Aesti® Crock-Pot Electric Lunchbox

Question: Can it cook something that hasn't already been cooked like a regular crock pot? A stew or soup for example.

Answer: It is perfect if you like slightly raw or rare meat. Some tomato sauce and butter and the chicken breast or ribeye comes out perfect, just cut them in cubes for even "cooking" and enjoy juicy meat. But, if in a stew or soup it will take hrs for the meat to turn gray.

Question: Can you smell the food cooking in this like you can with a regular Crock-Pot? That would be a big problem in my office so want to know before I buy.

Answer: I use mine in my office. I leave it to heat up on our pantry counter. I can slightly smell food once it really starts to heat up. But that is only if its something super spicy. I don't notice any smell if it's soup.

Question: What happens if you leave it plugged in for longer than 1 hour? Longer than 3 hours?

Answer: Mine is always plugged in for 3 hours. If you add fully cooked meats they will dry a bit, rice will get crisp on the sides same with pasta but I don’t mind. Fish... will dry out. Soups and stews perfect.

Question: Is the insert stainless steel or aluminum?

Answer: Civil engineer here. Not all stainless steel is magnetic. Typically 300 series (Austenitic) stainless are not magnetic and 400 series (Martensitic/Ferric) are magnetic.

Question: Can you cook oatmeal in this crockpot or just warm up already cooked oatmeal?

Answer: This crock-pot doesn't cook, it just warms. The oatmeal would already need to be cooked.