Crockpot CSC066 Slow Cooker - Review

Crock-Pot has been a trusted name in slow cookers for over four decades. The brand pioneered the original slow cooker in 1971 and has since become synonymous with tender, flavorful meals made easy. Crock-Pot slow cookers allow you to prepare food using lower temperatures over longer periods of time, resulting in more tender meats, stews, chilies, and more. The set-it and forget-it functionality is ideal for busy home cooks, delivering hot, home-cooked meals without much effort. Crock-Pot's latest model, the CSC066 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, aims to make meal prep even simpler with more smart features. This review will take a close look at the design, features, performance, and overall value of this Crock-Pot to help you determine if it's the right fit for your kitchen.

Overview

The Crock-Pot TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker is an excellent option for making delicious one-pot meals with minimal effort. This model from Crock-Pot, CSC066, features a simple digital interface and oval stoneware crock that's perfect for cooking roasts, stews, soups and more for the whole family.

The 6 quart capacity provides enough space to cook around 6 servings of food at once. The stoneware can be removed from the heating base for easy serving at the table and cleaning. The digital timer allows you to program cook times from 30 minutes up to 20 hours. There's also a manual setting without pre-set timers.

Overall, the Crock-Pot CSC066 TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker delivers solid performance and convenience in an affordable package from a trusted brand. It's a great option for busy home cooks looking for an easy way to prepare tasty dinners during the work week. If you're looking for a slightly larger slow cooker, the Crock-Pot SCV700-S-BR is an excellent choice. With a 7 quart capacity, it provides enough room to cook up to 7 servings at once, making it ideal for larger families or meal prepping.

The Crock-Pot SCV700-S-BR features a programmable digital timer just like the CSC066 model. You can set cook times from 30 minutes up to 20 hours and choose low, high or warm settings. A black stainless steel exterior gives it a sleek modern look that fits with any kitchen decor. This slow cooker also comes with a secure fitting lid and rubber gasket to lock in heat and moisture.

When it comes to performance, the Crock-Pot brand is known for making quality slow cookers that deliver tasty results. The SCV700-S-BR is no exception - it cooks food evenly and consistently thanks to features like the wrap-around heating element. Customers find it's great for preparing chili, stew, roast and other classic slow cooker fare.

In summary, the Crock-Pot SCV700-S-BR 7 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a larger capacity model with modern styling. It provides flexibility and convenience thanks to the digital timer and simple interface. Given Crock-Pot's stellar reputation, you can trust this slow cooker to help you make delicious home-cooked meals with minimal time and effort required.

Design

The Crock-Pot CSC066 has a sleek and modern design that will look great in any kitchen. It has a brushed stainless steel exterior that resists fingerprints and cleans up easily. The oval shape allows you to cook larger roasts or whole chickens.

It has a simple control panel on the front with manual buttons to choose the cooking time and temperature. You can set it for 30 minutes up to 20 hours. There is an easy-to-read LED display that shows your selected time and the cooking temperature. The display lights up when cooking is in progress.

There are no complicated buttons or overly technical displays on this model. The minimalist design focuses on the basics and keeps the interface intuitive. The lid and handles stay cool while cooking for safe use. Overall, the clean polished look and user-friendly interface make this an attractive and functional slow cooker.

If you're looking for a similar slow cooker with a sleek design, consider the Salter EK2842. This oval cooker has a glossy black body with a stainless steel wrap-around band. The digital control panel lets you dial in the exact cook time and temperature. It has a 24-hour programmable timer so your meal will be ready when you want it. The Salter EK2842 features an attractive tempered glass lid to monitor cooking progress.

Both the Crock-Pot CSC066 and Salter EK2842 have oval ceramic vessels for larger capacity. They each have simple manual controls and cool-touch exteriors. The Salter model comes with a serving spoon and recipe booklet. It also has lid clamps for transportation to potlucks or parties. The Crock-Pot relies on the locking gasket to seal in heat and moisture.

When choosing between these two slow cookers, consider your priorities. The Crock-Pot has a more modern polished steel design. But the Salter offers more programmed settings. Both get excellent reviews online for ease of use and delicious results. Pick the one that best fits your cooking needs and personal style.

Slow cookers like these make it easy to prepare hearty stews, tender roasts, warming soups and more. The hands-off approach lets you come home to a hot meal after a busy day. Food cooks low and slow all day to develop rich flavor. A good slow cooker can really expand and simplify your cooking. Models like the Crock-Pot CSC066 and Salter EK2842 deliver tasty results without a lot of fuss.

Features

The Crock-Pot CSC066 6.5L Slow Cooker offers a variety of useful features that make it an excellent option for preparing delicious slow-cooked meals for the whole family.

Cooking Programs

This slow cooker has 4 automatic cooking programs - low heat, high heat, simmer, and warm. The low setting cooks food more gently over a longer period, while the high setting provides a faster cook time. The simmer mode is ideal for creating sauces, and the warm setting keeps food ready to eat. These preset programs take the guesswork out of slow cooking.

Custom Settings

In addition to the preset programs, users can manually adjust the temperature and cooking time. The digital timer allows cooking for 30 minutes up to 20 hours, providing flexibility. There are also options for a 24-hour delay start timer.

Generous Capacity

With a 6.5L oval ceramic pot, this slow cooker can make meals for up to 7 people. The ceramic insert is removable for easy serving at the table and cleaning. The generous capacity makes it suitable for cooking roasts, stews, soups, chillies and more to feed a crowd.

Performance

The Crock-Pot CSC066 performs very well as a programmable slow cooker. Its heating element provides consistent, even cooking results. The stoneware insert heats up quickly and retains heat effectively to cook food thoroughly without burning.

The 6 quart capacity is great for cooking larger roasts, whole chickens, or big batches of soups and stews. It can easily handle cooking for a family or large gatherings. The timer and preset cooking functions make it simple to start cooking and have the meal ready at the desired time.

This Crock-Pot model offers low, high and warm settings. The low setting provides gentle simmering, while high heats up faster for quicker cooking. The keep warm function automatically switches to warm when the timer goes off, ensuring food stays hot and ready to eat for hours.

The digital timer and control panel are easy to program. You simply add the ingredients, select the temperature, set the time, and let the slow cooker do the work. The cooking times are accurate and consistent. It's very convenient being able to have meals cooked and ready with minimal effort.

Overall, the performance is excellent. The Crock-Pot cooks food thoroughly and evenly with great results. The programmable features allow flexibility and convenience for busy home cooks. It's easy to use while delivering delicious slow-cooked meals.

Cleaning

The Crock-Pot CSC066 makes cleaning up after cooking incredibly simple. The stainless steel cooking pot and tempered glass lid are both dishwasher safe, so you can just pop them in the dishwasher after use. The heating base can be wiped clean with a damp cloth if any food or liquid gets on it.

One of the best things about using a slow cooker is that there's only one pot to clean up after cooking. All the ingredients cook together in the removable cooking pot, so there are no extra pans or utensils to wash. The pot lifts out, allowing you to easily discard food waste before washing.

The non-stick surface inside the cooking pot also makes cleaning very easy. Food does not stick to the surface, so you can quickly wipe away any remaining food debris after cooking. Compared to cleaning tough burnt on stains in a regular pot or pan, clean up with the Crock-Pot CSC066 is a breeze.

Overall, the dishwasher safe components and non-stick cooking pot make cleaning the Crock-Pot incredibly simple. You won't have to spend time scrubbing tough stains or washing multiple dishes. Clean up is fast and hassle-free.

Accessories

The Crock-Pot CSC066 comes with a few handy accessories to help you get started. Inside the box, you'll find a recipe booklet featuring 30 delicious slow cooker recipes to try out. These range from classic comfort foods like pot roasts and chili to more unique dishes like Thai chicken curry. Having a recipe book included is extremely convenient since it gives you a head start on meal ideas tailored specifically for your new slow cooker.

You'll also receive a glass lid that locks in place. The glass allows you to monitor your food easily without letting heat escape by lifting the lid frequently. And the locking mechanism ensures the lid stays securely in place during the long cooking times. No more worrying about the lid accidentally sliding open!

Lastly, there is a serving spoon included. Having a dedicated spoon for your slow cooker is useful to avoid cross-contamination with other utensils. It's especially helpful for scooping out servings straight from the crock.

Overall, the included accessories add convenience and versatility right out of the box. The recipe book gives you guidance, while the specialized lid and spoon enhance functionality. These extras make it easy to start enjoying your new Crock-Pot.

Pros

The Crock-Pot CSC066 6.5L Slow Cooker has several excellent features that make it a great choice:

• Generous 6.5L capacity: The large 6.5 litre ceramic bowl provides enough room to cook meals for the whole family or big batches for meal prepping. You can easily fit a whole chicken or large roast.

• Digital timer: The simple digital timer lets you program cooking times from 30 minutes up to 20 hours. Set it and forget it while your food cooks to perfection.

• 3 temperature settings: With low, high and keep warm settings, you have flexibility for recipes that need different temperatures. The keep warm function automatically switches to keep food ready to serve.

• Lockable lid: The lid locks in place for safer transport to potlucks or parties. No spills or leaks to worry about.

• Dishwasher safe: Both the ceramic pot and tempered glass lid are dishwasher safe for quick and easy cleanup.

• Attractive design: The brushed stainless steel and black accents give it a modern look perfect for any kitchen. Much sleeker than old fashioned slow cookers.

Cons

The Crock-Pot CSC066 Slow Cooker has a few drawbacks to consider:

• Small capacity - With only 1.5 liters capacity, this slow cooker is best for 1-2 people. Larger families may find it too small.

• No digital display or timer - There are no digital controls or an integrated timer. You need to set cooking times manually. This requires monitoring and can lead to over or undercooking.

• Lid doesn't seal tightly - Some users report the lid doesn't seal very tightly, especially when transporting the cooker. This can lead to spills or loss of heat/moisture.

• Ceramic insert delicate - The ceramic cooking pot is prone to chipping or cracking if dropped. Customers need to handle it carefully.

• Short power cord - The power cord is quite short which limits placement options. An extension cord may be needed in some kitchens.

• No 'Keep Warm' function - Unlike some models, there is no dedicated 'Keep Warm' function to hold food at temperature after cooking finishes.

Verdict

The Crock-Pot CSC066 TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a user-friendly and programmable slow cooker. Its oval 6L capacity makes it suitable for cooking for 3-4 people, perfect for families and couples.

The 24-hour programmable timer is incredibly convenient, allowing you to prepare ingredients in advance and have the cooker start cooking while you're out. It's easy to use the digital control panel to select your cooking time and temperature. The integrated countdown display lets you monitor remaining time at a glance.

Performance is solid, with three temperature settings (low, high and keep warm) to suit different recipes. The non-stick oval ceramic pot does a good job of cooking food evenly and is simple to clean. The tempered glass lid allows monitoring cooking progress.

In terms of design, the brushed stainless steel exterior gives it a sleek, modern look that would suit any kitchen décor. The clip-tight lid prevents spills during transport to the dinner table. It's also compact enough for storage when not in use.

Overall, the Crock-Pot CSC066 is an excellent programmable slow cooker that makes it simple to prepare delicious one-pot meals with minimal effort required. It's easy to use, cooks food evenly and looks great on the countertop. For anyone seeking a versatile and reliable slow cooker, the CSC066 comes highly recommended.