Cuisinart PSC-350C 3.5 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

This slow cooker may be a bit more expensive than what you can find in the same size but I feel it is worth the money. This is the smallest slow cooker that I had found with a programmable timer function. At 3.5 quarts (around 3.3 liters) I've found that it's great for preparing a meal for 4 or a single meal with enough left overs to stretch a few days. The recipes I've used take 1 - 2 lbs of meat plus additional ingredients and the cooker handles them well and is usually filled half way or almost full. (I have read that this is a consideration as ideally the cooker should at least be half full for good cooking, so this cooker is great for smaller homes.) With a bit of prep, you can have things ready to throw in the pot in the morning and have it ready for when you get home. Great for when you want to avoid dinner prep when you are too tired after a day's work. The timer is a countdown timer that begins when you turn the unit on and can be programmed up to 24 hours. Cooking time is displayed on a cool blue timer screen. You have three heat settings to choose from "high, low and simmer" to cook your food (other pots have high, low and warm that you have to manually switch). To use the cooker, you simply turn it on, set the timer in 30 minute increments and then choose your heat setting. Once the timer runs out the unit automatically shifts to it's keep warm setting until you turn it off (or for 8 hours, at which point the unit automatically turns itself off). The timer's great for when you want to do the "leave home" cooking so you don't have to worry about burning. You can also use it without the timer, turn it on and choose your heat setting which defaults the unit to 24 hour cooking time, and then you manually keep track of how long the food has cooked. The ceramic pot is removable and easy to clean. The instructions come with a few recipes but it is good to a have recipe book. I've done a few recipes "by the book" now and they have all turned out great, and I'm really not a great cook, in fact it's hard to see how you could go wrong cooking this way. The unit itself looks smart with it's chrome outer unit, the black ceramic pot insert and the glass lid (which makes it easy to see how the cooking's going inside). So all in all, it's a good choice for a smaller household and if you want worry free cooking.

Although I have a larger 6 quart slow cooker, sometimes it's just too large. For slow cookers to function properly they must be at least 1/2 to 2/3rds full. So I started hunting for a smaller one - a nice in-between size. The key feature crucial to my purchase is that it had to have a countdown digital timer. The Cuisinart PSC-350C has the features I want - a countdown digital timer ranging from 00.00 to 24:00 hrs., a glass lid, removable ceramic pot, Low/High/Simmer/Warm function, auto switch to Warm up to 8-hrs., 3-yr warranty, plus a 68-page operating manual & cookbook (English & French). Price-wise, ordering through Amazon was substantially cheaper than buying it directly from the shops here in Vancouver. Delivery service was very prompt - delivered 1 week after ordering. The 3.5 quart is a perfect size if cooking for 1 or 2 people or for making dishes where you don't want tons of leftovers. It's a breeze to operate and cooks to perfection, automatically switching to the Warm setting (and staying there for up to 8-hrs) once the cooking mode has completed its cycle. To give dishes added flavour, I like to season, dredge and brown the meat, poultry or vegetables before placing in the crockery insert. It's really worth the extra time and effort, because then the meal doesn't take on a "boiled" theme. When adding extra cooking liquid, reduce it to about 2-1/2 cups, unless you're making soup. There is always more liquid left at the end of the cooking cycle than when you start. And for those who make Chinese congee (or jook), the slow cooker makes the process super simple eliminating sticking, burning or constant baby-sitting. Use your favourite recipe, but a ratio of 1 cup long-grain white rice to 10 cups of chicken stock (or water) gives a good consistency, cook on Low for 8-10 hours. Unquestionably, a huge benefit for having a slow cooker is that it provides an opportunity to purchase less-expensive, but far tastier cuts of meat. Also, it eliminates stress - there's nothing like walking in the door to the aroma of a delicious ready-to-eat meal!

This slow cooker is my favourite kitchen appliance! I use it at least twice a week. I also have a Hamilton Beach 6 quart programmable slow cooker. I really like that one too, but I find it a bit big for regular use. I shopped around to find something smaller, and ended up purchasing this one a few months ago. This is a really cute lightweight appliance, and it doesn’t take up much room on the counter. It is the perfect size for around 2-4 servings of food, or a side dish.

I work alot so the programming feature is absolutely essential. There’s nothing worse than coming home to the smell of burnt food (cabbage and beets are a nightmare!). I hate the taste of slow cooked food when it’s overdone. I also find the idea of dumping cans of soup into the slow cooker unappealing. I like to use more “gourmet” recipes and cookbooks for cooking in the slow cooker, and I don’t mind spending a bit of prep time to use fresh ingredients. Most of these recipes and cookbooks usually require strict cooking times. This slow cooker is great, because I can set the cooking time and leave the house for the day. When it’s done it switches to warm. ALL of the recipes I’ve made have been perfectly cooked!

Some of my favourite things to cook in this slow cooker are: marinara sauce, smaller batches of soup, pork tenderloin, a small meat loaf, mashed potatoes (who knew?) and chicken breasts.

Oh, and the PERFECT companion cookbook for this is the book “Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker: Recipes for Two” by Beth Hensperger. The recipes in the book work perfectly with the 3.5 quart size and can easily be doubled for 4 servings.