If you want slow and low, you might want an old style Crock Pot from a garage sale. I forget when they changed the temperatures, but they used to be made for 8-10 hour cooks, and now they are meant to be done in 4-5 hours.

There are ones that have fancy temperature settings, however, that let you have some control. The crock pots that just have low and high apparently are meant to get to the same temperature on both--just past boiling--but the low cycles slower and cooks slower. Some have a keep warm setting that some people have found works well for them with the old fashioned crock pot recipes.

Crock pots were invented by a guy who wanted to make cholent--a bean stew that used to be made in the banked fires of community bread ovens overnight for the Jewish sabbath. He really expected his to run for 18 hours or more. They were very straightforward. The new kind confuse me with their too high temperatures. The whole premise was supposed to be that you could leave it all day without touching it. The government got into it and said that people would open them early and eat foods that hadn't had a chance to come to safe temperature, so even though people have been cooking this way for millennia and living to tell the tale, we have to be protected from those who won't follow instructions. Sigh.

I can't recommend models. I can just say to research well and be aware of what the new one can do and how it fits your expectations.

Sometimes you can get a package deal (especially around Christmas, Mother's Day) - get a large cooker and the small one is an added bonus - to cover all your uses.

I only have a small Crock Pot (cooking for 2 adults) with low and high settings, and I sometimes wish it had medium. The one nice feature is the stoneware pot is separate from the heating base for easy clean-up.

I can also use my Saladmaster Cookware, Thermal Cooker (passive heat), Wonder Oven (passive heat), and my Solar Ovens for low and slow cooking as well.

I would take plllog's advice and do your research. Go to the library and find the newest information from Consumer's Report about slow-cookers. What one person purchased 3-years ago and loves may not even be available now.

If you do go the pre-owned route, be sure to test the temperature before using it for cooking food by filling it with water and testing the temperature with a thermometer. The temperature should be between 170-degrees F and 280-degrees F. You DON'T want it to be in the "danger zone" which is 140-degrees F.

-Grainlady

This week I was reading America's Test Kitchen's review of slow cookers. The winner (see link below) is $149 but I found it on the Bed, Bath, and Beyond website for $99--online only. I went to the store, they ordered for me and, as usual, my store applied the 20% off coupon to the online order--most BB&B don't do that.

I am taking a chance with this because several years ago I reverted back to the old style CP as Grainlady mentions. I got it at a Goodwill type store for $10.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crockpot Review

Nowadays there are also the multi-cookers to consider as well - I presume they can slow-cook but can do other tings as well. John? Can the one you bought for your daughter do that?

I have this one and it is all I could ever ask for!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hamilton Beach Set N Forget Programmable

Jessy, that looks great as does the price. I almost hit "buy" on a Ninja 4-in1 6 qt Multi-Cooker. I'll hold off awhile longer.