How To Choose A Slow Cooker | 10 Things To Consider Before Buying

Do you love the convenience of cooking food in a slow cooker but you're not in love with your current model? Are you just wanting to add to your kitchen gadget collection? Let me walk you through how to choose a slow cooker that is perfect for you.

Why You Should Trust My Guide On How To Choose A Slow Cooker

• Cookbook Author: I've written 5 Instant Pot Cookbooks and 2 Air Fryer Cookbooks so I've spent more than my fair share of time in the kitchen.
• Efficient: That's the only way I know how to do things in the kitchen. Who has time to waste when you're trying to get food on the table? I'm known for my ruthless efficiency and use the pot in pot cooking method every chance I get.
• Gadget geek!: I'm a self-proclaimed food tech enthusiast and have been known to purchase (and review) just about any kitchen appliance I can get my hands on.

Slow Cookers Vs. Crock-Pots

Slow cookers and Crock-Pots are actually the same things. They both cook food slowly, one is just one of the many name brands of slow cookers you can purchase.

It is one of the oldest brands of slow cooker and a lot of people choose to buy one because of brand loyalty.

What Slow Cookers Do Well

Slow cookers do several things very well. That's why so many people love them. Here are a few reasons I still choose to use one even though I have so many other kitchen gadgets I love:

• Some things just taste better when they're slow-cooked. My Thai Green Curry and Chicken Curry with Spinach recipes taste so much better when they're made in a slow cooker.
• Things that do not stand up to vigorous boiling when cooking are great made in a slow cooker. Things that contain a lot of dairy or coconut milk have a tendency to curdle.
• If you want foods with a thicker sauce, cooking in the slow cooker is great. You don't have to add water to cook in it and a lot of the liquid from cooking will evaporate over time.
• It is great for breaking down tough meats. This is why Sous Vide is also a great cooking method. Protein and collagen start breaking down at a certain temperature and continue to do so over time.
• Wonderful for cooking meat and veggies together because the meat and vegetables cook in the same amount of time.

What Slow Cooker Do Not Do Well

There are a few things the slow cooker doesn't do quite as well as a pressure cooker or the stove top. Here are some of them:

• Well, as the name says, they cook food slowly. If you're in a rush to get dinner on the table but didn't remember to start it several hours earlier, you're going to be hungry and disappointed.
• Slow cookers, even with the sear function, do not brown foods as well as the stovetop. So you may need to dirty a few more dishes to brown or caramelize before adding them to the crock.

Construction

There are several factors you'll want to consider when you're trying to choose the right slow cooker for you. They are:

1. Size
2. If it has a removable crock
3. If the lid is see-through or not
4. What the shape of the slow cooker is
5. If it heats from the bottom or the bottom and sides
6. Does it have a browning function?
7. Is it multi-functional/does it do more than slow cook
8. Can you adjust cook times?
9. Digital vs. Manual controls
10. Is it easy to clean?

1. Size

Slow Cookers can range in sizes from 2 quarts to 10 quarts. Here are some things that can impact your choice on which size to buy:

• How many people you're cooking for
• If you like leftovers
• If you like to meal prep

2. Removable Crock

Some slow cookers have a removable insert to make for easier cleaning. Some other models offer crocks with the heating elements built into them.

Make sure you read carefully before deciding on which brand and model to purchase, especially if you are looking for something easy to clean. Or want the option to store the removable insert in your refrigerator after cooking.

3. Glass Lid Vs. Solid Lid

To make sure your slow cooker is keeping the correct temperature to cook your food safely and in the desired amount of time, you want to avoid opening the lid often to check on your food.

If you are someone that likes to peek at your food as it's cooking, make sure you get a slow cooker with a glass lid. Some models have solid plastic lids or some with a frosted lid that makes it difficult to see inside.

3 Quart Round Crock-Pot

4. Shape

There are two different shapes of slow cookers. They are round and oval. One doesn't cook any more efficiently than another, but there are a few differences in them that may help you choose one shape over the other.

Round

This shape of slow cooker is generally found in the smaller slow cooker sizes and is less common. These are great for dips when you're entertaining or cooking smaller amounts of soup.

Oval

This is the more common shape of slow cooker. It is better if you're cooking larger pieces of meat or an entire meal all in one. These generally also have a larger capacity, so you can cook recipes with more servings in this style.

5. Heating From The Bottom vs. Heating From The Bottom and Sides

There are two different varieties of heating elements found in a slow cooker.

Heating From The Bottom

The most common heating style is a slow cooker that only heats from the bottom. There's nothing wrong with this style, but they generally take longer for the food to warm and cook than the other style. Since the heat is only coming from one location, you may need to watch your food carefully and stir occasionally so it doesn't overcook on the bottom if you have a high temperature selected.

Features And Functions

6. Saute And Browning Vs. No Saute Function

This is pretty simple. Your slow cooker will either have this function or it won't. Most do not offer this function, but it is nice to have if you're planning on browning meats so you don't have to dirty additional dishes. My favorite slow cooker, the Cuisinart offers this.

Mealthy MultiPot

7. Multi Function Vs. Single Function

Single Function

This will be your traditional slow cooker. It doesn't have any other cooking functions to grill, pressure cook, or air fry.

Multi functional

With all of the other kitchen gadgets on the market, you will notice there are several different brands and gadgets that also claim to have a slow cook function.

Most commonly you will see pressure cookers that offer a slow cook function. The tricky thing about this is that the names of the settings for the slow cook function on pressure cookers aren't what you may be accustomed to with slow cookers you've owned in the past. The options on most are Low, Medium, and High. These aren't all cooking functions. Low is essentially "keep warm" while medium is a low cooking temperature and high is a high cooking temperature.

8. Can You Adjust Cook Times?

If you're the forgetful type or have a recipe that lists a specific cook time, the option of being able to adjust the time on your slow cooker can be very important.

On some more complex models, you have the option of selecting the heat setting, adjusting the time, and then when the cooking time is over, it automatically sets to keep warm until it's time to eat.

On simple models, you will just select the heat setting and then turn the slow cooker to "off" when the food is done and the heating element stops working.

If you're using your slow cooker while you're home and can babysit your food a bit, it's not a huge deal-breaker. However, if you're cooking something while you're out of the house or too busy to stop and check on your food, a keep warm option is great to have.

9. Digital Vs. Manual

Not all slow cookers are created equal when it comes to viewing and adjusting time and temperature.

Basic models come with a knob to adjust the heat setting and turn them on and off. No digital panel or display is available with these models.

More advanced models have the ability to adjust the time and temperature with push buttons and many of them have a display that tells you how much time is left to cook, what heat setting they are at, and some even have a place to display the internal temperature of your food.

Does It Have A Temperature Probe?

Some slow cookers come with internal temperature probes to keep track of the temperature of the food you're cooking. This can come in quite handy if you're cooking large cuts of meats that are hard to determine the doneness by sight only.

Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker With Temperature Probe

Slow Cooker Vs. Instant Pot

Slow cookers are designed to cook food low and slow. This is great if you want to start food before you go to work or on your lunch break and have dinner ready when you get home. They cook food with a heating element under low or medium heat.

Not sure what to make in your slow cooker? Check out the 40+ Best Slow Cooker Recipes.

Instant Pots are designed to cook food fast and under pressure. This is great for people that don't like to do a lot of prep work or thinking ahead.

10. Is It Easy To Clean?

The best way to clean your slow cooker depends on if it has a removable crock or not. Here's how I would recommend cleaning your slow cooker for each type:

With A Removable Crock

This style is super easy to clean.

• Allow the crock to cool completely. If you run cold water over a crock that is still too warm it will crack (ask me how I know).
• Take the crock out of the slow cooker
• Fill with warm water and dish soap
• Allow it to sit for 15 minutes
• Dump the water out and rinse
• Wipe out the inside of the crock
• Wash the lid in warm soapy water
• Wipe down the outside of the slow cooker with a damp rag to remove any food that may have splattered on the outside

Depending on the size of your slow cooker, you may even choose to pop your insert inside of your dishwasher. They are completely dishwasher safe.

Without A Removable Crock

This kind of slow cooker is much more of a hassle to clean.

• Allow the slow cooker to cool completely.
• Carefully fill with warm water and dish soap, taking care not to get the digital panel (if it has one) or the cord wet.
• Allow it to sit for 15 minutes.
• Carefully dump out the water, rinse, and dry.
• Wash the lid in hot, soapy water.

You may also choose to wash your lid in the dishwasher. This is the only part of your slow cooker is dishwasher safe if it has heating elements inside of the insert.

Best Slow Cooker Brands and Models

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Originally Published August 9, 2020