Since I had given away my original crock pot, I needed a replacement.  So, I headed to Meijer (regional grocery chain).

When I arrived, I discovered that their crock pots were on sale.  Great!!  I found the basic model.  It was a 6 quart with three temperature settings; warm, low and high.  The lid had a vent hole and latches on either end for transporting.  And, it was 30% off.  It seemed to be just what I was looking for.

But, for only $10 more, I could get the same pot with digital controls.  The digital controls would let me set the temperature, the start time and the stop time.

It was tempting but then I realized that the electronics would be more prone to failure than the cheaper mechanical one.  And, if I need to set the temperature, the start time and the stop time, I might as well just use my oven instead.   Besides, a 4 position knob is much simpler to operate.  Just turn the knob to low, high or warm and you are good to go.

So, by buying the  cheaper crock pot, not only did I save $10, I also saved a lot of time reading the manual.