Thursday, November 5, 2009

Cuisinart PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker


Product Description

Slow cooking is an art form. And the Cuisinart Programmable 3.5 Quart Slow Cooker perfects it using a precise, convenient 24 hour LCD countdown timer and four cooking modes including a Warm function when the time elapses. It's easy to make comfort foods or try out new gourmet creations-all in a convenient-sized ceramic pot that fits comfortably on any countertop.

Product Details

* Amazon Sales Rank: #3884 in Kitchen & Housewares
* Brand: Cuisinart
* Model: PSC-350
* Dimensions: 11.75" h x 16.50" w x 14.25" l, 17.40 pounds

Features

* Oval-shaped programmable slow cooker with 3-1/2-quart ceramic pot
* Touchpad control panel; 24-hour LCD countdown timer; 4 cooking modes
* Automatic keep-warm; glass lid; nonslip rubber feet; stay-cool handles for safety
* Dishwasher-safe pot and lid; instruction manual with recipes included
* Measures 14-1/4 by 16-1/2 by 11-3/4 inches; 3-year limited warranty


Amazon.com Product Description
Enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals even with a busy schedule thanks to this oval-shaped programmable slow cooker. Simply add ingredients to the unit's ceramic pot, insert the pot into the cooker, and set the 24-hour LCD countdown timer. After a long day at work or a busy day of weekend errands, dinner will be ready and waiting. Perfect for soups, casseroles, pot roasts, curries, and more, its 3-1/2-quart capacity works great for single-person meals with leftovers or for small families. The slow cooker provides a user-friendly touchpad control panel and four cooking modes that include high, low, simmer, and warm. When the cook time ends, the appliance automatically shifts to the "warm" setting, so dinner stays hot and ready to serve without overcooking. Other highlights include a glass lid for keeping an eye on the cooking process, nonslip rubber feet, and stay-cool side handles for safe transport. The ceramic cooking pot and glass lid can go in the dishwasher for quick cleanup, and an instruction manual with recipes comes included. Attractively housed in brushed stainless steel, the slow cooker measures 14-1/4 by 16-1/2 by 11-3/4 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty.

Customer Reviews

Not really programmable, but better than average quality.4
This cooker has a digital timer that you can set to cook at your chosen setting (Simmer, Low, High) for any time up to 24 hours. At the end of the set cooking time, it automatically switches to Warm, and then switches itself off after another eight hours. IMO, a truly "Programmable" cooker would change heat settings during cooking, and perhaps have a delayed start function; this unit does neither.

On the other hand, the Simmer setting is what's missing from some other slow cookers, and perhaps that's why foods get burned. This cooker heats to 185°F on Simmer, 200°F on Low, 212°F on High, and 165°F on Warm. Some cook books, including Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, assume that Low is 180°. 180°F is the oven temperature I've always used for slow cooking a leg of lamb, London broil, and other roasts, so the lower Simmer setting is something I appreciate.

The stainless steel housing, glass lid, control panel, and ceramic pot are all nicely constructed and finished - nothing's cheap-looking or flimsy - and looks like they'll last for years. The 3-1/2qt oval pot holds a 2-1/2lb chuck roast without the meat touching the sides, and there's enough room for a layer of vegetables (a couple of cups chopped) a layer a meat a couple inches thick, and new potatoes on top. You could cook a complete meal in this for three or four people. Mine is a one-person household and this is the ideal size for me; anything smaller wouldn't make enough leftovers.

The included cookbook has nutritional information - number of servings, calories, carbs, fat, protein, sodium, and more - for all 50 recipes. I gave it four stars instead of five because it's not what I consider programmable, but I'm very pleased with it for the price.

Love it!5
I absolutely love this slow cooker! If this was available a few years ago I could have saved tons of money trying to find a slow cooker that didn't overcook everything! I've not had it very long but have made 3 dishes already and each turned out perfect,not boiled beyond recognition. I have purchased at least 3 Rival slow cookers and either took them back or sold them at my garage sale. Each of them boiled everything even on low,not to mention had issues with water dripping onto the countertop from under the lid! The one that seemed to work the best prior to purchasing the Cuisinart was the Corelle 4qt slow cooker, but it did not give me the option of setting the exact time...anything set under 7 hrs automatically cooked on high. I also have the Kitchenaid which is a great slow cooker but is 7qts...now they say you can make smaller recipes with no problems, but almost all recipes sized for a 3-4 qt slow cooker overcooked when I tried to use it. I probably could have tried adjusting the cooking time or something but just didn't want to go to the bother. If you're making a large amount then it's awesome. It was very expensive also. So as you can see, I have tried a number of them. The Cuisinart is the perfect size for the two of us, with leftovers to boot. I have not had problems with over cooking. I would highly recommend it!

Great slow cooker!!5
I love cooking and this slow cooker is a huge plus! I was looking for a small-size slow cooker between 3qt and 4qt with a timer. As far as I know, Cuisinart is the only brand that clears my requirements. The stainless steel finish makes it modern and clean looking.

This slow cooker is very easy to use. Just plug in, turn on, set the cooking time (+- by 30 min)and choose the heat setting. I made beef goulash and the meat was cooked so tender. The 3.5qt oval size pot is perfect for 2-4 people. You can easily cook large meat or a small portion of food. My only concern is that the surface gets very hot while cooking. You don't want to put anything flammable around it.
Overall, I love this slow cooker!!

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