Proctor Silex 4-Quart Slow Cooker by Hamilton Beach

When I first got married, I saw no reason to get a slow cooker since I really did not have experience with one.  Growing up, my mother was always cooking something, but her slow cooker only came out once in a while when she made potato soup or sweet and sour meatballs for a party.  Since I only moved about fifteen minutes away from my parents, I could just go back home for potato soup, and if I wanted to make meatballs for a party, I would just borrow my mother's appliance.  Now that I have two children, and a yard with a pool, many family parties have moved to my house, as did my mother's slow cooker, which now is stored in a closet here. 

One by one, I began experimenting with different types of slow cooker recipes and there are times when I use it once or twice a week for preparing dinner.  My mother's old slow cooker still works well, but it is not dishwasher safe, so washing it became an annoyance.  A few months ago, my parents won a Hamilton Beach - Proctor Silex 33040 4-Quart Slow Cooker and gave it to me, as they knew that I would get more use out of it than they would.

This appliance is not very colorful, with a plain white base, white removable crock and clear glass lid with a white knob on top.  The base stands on three feet, and although the spot on the counter where it sits gets warm when in use, it has never gotten so hot that any damage occurred.  Even though I have used it on numerous occasions for tomato-based sauces, all of the parts have cleaned up easily and are still their original colors.  The lid and crock are both dishwasher safe, and the base should be wiped with a damp cloth for cleaning, once it is unplugged.  Care should be taken when handling the crock and the lid as they will break if dropped, and they should be cooled down from the cooking process before washing them so that they are not exposed to drastic changes in temperature that could cause cracks.

To use the Hamilton Beach - Proctor Silex 33040 4-Quart Slow Cooker place the ceramic crock into the metal base and plug it in.  Place your ingredients into the crock, cover it and turn the knob to the required setting.  As the base slowly heats the crock, it cooks the food inside.  This slow cooker has three settings:  Keep Warm, Low and High.  The instructions warn that the Keep Warm setting should not be used to slowly heat foods, and should only be used to keep completely cooked foods at a warm temperature.    Both the Low and High settings cook the food in the crock to about 200 degrees F., and the distinction is the amount of time the process takes.

The clear lid is not designed to be a tight fit on top of the crock, and for best results it should be centered on top.  Both the instructions and most slow cooker recipes suggest that once the unit is turned on and covered, that the cover should remain in place for the entire cooking time since it results in heat loss, which could be a problem if you are cooking meats.  The cover should always be used when cooking, except once the food is cooked, the crock can be turned to High and left uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes if you would like to reduce the liquid left.

All of the pieces of this appliance get hot when it is being used, so care should be taken since it sits on a kitchen counter to cook.  The outside of the base will not burn you if you brush against it, but if something that is plastic is up against it, it will melt.  To avoid getting steam in your face when taking the cover off, it is suggested that you tilt the lid slightly to vent it before removing it completely.

I have never had the occasion to do so, but the crock can also be used in the microwave or in the oven, although the cover cannot be due to a metal band around its rim and the plastic knob on top. 

While I have been getting a lot of use out of this slow cooker, I cannot use it for all of my slow cooking needs.  The base measures about 11" across at the handles, the crock itself about 9" in diameter and it stands about 10" high, so it is a very compact unit.  This works great for making different chicken or pork chop recipes, tomato sauce, meatballs, and other recipes for my family of four.  However, if I want to make a roast in the slow cooker, I need to get out my larger unit, as the meat that I buy will not fit inside of this one.

This Hamilton Beach - Proctor Silex 33040 4-Quart Slow Cooker is very easy to use, and if you are unfamiliar with using such an appliance, it does come with a variety of recipes for such meals as Texas Chili Soup, Italian Style Beef Stew, Broasted New Potatoes and even Chocolate Fondue.  Its small size makes it easy to store, although since it simply white and I use it so often, most of the time it sits on my kitchen counter waiting to cook its next meal.