The inviting aroma of a slow cooker simmering a delicious meal fills the house, promising a comforting and delicious homemade dinner after a long day.
Slow cookers, also sometimes called crock pots, have joined many kitchens in recent decades, for their convenience and wonderful ability to break down tough cuts of meat into melt-in-your-mouth masterpieces. But now, with a vast array of options available, choosing the right slow cooker can feel a bit overwhelming.
In this comprehensive guide, we try to peek into the world of slow cookers, see how they work, and take a look at the advantages and key features you need to consider before reaching a purchase decision.
The Breakdown:
Crock Manual Slow Cooker
Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker
Elite Gourmet Electric Slow Cooker
Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker
All-Clad Stainless Steel Electric Slow Cooker
GreenPan Programmable Electric Slow Cooker
Crock-Pot Small Manual Slow Cooker
Proctor Silex Double Dish Slow Cooker
Hamilton Beach Portable Slow Cooker
Wolf Gourmet Programmable Multicooker
Calphalon Slow Cooker
Black+Decker Digital Slow Cooker
Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Slow Cooker
Cuisinart High-Pressure Multicooker
What’s So Great About Slow Cookers?
A slow cooker is a relatively small electric appliance that sits nicely and quietly on your kitchen countertop and uses low heat to gently simmer your food over a long time, generally much longer than normal cooking. This slow and steady cooking process allows for the heat to spread evenly throughout the food, creating tender and flavorful meals.Typically, a slow cooker consists of a stoneware, ceramic, or metal pot nestled within a heating element base. The pot is often accompanied by a fitting glass lid that can trap heat and moisture well, creating a self-basting environment for the food.
There are many benefits to using a slow cooker. They offer a convenient “set-it-and-forget-it” approach to cooking, allowing you to prepare the ingredients in the morning and come home in the evening to enjoy a delicious ready-made meal with your family.
A slow cooker saves all that time you would normally spend by the pot until the dinner gets ready.
On top of that, slow cookers are also energy-efficient, using a lower wattage compared to traditional ovens. Moreover, a slow cooker is just the thing for cooking tougher cuts of meat and can transform those hard customers into juicy and delectable dishes.
This classic oval Crock-Pot stainless steel slow cooker (model SCV700-S-BR) boasts a spacious 7-quart capacity, ideal for large families or prepping meals for family gatherings. With this size, you can cook a meal for around 9 people. You can also fit a 7-pound roast.
This cooker features basic manual controls with low and high settings, where the hot option is suited for regular cooking and the low option is suitable for slow cooking over a long time and having dinner ready at night. There’s also a third warm function for keeping the food warm after cooking, for as long as you need it.
The stainless-steel exterior with its black accent handles and glass lid offers a sleek and modern look. The oval shape of the pot makes it suitable for slow-cooking meat cuts, which is one of the main benefits of slow cookers. This makes the meat time to soften and get really tender.
The pot is stoneware, which is also helpful in keeping the food warm after it’s done. The pot and its lid are both dishwasher safe.
Since you can remove the stoneware pot and lid, you’ll also have the option of using them safely inside a microwave or oven set up to 400°F.
Pros
- Good Capacity: 7 quarts, suitable for large families and gatherings, in an oval shape with room for larger cuts of meat.
- Settings and ease of use: Easy manual settings with three modes.
- Durability: Praised by users for its durability and quality of make.
- Sleek modern look: Shiny stainless-steel exterior with black accent handles, head of pot, and bottom.
- Value for money: Reasonably priced in the range of manual slow cookers.
- Lack of timer: Without a timer, you need to control the cooking time yourself, although in a slow cooker, there’s leeway with time.
This Hamilton Beach slow cooker offers a generous 10-quart capacity and boasts a sleek black finish, which will look nice in most kitchens. The extra-large capacity makes it suitable for large family gatherings and potlucks, as you can cook a meal for 12 people or more in it.
Another feature that makes this cooker suitable for potlucks and eating outdoors is its lid which clips tightly to the handles and prevents messy spills when you carry the pot around. Also, the handles make carrying easy.
The pot in this slow cooker is large enough that you can cook a 10lb turkey or 12lb roast in it. This means you can even use it to cook your next traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with less hassle than an oven.
Like the previous one, this crock pot features three heat settings (low, high, and keep warm) but with an extra programmable timer that allows you to set a cooking duration. These simple controls make cooking with this slow cooker easy and straightforward.
The oval shape of the cooker makes it suitable for fitting larger cuts of meat for nice and slow cooking. The pot is stoneware, which helps keep the food warm longer after you’ve taken the pot out of the base. Both the pot and the glass lid are safe for dishwashers.
Pros
- Extra-large capacity suitable for gatherings: Being easily the most sizable option in this guide, it allows you to cook meals for potlucks and gatherings.
- Simple and user-friendly controls: The manual control with its three modes is quite straightforward.
- Value for money: It’s well-priced for its capacity and design.
- Capacity for Thanksgiving dinner: The large oval pot can fit even a turkey inside, unlike other options in the guide.
- Portability: The tight-lid handles allow you to safely carry the pot around and outside.
- Lack of timer: Without a timer, you need to manage the cooking time yourself.
This budget-friendly slow cooker from Elite Gourmet offers a 1.5-quart capacity, perfect for smaller households. The size allows it to be used to make lighter meals, entrees, side dishes, dips, sauces, and stews as well.
Like most easy-to-use slow cookers, it features basic low and high-heat settings for slow cooking and normal fast cooking when you need it. Alongside those two modes, there’s a keep warm function for after your meal is done until it’s time to serve.
Elite Gourmet’s MST-250XW model slow cooker is definitely among the best-priced options out there. It’s a great choice for smaller households and singles, capable of cooking any meals they need.
The removable ceramic insert of this cooker is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. This little handy cooker comes in both white and stainless-steel designs, for your choice of style.
Pros
- For singles and couples: The small 1.5-quart size is just enough for smaller households.
- More than dishes: The size makes it suitable for making side dishes, entrees, dips, sauces, etc.
- Simple and easy to use: The manual three-mode control is quite straightforward.
- Cheapest: It’s the cheapest option in this guide, best for starting a new home.
- Small size: It is too small for families of 3 and larger.
- Lack of timer: It means manual management of the cooking time.
Another great Hamilton Beach slow cooker that comes in different sizes from a mid-sized 4-quart to 6-quart, 7-quart, and the larger 8-quart variation. The smaller size is perfect for small families or meal-prepping for individuals, while the 6-quart can serve most medium-sized households.
The larger sizes can best serve larger families as well as family gatherings and potlucks. The 8-quart size can fit an 8lb chicken or 6lb roast and is good for making food for 10+ people.
Apart from the size, it also comes in a variety of designs. There’s the black modern design that sits nicely on most countertops. There’s stainless steel that is easy to maintain and keep clean, and there are two silver and brushed silver looks that have their special shine.
The cooker’s oval shape, typical for medium-sized slow cookers, works well for cooking tougher meat cuts to the desired tenderness. The stoneware crock pot is easy to clean and is dishwasher-safe together with its glass lid.
One of the great points of this model is its handles that make it easy to carry the relatively large pot weighing heavy with the meal cooked for a good number of people. You can get a lid Latch Strap that secures the lid safely for carrying.
The 8-quart one features a mess-free lid rest that doubles as a cord wrap for easy storage. With these features, it is one of the most user-friendly slow cookers you can find.
As for the cooking function, it features a simple control knob with high, low, and warm settings, which provide normal and slow cooking and keep the meal warm afterward until dinner time.
Pros
- Various sizes: comes in several sizes suitable for small families up to gatherings.
- Sleek look: Shiny stainless-steel design with black accent handles, top, and bottom.
- Portability: A lid latch strap secures the lid in place for safe carrying.
- Simple and easy settings: The manual control has three modes and is simple.
- Value for money: Very well-priced in the range of manual slow cookers.
- Lack of timer: You need to manually manage the cooking time.
This All-Clad slow cooker boasts a luxurious stainless-steel exterior and a generous 7-quart capacity, making it suitable for large families or entertaining a number of friends. Similar to many other conventional models, it features high and low heat settings for normal cooking and slow and deep cooking, with a keep warm function for afterward.
The lid is constructed from tempered glass, allowing you to monitor the cooking process without lifting the lid. The silver stainless steel exterior has a classy and modern feel; and it is modern, with its digital settings, timer, and display.
The insert in this slow cooker is made of aluminum. The 7-quart capacity makes it suitable for medium to large meal preparation, which works for both larger households and small, friendly gatherings.
The shape of the crock pot is oval, similar to most other slow cookers of the same size, making it suitable for cooking large cuts of meat. The sizable handles on the pot make gripping and carrying it quite easy.
The digital settings of this cooker provide 4 cooking modes, with up to 26 total hours of cooking. These settings allow you to cook the meal on any schedule you want. The LCD display is intuitive and easy to read. The control buttons are large enough to work with easily.
Being stainless steel, keeping it shiny clean will be effortless and the smooth aluminum insert is also easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
Pros
- Programmable: The control panel is digital and very programmable.
- Large capacity: the 7-quart size is suitable for serving larger families and potlucks.
- LCD: The display is easy to read.
- Easy buttons: The buttons on the digital panel are handy.
- High quality: People have praised it for its quality of build and durability.
- Price: Although not too high for its capabilities, it is on the premium side.
This GreenPan slow cooker stands out with its ceramic nonstick coating on the inner pot, promoting easy food release and cleanup. The 6-quart capacity caters to the average family. The spacious design gives enough room to hold large portions of food up to around 6 lbs. of pork or 8-10 chicken thighs. With such a capacity, you can even cater to a small party.
The crock pot is oval-shaped, close to a rectangle, which provides room for large cuts of meat. The pot is coated with a ceramic nonstick called Thermolon Volt. The maker claims that this revolutionary diamond-infused and PFAS-free coating is extra tough and cleans easily. The pot is of course dishwasher safe.
The removable hard anodized pot is said to be highly durable and resistant to metal utensils. It provides a fast and even distribution of heat. It comes with its own easy-to-grip handles.
The biggest feature of this slow cooker is its many settings. This digital and programmable cooking appliance offers 8 powerful one-touch presets: Slow Cook, Sauté, Steam, Simmer/Buffet, Proof, Bake, Reheat, High, Low, and Warm – basically you can get any kind of meal you want covered with the touch of a button.
With these extra capabilities, you can brown, sear, and sauté your meat and veggies directly in the pot. Quite handy.
All these features are accessible through a digital panel with a large green LCD display which is easy to read. Additionally, it’s equipped with a programmable timer for added convenience.
That is not all; this slow cooker comes with a stainless steel steamer for steaming dumplings, veggies, and chicken. There’s also an optional cookbook available which can show how many wonderful meals you can get out of this amazing appliance.
Apart from all those features, this stylish slow cooker comes in many beautiful designs and colors. There are the usual black and white colors, as well as fig red, an eye-catching black and gold, graphite, oxford blue, pine green, and more.
Pros
- Versatile and programmable: includes a timer and many pre-programmed functions in the digital settings, such as saute, steam, simmer, reheat, etc.
- Thermolon Volt ceramic coating: This innovative diamond-infused ceramic coating makes it easy for food to be released and the pot to be cleaned.
- LCD: Digital display for the control panel. Easier to control and manage all functions.
- Stainless-steel steamer: A steamer is added included in the package.
- Stylish look: The cooker looks very nice and comes in many colors and styles for different tastes.
- Quality: Some buyers have complained about certain quality matters.
- Locking lid: Does not have a tight-locking lid for safe carrying.
This Crock-Pot is a compact and budget-friendly option with a 3-quart capacity, ideal for singles or couples. It features a classic manual knob with low and high heat settings and a warm mode for keeping the food heated. The stoneware pot helps keep it in the heat longer. Both the pot and its lid are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
The design is simple and classic, with a round shape. The stainless-steel exterior is easy to keep clean and shiny, and it has a nice look with its black accent and black handles. This model is small, but there are larger variants of it up to 8 quarts.
Pros
- For singles and couples: The small 3-quart size fits small households of up to 3 people.
- Variant sizes: Comes in other sizes for bigger households, up to 8 quarts.
- Nice look: Stainless steel with black handles and top.
- Lack of timer: Cooking time needs manual management.
- Simple lid: Some users expected a lid suitable for better portability.
This unique offering from Proctor Silex features a double-dish design, allowing you to cook two separate meals simultaneously. You have the option of cooking one meal for a family in the 6-quart crock, or alternatively prepare two smaller dishes at the same time in the double compartment 2.5-quart nonstick inserts.
The inserts fit inside the large crock pot any time you need to make two dishes simultaneously. Like most manual slow cookers, it features high and low heat settings with a third keep warm mode.
The stoneware crock is oval-shaped and can fit a 6 lbs. chicken or a 4 lbs. roast. You can feed 7+ people with this size. It’s perfect for one-pot meals, meat, and poultry. You can also use the removable crock pot in the oven or microwave. The crock, the double inserts, and the glass lid are all dishwasher-safe and easily cleaned.
Pros
- Double Dish: This model comes with a unique double-dish insert for cooking two foods at the same time.
- Nice capacity: Without the double-dish insert, the 7-quart capacity can feed up to 7 people.
- High quality: Many buyers have praised the quality of build and durability.
- Simple controls: The manual control has three standard modes.
- Removable pot: the pot can also be used in the oven or microwave.
- Lack of timer: Despite not being a basic budget model, lacks a timer.
- Lack of pre-programmed functions: Could have used more functions for versatility.
Hamilton Beach Portable Set & Forget Digital Slow Cooker
Hamilton Beach Portable Set & Forget Digital Slow CookerThis Hamilton Beach digital slow cooker boasts a portable design with a locking lid and a carrying handle, making it ideal for potlucks, picnics, or tailgating. The 6-quart capacity caters to gatherings or meal-prepping for a larger family.
It features a digital control panel with a large display and easy-to-push buttons. There are three settings for high and low heat, and a keep warm mode. Besides that, it packs a programmable timer for added convenience.
But that is not all; the digital controller allows you to control the timing and the temperature to your liking. You can defrost food with this cooker. Also, being a digital slow cooker, they have equipped it with an integrated probe that measures and shows the actual temperature of the food. After the cooking is done, it can automatically switch to keep warm mode.
The crock is oval-shaped and convenient for cooking larger cuts of meat. With its defrost capability, you can first defrost the meat before starting to cook it to perfectly done.
The exterior is stainless steel, in three styles including a black steel and a silver steel look.
Pros
- Portable: The locking lid design is ideal for outdoors and potlucks.
- Simple and easy settings: The control panel is digital. The buttons are handy.
- Digital controls and timer: Digital timer allows for easily managing cooking time.
- Integrated probe: A digital temperature probe allows greater control of the cooking process.
- Value for money: It is the best-priced digital cooker with functions and a digital probe.
- Temperature: Some users have said the temperature control with the probe is not as precise as it should be,
- Lid: The quality of the lid lock doesn’t inspire confidence.
If you still want more out of your slow cookers and none of the others have you convinced, this may be the one for you.
While not strictly a slow cooker, the Wolf Gourmet programmable multicooker is a versatile kitchen appliance that also works as a slow cooker. This high-end multi-cooker features a stainless-steel build which is at the same time modern, classy, and easy to maintain.
With a cooking capacity of 7 quarts, this all-around multi-cooker can well serve a family for all their cooking needs. It offers a variety of pre-programmed settings for slow cooking, simmering, steaming, and even searing. It can double as a rice cooker, cooking 6-18 cups of white or brown rice.
The Sauté and Sear functions allow precise sauteing and searing at various low, medium, or high-temperature settings.
This fascinating digital cooker with its temperature probe enables you to take control of the cooking process completely. With the Sous Vide mode, you can gently bring food to your desired temperature in a warm water bath, monitored with the probe. The pack also includes a removable sous vide rack.
The removable 7-quart, stainless-steel try-ply vessel is compatible with all cooking tops, including induction, while safe for dishwasher cleaning.
Buyers laud the Wolf Gourmet Programmable Multi-Cooker (model WGSC100S) for its versatility, very high-quality build, and numerous precise cooking modes. It goes without saying that such an amazing and complete appliance comes with a premium price tag, although it may be worth an all-in-one appliance that is more than a slow cooker. Wolf Gourmet supports their quality with a 5-year warranty.
Pros
- Capacity: The 7-quart capacity can serve large families and gatherings.
- Multi-cooker: It’s more than just a slow cooker. It can be a rice cooker and do other functions.
- High versatility: The different functions and uses make it an all-in-one kitchen appliance.
- Digital panel: The buttons are easy. The display is easy to read. Includes a red knob.
- Great features: It has a try-ply vessel, compatible with all cooking tops. Comes with a Sous Vide mode and many others.
- Sleek modern design: Nice shiny stainless-steel exterior with a silver digital panel.
- 5-year warranty: The high quality of the build is backed with a remarkable warranty.
- High-end price: The price is quite high even on the premium side.
This mid-sized slow cooker from Calphalon combines the functionality of a slow cooker with a sauté function. The 5.3-quart capacity is neither small nor large. It can cater to families or prepare meals for a medium-sized household.
One of the great points about this crock is that the removable pot can be used on electric, gas, or even induction cooktops to brown and sear food before slow cooking. The durable ceramic coating keeps food from sticking and it is easily released. The crock and the lid are dishwasher safe.
The digital control panel offers several pre-programmed settings for slow cooking, browning, and simmering, along with a programmable timer. This versatile cooker looks really stylish in matt black stainless steel and the LCD display sits well with the sleek design.
Pros
- Pre-programmed functions: There are several functions included, such as Sauté.
- Removable pot: The crock pot can be used on all cooking tops, including induction types.
- Durable ceramic coating: The ceramic coating is of high quality.
- Stylish matt black look: The design looks very nice on the countertop.
- Size: The 5.3 capacity is not suitable for large families and gatherings.
This Black+Decker slow cooker offers a 6-quart capacity, ideal for families or meal prepping. The digital control panel gives you options for high, low, and warm modes.
A unique feature of this cooker is the precision temperature control function, allowing you to set the exact cooking temperature for greater control over your dishes. You can even stick the temperature probe into the meat the precisely control how your chicken is cooked.
This digital slow cooker comes with a sous vide rack. The stoneware pot is durable and can keep warm outside of the base. The pot is of course dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, as well as the glass lid.
The exterior is stainless steel with a nice shine. It’s easy to clean, and while being a digital appliance with precision heating, keeps it simple. The pack includes a recipe book.
Pros
- Digital controls: It’s easy to manage and control. The settings are simple.
- Digital probe: Allows precise temperature control with its probe.
- Sous vide rack: A useful Sous Vide rack is included in the package.
- High quality: It is commended for its quality and durability.
- Locking lid: It is safe to carry around or outside.
- Timer: Allows for better control of the cooking process and your time.
- Lack of advanced functions: Being a digital cooker, more functions could have been included.
This Hamilton Beach slow cooker offers a nice 6-quart capacity, catering to families or meal prepping. This oval pot can fit a 6 lbs. chicken or a 4 lbs. roast. The digital control panel features high, low, and warm settings, along with a programmable timer that adds extra convenience.
A great feature of this cooker is its integrated digital probe that can precisely measure the temperature while cooking, and then you can lock into that exact heat.
The handles can lock tightly to the lid for safe carrying. This makes this portable slow cooker suitable for potlucks and outdoors. The stoneware pot and the glass lid are dishwasher-safe.
Pros
- Digital controls: It’s easy to control and manage.
- Timer: Allows better control of your time and the cooking process.
- Integrated digital probe: Allows a more precise control of temperature.
- Portability: Tight-lock lid allows for safe carrying.
- Few functions: Being a digital cooker with a probe, could have used more advanced features.
While not solely a slow cooker, the Cuisinart CPC-900 is a versatile multi-cooker that boasts a slow cooking function alongside several other functionalities. The stainless-steel inner pot comes with a 6-quart capacity.
This amazing appliance offers 12 pre-programmed settings for pressure cooking, slow cooking, simmering, steaming, and even yogurt making. With all these features, it still keeps the price reasonable.
The exterior is mostly stainless steel with a nice-looking chrome finish. The digital panel is large and easy to use. The shape is quite unique for this size.
Pros
- Multi-cooker: Can work many functions in the kitchen. It’s several appliances in one.
- 12 pre-programmed functions: The functions are very diverse. They even include making yogurt.
- Chrome finish: The design is stylish and looks nice in the kitchen.
- Digital panel: the panel is easy to use, despite including many advanced functions.
- Value for money: Very well-priced looking at its many advanced functions and size.
- Round shape: Limits the size of meats you can fit.
Slow Cookers Reviews
We took the time to look at the reviews on these products to see what real buyers have said about them. Here they are:Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker
Buyers consistently praise the Crock-Pot SCV700-S-BR slow cooker for its ease of use, long-lasting durability, and ability to cook a wide range of dishes. It has a satisfyingly sleek look and is easy to clean and keep clean. It’s certainly good value for your money. Some users find the manual controls limiting, while others appreciate their simplicity.Hamilton Beach Extra Large Stay or Go Portable Slow Cooker
Buyers generally commend the Hamilton Beach extra-large slow cooker for its functionality for larger meals, ease of use with its simple and user-friendly controls, and attractive design.The size and the lid lock make it suitable for potlucks. Despite its capacity, people have said that it doesn’t take up more space in their kitchen than other crock pots. Some users mention a slight learning curve with the programmable settings.
Elite Gourmet Electric Slow Cooker
Buyers have appreciated its affordability and value to price. The user-friendly design of the Elite Gourmet slow cooker makes it easy to use for everyone, including singles who have just started cooking on their own. However, some users mention that the heat distribution might not be as even as in more expensive models.Hamilton Beach Programmable Slow Cooker
Buyers generally appreciate the quality of the Hamilton Beach slow cooker, as well as its functionality and performance. It’s easy to clean and is a good value for your money at all sizes. The Different styles and appearances appeal to different tastes. The latch strap helps keep the steam inside.All-Clad Stainless Steel Electric Slow Cooker
All-Clad’s slow cooker receives praise for its high quality and durable build, while it is liked for how nice it looks in the kitchen. The large capacity and digital controls make it a great and versatile family appliance. It is also appreciated for being easy to clean. Price-wise, it’s among the premium models.GreenPan Programmable 8-in-1 Electric Slow Cooker
Buyers are very satisfied with GreenPan SCK400 for its innovative nonstick coating, user-friendly digital controls, and beautiful and diverse colors. The cooking and heating modes are more than a complete set. It can cover nearly any meal and food and is easy to clean.Crock-Pot Small Manual Slow Cooker
The Crock-Pot SCR300-SS model is one of the budget-friendly options in this guide. It has received positive reviews for its affordability, small size that’s perfect for limited counter space, and ease of use. Some users have wished for a better lid.Proctor Silex Double Dish Slow Cooker
Proctor Silex’s Double Dish slow cooker is admired for its innovative double-dish design, perfect for preparing side dishes or small dishes at the same time. It is a high-quality and durable product.However, some buyers have said they would have liked more cooking modes and settings on a cooker that is not a basic budget model. Still, very good value for the price.
Hamilton Beach Portable Set & Forget Digital Slow Cooker
The main features of this Hamilton Beach portable digital slow cooker are clear from its name. It provides a higher level of control through its digital settings and temperature probe, alongside portability with its locking lid. This portability together with its sizable capacity makes it great for potlucks and eating outdoors.Some buyers mention a desire for a nonstick inner pot for easier cleaning. It’s quite well-priced for a digital cooker with extra control over your cooking.
Wolf Gourmet Programmable Multi-Cooker
Buyers laud the Wolf Gourmet programmable multi-cooker (model WGSC100S) for its versatility, very high-quality build, and numerous precise cooking modes. It goes without saying that such an amazing and complete appliance comes with a premium price tag, although it may be worth an all-in-one appliance that is more than a slow cooker.Wolf Gourmet supports their quality with a 5-year warranty.
Calphalon Digital Sauté Slow Cooker
Calphalon’s Digital Sauté slow cooker is received very positively by buyers who like its easy-to-learn and user-friendly controls, its versatility, and the ability to brown ingredients directly in the pot before slow cooking. It looks chic while being a high-quality and durable appliance. The only thing is, depending on the size of your family, you might need a bigger cooker.Black+Decker Digital Slow Cooker
Buyers generally enjoy the level of temperature control that this Black+Decker digital slow cooker (model SCD7007SSD) provides. The digital probe is a nice feature. It has good capacity, and the digital controls are user-friendly. However, being a digital cooker, it could have enjoyed more pre-programmed functions aside from the basic heat settings.Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Slow Cooker
This Hamilton Beach digital slow cooker has been received well for its large capacity, simple and user-friendly digital controls with a programmable timer, and overall affordability. The digital probe is a great plus. Some buyers have wished for more advanced features like browning or searing capabilities.Cuisinart High-Pressure Multicooker
Buyers have liked the Cuisinart CPC-900 for its great versatility, high-quality build, and numerous cooking functions beyond slow cooking. However, the appliance comes with a higher price tag and might be excessive for users who only require a basic slow cooker.Facts About the Industry
Slow cookers started to open their way into American homes around half a century ago. Their slow and steady growth has made them a staple of today’s kitchen. It arrived at a vital moment in America’s evolving relation to food, when the market was grasping for new time-saving technologies.Americans purchased 14 million slow cookers in 2017, where sales peaked. This lovely kitchen appliance has gone from a meager $2m in sales in 1971 to $7.65B in 2023 and is forecast to surpass $13B by 2033. The busier urban life of today creates much demand for appliances that make cooking easy and free up some more time.
Right now, multifunctionality is a trend in slow cookers, especially with the higher level of manageability that digital technology can add to the appliance. There are now even smart slow cookers that connect to the wi-fi and you can control and monitor them on your phone from outside the house.
How to Choose the Best Slow Cooker?
There are several crucial factors you need to consider when selecting your next slow cooker:- Size: Slow cookers come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from compact 1-quart models to large 7-quart options. (For those of you who are more accustomed to metric measures, you can more or less take a quart as one liter.)
It’s important to choose a size that aligns with your most typical cooking needs. If you frequently cook for large families or gatherings, a bigger slow cooker is ideal. For single individuals or couples, a smaller model might suffice. And of course, for a typical family, somewhere in between, around 3 or 4 quarts, would fit just fine.
- Shape: Most slow cookers have an oval shape, which accommodates larger cuts of meat. This is a nice feature because as we said before, one of the main advantages of slow cookers is their ability to bring tough cuts of meat to a desired tenderness. However, round slow cookers are available and work well for soups and stews, and of course smaller chunks of meat.
- Controls: Slow cookers can have basic controls with high, low, and warm settings, or more advanced options with programmable timers and automated settings.
If you’re not new to slow cookers and know your way around them, you might easily get the hang of those more basic controls. But for more peace of mind and control, especially when you want to set the cooker and forget about it until your meal is ready, a more programmable one with a timer and more specific options would be a great help.
- Material: The internal pot of the cooker can be ceramic, metal, or stoneware. Each one of course has its own advantages. For example, ceramic offers even heat distribution, while metal is more durable. Stoneware retains heat well and keeps food warm after cooking, so you can bring the pot directly to the dinner table and still have it warm.
- Features: Some slow cookers boast additional functionalities like browning capabilities, automatic stirring, and programmable delays. These are features that come in handy for people who have specific foods and recipes, or more specific demands when it comes to cooking their ideal meals.
For instance, the browning and searing functions might have a lot of appeal to more seasoned cooks. Maybe a unique feature is exactly what you need without even knowing, like a double-dish insert for cooking two foods at the same time.
Why Do People Love Slow Cookers?
Slow cookers or crock pots are loved by people because they encourage cooks of all levels of experience to get into the kitchen. This is an easy and simple device. It’s designed to make cooking easy and take less of your time in the kitchen.Cooking food slowly at lower temperatures can help save the nutrients in the food from breaking down. This can increase the health and nutritional value of the meals you prepare for your family. As people learn more healthy recipes for slow cooking, this appliance will take a bigger role at the heart of every kitchen.
What Is the Best Size for a Slow Cooker?
The 6-quart slow cooker (or around 6 liters in metric) is quite popular since it can feed an average family and still leave you with some leftovers for the week. It can work for most occasions, including small gatherings and potlucks. At this size, you would be able to cook roasts and batch recipes with your slow cooker.Most slow cookers also come in oval shape. The oval shape of the pot allows you to fit larger cuts of meat. This is common among slow cookers because they excel at bringing tough meat to delectable tenderness over a long cooking time.
How Long Do Slow Cookers Last?
Quality of build matters, as well as how well you care for your appliance. Most slow cookers work fine for 5 to 10 years. By avoiding using abrasive and harsh cleaning agents and taking note of the manufacturer’s instructions for care and storage, you can prolong the lifetime of your slow cooker.As is usual in devices with different working parts, one part or the other may wear or break before the others. If you look for it, you may find a replacement to give a few extra years to your appliance. Either way, slow cookers are generally affordable appliances and you can just buy a new one.
Can I Leave My Slow Cooker On for 24 Hours?
In short, we can say yes. Slow cookers are designed exactly for the purpose of slowly cooking food over long hours. Most programmable slow cookers have a 24-hour cycle in their control panel. You can safely leave the food cooking overnight, or from morning until night. Some extra hours shouldn’t matter.However, remember to follow the safe practices that the manufacturer has outlined in the instruction manual. They have done tests and know the best. In any way, if you’re going to leave your food simmering overnight, make sure to put it on low heat or warm mode, as opposed to high heat.
Can I Put Raw Meat In a Slow Cooker?
One of the main benefits of slow cookers is how well they cook and tenderize raw meat. Just note that you may want to add the meat to the pot before other ingredients like green vegetables, as it takes them longer to cook properly. Browning meat before adding it to the slow cooker does wonders for your food. There are also models that have a built-in browning function or allow you to use the removable crock pot on cooktops for that purpose. Some high-end models even have a defrost function.
What Cannot Be Cooked in a Slow Cooker?
Since the cooking time differs greatly with compared to normal cooking, it affects some ingredients differently. While a slow cooker can cook tough ingredients very well, it can virtually destroy ingredients that are delicate to begin with, or change how the taste develops.- Lean meat: while slow cookers are designed to tenderize tougher and sinewy cuts of meat, a lean cut may get cooked down to the leather.
- Raw meat: it’s recommended to brown the meat before putting it in the crock pot, to get that desired color and flavor out.
- Too much liquid: While slow cookers work with steam and therefore need liquids, they don’t lose much of that steam so take note of the recipe and add just enough water.
- Pasta and rice: things like pasta, noodles, or rice that absorb a lot of water, can get really mushy if cooked for long. In a slow cooker, try to add them at the last stage.
- Fish and shellfish: seafood, like lean meat, can get destroyed in a long cooking in the crock pot. If you want to, try to add them late in the cooking.
- Dairy: Dairy can curdle if cooked for long. In a slow cooker, it’s best to stir them in when the food has nearly finished cooking. Some people add cornstarch to dairy to prevent it from curdling.
- Too much spice: Hot ingredients get really fiery the longer they’re cooked. So, either add them sparsely in the beginning or stir in at the last minute.
- Fresh herbs and delicate vegetables: In slow and long cooking, their texture and aroma can get completely lost.
- Meat with skin: Getting crisp skin needs direct dry heat, which isn’t something slow cookers do.
Are Slow Cookers Healthy?
Yes, they are. While this cooking process can prevent the growth of bacteria, the lower temperature saves more of the nutrients in the food from getting destroyed. Slow cooking can get the food really well done and bring out all the deliciousness and nutrients in it, especially meat.A major reason that having a slow cooker will benefit the health and nourishment of a family, is its convenience. It allows busy people to easily make delicious meals for the evening or tomorrow. While, without such an easy option, they would more often settle for fast food or frozen or ready meals, which would be unhealthy.
Do Chefs Use Slow Cookers?
A crock pot can bring out the most from the ingredients while maintaining nutrients. The long process allows flavors to develop and meld, which is just something that chefs would love.However, using slow cookers in professional restaurants would be quite inconvenient, looking at how long the process of slow cooking takes. In a restaurant, the cooking process is very fast-paced and usually based on the order of a customer already sitting at a table.
There are many recipes designed by chefs for home cooking with a slow cooker. They might recommend it for its health and taste benefits, but they themselves rarely use it in a professional capacity.
Conclusion
The first and biggest factor in deciding which slow cooker to take into your home, is the size of meals you want to cook with it. Depending on the size of your family or the gatherings you want to cater to, you may need a 6-quart pot or bigger. However, for small households and singles, smaller sizes of 4 quarts and lower are suitable, while being much cheaper.If your cooking needs are simple and straightforward, you can do just fine with the manual three-mode slow cookers or the similar digital ones that come with a timer for extra convenience. Even a sizable one like the 10-quart Hamilton Beach portable model doesn’t get pricy.
If you want to go the extra mile and grab the best out there, Wolf Gourmet programmable multi-cooker is an amazing choice. However, if you want a very versatile multi-cooker but that price tag is too much for you, Cuisinart offers its great high-pressure multicooker at less than one-fourth the price.
FAQ
Do slow cookers use a lot of electricity?Slow cookers are considered one of the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances. They work at a much lower wattage than normal electric cooktops, and while they work for several hours, all that energy goes directly to cooking the food. The energy they consume is comparable to having a light bulb on.
What can I cook in a slow cooker?
There are many recipes designed for a variety of dishes, including stews, soups, chilis, pulled pork, pot roasts, casseroles, and even desserts. They excel at tenderizing tougher cuts of meat.
Do I need to brown meat before slow cooking?
It’s not always necessary. However, depending on your recipe, it may be recommended to do so.
Is it OK to put raw chicken in a slow cooker?
Of course! Slow cookers are designed to cook raw meat. That’s one of their best features. Cooking raw chicken is no different. The more sizable crock pots even allow you to fit a 6 lbs. chicken or even a turkey. You can put frozen chicken in your slow cooker. As we said earlier, there are even models that have a defrost function to easily thaw frozen meat.
How much liquid should I add to a slow cooker?
It depends on the recipe. Generally, you want enough liquid to cover the ingredients at least halfway, but too much can lead to a watery consistency.
Can I lift the lid to check on my food?
Most crock pots have glass lids for that purpose because too much lifting of the lid can lose the steam that the cooker needs to cook the food.
What size slow cooker is best for a family of 4?
A young family of four would do just fine with the 4-to-5-quart sizes. However, as we said earlier, 6-quart crock pots are the most popular size, and most slow-cooking recipes are designed for them.
Is it safe to leave my slow cooker unattended all day?
Slow cookers are designed for unattended cooking. However, it’s always a good practice to follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions.
Do bacteria grow in a slow cooker?
Despite having the ingredients on heat for a long time, the combination of the heat, lengthy cooking, and the steam in the container just destroys bacteria.
How do I clean my slow cooker?
The pot and lid can usually be washed in the dishwasher. For stubborn messes, baking soda and water paste can be used for cleaning.
