I am struggling with which size to purchase. We are a small family of three with limited cooking space but think the 4 qt. too small. Suggestions?

While I do not own this particular one, I do own a couple of slow cooker crock-pots. One is 4qt. and the other is a 6qt. Here's the deal - once you get used to using a slow cooker, you will want the biggest one you can get(or fit on your counter-top). I haven't used my 4qt cooker for years, because you can always use less ingredients in a larger pot - but you can't fit 6qts. of ingredients into a 4qt. pot. I buy a load(at least 20lbs or better) of frozen boneless chicken breasts whenever they are on sale, then stack 'em in the deep freezer. About once or twice a month I will pull 4 or 5 pounds out put them into my crock ad some water, maybe some seasonings - and let them cook on low heat over-night. In the morning I have cooked boneless chicken breasts that I run under cold water to remove the fat(it all mostly cooks out) and put them into a large bowl or bucket. I then use a set of large bbq grill forks to shred them up for use in tacos, BBQ silders, etc. the cooked meat freezes well and can be thawed quickly in a microwave for just about anything you can think of. I also use it for making spaghetti sauce(which always seems to taste better if you let it cook slowly for a day or so). I prep up all my ingredients on one day, and actually mix everything into the pot the next day - then it sits for at least 8 hours on low heat with a toothpick under the lid. I check it every couple of hours(adding water if needed), once it is done to taste, I let it cool off, and then freeze it for later meals. Done this way, even fancy spaghetti recipes only take an hour to make. Once you get used to making meals with one, you will find that slow-cookers can do just about any meal, if you try.Get a BIG slow-cooker - you will not regret it(unless you can't fit it onto your counter).

most recipes say cook on low or high, how do you know what temp that is?

On Slow Cook the manual states High is 212* and low is 200*. In my experience even on high this model doesn’t reach 200*. If a recipe calls for slow cook on high, I use the roast functions set to 250*

Is this crock pot lead free?

I have tried to call crockpot to ask this ? . I have one that is 50 yrs old. They sent me to a 3rd party that did not even make this plug in crockpot. I was told as I understood that yes I should get a new model but again they only made the stove top crocks. I suspect if someone has an older model they should get a new one because the rules changed about lead in things a while back. I even had to get rid of some old plates I was using. I do not think I will purchase a crock pot due to the customer service and difficulty communicating with them. when I finally got to talk to a supervisor she helped, I think , and as I understand it , I was told 100% no lead BUT was told fda and Calif prop 65 meets requirements for the stoneware.

What size is best for a slow cooker? The Cuisinart comes in several sizes.

Ron, as many of the people responding to your question have done, I purchased the 6 Qt. as well. I often downsize my recipes to a serving for 2 or 3 and a great cook book for these recipes is America's Test Kitchen, "Cooking for Two, 2012". There are slow cooker recipes that work great in the larger slow cooker and come out just fine. I purchased this specific Cuisinart because of its oblong shape - makes it easy to cook meat or chicken on skewers. And, with the larger size you are prepared for the eventual times you want to cook a roast or larger meal. Hope this was helpful.

Item Weight	9.5 Pounds
Item Depth	9.1 inches
Capacity	3.3 Liters
Item Dimensions D x W x H	9.1"D x 12.67"W x 9.5"H
Is the item dishwasher safe?	Yes
Material Type	Stainless Steel
Control Type	Programmable
Controller Type	Push Button
Number of settings	4
Voltage	220 Volts
Control Method	Touch
Wattage	1350 watts
Shape	Oval
Pattern	Solid
Color	Silver

PSC-350 3-1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, Silver, 9-1/2 in H x 9.1 in W x 12.67 in L

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