Cuisinart CSC-650 6-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker

This is the BMW of slow cookers! It's big and formidable with a sturdy ceramic pot insert that transitions to the table nicely.The sleek, brushed aluminum housing gives it a professional-quality look that will compliment or upgrade any kitchen counter to restaurant-chef status. And such a deal from Amazon! Take it from me, I spent hours researching this product and this is the best place to buy it - especially with free shipping and (when) available discount coupons (do a Google search).Before writing this review, I wanted to test it out on a variety of recipes. All came out flawless and tasty. This is not a hot pot - on the low or high setting, this unit heats up slowly and evenly - not like some pots I've had that actually scorch food. Using the built-in timer, it actually lowers itself to keep warm only when the cooking phase is done, so handy when the subway is delayed.What is it about slow-cooking? So many recipes today are geared towards fast-cooking and preparation, that you lose the finesse of the food. The Cuisinart allows meats, veggies, herbs and liquids to slowly mingle, macerate and mellow into a satisfying home-cooked experience. Just throw the ingredients in the crock, set the timer, and when you get home the place is filled with a lovely aroma and your dinner is ready to enjoy.And talk about big, at 6.5 quarts; this baby can handle a family of five and big cuts of meat easily. A see-through glass lid, rubber non-skid feet and (what a joy!) retractable power cord makes it a portable wonder! If you have a small oven or stove this pot will double your cooking space. Comes with a rack for cooking desserts and soufflés and a spiral-bound cookbook that gets you started - although I have found great more detailed crock books online at Amazon.If you're thinking about a slow-cooker, look no further. Cuisinart simply makes the best kitchen stuff, and this is no exception, top-notch for those who spend their money wisely...and the price...exceptional. Delivery? I got it in two days with free shipping before Christmas without even needing it quickly.

I was excited when I bought this item. It looked wonderful! However, it boils/burns everything. Forget leaving it on if you leave the house. And, Cuisinart Customer Service is impossible to deal with. Now they're telling me I can box it up and send it back for a replacement. Do I really want another one? NO!! Would rate it zero stars if I could.

I researched a lot before buying this slow cooker. I have a Nesco roaster that I love and use often. I needed a large slow cooker. I started researching. Started out with the all clad but everyone said it got really hot. I wanted a good one. The Cuisinart had good ratings elsewhere and I thought well even it cooks faster that is fine. I will just watch it until I get used to it and go from there. Every dish I have watched..they all cooked in LESS than half the allotted time. Today I made a crock pot mac and cheese casserole and it burned within ONE HOUR. Way too hot. I called Cuisinart several times and they said I may have a defective unit. Well I doubt it. I just think it runs hot. I really was dismayed because I love the size and the design of this cooker. Really was not up to par with Cuisinart products that I know and love.Let me also say that I am a good cook. I feel that I know my way around any appliance. I was not happy that I was not going to be able to leave this cooker all day but I was ok to give it a try. It is not at all what I expected. I read the other reviews here and wish I would have taken heed of them. I had read good reviews elsewhere and saw two articles in magazines on this cooker being the best.If you are going to spend 100 bucks on a slow cooker, stop, get one of the higher end rival ones with a timer and then get a nesco roaster. You can cook anything all summer without heating up your kitchen.

Hmmm,...I hate to bash this thing because it really does produce some great tasting food but it does it really fast. Faster then I want it to.I did happen to find the following comment at "Wikipedia" regarding slow cooker thermostats:"Many slow cookers have two or more temperature settings (e.g., low, medium, and high). A typical slow cooker operates at 80°C (176°F) on low, 90°C (194°F) on high, and 1 hour at 90°C followed by 80°C on medium. Often slow cookers sold in the US in the past several decades will not slow cook at all: all of the settings bring the contents to a full boil, with the only difference in setting being the amount of time to come to a boil. This may be due to concerns about product liability from unsafe food holding temperatures".Hence the mystery behind those "fast-hot" slow cookers.In my opinion it kind of negates the purpose of having one if you turn it on at 7am and it's done at 1pm but you won't be home until 6pm.I have had Cuisinart a little over a month now and I have cooked something in it every week. Although we have had some great meals, everything has cooked very fast compared to the way slow cookers used to be. I was here to shut it off when I thought it was done, but most people may not be. It simmers on "low", in fact it even bubbles on "warm".According to "Wikipedia" a slow cooker should not simmer ever on any of the settings. Had I to choose again, I would not purchase this and frankly would have done a lot more research because now that I have, it appears that many of the other new cookers do the same thing. Even "All-Clad" has "too-fast" comments. I did happen to run across a blog where many people were praising the simple, inexpensive Farberware FSSC500 5-Quart Slow Cooker for its "slowness", and I have just ordered that one for our Cabin. (I only wish it were bigger) I could have had nearly 4 of them for what the Cuisinart cost. This Farberware is very simple, inexpensive (I think $29.00) and it doesn't do anything "fancy" at all. Fine by me! Fewer things to break! I will still use the Cuisinart for "faster" cooking, and I think it looks sleek and nice, but in a nut shell, I wanted a true slow cooker.One MAJOR dislike in the design is that when you turn it on, even on "low" it will be on "high" for one hour before it switches to low. This means that if you turn it off and want to turn it back on again, you're stuck with "high". What if the electricity goes out for a few minutes? Do we start back on high for an hour? I agree that it's good to START out on high to get things heated up fast due to bacteria, but this should be an option so one is not "stuck" on high when they want to be on low. I think they missed the boat on that one. (go with an one hour high option button)That should be an option in my opinion. I will say that the cookbook that comes with it is really good. Excellent! I have tried five recipes and they have all been excellent. So, I can't complain about that, indeed some really good grub. (Ziti Lasagna was fabulous...on the "lighter side" as well)Ahh,...in quest of the perfect slow cooker! :)