I chose non-stick because that was what was on sale. Stainless steel exterior, also because that was what was on sale.

Fortunately I really like the non-stick interior, it's a snap to clean up really sticky stuff like baked beans or baked on stuff, like the residue from tonight's turkey breast.

Annie

If you have any pet birds in the house, the non-stick is a no-no. Anyway, because of our birds, all my Nescos have porcelain interiors.

annie & ci lantro: thanks for answering.

ci lantro is your porcelain a heavy weight that you don't have to be really careful with?

I have the stainless steel insert as my DH has a habit of taking Barkeeper's Friend to everything that needs scrubbing, which ruined the surface of my original non-stick insert...LOL!

Lizbeth, all of my Nescos are vintage so can't comment on the new ones. The porcelain interior can be a challenge to clean; soaking for a few hours or overnight makes it a lot easier to clean. About the only thing I use a large 18 qt one for is turkey and, for that, I use a roasting bag so no mess there. Anyway, I use the soak approach & a Brillo pad, if needed.

With porcelain, you have to resign yourself to the fact that the cookwell will get chipped. All of mine have chips but only on the edges, not inside the cookwell. Youngest Nesco I have was born sometime in the '80's and purchased new. The others are garage sale finds, unknown vintage but obviously lots older than the '80's style. And, yes the cookwell is heavy duty & no, I'm not careful with them.

All that said, if I was buying new & didn't have the birds, I would buy the non-stick.

I have both non-stick and porcelain cookwells for both of my Nescos. I damaged the 6 qt porcelain well when I used it as a humidifier one winter. When porcelain gets seasoned it gains a bit of non-stick ability but this one now is a problem so I use it with a foil lining. Works fine that way.

I've never seen or used the stainless well. Don't really see much advantage to it but I guess it'd be OK, especially if you're used to using stainless cookware.

Personally, I really like having the extra cookwells for my units. And I like having the two different kinds.

I bought mine at Sear's before Thanksgiving with a porcelain cookwell because at $39.99, it was the best price I could find. (Someone here tipped me off to it, but unfortunately, I don't remember who it was right now or I'd thank them.)

All I've made in mine so far with a large turkey, a turkey breast and Chex Mix. With everything, it seemed to clean up fine. I did soak it overnight. Ci_lantro - you use the broown-in bags for your turkeys and it works well? I may have to try that next time.

I use those oven cook-in bags. Reynolds makes them but I get cheap ones from Aldi. My cooked turkey is pale as a ghost cooked that way in the Nesco. But it is so delicious & moist and we always cut the bird up before serving so it doesn't really matter. We peel away the skin & save it to go in the pressure cooker w/ the carcass & get turned into broth.

I've thought about using a torch to brown up the turkey but getting dinner on the table is hectic enough that I've never gone to the bother.

I bought the porcelain cook well. Nonstick wears out. Porcelain will not if cared for. It was also the one on sale.

Thanks for all of your opinions on the cookwells. Am not sure which way I will go, but lots of food for thought. Sounds like all of you could be salesmen for the Nesco-nice to have an appliance that works so well!