111
people found this helpful, as of 2023
ranked #241,176 most helpful
out of 571,544,897 reviews
★★☆☆☆
in theory it seemed like a winner
I was hosting a gathering where I needed to keep gravy warm for biscuits and mashed potatoes. I have a two quart slow cooker that is fairly small compared to a typical five - six quart pot. The two quart cooker still seemed a bit large for use as a gravy warmer. I found this 16 ounce little dipper at my local grocery and it seemed perfect. I thought it would be great for gravies, sauces, and dips. I also thought it might work for side dishes like corn or soup. Alas, this was not the case.
1) The Little Dipper Warmer does not keep food warm -- The Little Dipper only has one setting -- warm. According to the instructions, the product is only intended to keep food warm for three to four hours. It doesn't really warm anything though. I put my gravy in the Little Dipper hot and when company had arrived an hour later, it was lukewarm.
2) No glass cover -- I like my Rival Crock Pot 2-qt Slow Cooker because it comes with a glass cover. The user can easily look inside to see if food needs to be stirred or if water (or another ingredient) needs to be added.
3) Not as convenient to clean -- There was a time not long ago when slow cookers did not have removable inserts. If you have slow cookers with removable inserts, you know they are easier to clean compared to units that lack the inserts. This warmer lacks a removable insert. The Rival Crock Pot 2-qt Slow Cooker has a removable insert.
4) 16 ounce capacity isn't much -- I thought 16 ounces would be perfect for dips, sauces, and gravies and this might be the case if you are having a party of two. When you take the warmer out of the box, its size is underwhelming. I acknowledge that "little" is in the product title and I could have easily pulled out a measuring cup to visualize product capacity. The capacity just isn't that great and you can forget about using this for small side dishes. It is just not large enough for gatherings over four people.
5) Short extension cord -- I live in a house that was built in the 1920s and outlets are not prevalent. The two foot cord requires an extension cord to operate.
I think I will be looking for a one quart cooker to replace the Little Dipper. The chrome exterior of the unit is very sleek and the stoneware interior is of typical Crock-Pot quality but its inability to warm, small capacity, and other limited features make it a flop for my house.
This product is made in China.
