Yeah, this one's common. The base handles can get warm during extended cooking, especially on the High setting.
It's usually a conduction thing—heat travels from the base. It shouldn't be so hot you can't touch it briefly, but it will be warm. Always use oven mitts or a dry towel to move the cooker when it's on or just turned off.
If the handles are getting extremely hot, there are a couple things to check:
- Make sure the stoneware is fully seated inside the metal base. A gap can cause excess heat to radiate to the handles.
- Check that the air vents on the base aren't blocked. The cooker needs airflow to regulate temperature.
If it's still excessively hot, unplug it and let it cool. That level of heat might indicate an internal wiring issue. Don't use it again until you've had it checked or replaced.