bit-tech Shopping: Cuisinart CSC650 Slow Cooker 6.5qt., CSC-650 Crock Pot

Rating: 8

Time with product: 6 Months

Strengths: Switches to warm when done

Weaknesses: Cooks a little on the high side

Summary: I really love this crockpot. It's so easy to clean up and the size is really nice. The best feature is how it switches to warm automatically when done, saving you the worry if you are not home.

Rating: 4

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: It looks stylish, big, easy-to use, good to be able to set everything manually

Weaknesses: Cooks quite hot, need to get a feel for it

Summary: I told my parents to buy me this slow cooker for my birthday just because it was the most expensive slow cooker on the market so I figured it would work. Now, the first time I cooked rice in this slow cooker, I followed a slow-cooker recipe and instead of adding 1 cup of water to a cup of rice, I added 2 and cooked it on a low setting as suggested for 6-8hrs... WELL, good thing I was home because the rice was ready in 3hrs, in 3hrs, the fire department would have to turn off my slow cooker :( Even though I can return the product, I decided to give it another try. What I found is that I would not trust this product with any recipe until I tried it. So, what you have to do is basically cut the suggested time for cooking in any other slow cooker in half. Only then, will you be satisfied with the outcome. The other day, I cooked the whole pot full of chicken soup for 5hrs, 2.5 on high and 2.5 on low and it turned out beautifully. So, I would trust to do that recipe for 6hrs on low if I was ever at work. I would suggest buying this at some big department store where you can return it any time if you do not have the patience to try out every recipe or get a feel for the cooker.

Rating: 2

Time with product: 4 Months

Strengths: Nice stoneware, attractive stainless steel housing.

Weaknesses: Too HOT

Summary: This crock pot is way too hot. Even on the lowest setting everything I cook in it is burned in 3 hours. Contacting the company did not bring me any satisfaction. They did offer to "look at it" if I shipped it back to them and including the cost of return shipping which would have cost me an additional $32.