What's Cookin' In Your Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker?

One of the best wedding gifts I received was a slow cooker. I have had it since I got married nearly 13 years ago and it is one kitchen appliance I think every kitchen should have.

Just before Christmas my mom was trying to put together Christmas wish lists for us. She asked me what I wanted and I replied, "Well, my Crockpot broke today so I guess I could use a new one." In truth there really was not anything wrong with the crockpot. It still worked fine, even with the broken knob. However, my husband and I had been discussing for some time that a newer, larger, slowcooker with a removable pot would be nice.

On Christmas I found a brand new Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker under the tree with my name on it. This slow cooker was more than I could have asked for and is just absolutely perfect.

How Does It Look?
I love the looks of this slow cooker. Being oval it holds a roast, or a small ham quite nicely. It can also fit a small rack of ribs quite nicely.

The outside of the slow cooker has different peppers on it. The colors are green, red, and yellow with a white background. There are white handles on the side for easy carrying. The lid is clear glass with a white knob on top.

Any Special Features?
Well, I think that being oval is a special feature. In addition to that there are some other very nice features of the Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker.

•6.5 Qt Capacity: This means it can hold a lot of food. You can definitely feed the family with this. That also enables it to cook larger items, like a roast.
•Removable Crock: My previous Crockpot did not have this feature and I really love it. There are a couple of reasons that make this a special feature. Even though the slowcooker has a nice design to it, the cord can get in the way if you want to take it to the table. With the removable crock (which is white) you can place that on the table as your serving dish.
The removable crock is also nice when cleaning the slowcooker. With my previous one you could not submerge it in water due to the electrical unit. You don't have to worry about that with this slowcooker. You remove the crock and can get it as wet as you want, or even soak it in the sink if it needs a little soaking.
The removable crock can be placed in the refrigerator if there are leftovers.
You can also put this removable crock in the microwave if you wish to re-heat it.
•3 settings: Keep Warm, Low, and High
•Strap: It took me quite some time to figure out what the little rubber strap that came with the slow cooker was for. It secures the lid on the slowcooker if you are transporting it somewhere.

I saved the best feature for last.
•Washable Carrying Case: Yup, the Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker comes with an insulated, washable carrying case. This is great if you like to take food to a potluck or things like that.
The handles poke out the sides of the carrying case so it is easy to carry.

Is It Easy To Care For And Use?
The Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker is super easy to care for. The outside can be wiped off with a damp sponge and the inside cleans very easily. The white stoneware is stainproof and I find that everything comes off nicely with hot water, soap and a sponge. There is minimal scrubbing needed and if I do make something particularly messy I can always soak the removable crock.

Using a slowcooker is one of the easiest ways to cook. You literally toss everything in and turn it on. It isn't like the infomercials for walkaway cookware, this really works.

Why Does Every Kitchen Need One?
I truly beleive everyone needs a slow cooker. Recently, my neighbor had a party and she made chili in a pot on the stove. She left the stove on low to keep the chili hot throughout the party. You guessed it, the chili burnt and she had quite a mess to clean up the next morning.

With a slowcooker you don't have that problem. I made Chili on Christmas eve. It was simple. I had cooked some ground beef and added it to the slowcooker. I then added some seasonings, tomatoes, tomatoe sauce and turned the slowcooker on. I did this in the morning and the chili cooked all day. About 30 minutes before I wanted to serve the chili I added some beans. The chili was perfect! Not too mention the house smelled wonderful.

An appliance like the Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker is perfect for working people because you toss everything in before you go to work and when you come home, it's all done. I have tossed in meatballs in the morning, with some sauce, and by 5:30 they are done to perfection. No burning! Plus, you get home from work, walk in the door, and you can smell dinner is almost done.

I highly recommend the Hamilton Beach 6.5 qt Oval Meal Maker. The fact that it has a removable crock that can be placed in the insulated, washable carrying case makes it the perfect appliance.

This would make a fantastic wedding gift or housewarming gift. It is also a great gift for someone who doesn't have a slowcooker....like yourself.

I confess, I was actually with my mom when she bought this for me, although I had no idea it was for me (okay maybe I had a little idea). She paid $27.99 on sale. The regular price, at Target, is $34.99. For an appliance that can make your life so easy...it's worth every penny!

If this will be your first time with a slowcooker, look up recipes on the internet or purchase a cheap slowcooker recipe book to get you started.