My slo cooker is due to retire & been looking at them on line.So many brands, so many new (to me) types. For sure I want the liner to be removable...same as old one, but that's all I know.
Some can be programmed, others not.Does that feature work? Does the probe type allow heat to escape? Have seen a lot of complaints about newer SCs getting too hot,cooking too fast.Any brands/types to recommend?

We like the smaller ones that and the liner is removeable. Its made by rival. We did not get a programable one but never had any issues and we use it all the time. We also have two others larger ones but we use the smaller onr the most.

I just gave me old one away to my DD since she moved out. Mommie got to buy a new one...YAY I got a 7 Qt Rival at Wal-Mart for $18, they come in different colors. It has a warm feature on it that I just love. My old one didn't have that and now I can set it on warm when it's done cooking and it will still be hot by the time my DH comes home from work. And the crock does come out also.

I recently bought the $18 one from Wal-Mart and I have used it a few times in the last two weeks, made spaghetti sauce and soup. Matter of fact, I have bought two. The first one I melted the bottom onto the stove because I turned the wrong burner on. Now I put the cooker on a big wooden board, not on the stove. My senior moments are much longer than moments. Blessings to all Kathryn

I would get the Rival brand.

Rival has always been a dependable brand for me

Yup. Rival here too..

Here's another slow-cooking option. I recently got a Circulon Induction "burner" (wanted to see IF I liked this method of cooking). It can be set for up to ten hours an any temperature you select. I chose THIS one because the others needed the pot lifted off the surface once per hour for the thing no not switch off...for pity sake. But this one just works for up to ten hours if I program for this. ANY pot a magnet sticks to works just fine, so no aluminum (YEA!) or corning ware (ceramics), etc. Stainless or cast iron work great, and healthier. Also, it's portable...can use any location with an electric outlet. Surface stays cool to touch...only pot heats up. Not total silence, makes some noise but does not bother me. Works well for slow-cooking at low temps...and other temps/fried potatos, etc. I like a lot anyway...so pass this along FYI as another slow-cooking option.

I have the oval Crock pot with removable liner. This is the second or third one I've had. It's still going strong after 10 years.

My daughter got one of the fancy ones that will take more than one size crock. It was not very satisfactory and I haven't seen them in the store lately so apparently she was not the only one that had problems with that style. It sounded like a great idea...Anyway she got one like mine to replace it.

We have a morphy richards o/here, removable inner and timer---it is the largest model working on the principle what will cook a lot will cook a little BUT not the reverse!!!
Have had no probs with losing heat and use it in summer when too hot and aga is off.
IT does WONDERFUL soups esp minestrone!!! Good Luck.