Crockpot SCRBC500-BS Duo Slow-Cooker Server

Comment: Crock Pot Duo 2.5 qt.

Pros

I loved the idea of having two smaller crock's for creating multiple dishes for dinner as a big positive for me and couldn't wait to give my new fellas a try.

I loved the "Stuffed Baby Bell Pepper" Recipe.

If you are looking for a warming dish during a dinner party, then this is your piece. It includes a great slotted spoon holder on the pot.

Cons

- My biggest disappointment about this piece is the need for spoon slots....it totally effects the cooking process. There is a big difference between a "slow cooker" and a slotted heating dish. The entire nature of slow cooking is so there is no need for stirring during the process of cooking your dish, relying only on the slow and low heating to give us a wonderful, tender and tasty meal. Taking the lid off during the cooking process will cause it to lose a significant amount of this desired heat (Slow Cooker 101 from my large Crock Pot book) and effect the entire process, imagine what it's like trying to cook with a large hole for a spoon handle, or for any purpose, between the lid and the crock can prevent the heat from building up to a safe and healthy cooking level. To me this piece is a great idea for a party warming dish only, but not a crock pot.

Quote from my large slow cooker book "...bacteria in food is killed at a temp of 165 degrees and it's important for beef to reach an internal temp of 170 degrees and poultry as high as 209 degrees so it's important to keep the cover on your slow cooker during the cooking process". Sorry but I just don't see the heat build up happening when there large is hole between the lid and the crock, nor do I want to take that chance. Under the "Usage Notes" section for this crock pot, bullet #5 states "Do not remove the lids during the first two hours of cooking to allow the heat to build up efficiently:.....so I ask you, how is the heat going to build up with a large spoon slot between the lid and the crock? I use aluminum foil to try and close the gap and keep the heat in and if it wasn't a gift I'd bring it back.

- Next con, I don't like winging my cooking based on "Low" and "High", or cooking it on High for an hour then down to Low. I prefer knowing exactly how much slow cooking time (hour wise) and heat that I'm dealing with for a healthy dish. Even the little instruction book is too generalized about temps for my preference...they say follow the recipe for cooking times, but when you're adjusting a larger crock pot recipe to a smaller 2.5qt crock, this info is important, especially when slow cooking has a fine line between bacteria and safe cooking. I'm not inexperienced at cooking, but other are and this is important information for them.

Bottom line, I'm not sure where the designers heads were when they thought of creating a hole for heat to escape like this on a crock pot and it make no sense to me. But if the engineers were trying to create a PARTY WARMING DISH - then they did a good job because this one comes with a slot to hold a spoon while still keeping the dish covered. : ) They really should rename it something other then a crock pot.

I give it two thumbs down as a crock pot cooking piece.

Comment: I also have the big sister -- the Rival Smart-Pot Slow Cooker:
Rival SCVP609-SS 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooking Crock Pot Cooker, Stainless Steel
Rival has a habit of making slow cookers that aren't all that slow -- check the Amazon reviews and they are consistent in letting you know these appliances (Rival's, that is) cook at too high of a temperature no matter what the setting. That means your food is done, and sometimes overdone, long before it should be. Grrrrr.

Rival has separated its appliance web sites -- Crock Pots are on their own separate site. Lo and behold, check on cooking tips for their crock pots and you get the following information under "Hints & Tips":

What's the difference between "Low" and "High" cooking?
Both High and Low stabilize at the same temperature, it is just a matter of how long it takes to reach the simmer point. Once food reaches the simmer point, total cook time is dependent on cut and weight of meat to reach the point of maximum flavor and texture potential. (Most dishes can be prepared on either High or Low.)

What are the typical cook times for Crock-Pot® slow cookers?
Typical cook time for Crock-Pot® slow cookers to reach simmer point (209°F):
Low: 7-8 to reach the simmer point
High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point

I can attest to the fact that Rival's slow cookers definitely cook way above 209 degrees! If you see boiling food or liquid, the temp is 212 degrees. Think about it -- that means you're really not slow cooking, you're boiling or stewing and you might disappointed with the end results. With that said, I like this smaller duo version because its capacity in each crock is 2.5 quarts, perfect for the smaller family and very handy to cook a main dish plus a side dish or dessert. Note this is not "programmable" in any sense other than High, Low and Warm settings for each pot. You'll have to watch the clock yourself, but considering the fact that everything cooks faster than you expect, I guess that's pretty much a given.

There are some dishes that work well in the Rival brand of slow cookers and some that turn out to be disasters. You'll probably be able to find out for yourself but in general, stews, soups, sauces, any kind of recipe that calls for long stove top or oven cooking will do well in the Rival -- but it will be ready a few hours sooner than you might think. Vegetables definitely need a much shorter cooking time so I add them about two hours before the end of my estimated meal completion. I've even cooked an apple crisp in the Duo and it turned out well.

To sum up, this Duo is handy for smaller recipes or for two dishes, but the Rivals cook too quickly, so keep that in mind. I gave it 3 stars because I now understand to cook all recipes for a shorter time and the device is very convenient for two smaller recipes at once.

Comment: This is an excellent product. However, there are very few competitors in the multi-crock pot market.