I must say at first I was skeptical that the defrost feature would not work well but to my surprise it worked better than expected. Frozen chicken was juicy and fell apart so easily. Whole frozen chicken was delicious, juicy and the meat fell off the bone with very little effort. You just select the defrost feature, set the temperature and cooking time. Once done the slow cooker will automatically change to warm. I love the fact that the stoneware crock is removable which makes it easier to wash. The slow cooker has the standard functions as well. I am pleased with this product that I have already recommended it to family.