We got the KA (7qt?) slow cooker last winter (was a godsend during our kitchen reno--I could make some home-cooked meals!!!). Had originally purchased at L&T with a 20% coupon in the SS finish (BB&B only carried it in the Cinnamon color), but within a day or two of purchase, another store that offers coupons, ironically in the same shopping ctr., had it for the same price, and not only could I use a coupon, they were offering a $30 store gift card (for future use) with the purchase of that item. Needless to say, I made the swap! With that kind of bargain available (and the KA cooker is supposed to be a good one) I just couldn't justify spending the much higher price for the A-C (although I did like the one with the stove-top usable insert). The one downside to the KA; the silicone/rubber gasket around the lid (ostensibly to prevent spills during transport, or steam escape?) tends to pick up cooking odors which seem impossible to remove. I tried soaking in bleach, can't remember if I tried vinegar yet, but will try again. Otherwise, it worked well for us.

I guess if I cooked ALL my meals in a slow cooker, I could justify $200, though not $400 for such an appliance. I got a great one for $25 at Wegman's a few years ago. That $200 would buy 8 of them, should I need 8 of them. The All-Clad, and W-S stuff is just too expensive for so very many of us. We are still in a recession. I haven't had a raise, not even a COL increase, in over three years, and I'm sure I'm not the only one hurting.

Okay, I confess... I coughed up the big bucks at Williams- Sonoma for an All-Clad slow cooker. This was kind of crazy since my family strongly objects to the texture (or, rather, lack thereof) of meat done in a crockpot. Because of that, I'd given mine away years ago. But I had several special events looming where a crockpot just seemed essential, so I did some research. Started out looking for the cheapest I could find that was decent. But for a lot of reasons (CI rec, info on the internet, a friend's input), I decided instead to break down and get the best. So far, I'm surprised and delighted! So here's my 'review'... First of all, that sucker is big! That was a real plus for me, since I mainly intended to use it for large parties. It would be a drawback if you have limited storage space and rarely cook for a crowd. I also love the multiple settings and digital timer. It's a huge improvement over the primitive 'hi/lo' kind of slow cooker I'd used before. The best part, though, is that the 'crock' is removable and is stovetop/oven/dishwasher safe. That was the main selling point for me. I got the 'deluxe' version for that reason. With the lower-end All-Clad (which is still extremely pricey!), you can't brown meats, etc. Imho, it would be foolish to spend so much extra for one that can't be used for browning when you can find far less expensive models that offer that option. I've decided a slow cooker is much like a microwave. You can settle for defrosting and reheating, or you can search out ways to make it a really valuable cooking tool. Because mine cost so much, I've been searching rather hard in order to justify. :) Who knew that caramelized onions could be such a snap?!? Or that potatoes didn't have to be mashed at the very last instant to keep them hot? Or that you could make such wonderful broth in a crockpot? (I guess everybody else knew, but I sure didn't!) Haven't used it much yet, but the red beans and rice came out great, the Italian beef wasn't mushy and everybody went crazy over the smoked sausages in BBQ sauce. Two thumbs up!

I adapted this recipe for the slow cooker and it is just fabulous. Nothing could be eaiser to fix when you are having guests. Be sure to use chuck roast only. Russian River Pot Roast beef chuck roast around 5 pounds 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes 1/2 cup Pinot Noir 1 piece dried orange peel 3 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 1 clove garlic minced 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds salt and pepper olive oil 3 onions 6 carrots The roast is rare in the center and very flavorful. Also, vegetables in the slow cooker have to be in small pieces to cook, don't worry, they don't get overdone. Pat the roast dry with paper towels and brown thoroughly in the oil. Put the onions and carrots sliced in one inch pieces into the bottom of the slow cooker. Put the browned roast on top. Add the other ingredients except salt and pepper. You can do this the night before and leave out on your countertop. Cook for 12 hours on low. One hour before serving, drain off juice into a sauce pan. Remove orange peel and cinnamon stick. Skim off any fat, although there may not be very much. Reduce the juice on the stove to less than half. Correct seasonings and pour over roast. Continue cooking 1 more hour.