MST-275XS 2 Qt. Slow Cooker

I ordered 2 of these crockpots last minute for a Christmas party as I had 2 Queso dips I wanted to keep warm but my 2 large crockpots were way too big. These smaller crockpots were perfect. They heated up well and has 4 settings. I appreciated the "warm" was actually what it said and not too hot. The bowl cleaned up great. I rinsed the excess and put the bowl and lid in the dishwasher no issues. The only downside I found was the cord was a bit short but perfectly adequate for 95% of counter placements. The crockpots also stood up to cat inspection and were not easily pushed or nudged around. Do be aware the outside of the crockpot gets warm just like any other crockpot but the lid handle never became warm which was good. In addition, there is no utensil holder or prop.

I love this lil crockpot. It did have a little chunk missing on the ceramic inner pot but not big enough to affect functionality and not visible since it sets inside the outer pot. It works great and is perfect for one or two people. Please be advised though that because it's more compact, cooking time is much faster than a standard crockpot so adjust that when using recipes for regular size crockpots. My first dish was a cabbage & chicken recipe and it was pure mush after 3 hours even though the recipe called for a 4 hour cooking time. I now cut all cooking times in half and food comes out perfect. The keep warm function is really nice too. I got the metallic red pot and it's so pretty which is a bonus feature.

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, Jason Old Foundry Toy Works

It’s perfect for 1-2 people. Works as it should and even has a warm setting. I also like that it is oval instead of round. Price was good too. I also bought the liners for this size cooker but would not rate them as high because in my opinion they were too expensive for 5 liners.

First, I just want to say that this crockpot does its job well, and that I've had none of the issues I've seen in a few other reviews about the lid not fitting. The lid balances perfectly on the rim, and holds heat & moisture in. The cord isn't super long, but I have average sized countertops and it plugs into the wall, and still has give in the cord when I have the cooker near the edge while filling it. Plus it's very attractive and takes up little room on the counter, which is where I store it. And the purple is great! But I do have to say that it IS small -- and I read the reviews, so thought I was prepared for that. But because the walls slant inward, going from top to bottom, the top has a wider opening than the available area on the bottom. So, for instance, if you have a roast that's fairly the same size all around, it may technically fit in the top, but not be able to be squished into the bottom. I'm using the crockpot right now (boneless country spareribs in BBQ sauce), or I'd take a photo to show this. As another example, I made pork chops in a cherry sauce and used the kind of pork chops that look like small T-bone steaks. There were only two chops & they were normal in size, yet I couldn't just lay them flat but had to sort of squish them in. They cooked just fine, but next time I'll use boneless, just as I doubt I'll ever try a roast, but will instead either make stew or use a top or bottom round steak (cut up in a few pieces) so there will be room for a few vegetables. And when I say few I'm thinking one yellow onion, one sliced sweet potato, one large or two medium carrots and one stalk celery -- and that'll be all that will fit except for a little liquid. It will fit a couple of boneless chicken breasts - maybe three -- even if they're on the large side, but again the bottom one may need to be squished in a little. Anyway, if you want to be able to cook a small chicken, choose a larger pot. A Cornish hen might fit in this one. All that being said, though, I'm still glad I bought this as it's just the right size for the amounts we make, and I find the larger sizes hard to wash because they're so heavy & we don't have a dishwasher. If you're okay with the size, I think you'll like it!

Good size cookpot to make a meal for two. It didn’t take up much room for storage. I have used it many times to make beef and pork cooked perfectly. It has a temperature control -low, high, and warm settings. It works great. Easy to clean. I have big ones, but I like this one the most. Good quality product. Highly recommend

Horrible product. The outer part of the cooker melted away. Dangerous to use. Can’t even return it as the returned window closed day before.

Very good product

Poor Quality

This product is extremely disappointing. The handles melted during the first use, producing smoke and triggering the fire alarm. Additionally, the electrical socket is a North American standard, which is incompatible with the outlets in my apartment. There is also no indicator light to show whether the slow cooker is on or off. Overall, it was a complete waste of time and money. If there were an option to give less than one star, I would rate it a zero.