‎West Bend ‎87905B Slow Cooker - Review

The West Bend 87905B is a 5 quart oval slow cooker that provides a simple, convenient way to prepare home-cooked meals. This entry-level model has basic features to get the job done without all the bells and whistles.

With its oval shape and 5 quart capacity, the 87905B can accommodate larger cuts of meat and poultry to feed a family. The black plastic housing has a simple, understated look that won't stand out on your countertop. This is a no-frills slow cooker for anyone seeking an affordable and easy-to-use option for weeknight dinners and holiday meals.

The 87905B includes high, low and warm temperature settings. The lid and ceramic insert are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. At about 10 pounds, the unit is lightweight and portable to transport foods. This is a good choice for a starter slow cooker before moving up to more advanced multi-cooker models.

Design

The West Bend 87905B slow cooker has a sleek and modern oval design that will look great on any countertop. It features a black plastic housing with silver accents and a clear tempered glass lid.

Despite its 6.5 quart capacity, the oval shape allows it to have a relatively compact footprint of just 10.4 x 15.4 x 9.1 inches. It's lightweight too at just 5.15 lbs, making it easy to move around and store.

The outer housing is made of durable black plastic that resists fingerprints and scratches. The inner cooking pot has a 4 mm thick wraparound aluminum core for even heating. It's fully immersible and dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

The clear glass lid allows you to monitor cooking progress without lifting the lid and releasing heat. It locks securely in place with plastic clips during cooking. Overall, the modern oval design looks great and the durable construction should provide years of reliable service.

Settings & Functions

The West Bend 87905B has a full range of settings and functions to accommodate all types of slow cooking.

Temperature Control: This slow cooker has low, medium, and high temperature settings. The low setting is ideal for longer cooking times, keeping food warm, or simmering. Medium is good for standard slow cooking recipes. High heats faster and can reduce cooking times.

Timer: A programmable timer lets you choose a cook time from 30 minutes up to 20 hours. After the timer ends, the slow cooker automatically switches to warm. This makes it easy to start meals in the morning or overnight.

Power Modes: In addition to the temperature settings, the West Bend has specialized power modes. The "Bean" mode is calibrated for optimal bean cooking. "Brown" sears meat quickly at the start of cooking. The "Simmer" mode maintains a steady gentle simmer.

Probe Thermometer: An integrated probe thermometer monitors the internal temperature of meat and other foods. This takes the guesswork out of doneness and ensures perfect results.

Auto Warm: When cooking is done, the slow cooker automatically switches to a safe warm temperature to keep food ready to eat. This holds food safely for up to 8 hours.

Manual Operation: Users can also operate the slow cooker manually, switching between cook settings, warm, and off at any time. This provides full flexibility.

Cooking Performance

The West Bend 87905B 5-Quart Slow Cooker delivers excellent cooking performance for a variety of recipes. Its heating element and aluminum insert work together to distribute heat evenly, preventing hot or cold spots. Foods cook thoroughly without drying out or burning.

Meats like roasts, chicken, and pork chops come out moist and tender after a long cook time on low. Vegetables also turn out well, maintaining their texture and flavor. Soups and stews achieve great consistency.

Cook times are fairly typical for a slow cooker of this size. Recipes take about 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high, which is the expected range. The low, high, and warm settings all maintain consistent temperatures over time. You can trust this slow cooker to cook food properly without checking it or worrying about temperature fluctuations.

Overall, the cooking ability of the West Bend 87905B makes it a reliable option for preparing recipes like pot roasts, beans, soups, and more. It delivers the steady, even heating that slow cooking requires.

Ease of Use

The West Bend 87905B 5-Quart Slow Cooker is very user-friendly with its simple dial controls and oval ceramic insert that's easy to clean. The control dial allows you to choose between low, high, and warm settings. The low setting is great for longer cooking times while the high setting speeds things up. Just dial to your desired temperature and let the cooker do the work.

Cleaning up is straightforward since the ceramic insert and tempered glass lid are dishwasher safe. The heating base can be wiped down with a damp cloth. There's no complicated electronics or buttons to deal with. The oval insert shape provides more versatility and allows you to cook larger roasts or poultry compared to round inserts. It's also helpful that the cooker has integrated side handles for safely moving the insert.

Overall, the West Bend 87905B 5-Quart Slow Cooker is designed to be super convenient and simple to operate. The manual controls and ability to throw the insert in the dishwasher makes using this slow cooker a breeze.

Accessories

The West Bend 87905B comes with a tempered glass lid with handles and a vent hole for releasing steam. The lid fits tightly to lock in heat and moisture.

Inside the cooker is a nonstick cooking pot made from aluminum. This insert makes for easy cleanup, as food does not stick to the surface. The 5.5 quart capacity provides enough room to cook a meal for a family.

Some handy accessories included are a cooking rack that sits inside the pot, allowing you to elevate foods out of the liquid. This is useful for steaming vegetables or making ribs. There are also plastic serving spoons that are heat-resistant and safe to use when removing hot food.

The accessories that come with the West Bend slow cooker make it convenient to prepare complete meals. From steaming veggies on the rack to serving up stews with the included spoons, you'll have what you need to cook and serve.

Safety Features

The West Bend 87905B has several key safety features that make it a secure choice for any home cook.

• It has an overheating protection system that automatically shuts off the heating element if temperatures get dangerously high. This prevents burning or scorching your food.

• The exterior of the cooker remains cool to the touch even during extended cooking times. The handles and lid knob stay cool as well, allowing you to handle the unit safely.

• A gasket on the lid creates a tight seal, locking in steam and moisture. This prevents spatters or messes.

• The nonstick cooking pot is easy to clean and BPA-free, avoiding any concerns about chemical leaching during cooking.

• The tempered glass lid allows you to monitor your food's progress without needing to lift the lid and release heat or moisture.

• For added stability, the cooker has non-slip rubber feet. This keeps it firmly planted on your countertop during use.

• All parts that come in contact with food are dishwasher safe as well, simplifying clean-up.

With its combination of overheating protection, cool touch exteriors, and secure lid seal, the West Bend slow cooker provides a high level of safety for hassle-free cooking. You can trust it will operate reliably while keeping you protected.

Price

The West Bend 87905B slow cooker has an MSRP of £29.99, but can often be found on sale from major retailers like Amazon for around £24.99. At this sale price, it offers very good value for a 5-quart slow cooker with basic functions. While it doesn't have the bells and whistles of some higher-end models, it delivers solid slow cooking performance at an affordable price point.

The size is ideal for families and those who like to meal prep or make large batches of soup or stew. Many comparable 5-quart manual slow cookers cost £35-£45, so getting this capacious West Bend under £30 is a bargain. It's a great option if you want a no-frills, large-capacity slow cooker on a budget. While it lacks extras like digital controls or a timer, its low price reflects its simplicity.

Overall, the West Bend 87905B gives you a lot of slow cooking for the money. Its uncomplicated design focuses on the essentials rather than trendy extras. If you want a basic, inexpensive, high-capacity slow cooker, it's one of the best values around.

Pros & Cons

The Slow Cooker West Bend 87905B has several notable pros and cons that are worth considering.

Pros

• Large 5 quart capacity is ideal for cooking meals for a family
• Low, high and keep warm temperature settings provide flexibility
• Oval shape allows for cooking larger roasts and chickens
• Tempered glass lid allows monitoring cooking without lifting lid
• Dishwasher safe stoneware and lid for easy cleanup
• Attractive brushed stainless steel exterior
• Budget-friendly price point

Cons

• Manual controls without digital display or timer
• Lid does not have rubber gasket for maximum heat retention
• Exterior gets hot during cooking
• Stoneware insert is relatively heavy when full
• Only available in 5 quart capacity

The West Bend slow cooker offers a solid basic appliance with ample capacity at an affordable price point. The lack of bells and whistles like a timer or seals may be drawbacks for some. But its uncomplicated manual operation and ability to cook up hearty stews and roasts make it a good choice for many home cooks. Considering its performance and price, the pros seem to outweigh the cons for most buyers.

Conclusion

After reviewing the key features and capabilities of the West Bend 87905B 5-Quart Oblong-Shaped Slow Cooker, I believe it is a solid option for most home cooks looking for an affordable and versatile slow cooker.

The oval ceramic insert offers ample 5-quart capacity to prepare meals for a family, while the high/low/keep warm settings provide flexibility. The tempered glass lid allows monitoring cooking progress easily. Overall functionality and ease of use are quite straightforward.

While it lacks some bells and whistles of more advanced models, such as a programmable timer or sear function, it delivers very satisfactory slow cooking performance for the price. The oblong insert enables cooking larger roasts or whole chickens.

If you want a no-frills slow cooker with simple manual controls to make tasty stews, chilies, roasts, and more, the West Bend 87905B is a budget-friendly choice worth considering. It provides good value without a lot of extra features you may not use often. I would recommend it to anyone seeking an affordable workhorse slow cooker for basic everyday meals.