Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by HMC : Excellent choice for a truly useful appliance

We have had this slow cooker for three months, using it twice a week. So far we are very satisfied.

In researching our purchase and reading numerous reviews, we found that the Cuisinart generally received positive evaluations. There were a few negative ones, but obviously we discounted them and went ahead with the Cuisinart anyway. Some reviewers criticized it for overheating food, but overheating in a slow cooker is usually a sign that the pot was underfilled. A good slow cooker should have the power to heat a full pot to over 200 F, so it should come as no surprise that the heater can boil a low pot. The Cuisinart instructions specifically warn against underfilled pots, and we have had no overheating problems with even half-full pots.

We have not had this cooker long enough to comment on durability. Contrary to some opinions, our impression is that the Cuisinart is a solidly constructed, well-designed appliance, made with high quality materials. No sign of a lemon here.

We use our 4 qt cooker to make meals for a family of four. We debated whether to get a larger size, but in retrospect we realize that a one gallon pot holds more than enough for our family.

Programmability was important to us, and we like the userfriendliness of this unit. A few reviewers have lamented the lack of a delayed start program, but a feature that encourages you to leave raw food at room temperature for a prolonged period did not sound that desirable to me. The cooker will automatically switch to a safe warming mode in case you are not around at the end of the cooking cycle.

A cookbook is included, but most of the recipes are one or two steps beyond the convenience of a mix-and-go meal. We have bought cookbooks with simpler recipes, and have been happy with the results.

There are other slow cookers that will perform the basic tasks competently for less money than the Cuisinart. For the extra cost you get programmability, a nice appearance, superior quality, and a few unexpected extras.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by barking burro : Well-designed and fills the right niche

I bought the Cuisinart PSC-400 because I wanted to expand my cooking skills into the realm of slow cooker convenience--but at the same time, I wanted to avoid the wonderful varieties of bland, gray, tough, and mushy disappointment that slow cookers are so famous for.

I previously owned 2 slow cookers, both Rival Crock-Pots. One was the original cylindrical model (with the crockery that didn't detach from the base); the other was a more recent 7 qt. oval model. I never made anything good in either one. My last effort in the large oval cooker was to try (repeatedly) to make beef brisket. The results always came out bland and stringy.

Then, about 100 Alton Brown and Gordon Ramsey shows later, I was ready to return to the challenge of slow cooking. This time, I was armed with better information:

1) Apart from stews, meats like dry heat. Avoid slow cookers for brisket especially. But if you have to slow cook meats, place them above the vegetables and be sparing on the liquid content.

2) Avoid filling a slow cooker only 1/2 way. Try to fill it at least 2/3, or you will likely overcook your food.

3) No color, no flavor. If you cook any meats, poultry, etc., always brown them first in a skillet, if possible.

4) Herbs are a mixed bag. Most dried herbs have diminishing flavor in a slow cooker, whereas fresh/undried herbs will tend to produce more flavor than you're used to.

So I looked for a slow cooker that I could use for my experiments. It had to be small enough so I could fill it up without wasting too much food on bad experiments, yet large enough to get at least a couple of useful meals for my wife and I. It had to be tall and narrow, so I could control the wet and dry portions (layering the food) and prevent overheating if I did want to cook a smaller portion. It had to have preferably three or more temperature settings so I could find the right one. And it had to be safe to leave unattended all day or all night.

The Cuisinart PSC-400 not only fit all of the above criteria, but its automatic warm setting, ease of programming, retractable cord, and good looks were a bonus. Most importantly, of all the slow cookers reviewed, this one appeared to have the highest consensus that its heat settings were appropriate. I found this to be the case as well. "Low" really means low. And "high" is still below the lowest simmer I can achieve on a gas stove. Since there are three cooking settings (not counting the "warm" setting), you shouldn't have any problem finding the right one. Also, according to the manual, the heating elements wrap around the side for more even heat distribution. I think one would be hard pressed to find another slow cooker for the same price with all of these features.

After buying the Cuisinart, I downloaded 8 recipes from the Food Channel site and got busy. The initial disappointing results led me to the following conclusion: either these famous TV chefs never tasted their own slow cooking, or slow cookers are just too different to use any recipe without significant changes. (Yeah, ok, or I can't follow a simple recipe. I'll let you decide.)

But I persevered, and by the time I got to the last few recipes, I was improvising more, with better results. I made a stewed pork dish by first searing the pork in a skillet, along with onions, peppers, etc., then transfering to the slow cooker with just a little broth. The result was flavorful and tender--similar to carnitas.

Eventually, my wife wanted to try out the slow cooker. She has this pork rib soup recipe that she stove-cooks at a good boil for 3 hours. It's one of her best dishes. In order to duplicate her results in the slow cooker, we tried the high setting for 8 hours. The results were perfect! We now use that 2.5:1 ratio as a guide when converting other similar recipes.

Being aware of the comments on this site that some people found the slow cooker to boil and rattle the lid, I wish to report that this never happened for me, even when cooking on high. Let me be precise: that pork rib stew did bubble at a low boil by the 8 hour mark, but never excessively so (the cooker was full, not half way).

I have one more successful cooking story I want to share. One of the aforementioned Food Channel recipes had resulted in a dry, stringy, flavorless chicken, despite the fact that it had been cooking on low for 6 hours, submerged in broth. So I made it my personal goal to duplicate the most moist and tender poached chicken I've ever eaten: Hainan style chicken. And I'm happy to say I've cracked the code: 2 1/2 hours on high for 6 thighs + 3 breasts. I layered the chicken and other ingredients to within 1/2" from the rim, with two breasts on top (meat side down), then filled with liquid up to the top layer. (Note that the manual says not to get closer than 1" from the top rim. They have their needs, I have mine.) After cooking and verifying the thighs were 170 degrees and breasts were 165, I immediately submerged the chicken in ice water. The result was equal in texture to the best Hainan Jifan I've ever had. And the flavor was wonderful! (Hint: 6" ginger + 6 green onions + fresh garlic + 32 oz. low salt [70 mg. sodium] chicken stock + at least 2 tablespoons salt and buy only organic free range chicken.)

After cooking so many dishes, I have gotten a feel for how the heat settings work. Don't expect to see a big difference between the three heat settings for the first 2 hours. The slow cooker was still heating up even after the 2 1/2 hours I used for the Hainan chicken. And you should never cook anything for less than 2 hours on high. The lower heat settings should be used for cooking times of at least 4 hours, preferably longer. The manual talks a little about this w.r.t. food safety, so read it carefully.

As far as cleanup, be careful when handling the crockery insert--it feels fragile. The stainless steel exterior wipes clean easily and continues to look beautiful after many cleanings. I haven't had any problems with the plastic handles covered in chrome. Overall, this does appear to be a much higher quality product than your average slow cooker.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by wileykat : boiling, not slow cooking

I was interested in a smaller size slow cooker but I wanted the programming features of the larger cookers. The Cuisinart 650 model has a lot of criticisms and plenty of 1 star ratings, but most of the reviews for both the CSC-400 and PSC-400 were positive. Unfortunately, every negative comment of the larger model is true with the PSC-400 I bought:

-the low temperature setting is too high
-the high setting boils the food
-escaping steam causes the lid to rattle constantly
-condensation runs down the outside of the pot

After researching how a slow cooker is "suppose" to work, I find descriptions such as this: "Slow cookers are designed to emit very little steam, so food braises in its own juices, as well as any cooking liquid."

The USDA website says: "The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods."

The Cuisinart PSC-400 does not slow cook. It boils. It rattles.

Lastly, yes, it looks great, but it is a space hog.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by RSD48 : A happy convert

My very old slow cooker is rarely used. It has no keep-warm setting and is huge. It was a gift. Since there is only two of us, this was just not an appliance that I reached for. Then I found some really good cookbooks for smaller units and with much more interesting recipes than the old dump 'n run versions with ingredients like the ever present cream soups. Those older recipes were too high in salt and fat for us. These newer books recommended tailoring the crock size to the recipe. I needed a smaller unit.

After agonizing about multiple choices, I chose to go with truly modern features. What I have come to like the best is being able to set a specific time and having it automatically move to warm until I am ready to serve. This really came in handy a few days ago when my husband and I were delayed 2 hours getting home.

I have read criticisms about the temperatures being too high. If you read the intros of modern slow cooker cookbooks, they emphasize that newer cookers try to run at temperatures that ensure food safety. This one has an automatic aspect in the first 30 minutes that brings food rapidly up through temperatures into the safe zone before settling down on either the high, low or simmer cooking setting. This stage could be misunderstood as being too high if you have not read the manual. Advice: Use simmer for making soups.

This does mean that some older recipes may need adjusting. But of the recipes we've tried from the enclosed recipe book, as well as from two excellent cook books (Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two: For the Small Slow Cooker OR Art of the Slow Cooker: 80 Exciting New Recipes everything has come out beautifully. Some have been done on low and a couple have been done on high, whichever was called for. Both settings worked well.

This 4 qt size has turned out to be the most versatile for us. The crock cleans up very well. Be sure to read the instructions about not rapidly changing the temperature of the crock with either cold ingredients or when washing it.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by Manju Kandula : Beautiful and works well

This is a perfect slow cooker. Perfect size when following slow cooker recipes for "medium round." Very stylish...matches my Cuisinart rice cooker. I like the fact that I can set the timer for whatever time I want. When the time is up, the cooker sets to "keep" mode. Very easy to clean and takes up little space compared to my larger slow cooker. The lid fits perfectly with no escape of liquid.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by J. Dallas Dishman "Dallas" : The Little Crock Pot that Could

Great little slow cooker/crockpot.

The unit cooks well and evenly.

The sleek design is suitable for a permanent home on the counter (unlike my older crockpot with it's 1970's floral print, which is best hidden in the cupboard). The retractable cord is an added bonus that makes it easy to keep on the counter or store neatly on a shelf.

The digital display is great - I love being able to set the time and walk away. But, calling this a programmable unit is a bit misleading - it's equipped with a digital timer, that's where the programming ends. The only thing that kept this review from being 5 stars is the lack of a "delayed start" option, which I thought would be included on a "programmable unit". However, to be fair, that short-coming, if you can call it that, is compensated for by the "warming feature" that keeps food warm after the cooking cycle.

The 4 quart is great for a small household. However, since you technically should only cook about 3 quarts in a 4 quart unit, if you have a household of 4 or more or love to eat "left overs", I suggest you consider bumping up to the 6 quart unit. Otherwise, you may find that your regular recipes don't quite fit into the pot.

All in all, well worth the investment.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by Boilermate : Really Nice Slow Cooker

I've gone thru several slow cookers and when the latest got dropped and broken I decided I wanted something a bit more than the basic off-low-high rotary switch model. After researching the available digital models, I settled on this one. I am glad I did.

The design is a bit bulkier than I am used to, but it has nice sturdy handles and is well balanced. The handles on the removable crockery are also big enough to grab with pot holders.

The touch pad programmable timer is easy to set. The three cooking levels (high, low, and simmer) plus "keep warm" are a nice feature.

The book tells you what the temperatures the settings maintain. I like that it will start on "high" no matter what you set it for until it comes up to temperature and then shift to your setting. (Heating quickly past the "Danger Zone") When your cooking time is up, it will shift to "keep warm". The only thing I wish it would allow is dual programming. (Say, 2 hours on high and then 4 hours on low)

Other nice touches: it comes with a dual height rack for the pot and the cord retracts into the body for neat storage.

The instruction book is well written and contains quite a few recipes (70 I think) and the 3 yr warranty is a plus.

Nothing makes cleanup easier than Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners(other than having someone else do it).

Overall I am very pleased with this slow cooker and would recommend it to a friend.

UPDATE 7/3/10: Its been two years since we purchased this and we are still happy with our purchase. We have had no problems with it. We like it so much that we purchased the 6.5 qt. slow cooker as well. (Some things just don't fit in the smaller one.)

I recently discovered you can change the temperature (say, high to low) without resetting the time. Most other digital devices I have (toaster oven and full-sized oven) can't do this.

The unit shifts to "keep warm" when it times out except if you put it on "keep warm" yourself...then it just shuts off. Why would I do this? I was doing a roast the recipe said I should do for four hours on high. The thermometer said it was done in two. So rather than reset the timer, I just shifted it to "keep warm." Two hours later it beeped and shut off. This is not a problem, IMO, just good to know.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by cheryl O. red wine lover : Great little slow cooker!

I have the all clad 6.5 quart programable slow cooker and it's great, but too big for some of the recipes I cook like desserts. This Cuisinart is great when it's just me and my husband. I've made several recipes and it works good. I got rid of my old slow cookers, the only way to go is programable that switch to warm like this one and allclad's. That way if you have a recipe that calls for 6-8 hrs and you don't get home for 9+ hrs your meal hasn't turned to mush.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by Matthew Marlowe : Really Good Cooker With Some Minor Flaws

good:
- elegant appearance, looks good next to all the other stainless appliances
- cooks very well, we've been using it for a few weeks now and all the meals have turned out delicious.
- controls are very well done
- auto warming function
- generally runs quiet w/o any problems

bad:
- in some circumstances, I think the lid is just too light so that 3-4hrs into a "high" heat dish that has alot of water in it, it will start to vibrate up and down and you'll hear steam coming out the top (I'm going to speak to cusinart about this, but we cook nearly all of our stuff on low so this rarely impacts us).
- we've noticed that many dishes seem to take longer to cook than they should (e.g. 8hr dish takes 9-10hrs on low). We're still monitoring to see if its a general problem or specific to the cusinart.

Cuisinart PSC-400 Stainless-Steel 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Review by D. Brown : Very poor quality

Poor quality all around. My first experience was removing the unit from the box - The handles on the sides of the unit are plastic, coated with a metal plating to give them that polished look, almost like a thick layer of metal foil. The foil on one the handles had lifted and shredded somehow so that I was left with a deep cut on reaching in to pick it up. Anxious to give the slow cooker a try while the wound healed, the pot cracked on the first use. As others have noted, this $35 replacement part (almost half the price of the unit) is not covered by warranty. This is my first and last experience with Cuisinart. Garbage.