I wish I could rate this product 0 stars. I've had this slow cooker for about a year and used it quite a few times for a variety of recipes. From the very first use the machine has exuded a peculiar rubbery smell and I believe I can even taste it in the food. I thought I was imagining it until I started reading reviews of the product online. My ceramic insert hasn't cracked (yet), but with all the tales here about its failure I'm now afraid to use the unit while I am out of the house. Moreover, the ceramic is impossible to get fully clean--there's a chalky discoloration on the interior that cannot be removed--and the plastic surface on the readout screen cracked in several places after one use. What garbage. I got the thing as a gift and am about to dump it and get one that really does what it is supposed to do--make food that tastes and smells good.