Nesco American Harvest 4808-25-20 18-Quart Roaster Oven with Stainless Steel Cookwell, Stainless Steel

My parents received a roaster in 1941 as a wedding gift. All my warm holiday memories featured the traditional turkey and dressing in the roaster. Needless to say it's 2008 and the old roaster is tiring just a bit. The enamel cookwell is fissuring in 2 spots and the rack has had to be welded.

So this year I splurged and purchased this roaster with the stainless steel cookwell just in time for Thanksgiving!

The only negative is the burn in! Now I wasn't around in 1941 when my parents received theirs but I don't remember my mom complaining about a burn in in later years. Anyway I took the roaster OUTSIDE (that's crucial), removed the cookwell, paperwork etc..... and turned it on. 1 hour later the smell was horrific, 2 more hours no change, 8 hours and the smell was still BAD, VERY BAD!!

I turned the roaster off after the 8 hour burn in and since it still stank I did another 8 hour burn the next day and by the end of 16 hours of total burn time...Read more

I LOVE this roaster. Often - particularly on Sundays when the family is all at Church - this product has saved my bacon! I just put whatever meat and vegetable dish I plan to serve inside the roaster and set it to about 275 to 300 degrees. It slow cooks all the time we are away. When we get home several hours later, dinner is all ready and the meat slow cooked in this fashion is always fall-apart-tender and moist. I use this roaster so often I actually keep in on the counter top in the kitchen. That's saying a lot since it is good sized.

I have had my nesco for 6 years and I have two of them. One is 6 quarts and the other one 18 quarts. I too was dissappointed with the fact that you had to pre-burn it out. But I was stuck and had to do it. What helped me through this was my air purifier. My sister bought her nesco in the winter time so she raised all of her kitchen windows up to help her through it.

After the curing procedure, it was well worth it. I can cook a whole dinner in it. I just love it. Sometimes in life you have to go through pain to get to pleasure. I love this because it cooks bake potatoes. fish, hot dogs, pork chops, chicken, and steaks tenderly. Oh, and what it does to ribs is sinful -- it is so tender and good. In my 18 quart nesco; I put those babyback ribs on along with my secret seasonings and forget about it.

I don't use it as a slow cooker because I basicly use it to cook healthier. I put the meat on the rack inside and all of the excess fats are drained...Read more