The All-Clad 6.5-Quart Electric Slow Cooker 99009 is a state-of-the-art appliance with sophisticated digital programming.

The base is styled in stainless steel and polished to a mirror finish. Two riveted side handles have All-Clad's signature riveted construction. A soft-grip rubberized top rim cover protects the beautiful black stoneware crockery insert. The 6.5-quart heavy ceramic liner heats evenly and cooks extremely efficiently. You also get a clear glass lid, which keeps heat and moisture within the cooking vessel for moist, flavorful meats, vegetables and more. The oval-shaped crock is ideal for cooking an extra-large roast, whole chicken (or small turkey), ham or rack of ribs. We found it also did a wonderful job cooking a sweet potato side dish, with virtually no sticking or burning along the edges. We were very impressed with the design of the stoneware liner. Its extra-thick walls retain and distribute heat effectively, plus the flared top rim has two molded side handles for easy lifting.

The All-Clad Slow Cooker has a digital front panel with five pushbutton controls, including a Power button, as well as a Set button (to choose the temperature) and Up and Down buttons (to select the cooking time). A Start button begins the cooking cycle. Although the controls are not exactly intuitive, they are quick and easy to master.

The manufacturer has added some smart programming features to make your slow cooking experience foolproof. There are three temperature settings: High, Low and Warm. The High setting can be programmed from 2 to 8 hours; whereas Low can be set from 4 to 20 hours, since this setting is more likely to need a longer cooking cycle. The Up and Down buttons control the length of cooking within the allowable parameters. Once you've selected your settings, the Start button activates the cooking cycle. An illuminated cook light lets you know that cooking has begun and the digital display counts down to show the remaining time. When the time has elapsed, the slow cooker switches to Keep Warm mode, for up to 6 hours, before the cooker shuts itself off automatically.

We noticed that the exterior of the cooker gets quite warm to the touch; however, the metal side handles stayed comfortably cool and even the molded handles on the ceramic crock were not so hot as to be untouchable.

Perhaps our only complaint was that you cannot adjust the cooking time up or down while cooking is in progress. To do so, you need to hit the power button to turn the unit off and then re-program the cooker all over again. Since it takes no more than a few seconds to do so, this is a minor concern.

Besides an absolutely stunning visual appearance, our favorite feature was the deep, extra roomy interior, which produced excellent results with medium to large-size batches. It easily accommodates 5 to 6 pounds of meatballs, beef, pork or chicken. A recipe booklet with five gourmet recipes will get you started.


Pros: Stainless-steel base with riveted side handles, 6.5-quart heavy stoneware liner, digital countdown timer with auto-shutoff, three temperature settings
Cons: Cannot adjust time during cooking cycle

Warranty
1 year, limited