Cuisinart CSC-400 4-Quart Slow Cooker, Brushed Stainless Steel and Black

I think that this is a very nice slow cooker and well worth the higher price. It's the only brand I found that is 4 quarts and has an automatic timer. It's also nice because the timer can be set to any hour on any setting, not like Rivals. I also love the retractable cord. It cooks very well and doesn't seem to get as hot (on low) as my old Rival Smartpot. Comes with a great cookbook too.

The Cuisinart CSC-400 4-Quart Slow Cooker is the best one I have tried. It does what it is designed for, and has controls and status lights that make it easy to use. I bought it for cooking pinto beans according to a recipe that require about 20 hours of slow cooking for full nutritional benefits. I like it very much, and plan to continue using it routinely.

There are two problems with very good looking cooker. (1) It lacks adequate insulation, and gets so hot at the bottom that I had to put an insulating pad on the counter beneath it. The rest of cooker gets very hot, and needs insulation on the sides. (2) The cover is very nice but does not fit snugly because of a slightly irregular surface on the crock.

I adore this slow cooker. I also have the 6.5 Qt. model which does an excellent job. This one does everything the larger model does but is great for preparing smaller meals when you don't want to deal with a lot of leftovers. I particularly like the "keep warm" function at the end of the cooking cycle. You can truly eat whenever you want to and not just when the meal is done. The retractable power cord is a terrific idea. It makes it so much easier to store without worrying about wrapping the cord around the appliance. I definitely recommend this slow cooker.