The original black pot that came with the oven is great for soups and stews. If I need to reheat something or need added cooking time, I can just put the pot right onto my stovetop in the kitchen. I have also found that my crock pot works really well for soups and stews (and I use the clear lid). In this case the pot can go directly into the microwave to re-warm the food or into my crock pot heater to continue cooking or keep the food warm after sundown. However, I hope to start using a heat retention box instead of an electric crock pot for keeping food warm in the evening.