I own a Rival Crock pot, a Chef's pot (virtually the same thing only a little larger and is a multipurpose crock pot, deep fryer, etc) and a 4 & 6 qt size Nesco roaster. Hands down winner is the Nesco roaster.

They work in a similar fashion. You just have much more control with the roaster. I'm going to talk about Nesco since that's what I have and I know its features. The other roasters do not necessarily have the same features.

Cost of a crock pot or roaster are about the same. I just bought two of the 6 qt Nescos at Target for $24.99 each (they were on clearance and I couldn't turn them down for gifts). The crock pots have Off/Low/High for settings. I never found them to really be right. Low wasn't hot enough and High boiled everything so it was a constant switching back and forth. Granted, others do not have this problem. The Chef's pot has a variable temp controller, and a crock. I just hate cleaning the crocks. They're NOT easy cleaning. The Nesco with the enamel pot is fine for a while, but gets harder to clean. But with the non stick which comes in them now, it's easy cleaning. Plus you have temperature control from off to 450° or so. I've baked bread (frozen white bread and banana bread in the Nescos. I can put a 7# turkey breast in the 6 qt version. Beef roast is great. I'll cook up a package of boneless chicken breast and have for other things. I'll use it for baking potatoes. Basically if you can put it in the oven and cook it and can fit it into the Nesco, it works fine. The best lasagna I've ever made was in the Nesco and not cooking the noodles.

In summary, yes, you'll do everything with a Nesco that you can do with a crock pot and more. I don't use my crock pots anymore. No need to and it's less hassle to clean and don't fight the heavy crock. Lift out cookwell fits in the frig better too.

I'm also hearing people who have similar units say they're not as good as the Nesco brand. No, I don't work for them, just very satisfied with it. The people I know and have either bought them or received them as gifts *all* love them and won't go back to crock pots. Crock pots served their purpose but are now obsolete. I equate it to a can opener and an old can to a pop top lid. The Nesco is more modern way of doing the old way. Yes you can still use a can opener and crock pot, but why when you can use pop top lids and a Nesco? OK, not the greatest analogy, but you get the idea.

Ken

Like poster above I have a 6qt Nesco and 2 crock pots. Hardly ever use crock pots any more. Nesco will do it all plus more. Made beef and mushrooms in Nesco last night for dinner. It was great. A ham, pork roast and turkey roast are great cooked in a nesco.

Excellent question and excellent response -- I was wondering too:)

Question, though, Ken and Jane -- what temp settings on the Nesco would be considered High/Low on a crockpot?

THANKS!

Sorry -- that will teach me to look ahead. Ken, I found your answer in the other thread. THANKS!

I am thinking about the large Nesco 18qt roaster. I will be using it as a crock pot as well. I have a tiny oven and this may solve some of my problems of how to cook two things at once. What I am curious about is roasting turkeys or chickens. I like crispy brown skin--does this Nesco do this?

P.S. I recently purchased a NESCO dehydrator. We have had a lot of fun drying tomatoes, apples and peaches. It does a great job and has has a fan which keeps air circulating around foods.

How does a Nesco roaster compare to an Oster roaster?

I have a Nesco 18 quart roaster oven, 49 bucks at Amazon,.. and I use it to bake bread, roast chickens, roast turkeys (up to 22 Pounds) make biscuits, cinnamon rolls, sticky bunns, jelly rolls, and much more. My specialty is french bageets but i also do beer batter breads and no knead breads. Basically if you can bake it or roast it in an oven, the Nesco will do it.

I received an electric roaster for Christmas, and I was wondering if I could make a corn beef brisket, with potatoes and carrots in it like I would a slow cooker??