My slow cooker pretty much always cooks too hot. Almost everything we try to cook burns, even dishes with lots of moisture content. Is there any way to adjust the temperature? I have heard of using a rack to lift the ceramic and reduce contact with the heating element but would prefer a more direct fix.

Run an oven clean and see if the smell stops, this may just be spillage from a dish you cooked.

There are hundreds of slow cooker books.

you can try and take it back to walmart,, tell them it cracked while you were cooking, maybe they will replace it

1. it is best to replace the top-corner rubber seal before a year have passed, as a prevention measure to retain moisture and pressure (contact their official line or site, to verify this is the right part for your model):
http://cuckoomallusa.com/index.php/shop/accessories/cover-pack/ccp-10.html
:
2. if however you have used it extensively, and cooked more than rice in it : the metallic cover itself may have deformed (difficult to be verified visually by looking at it) in which case the whole top replacement will be considerable that it would be more efficient to buy a new one .
:
from your inquiry that it won't pressure-cook any more and it is getting messy : I would deduct it would be the latter case above .

Yes you do.
It will not be like a pan on the stove although, because a crock pot does not lose as much moisture because it has a better seal. So For example
Stew from a can already has enough moisture in it, so no water.
A meat roast will want about an inch of water or a can of soup. A crock pot uses lower heat than a stove plus moisture (like steam) to cook.
Enjoy the slow cooking adventure !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Replaced the new one in the kitchen with the old one I put out to pasture. Problem solved. I'm back in the slow cooking business.

1/4 cup is enough. Roast has a high moisture content and will produce a lot of liquid for gravy! I'd only use more when I am cooking potatoes in the same roaster with the meat, then I would increase to a cup. Cover the roast tightly with foil or a good lid.

If you only have High and Low on the slow cooker this will be normal until it reaches correct temp, the trick is Do not remove the lid once you have started the process, you lose 20 minutes cooking time every time you lift the lid during cooking, if you have timed ex,4,6,or8 hours just set to required cooking time and leave until done. hope this helps clarabella

HI BETTE...I USED THIS ITEM FOR THE 1ST TIME TODAY...I DECIDED TO TRY IT AT A TIME WHEN I WOULD BE HOME TO OBSERVE THE PROCESS...I USED THE FROZEN BANQUET CROCKPOT CHICKEN WITH POTATOES, VEGGIES & SAUCE FOR MY 1ST EXPERIMENT...INSTRUCTIONS : SET ON LOW FOR 8-10 HOURS...AFTER LESS THAN 4 HRS, THE SAUCE WAS BURNING/STICKING TO THE SIDES OF THE CROCK POT AND THE VEGGIES WERE MUSH...IT WAS BUBBLING UP LIKE IT WAS ON THE HIGHEST SETTING ON THE STOVE TOP...I CALLED RIVAL ( 800.323.9519 ) AND SPOKE TO MARIO IN CUSTOMER SERVICE...HE DID SOME EXPLAINING ABOUT THE HEATING ELEMENTS BEING ON THE BOTTOM AND THE SIDES OF THE HEATING BASE AND SUGGESTED TO CUT ALL SLOW COOKER RECIPE TIMES IN HALF, INCLUDING THE RECIPE BOOK THAT CAME WITH THE CROCKPOT...I'M GOING TO TRY THIS AGAIN WITH ANOTHER FROZEN BANQUET CROCK POT PRODUCT ($6.00) , I'LL REDUCE THE COOKING TIME AND INCREASE THE ADDED WATER...I'M NOT GOING TO USE AN EXPENSIVE CUT OF MEAT UNTIL I GET THE HANG OF THIS "SMART" POT...I'VE ALWAYS USED THE OLD FASHIONED TYPE SLOW COOKER WHERE IT WAS SLOW EVEN ON THE HI SETTING !!! GOOD LUCK, VALERIE M. 1/11/07