Hamilton Beach Programmable 5 Quart Slow Cooker | Model# 33453

At first when I saw the box I didn't think it would be very big, but I was pleasantly surprised. It is well packaged with styrofoam for safety. It's not too heavy all put together. The crock pot is the heaviest piece. It is very easy to clean. You wash the outer part with a wet rag and you can stick the crock pot and lid in the dishwasher. I love that! It was very easy to use and set. I cooked a roast and raw vegetables together and everything was cooked and ready at same time! It has 2 hour cooking intervals and automatically moved the light after 2 hours to the next light. Like, I had it set for 6 hours and after 2 hours the 4 hour light came on. It also has a temperature setting and I put it on high. I loved using this and the food turned out great. I can see us using this a lot with this cooler weather.

One thing to say about the Hamilton Beach 5-qt programmable slow cooker.... "Where have you been all my life!?" My first Hamilton Beach slow cooker....couldn't be more pleased. I've always had Crock Pot brand. I like this one much better. I got the 5 qt which is perfect for 2 people. It does exactly what it says it will do. Set it for the temp & the time and it kicks to a warm setting. No more mushy pot roast. It turns out PERFECT. Picked it up in my local Walmart. Can't beat the price. YAY.

A 5QT oval programmable slow cooker is just right for someone like me who cooks for himself in a small kitchen and saves the surplus in storage containers (with occasional samples distributed to friends). For one thing, I don't have to waste counter space as I can plug it in and sit it on a heat spreader or pizza stone laid over any of four burners (in the off position of course). Over time I've learned where to set the dials on my electric stove to get just the right simmer or high heat, but that means constant check and double check; and serious doubt if I leave the apartment for any length of time. Voilà! Along came this 5QT oval programmable slow cooker with a push button selection at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 hours; buttons for warm, low and high; and a separate on and off button. At last I had a slow cooker that can't overheat and shuts itself off in case there's some unexpected long delay. I immediately checked the web and there are hundreds of slow cooker recipes out there for which I can't wait to try this cooker. I know the first I'll try is probably a corned beef; more likely, a good beef chili. The recipes remind you that when you slow cook, put it the beef, chicken or pork first; later add the vegetables so they don't overcook. Seafood I imagine (in a stew or chowder) would go in last (It cooks fast). One of my immediate favorites will be slow cooked spaghetti sauce, the way it should be made. I read some reviews of slow cookers that mentioned trouble cleaning burned on food from the removable crock, and suggesting liners. I imagine no such problem with the jet black, glassy finished oval stoneware crock that comes with this unit. Worst case, add baking soda, vinegar and water to the crock and bring to a simmer for a few minutes. Nothing sticks after that. With the money saved on liners you can buy a 13” Pizza stone (perfect size), upon which to rest your new Hamilton Beach 5QT oval programmable slow cooker.

When I requested to review this slow cooker I did not pay any attention to what brand it was, so I was a little surprised when I received it. I have always purchased Crock Pot brand, so this is my first Hamilton Beach slow cooker. So far I am very pleased with this product. My roast and potatoes turned out perfectly in 6 hours with my first use. I prefer the oval shape for this because the potatoes are all in one layer as opposed to being stacked on top of each other like in my round crock pot. The timer option is excellent, but the timer only gives you 2 hour increments, so I had to set a separate timer when I made brownies which had a 3.5 hour cook time. Unlike my roast the brownies were overcooked. This was the first time I used that recipe, though, so I could not say with any certainty if this slow cooker is hotter than others or if the brownies should have had a shorter cook time. I love that the cooker automatically switches to warm at the end of your cook time. The slow cooker will stay on for a total of 14 hours, and has warm, low, and high settings. It fits perfectly in my cupboard so it does not take up counter space when not in use. The price is excellent, and it is the perfect size for my needs. I would highly recommend this product.

I have had an old slow cooker for a long time. It was not programmable and that was a problem. I was hesitant to use it because I always worried that I was going to forget about it or not get home in time and would end up burning it. I would hate to ruin a twenty dollar piece of meat. This is a programmable slow cooker and that alleviates all those worries. It is a little bigger than my old one and I liked that. I used it last night and I had more than enough room for a chuck roast with red potatoes and carrots. I set it for 8 hours and went to bed. I did not have to worry because after 8 hours, it automatically changes to warm mode. That way, if you are going to cook it for 8 hours but not get back for 10 or more hours, it will still be ready to go when you get there. It will turn itself off after 14 total hours (cooking plus warming) but I think that is a good thing because it is possible I could forget about it and go on a trip or something. It is just nice that you can set it and then not have to worry. My roast came out great and cleaning up was really easy. I also really like the stainless steel look. Overall, this is a great slow cooker.

Hamilton Beach Programmable Slow Cooker Model No. 33453 We had been using a smaller, older Hamilton Beach slow cooker for 25 years when we saw this model, which can be programed for temperature (warm, low and high) and time (2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 hours) and is larger than the one we have been using. This one also has a removable bowl for easy washing, whereas our old one was wired into the base so it was trickier to wash, having the electric cord also built in and not removable. Although this one also has a cord that is wired to the base, being able to remove the bowl as well as the lid makes for easy cleanup. Our first meal was planned for the day after we received the cooker... pot roast (boneless chuck) with carrots, red onions, fresh thyme and rosemary. A beef base with one cup of merlot wine was added, then the cooker was set at high for 7 hours. The before and after shots are shown below. The results were outstanding ... a tender piece of meat, perfectly flavored and served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, with the juice from the cooker used as a base for gravy. Though our smaller cooker is still working, we will pass it down to someone who will use it as their starter slow cooker.

This Hamilton Beach Programmable five quart slow cooker is an attractive and very useful addition to the kitchen that every home cook will love. Finished in a sleek stainless steel that compliments other kitchen appliances, this cooker easily cooks a 3 pound roast within the set time, is easy to clean and program and the display is also easy to see. There are only two small issues that don't detract from the quality of the cooker: 1) it can only be programmable in two hour increments (other more expensive cookers allow for half hour increments), and 2) there is no alert when the time period programed is over. The cooker simply sets itself to "warm" All in all this slow cooker is a welcome addition to our kitchen and we will be using it often.

As a first time user of a programmable slow cooker, I was impressed with it's sleek design & very advanced functionality. The instructions are clear & precise & made using this product a breeze. The unique, Oval, shape makes it easy to store or fit in just about any spot a rounded pot or pan would not. The power of this cooker is amazing, as it can continue to cook for fourteen hours, which actually surprised me as I've never imagined such an enormous amount of cooking time. A cookbook would've been helpful, however, when you register your slow cooker they will send you recipes to your email account.

I have used this items 4 or 5 times since I received it in July 2016. The ceramic insert cleans up great, even the scorched milk on the sides. My only concern would be the lid, it seems a little loose fitting, I have not had anything that has come to splattering point, but I could see a problem.

I received this Hamilton Beach programmable 5-quart slow cooker as part of the WalMart Spark Review Program. I had a programmable slow cooker in the past and loved it. I thought I would give this brand a try. This particular slow cooker is under $25 which seems like a bargain but it is a smaller size than other programmable slow cookers. The first time I used the cooker was to cook chicken breast to use in a meal I had planned. I put the chicken in the slow cooker at about 1pm and left it to cook. I did not read the instructions because I had used a programmable cooker before and it seemed pretty straight forward. I ran into one problem. This particular cooker does switch over to warm after the programmed time is finished but it completely shuts down/off after 14 hours. Oops. I wish I had known that ahead of time but that is my fault for not reading the directions. I do love the look of stainless steel without the price. The programming is also straightforward and easy to use. The Hamilton Beach programmable 5-quart slow cooker is a wonderful product for the money if you do not need a large capacity cooker.