Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is NOT a traditional Crock-Pot - it is a LUNCH FOOD WARMER, just like the name says. It WORKS EXACTLY as described. It is GREAT and I love it! This is tremendously better than using the office microwave!!! I have had it a week, used it every day, and will continue to use it every day. I leave the plug-in base on my desk (right next to my phone and my computer - no big deal) and carry the bucket portion and inner liner to and from work. So far, I have used it to warm refrigerated homemade soups, refrigerated leftover parmesan chicken and noodles, and off the shelf canned soups. I attach the bucket to the base at 9 am, flip the switch on, and then eat when I can, between 11:30 am and 1 pm. The food has been piping hot every time. The soups are a little too hot to eat, needing a few minutes to cool down - just like serving them from a pot at home. The aroma from the pot during the heat time is minimal, almost non-existent, even when seated next to it (though realistically, this would depend on what was heating – just like using the microwave can sometimes flood the building with aroma). It is a nice looking little warmer and is well made, carries the Crock-Pot name and reputation. Directions for use are clear. The liner is a generous serving size (24 oz) and is more than enough for lunch. The inner liner gets hot, so you eat from the bucket, rather than removing the liner. It is light weight and easy to hold. I remove it from the base and sit it next to me on my desk. It is easy to lift, and is very convenient. The interior liner lid is a little tricky to remove because it fits so tightly and seals very well. It has a ring to lift when removing it, but it is really snug – snug and secure enough that the entire inner liner rises up when you grip the ring to lift the lid. I use the edge of my spoon hold the liner in place and to very lightly give the lid a gentle pry to separate it from the liner when I open it to eat. I don't think the food would spill or splash, but it is quite hot and I don't want to take the chance. And of course, I want to eat my food, not clean it up from my desk, clothing or floor. I believe this is the second generation of the Lunch Warmer. I ordered it in February, with the understanding that Amazon was unavailable to ship it until mid May, but it was actually delivered at the beginning of March. I haven’t seen this one yet in stores. I compared the two versions, based on seeing the original, and reading about the improvements made in this model. I decided it would be worth the wait. The price of the other (model 200) ranged from $16 to $33, online and locally, different colors are actually different prices. This model (240) was a little more expensive, but I think it is a very good value. There is the ease of detaching the base and cord and leaving them in one place. The liner is 4 oz. larger, so you can fill it 20-22 oz. and still have a comfortable gap to prevent spillage upon opening. I like the dark color of the bucket. The older style is sold with a white base with a dark lid/handle, and other attractive, trendy colors, but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the pricing of them. All of the colors of this model are attractive and seem to be running the same price, at least for now. If I was designing the third generation, I would probably redesign the outer lid to make it easier to grasp. I might change the inner liner to make it feel more stable when opening it after the food is hot – minor things that aren’t game changers. I would absolutely market the liner and inner lid for aftermarket purchases. Everyone would like an extra or two on the shelf ready to use. No doubt about it, this is a GREAT little pot!!! I highly recommend it!