Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

We have had this slow cooker for three months, using it twice a week. So far we are very satisfied.

In researching our purchase and reading numerous reviews, we found that the Cuisinart generally received positive evaluations. There were a few negative ones, but obviously we discounted them and went ahead with the Cuisinart anyway. Some reviewers criticized it for overheating food, but overheating in a slow cooker is usually a sign that the pot was underfilled. A good slow cooker should have the power to heat a full pot to over 200 F, so it should come as no surprise that the heater can boil a low pot. The Cuisinart instructions specifically warn against underfilled pots, and we have had no overheating problems with even half-full pots.

We have not had this cooker long enough to comment on durability. Contrary to some opinions, our impression is that the Cuisinart is a solidly constructed, well-designed appliance, made with high quality materials. No...Read more

I bought the Cuisinart PSC-400 because I wanted to expand my cooking skills into the realm of slow cooker convenience--but at the same time, I wanted to avoid the wonderful varieties of bland, gray, tough, and mushy disappointment that slow cookers are so famous for.

I previously owned 2 slow cookers, both Rival Crock-Pots. One was the original cylindrical model (with the crockery that didn't detach from the base); the other was a more recent 7 qt. oval model. I never made anything good in either one. My last effort in the large oval cooker was to try (repeatedly) to make beef brisket. The results always came out bland and stringy.

Then, about 100 Alton Brown and Gordon Ramsey shows later, I was ready to return to the challenge of slow cooking. This time, I was armed with better information:

1) Apart from stews, meats like dry heat. Avoid slow cookers for brisket especially. But if you have to slow cook meats, place them above the...Read more

My very old slow cooker is rarely used. It has no keep-warm setting and is huge. It was a gift. Since there is only two of us, this was just not an appliance that I reached for. Then I found some really good cookbooks for smaller units and with much more interesting recipes than the old dump 'n run versions with ingredients like the ever present cream soups. Those older recipes were too high in salt and fat for us. These newer books recommended tailoring the crock size to the recipe. I needed a smaller unit.

After agonizing about multiple choices, I chose to go with truly modern features. What I have come to like the best is being able to set a specific time and having it automatically move to warm until I am ready to serve. This really came in handy a few days ago when my husband and I were delayed 2 hours getting home.

I have read criticisms about the temperatures being too high. If you read the intros of modern slow cooker cookbooks, they emphasize that...Read more