The KitchenAid Slow Cooker With Standard Lid in Stainless Steel is a 6 quart removable, oval shaped ceramic vessel that has 4 temperature settings of low, medium, high, and keep warm. It is programmable up to 24 hours. It also has a keep warm setting with a digital display. The easy serve lid is hinged on both sides of the handle. This allows for easy access and one-handed serving. The oval shape ceramic vessel is removable for ease of cleaning.
The light up digital display ensure easy viewing for the remainder of the cooking time and temperature while it is turned on. This KitchenAid Slow Cooker has the ability to be programmed in 30 minute increments for up to 24 hours. After the time ends, the appliance will automatically go into keep warm mode for up to four hours. This slow cooker weighs 16.1 pounds and has dimensions of 10.5 x 17.5 x 10.8 inches.
Best Features of The Product
- 1 Year Warranty
- Programmable
- Easy To Clean
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Customer Reviews
As of this writing, The KitchenAid Slow Cooker with Standard Lid in Stainless Steel had 486 people who left reviews. I’ve read the reviews and condensed what seemed to be the main topics that people wrote about. I hope that this helps you decide if this Slow Cooker is right for you or not.
Ease of Use
One disadvantage about programmable slow cookers as compared to manual slow cookers, is that you often have to read the manual to figure out how to operate it. Some manuals can be tough to get through. Most people who bought and used the KitchenAid Slow Cooker found that the instructions were easy to understand. One customer commented this, ” It seems very well made and the controls are very easy to use. I looked at other crock pots that seemed better until I reviewed the controls. Crock pots are supposed to be easy. This is one of those (set it and forget it crockpots) and does not require hours spent with the manual.”
Price
The KitchenAid Slow Cooker is in the high range as far as price. With that being said, it is not the most expensive slow cooker out there. There are others that are pricier.
Ease of Cleaning
This slow cooker is dishwasher safe and can also be hand washed in warm and soapy water. Only the inside vessel and lid should be put submerged in water or put in the dishwasher. The exterior can be cleaned with a damp, warm, and soapy washcloth. One customer did offer some advice and commented about a disadvantage with the shape of this slow cooker when trying to clean it. She wrote, “The only drawback to this crockpot that I have found so far is the size. It is a little large, and because of the oval shape you do need to pay attention when cleaning it so that you don’t damage the handles in a narrow sink. Others have reported this. I don’t consider this a flaw, just part of the design.”
Temperature Settings
Though there were a lot of people who liked this slow cooker, one complaint that kept surfacing was that it did not get hot enough. This was a very common complaint. I wanted to quote just a few of the many who commented on the temperature settings. One said, “My unit does not cook hot enough at all and it cooks very unevenly. I have many other slow cookers ranging in different makes and models and I am used to the differences that can occur, but something is way off here. I’m a bit concerned that the food is not reaching safe cooking temperatures fast enough. I’m going to stop using it.”
Another said, “My experience has been similar to other reviewers in that the temperature settings are lower than might be expected. We use the cooker primarily to cook a beans and grains combination. After some experimentation it took using the high setting for 14 hours to adequately cook the beans. Even the high setting does not seem to bring the mixture to a boil – its more of a simmer.”
And one of many more, “I had a terrible time with this slow cooker. Like many other reviews it would not get hot enough to cook dried beans (which I bought recently, from Whole Foods, meaning they should be relatively fresh & which I soaked overnight). I spent 24 hours trying to get these beans done. Finally I figured out that the slow cooker was not working, and so tossed everything into my manual Crock Pot which cooked everything just fine on low in 6 hours.”
My Conclusion
The KitchenAid Slow Cooker with Standard Lid in Stainless Steel had mixed reviews. It was interesting that some loved this slow cooker, while many others commented that it did not raise the temperature high enough. It seemed like maybe some were defected while others were fine. The nice thing is that this comes with a 1 year warranty. If you get one that does not heat your food at a hot enough temperature, you can return it. So this is a risk that you are taking, especially if this is a gift. Some people who receive a slow cooker as a gift may be hesitant to try to return it if it does not work properly. Other than that, many people were happy with this slow cooker. It is a bit pricey, but it’s not the most expensive one on the market.
To read the rest of our Crock-Pot reviews, check out our article, The Top Ten Best Crock-Pots of 2018.