tight. What a wonderful design! The one thing I don't do is use the base as an electric skillet. I just think that would be messy and would decrease the life of the unit. Get an actual electric skillet if you need to do that. I'm so happy I got this and you will be too. Be ready for all the compliments you receive with this baby in hand.

I purchased this in March. Every time I use it, the appliance makes a popping noise the entire time it's cooking. The lid doesn't fit snugly, so the food dries out unless you're home to keep adding moisture to it. I've reached out to West Bend to see if this could be a faulty unit. I provided all the information requested (including a vide of the popping noise, at their request). The company now wants me to modify the video to an MP4 format. I don't have the knowledge of how to do this. We are still waiting to see if they will respond. Their apathy toward the problem is a red flag regarding their customer service. Save yourself the headache. After I purchased this, I read other reviews regarding this issue. Buyer beware.September 2024 - this is the response I received from West Bend's customer service department regarding the horrible popping noise:"Upon checking, it has been determined that the clicking sounds are typical the clicking or popping sounds you are experiencing are a result of the adhesive resin within the unit, which is entirely normal for slow cookers, particularly for new models. With continued use, the adhesive resin will melt, and the popping or clicking sounds will cease."FYI... it has been 6 months and the sounds are NOT getting any better.

Nice little crock pot - I bought it to replace my previous West Bend unit that I'd had for 30+ years (the Teflon was getting ugly, so time to move on...). There are a couple reasons why I like this rather than the more traditional crock pot with the big ceramic pot. The first is that it has an adjustable temperature control, so you can select any degree of heat, not just warm, low, or high. The second reason is that the pot can be used on the stovetop and then put on the warmer plate. So for recipes that call for you to brown the meat in advance, a single pot will do. Also, the pot itself is lightweight and easy to pick up and wash.That's the good stuff. There are also two downsides compared to my older model. The first is that the pot is really too lightweight, so when you stir something in it on the stovetop, it tends to spin around. That wouldn't necessarily be an issue, except for the second problem, which is that the "handles" - really just little flanges on the sides of the pot - get really hot, so you can't hold onto them without a potholder or oven mitt. My old model had real plastic handles on the sides of the pot, and these were easy to grab onto without burning your fingers.And here's just kind of a nit and many might disagree, but I'm just not enamored of the rectangular shape. I feel like it inhibits that circular stirring motion that we all use when moving ingredients around in a pot. But that's just me.

Work great

This is SUCH a waste of money. I paid over $100 for this, thinking it was a good one and it was a piece of garbage. I have used it MAYVE 5 times and it already wont heat up anymore. I have tried and tried to get product support but it brings me to a star wars website, I am BEYOND pissed.DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY.. GET A BETTER REPUTABLE BRAND.

Love the size. Hate that it makes a crackling noise every time I use it. I'm not comfortable using it, especially won't leave it unattended

Dont like that it doesn't regulate heat well.

I bought this as a Christmas gift for my partner. It worked great at first, we used the slow cooker and grill features.The settings/writing washed off with the first splash of grease and after 6 months it stopped working completely.

Did not like cracking noise when heating up. Other than that worked ok