Cuisinart has never failed to deliver quality and durability. Now they have made a small slow cooker, well I do say small because my average size of a crock pot is enough to feed at least 6 or 7 people. The Cuisinart PSC-350 is the best small slow cooker for singles and couples who cook. If you have a small family of 3 this might work fine too.

Cuisinart PSC-350

Size and Material
This 3 and a half quart small slow cooker is a better choice than my earlier pick on the best small cooker for a couple of reasons. The unit itself and the pot come in an oval design, this is great for storing and keeping, nothing like a good little pot that conserves more space than others it size, as I myself enjoy a lot of counter space for whenever I have the urge to whip out a quick meal.

The pot is made out of ceramic; it won’t be as heavy as the stone ware ones, but I can’t say that I noticed any difference in between the two so I did a little research. After researching I was taken aback by what I discovered, a slow cooker and a crock pot are not always the same thing, and Crock pot is a generic term like Blanco or Aspirin, but that I shall set aside, since I have been using the term for well over a decade now. The glass lid and the pot are all dishwasher safe, easy cleaning if you ask me.

Controls and Use
The Cuisinart PSC-350 is a programmable slow cooker, simply means they would give you a bunch of buttons to adjust the time, the temperature and which elements you should use, I remember one of my mum’s slow cookers which had these functions; it wasn’t anything famous, since it was made in China.

This slow cooker is very easy to use. It has 3 settings, simmer, low and high. There is not much brain work except deciding what temperature you want your meal to be cooked in. Simmer gives you slightly above 180 degrees Fahrenheit, while Low gives you about 200 degrees Fahrenheit and High is just a bump above that at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

The buttons looks like the ones I have for those digital photo frames, but a lot sturdier and well made, also that they are touch sensitive, so everything can be done by just running your fingers over the buttons. The LCD display is always on for the duration of the cooking and warming, until it is turned off. This is a useful function especially for the after dark cookers.

Now let’s take a look at the process of cooking with this thing. You are given 4 cooking modes, the 3 mentioned earlier and the keep warm function, so depending on what you are cooking select the mode and set the time, and then the cooker does everything else for you.

On the Safe Side
Well I do admit that there is nothing much to a slow cooker, but to be on the safe side let me list out the safety measures taken by Cuisinart for this cooker. It comes with no slip rubber feet, quite useful, I tried to bump it a few times but it never did budge, unless it was empty. The handles always stay cool even after hours of cooking, but I can’t say the same for the unit itself, but it’s not something to worry about just as long as it far away from the grasps of curious children.

So overall this Cuisinart PSC-350 is a great addition for a newly wed couple or a bachelor’s kitchen for making meals simpler. Even if you can’t or don’t know how to cook, the handy recipe booklet that comes with the unit will be of great service.

Further Information

• Cuisinart PSC-350

Related Posts:

• Best Slow Cooker – Main
• Cuisinart CSC-400 4-Quart Slow Cooker
• Proctor Silex 33015 1.5-Quart Round Slow Cooker
• Hamilton Beach 33967 – Best Slow Cooker

Tags: Cuisinart Slow Cookers by Peter
No Comments »

Usually I would set my crock pot on during the night, I would place some veggies and chicken with some herbs and a dash of wine, this makes a wonderfully healthy soup for breakfast which my family and I enjoy, especially in the cold morning hours. If you were thinking about investing in a crock pot try Hamilton Beach 33135 3-in-1 Slow Cooker because this best value slow cooker comes with not one, but three crock pots.

Hamilton Beach 33135

Most Versatile Slow Cooker – Best Value

More slow cooking action with versatility, that’s the specialty of this slow cooker by Hamilton beach. The most unique looking one so far, not because it has a base which doesn’t cover the entire pot unless you nest them in for packing, but because it has three stone pots, ranging from 2 quarts to 6 quarts. The benefit of having 3 different sizes is that if you are preparing smaller servings it is better to use a smaller pot, this will prevent the food from burning or cooking unevenly. I did have a large slow cooker and cooking just a handful of things seemed very unnatural, and the end result of using a large pot for small servings left me with an awful tasting sticky pile of charred vegetables.

Pros

Another fancy feature which this “Crocker” had was that it only used one lid, well some may want three lids for the three individual pots but for someone who loves to save space like me (because there was no space to begin with) I really do appreciate the ability of using a single lid for all three pots.

Speaking of space saving, the pots fit into the stainless steel base when they are not in use that saves me three pots worth of cabinet space, how nice and compact. And another bonus feature is that the parts that get into contact with food are 100% dishwasher safe.

So that was all the good that I could say about the Hamilton Beach 33135, let’s take a look at the ugly side. For someone like me, the three pots were something I would pride this for, well earlier in the review I did mention of the convenience they gave me in storage and usability, but they are really heavy. There is nothing to be fixed regarding this problem, so all I can say is that you might break your back trying to lift this, I may be over exaggerating a little but it is the only way to tell you how heavy it is.

Cons

This unit might have some flaws when it comes to electronics. A few users have complained that the pot overheats and plastic parts have melted. The materials the buttons were made of are said to be able to disintegrate and break off, I have never experienced it yet but by the looks of it I could see some truth in those bad reviews.

Some users have also mentioned hot spots with the pots and that the bottom of the pot is lined with crusty and burnt foodstuff which is not pleasant at all, but not entirely difficult to clean off.

So the verdict is entirely up to you, I had this Hamilton Beach 33135 and it was good, it might not be great or reliable in the long run but for the price I’d say it gives value for the money.

Further Information

• Hamilton Beach 33135 3-in-1 Slow Cooker with 2-, 4-, and 6-Quart Crocks

Related Posts:

• Best Slow Cooker – Main
• Best Slow Cooker – Top Picks
• Chef Peter’s Guide to Slow Cookers: What do I look for when I want to buy a slow cooker?

Tags: Hamilton Beach Slow Cookers by Peter
No Comments »