Slow Pot Cookers You should buy 2023
Slow-pot cookers make cooking a lot easier. If you are a chef, this is a good deal to get for your kitchen. In this guide, we would be discussing the best slow-pot cookers to get. If you are interested, read through this guide.
What Is a Slow Cooker?
It is an electrical appliance that cooks food safely at low temperatures. What you get at the end of the cooking process is a tender dish full of flavors.
The low and slow cooking process is able to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat so you end up with that fall-of-the-bone type of meat.
The slow cooker can be left safely unattended so it suits busy people who have little time to spend in the kitchen preparing healthy nutritious meals for themselves, their partners, and family.
It is as easy as chopping ingredients browning, placing them all in one pot, and setting the temperature required.
Buyer’s guide for Slow Pot Cookers
Your Slow Cooker Budget
Though slow cookers are not as costly compared to other appliances used in almost every kitchen.
You should see how much you are willing to spend when buying them as there is considerable price variation in its lowest and highest models.
Prices range from ten dollars up to a couple of hundred dollars or more.
Slow Cooker Sizes Matter
The next important thing to be considered while buying the best slow cooker is its size. The size of the slow cooker should be enough to cook an adequate amount of food for all the family members.
Sometimes the actual size of the cooking bowl does not match the size of the cooker claimed on its box. In this situation, you may not be able to feed your entire family if you rely on the size announced by the manufacturer.
If the manufacturer has claimed to provide a 6-liter slow cooker then the actual size of the cooking area will not be more than 4.5 liters.
The ideal size of a slow cooker for 1-2 people is 1.5 to 3.0 liters, for 3-4 people 3.0 to 5.0 liters, and for 5 and more people it is 5.0 to 6.5 liters.
Pots Shape
Most slow cookers have a ceramic pot that’s oval, a shape that accommodates roasts or other large cuts of meat better than a round slow cooker can.
Lids
A glass or clear plastic lid lets you watch your progress without removing the lid and releasing heat. Some slow cookers have a hinged lid—handy when serving up food—though none in our current ratings do. A lid that locks helps keep food from spilling while in transport to potlucks and parties, and some cookers have a handle on the lid that makes the slow cooker easier to carry.
Capacity
Capacities can range from 1.5 to 8.5 quarts. But some owner’s manuals say to fill the pot 1/2 to 3/4 full to avoid under- and over-cooking and to prevent spillovers. Most of the slow cookers in our ratings are 6-to-7 quart models, a popular size. Even slow cookers with similar capacities can vary in size. The bulky ones are more difficult to store and transport, and of course, they eat up more counter space. Note that the tested models weigh between 7 and 17 pounds.
Temperature Probes
Slow cookers aren’t loaded with new features, but temperature probes pop up on some. Insert the probe into a large cut of meat, choose the temperature you want the meat to reach, and when it does, the slow cooker will switch to the keep-warm setting. The owner’s manual for the Hamilton Beach Temp Tracker we tested includes tips on using the temperature probe and hold-temp mode to cook using the sous vide method.
Ease of Cleaning
An easy-to-clean pot and lid that can go into the dishwasher are handy. And keep in mind that touchpad controls are easier to clean than knobs and buttons.
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BLACK+DECKER SCD7007SSD 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker
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CUISINART Programmable Slow Cooker
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CALPHALON Digital Sauté Slow Cooker
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Ninja 9-in-1 multicooker OP350UK
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KitchenAid KSC6223SS 6-Qt. Slow Cooker
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Crock-Pot Cook and Carry Slow Cooker, 6 Quart
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Greenpan Ceramic Nonstick 6-quart Slow Cooker
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Hamilton Beach Extra-Large Stay or Go Portable 10-Quart Slow Cooker
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Cuisinart MSC-400 Cook Central 4-Quart Multi-Cooker
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BREVILLE Fast Slow Pro Multi-Function Cooker
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Best Slow Pot Cookers
BLACK+DECKER SCD7007SSD 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker
The Black + Decker 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker nicely slow-cooked a beef roast on low and high, as well as a chicken soup on low. Beef stew had a rich, uniform broth, but the meat was a bit drier compared with other models. This updated model offers the same standout features as previous versions, like an easy-to-program control panel, large side handles, and locking lid; plus, the brand has added extras like sous vide and an included temperature probe to help prevent overcooking.
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CUISINART Programmable Slow Cooker
This Cuisinart Programmable Slow Cooker automatically switches to the “keep warm” setting after cooking and remains there for up to eight hours. It also looks great on your holiday buffet table with a sleek stainless steel exterior. It includes a “simmer” setting that’s great for hearty cuts of meats like brisket that need to cook all day. The glass lid makes it easy to check on progress. A 24-hour programmable cook time and three-year warranty help make this one of our top picks. Take note that only the lid is dishwasher safe.
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CALPHALON Digital Sauté Slow Cooker
The Calphalon Digital Sauté doubles as doubles as a sauté pan. The 5.3-quart cooking pot insert is also oven safe. The dial features settings for low, high, and warm.
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Ninja 9-in-1 multicooker OP350UK
This is a newer, more sophisticated step up from Ninja Foodi’s 6-in-1 multicooker, packing in nine functions for performing key kitchen tasks, plus a couple for fun. We’re talking slow cooking (which is very user-friendly) searing/sautéing, air-crisping, grilling, dehydrating, baking/roasting, yogurt-making, pressure cooking, and steaming. It has a modern feel with intuitive controls and an outer casing that only gets warm to the touch, rather than excessively hot. It’s the ultimate kitchen gadget.
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KitchenAid KSC6223SS 6-Qt. Slow Cooker
If you’re looking for something that can be programmed for more extensive times than our best overall pick, this KitchenAid slow cooker is a great alternative option that performed well in testing. It’s designed for perfect cooking and easy serving, with a glass lid that can be opened on either side—perfect for buffet serving while keeping food warm and covered. Plus, it can be programmed for up to 24 hours at a time—in 30-minute increments—for unattended cooking.
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Crock-Pot Cook and Carry Slow Cooker, 6 Quart
Slow cookers don’t need lots of fancy settings to turn out excellent meals, and this 6-quart oval unit proves it. We tested the manual version, but this Crock-Pot model is also available with digital controls.
The manual version has a simple dial to choose between high, low, and warm settings. The digital version has the same heat settings, as well as preset cooking times from 30 minutes to 20 hours. Both come with a dishwasher-safe stoneware cooking insert and a glass lid.
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Greenpan Ceramic Nonstick 6-quart Slow Cooker
This slow cooker has a durable stainless steel exterior, and the 6-quart Thermolon ceramic interior is both dishwasher-safe and very nonstick. This slow cooker looks modern and stylish with its LCD screen, but some users note that the buttons are labeled with small print and can be hard to see.
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Hamilton Beach Extra-Large Stay or Go Portable 10-Quart Slow Cooker
This is the perfect slow cooker for large families or anyone who likes to cook freezer meals. The 10-quart capacity is even large enough to handle a 10-pound turkey or a 12-pound roast, saving oven space for pies and dinner rolls. This cooker can be set for low or high heat, and it has a warm setting to keep food at serving temperature when cooking is done.
The lid seals well and has clips to hold it in place, so the cooker can travel to parties and potlucks without risking messy spills.
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Cuisinart MSC-400 Cook Central 4-Quart Multi-Cooker
Many slow cookers require lots of liquid, so they can’t be used for true roasting. This multi-cooker is designed to make roasting easy, along with slow cooking, steaming, and browning. It includes a convenient steaming/roasting rack, so it’s ready to roast without buying extra accessories.
The slow cook function can be set to high, low, simmer, or warm for perfect cooking control for up to 24 hours. Roasting can be set for 250 to 450 degrees for up to 6 hours, steaming can be set for up to 90 minutes, and sauté can be set for up to 500 degrees.
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BREVILLE Fast Slow Pro Multi-Function Cooker
If you want a cooker that offers tons of flexibility and unique bells and whistles, you’ll love Breville’s Fast Slow Pro. The sleek 6-quart tool allows you to choose from 11 pressure cook options or high and low slow cooking settings. You can also precisely adjust the temperature and pressure level (from 1.5 to 12 PSI, one of the biggest ranges we’ve seen) or select pre-programmed settings for vegetables, rice, risotto, soup, stock, beans, poultry, meat, bone-in meat, chili and stew, and dessert.
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Conclusion
To conclude, slow pot cookers are required for certain kinds of food. This is a great deal especially if you are a cooking enthusiast. To select the right slow pot cooker for you, read through the buyer’s guide above.
