Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I read many reviews, and would like to start by saying there certainly is a lot of confusion concerning these roasters. We bought this Oster 22 qt. because it cooks a larger quantity of food as compared to other 22 qt. roasters. I don't know if it's true, but that's what it says. We received it on time (2 days Prime shipping) and in excellent condition. I previously owned a roaster that burned two turkeys before I tossed it out, so I was reluctant to try again. My husband hunts, and kills a lot of wild pigs, so we have a ton of natural pork all the time. He wanted me to try to roast some of the pieces whole so he doesn't have to cut them down so much. He is meticulous about cleaning these animals, so the meat is always nice. We received the roaster yesterday, and roasted two large shoulders in it today. I washed and patted the meat dry, and then used a rub all over both pieces. I followed reviewers advice, and turned it down after the first hour. The recommendation was 350, which is where I started, and turned it down to about 280. It's a little hard to tell exactly on the dial, so I just guessed. The two shoulders were very large, and filled the pan, but not so high that it was touching the lid. I never peaked. The total cooking time was 4.5 hours, and the meat was falling off the bone. The pork is usually fairly moist, so I can only say that yes, it was moist, and very delicious. It was actually browned on top, so I think it might brown a turkey. I wanted to try it before Thanksgiving, so this was my trial run. So far, so good. I would like to give this product five stars, but I'm 61 and have sadly watched products get cheaper and cheaper, and their life spans are much shorter than in my early years in the kitchen. I expect, and want better quality, but I'm not going to get it. Sad but true. This unit is lightweight, and yes, the pan did discolor after the first use. I did not burn or overheat the unit. It is cheaply built. the lid is aluminum. Don't believe otherwise. The inner pan is not finished on the rims, except where you grab it to pick it up. Yes, it can cut you if you are not careful. Wash carefully. The whole pan did not fit into my sink to wash it, but I was able to rest the two handles on the front and back part of the sink so that the well was completely inside the sink. I filled it with hot soapy water and soaked it, and then gently cleaned it. It is discolored. I expected that from the reviews. I can live with it. I don't like it. One website said this unit is HEAVY. It is not. I wish it was. It is heavier than some, especially the Hamilton beach. The roaster did smell, for about 10 minutes. No big deal. One word of advice, wipe off any prints or other debris before you use it, or they might bake on the outer finish. Don't know, just guessing since it gets hot. And not that hot either. Just hot. Don't touch it while it doing it's thing. Common sense. I have a marble countertop, and there was NO heat under the unit. Here's what frustrates me. It is more expensive to build a quality machine, but it would last a long time and we would not be tossing them into the heap so soon. How much garbage can this world stand? So, that's my complaint, but it's a very general complaint with so many products these days. I do not expect this roaster to last through 10 years of moderate use, and I do plan to use it fairly often. If there is one out there that will, I would love to know about it. However, this roaster did a nice job for me.......today. Thanks Oster.