Elite Gourmet MST-250XS Electric Slow Cooker Ceramic Pot, Adjustable Temp, Entrees, Sauces, Stews & Dips, Dishwasher Safe Glass Lid & Crock, 1.5 Quart, Stainless Steel

A newly single friend was wanting a small slow cooker due to long work hours. I recommend a 2qt for 2 servings of food. I just happened to see that this company made a oval version which would work great for some bone in meats or meatloaves. I sent it as a surprise and she loves it. Bone it chicken is able to be layed flat in the bottom she even bought a small roast. I only had the 2qt round ones so I bought one of these for myself.

As a profession, I make and restore antique toys and metal mechanical models and opted NOT to purchase an industrial pickle pot. I simply could not justify the cost for what little they do for $200 to $300. This 1.5 quart crock pot from Amazon will do the job just the same for much less money.To help others with the same intentions, I am providing the temperatures for each setting. To do these tests, I simply filled to about 80% with water, covered with the lid, and checked with a quality cooking thermometer 30 minutes after switching the various settings on.Starting at room temperature for each setting (with lid on), after 30 minutes the temperatures were the following:Low setting - 102° Fahrenheit (38.8° Celsius)High setting - 130° Fahrenheit (54.4° Celsius)Keep warm setting - 82° Fahrenheit (27.7° Celsius)Maximum temperatures were attained after 1.5 hours (with lid off)Low setting - 130° Fahrenheit (about 54.4° Celsius)High setting - 130° Fahrenheit (about 54.4° Celsius)Keep warm setting - 101° Fahrenheit (38.3° Celsius)Maximum temperatures were attained after 1.5 hours (with lid on)Low setting - 160° Fahrenheit (71.1° Celsius)High setting - 200° Fahrenheit (93.3° Celsius)Keep warm setting - 125° Fahrenheit (51.6° Celsius)So basically if you want to get your pickling solution to a working temperature of around 130° Fahrenheit as fast as possible, you would want to fill to about 80% capacity then put the lid on, turn it to the high setting for 15 to 20 minutes, then set it to low and get to work!Should you find that pickling your work in a higher temperature yields better results using a specific pickle compound, you should leave the lid on between dips and you can have anywhere from 150° to 200° Fahrenheit with this pot depending on time and heat setting. Temperatures will drop if lid stays off (as stated above).Remember not to let the pickle solution boil! Boiling is possible if you leave the high setting on for a very long time (probably unattended with the lid on and switched to the high setting for over 2 hours). Something I noticed was that the power cord was not warm to the touch at all after being on for 5 hours (low setting) during some lengthy work, that's good thing.White interior ceramic pot, works just fine with caustic pickling compounds commonly available to jewelers. I chose this version over others that came with a black pot. If you are finding yourself having to change your pickle solution in the middle of work, ALWAYS let the temperature of the pot cool down. You risk cracking or breaking the ceramic insert pot when you pour a much cooler solution into a hot pot, the temperature difference between hot and cold materials can cause cracking of the ceramic.The fastener to the center knob for the lid is actually an aluminum alloy, so I replaced that with a piece made of 316 stainless. The caustic fumes from the pickle compound would corrode that aluminum alloy fastener in quick order. The fastener is M6x1 and length is 18mm (McMaster-Carr part #94500A316). The photo I uploaded to this review is of the original aluminum fastener showing the discoloration to the head and early evidence of oxidation.Down the road, I anticipate the supposedly stainless ring that lines the edge of the lid to corrode. I had originally thought about cutting this ring with a thin cut off abrasive blade, possibly replacing it with a silicone band, but have not gotten around to doing that.The only other modification I would add to this would be a "power on" indicator lamp. One could either modify the housing itself and tap into the wiring for a cleaner look, or simply use a heavy-duty power strip that has its own power indicator lamp.I like it, it's larger than most jeweler-type pickle pots which is a huge advantage for my shop. Yes, it's just a simple kitchen crock pot used in a light industrial setting, and it doesn't look at home among all the other machines and tools, but it WORKS. If one doesn't like the aesthetics, simply take it apart and give the outer housing a coat of engine or stove enamel paint.A previous reviewer has stated that the exterior housing for the 6 quart version is made of plastic. The two 1.5 quart Elite Gourmet slow cookers (model MST-250XW) which I ordered are not made of plastic and have a thin steel sheet metal housing instead.Don't forget to work in a well-ventilated area, wear a proper respirator mask, and always wear your goggles!Hope this helps,JasonOld Foundry Toy Works

This is a great no-frills slow cooker, easy to use. I've had it for almost 10 years, and I use it every week for Shabbat meals. I use it for slow cooked eggs - I leave it on the warm setting overnight and it's done in time for lunch the next day. I've also used it to infuse butter. Beware that the low and high settings are both too hot for overnight cooking.

This is great for a 2 person family. Not alot of leftovers. Not having to eat leftovers for 3 nights in a row then maybe throw some out. This makes just the right amount for 2 people. It cooks 3 pork shoulder blades bone in. And 4 chicken thighs. Decent size ones. It is great love it. Glad I got it.

Why I love this slow cooking cooker. The size and shape: as you can see in the photo, a chuck roast fits perfectly! I cut roasts in sections and this shows (2) 1.25 pound sections. Buying a large chuck roast and cutting and freezing sections is perfect for a 1 or 2 person family. The oval shape is so much more functional than a round one! I thaw the roasts first then pop into the slow cooker. Instead of dealing with a large appliance, this small cooker is so much easier to clean. Instead of heating up leftovers from a large appliance you can have fresh food for every meal. How many of us have forgotten about an expensive cut of left over roast in the frig? This smaller cooker solves that problem and saves money! Forget about the reviews saying the cooker is smaller than they expected! Smaller has so many advantages. Another advantage to cutting up a roast into smaller sections is adding these to slow cooking soup. Fresh vegetable soup with a bit of chuck roast or pork roast meat is exceptional. All fresh! All healthy! I’m an experienced cook with many years experience and I recommend this purple slow cooker!

This little cooker is a JEM! My husband lives in a nursing so I only cook for myself now. This cooker is perfect for my stew recipe ( I get 2 good sized meals out of it) and it looks cute on my counter (of course that matters). I had purchased the next size bigger, but gave it to my sister and brother-in-law who absolutely like and use it often.You can cook for a long time without burning your dinner. I believe you can put it right on your counter, but if I go out, I put it on a fireproof plate.

This is a nice crockpot that is very easy to clean. I've made soups, stews and other slow cooked recipes and the interior wipes clean with little effort. I've been very pleased with this product so far.