Hello Dee Dee,

Thanks for the reply. I actually was just at BJs yesterday and they
only seemed to have the 5 quart Rival Programmable there for $39.99.
That was the model that seemed to get the most complaints on
Amazon.com. I wasn't able to find the model you are talking about.
Perhaps they were sold out of it? I guess I'll check back there
again.

As in the previous response before yours, I guess it is a good idea to
purchase one at a store that you can easily return it if it is no
good. But, in my quest at other stores, Rival seems to dominate the
market for slow cookers.

Oh well, it's only a gift. I just like to research everything before
I buy it. But, sometimes you can also go more crazy than worth it.

Chris









On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 10:22:46 -0500, "Dee Randall"
wrote:


"Ron Jackson" wrote in message
.. .
Hello,

I am looking to purchase a programmable slow cooker for my wife this
holiday season, since she hinted she would like one. She is a career
woman who doesn't have much time to cook. So, a slow cooker might be
good since you can prepare food ahead of time to be ready when you
come home from work.

So, I figured this would be a fairly easy purchase. But, after reading
feedback on Amazon.com, there of course, has to be problems with many
of the programmable slow cookers currently available. For instance, I
was almost going to purchase the Rival 5 quart programmable Smart Pot.
It looked great in the store. But, many people reviewing it say it
gets too hot, burns food, ETCetc.... many drama stories exist for
this particular model. So, I figure it must be no good.

So, the reason I am here, obviously, is for some help. People seem to
be fine at criticizing products (as in the reviews on Amazon.com), but
few people actually offer an alternative or advice on which product is
actually good and worth purchasing. But, for God sakes, we are in the
year 2005, someone has to have a reliable model.

I was seriously considering the Corningware 4 quart Programmable unit.
Since it seems be one of the few that boasts, "cool to the touch". I
have an infant and a toddler... so that seems to be a positive. Than,
upon an Internet search, I found that model to be recalled. Sigh.
That same model is still being sold. So, I'd assume the new ones
shouldn't have the same problem. But, is it worth the risk? Does
anyone currently use this model?

Any advice here would be greatly appreciated. In case you are
wondering, I hardily cook at all. So, I have no clue how these things
work or what makes the work. I can scramble eggs and boil soup, that
is about it. My wife also has little time to cook. So, my point
being, I'd like to make a good decision here, since this is a product
that hopefully will be used a lot to feed me, my wife, and my 2 kids.
So, I hope you people can help me. I beg you!

Thanks,

Ron Jackson

Dear Ron,
I went thru the same thing with looking for a slow cooker about a month or
so ago. I read all the information on-line that you probably did and
finally made the decision to buy a product at BJ's, I believe it is their
brand. It was sitting beside a Rival slow-cooker. The one I bought was
$29.99 and as I recall a 6 qt. It has hot/cold/warm settings, not
programmable. It looks nice. Even if you both work, I don't think a
programmable one is necessary unless you are away from home an
extraordinarly amount of time. Just put your cooker on low. I have used a
smaller Rival crockpot for years - off and on -- with only low and high
settings, even when I worked. But I wanted one that I could lay a long
rectangular piece of meat, and the 6 qt is fine for that.

Even if you have an outside heat-proof housing, this will not protect a
toddler from pulling the crockpot ingredients down onto him/herself. I
definitely would plug it in where a toddler would not get near it, just like
any other appliance.

Hard decision, I know.
HTH
Dee Dee