Slow Cooker is an excellent helper for cooking. However, among thousands of options out there, how can you distinguish the best one that will perfectly meet your requirements?
Well, we’ve done all your homework for you! Here is a complete buyer’s guide to everything you need to know about it.
Table of Contents
What Is A Slow Cooker? How Does It Work?
A slow cooker is an electric appliance that slowly cooks your food at low temperature while busy indulging in other important tasks. Sometimes it’s also called a Crock Pot. Although the cooking time is long, you only need to spare a couple minutes to prepare the ingredients. And the rest goes to the cooker.
It consists of three parts: the inner pot, lid and the heating base. The heating process is almost the same as the stovetop and dutch oven. The heat starts from the base going all the sides, and finally providing the needed heat to the food.
So you just need to place the prepared ingredients inside the inner pot and let it be heated by the base on multiple settings. Keep the lid on the crock pot while cooking to prevent heat loss and guarantee your food is fully cooked.
Top 10 Slow Cookers in 2022 At a Glance
◈ Best Overall Slow Cooker: Cuisinart 3-In-1 Multi-Cooker
◈ Best Budget Slow Cooker: Hamilton Beach Portable 7-Quart Slow Cooker
◈ Best Slow Cooker for Large Family: KOOC 8.5-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
◈ Best Multi-functional Cooker with Slow Cooking: Instant Pot Aura Pro Multi-Use Programmable Slow Cooker
◈ Most Versatile Vessel Slow Cooker: West Bend Large Capacity Versatility Slow Cooker
◈ Best Slow Cooker for Tailgates & Picnic: Presto Nomad 8-quart Traveling Slow Cooker
◈ Best Slow Cooker with Temperature probe: Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker With Temperature Probe
◈ Best Slow Cooker with Stirring System: Crock-pot Digital Slow Cooker with iStir Stirring System
◈ Best Triple Slow Cooker: Elite Platinum Triple Slow Cooker Buffet Server
◈ Best Disney Slow Cooker: Disney Mickey Mouse Oval Slow Cooker
Benefits of Having A Slow Cooker
Slow cookers are really amazing which can make your life easier. Here are some of the reasons why you should have one:
1. Save time
As mentioned before, after preparing all the ingredients in a few minutes and putting them into the crock pot, you are free to go. Let it work for you and back home to have a delicious meal after several hours.
2. Save money
The long process of low-temperature cooking helps tenderize meat. Even a cheaper cut of meat which is usually tough will become more tender in a slow cooker. Also, the convenience of using it renders you eating at home instead of dining out. It saves you a lot of money!
3. Enhance the flavor
The prolonged cooking time brings out the flavor of each ingredient. This results in an awesome dish and delight your tongue.
4. They create less mess than stovetops
As the cooker is covered during the cooking process, you don’t need to stir or fry. In addition, most of the crock pot recipes only require one step preparation, it keeps your kitchen cleaner and tidier.
5. Comparatively eco-friendly
They consume less electrical energy than ovens which produce less heat, it’s relatively eco-friendly.
There are more benefits I did not mention here as I don’t want to make this article verbose. You will know how lovely it is after trying it!
Who Needs A Slow Cooker?
I will say EVERYONE!
No matter if you are a meat lover or a vegetarian, on a busy day or a lazy day, you need it.
It turns various ingredients into a flavourful dish magically. Steaks, chicken breasts, pork ribs, beans, potatoes and many other foods, all can be cooked favorably in a slow cooker.
It is ideal for people who tend to be busy or chill and prefer to safely keep their food unattended, all while making sure they are not compromising the food quality.
► You may want to take a look at the following slow cooker recipes:
7 Factors to Consider When Buying A Slow Cooker
Sure, all slow cookers provide excellent features that can yield the benefits of slow cooking. However, there are many different slow cookers in the market with different features. I know, when you are shopping for it, a big question mark always comes to your mind: how to choose a slow cooker that is best for me? Here are a few things you must keep in mind to ensure you get nothing but the best.
1. Size
In general, you should never overfill or underfill the crock pot to prevent over or undercooking as well as potential spillovers. It’s best to fill at least ½ to ¾ full. Besides that, some manufacturers have misleading sizes of the cooker. For instance, if a manufacturer claims the crock pot to cook around 6 quart, you can actually expect to be able to fit in 3 to 4.5 quart worth of food.
Therefore, an ideal slow cooker must have the size to cook food for your entire family. It’s recommended to go for 6-7 quart models with a flexible capacity to fit in most of the food you want to cook. If you go for anything bigger than this, it will likely cause you trouble in transportation and storage since they take up considerably more space in your countertops.
To state specifically, here are some of the sizes that can help you decide which size to opt for. We would suggest you screenshot and refer to it later.
| No. of people | For who | Size | Remark |
| For 1-2 person | single / a couple | 2-3 Quart | You cannot cook a whole chicken in this size. |
| For 3-4 person | small family | 4 Quart | |
| For 4-6 person | medium-sized family | 6 Quart | It’s a standard size for a slow cooker which is able to cook most of the ingredients. |
| For 6-8 person | large family | 8 Quart |
◈ Best Slow Cooker for Large Family: KOOC 8.5-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
2. Shape
The shape can play an essential role in buying the slow cooker for more than just stews and cooking beans. Nowadays, you can find slow cookers in round, oval and rectangular shapes meant to serve different purposes. Food items like whole chicken and ribs are likely to fit in oval- or rectangular-shaped slow cookers, whereas the other types such as soup and stew can fit into any shape. A crock pot with an oval or a rectangular shape is more versatile. But you should also consider whether it’s easy to store and fits your cabinet.
It’s common to see people have multiple shapes and sizes of the same crock pot that can help you cook anything without limiting yourself.
◈ Best Oval-Shaped Slow Cooker: Hamilton Beach 7-Quart Oval Slow Cooker
3. Inner pot
There are a few things you need to consider when it comes to the inner pot. Firstly, is it removable? This is a key for the inner pot. A removable inner pot could be washed easily and save you a lot of time. Don’t let the cleaning issue of the inner pot ruin the convenience of a slow cooker.
Secondly, is it dishwasher-safe? Putting dishes into the dishwasher is definitely a smart choice. Most of the inner pots nowadays are dishwasher-safe. But don’t forget to double check before taking out your credit card from your wallet.
Thirdly, can it be used in an oven or a microwave oven? This is a bonus for the users. Some of the removable inner pots can be used safely in an oven or a microwave oven set up to 400°F. But keep in mind that do not use it on the stovetop for most of the inserts. Check the instructions of the cooker you are going to buy.
◈ Most Versatile Vessel Slow Cooker: West Bend Large Capacity Versatility Slow Cooker
4. Lid
When choosing a lid, it’s always the best idea to go for a glass or clear plastic lid. Since it allows you to see the process without actually opening the lid. This is especially needed because removing the lid during the cooking process can cause heat loss, which, in turn, increases the cooking time.
You can also find lockable lids that are highly handy when you are serving food. If that’s not, your bet goes for the lids. The locking lid feature makes it effortless to carry your crock pot anytime, anywhere. They keep the food from spilling while you are transporting the cooker between parties and other locations. However, you should bear in mind that never lock the lid during cooking. Otherwise, pressure is then kept building inside the crock pot due to the continuous production of steam, thus affecting the performance.
◈ Best Slow Cooker with Hinged Lid: Crock pot 6 Quart Metallic Cooker with Hinged Lid
5. Time & Temperature Setting
Slow cookers, in general, don’t come with their own setting for specific items. You need to be fully educated to understand which food item needs to be cooked at that particular time and temperature. But no worries, you can find it in recipes.
Time
For the time setting, choosing the one with a programmable digital timer is a wise choice. The digital timer allows you to coordinate side dish preparation and have a complete meal ready once it’s done by counting down the remaining time accurately.
Moreover, pay attention to the shortest and the longest time setting. It’s better to have a timer that counts down cooking time up to 20 hours. It ensures you can follow diverse crock pot recipes.
Temperature
On the other hand, there are two temperature settings for all slow cookers, the “high” and “low” settings, some may even have the “medium”. These can help you customize the feel and texture of the food and to get the maximum flavor out of each food item.
For the programmable slow cookers, they may have the auto-shift-to-warm setting. With this function, the crock pot will switch to warm once your meal is done cooking and no watching is needed.
Other than this, please opt for touchpad controls rather than knobs since they are more prone to defects and provide less durability.
◈ Best Slow Cooker with Temperature probe: Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker With Temperature Probe
6. Multifunction
Some slow cookers are multi-use. They are not only with the slow cooking function but also steaming, pressure cooking, rice cooking, or even yogurt making. The multi-functions of a slow cooker could be one of the factors to consider while shopping. But the price is usually higher with more functions.
◈ Best Multi-functional Cooker: Instant Pot Aura Pro Multi-Use Programmable Cooker
7. Warranty
Considering how slow cookers are electric-based, you can never know when the next obstacle will happen that can make it impossible to cook your next favorite food item. Therefore, before you place an order, go through all the return and warranty policies to help you make the best decision.
However, although most of the crock pots are highly durable, you must also do your part of the upkeep to ensure the cooker stays in its ideal condition. Below are some tips for you.
Tips for Using A Slow Cooker
How to Clean A Slow Cooker?
- Always turn off your cooker and let it cool down before cleaning.
- Wash the inner pot and lid with hot and soapy water. If it’s dishwasher-safe, just take the inner pot out and wash in a dishwasher.
- Do not wash it with cold water if it’s hot. It is to prevent cracking due to the sudden change of temperature.
- Use sponge or rubber spatula with a non-abrasive cleaner or vinegar to get rid of the stubborn residue and stains. Do not use scouring pads or abrasive cleaners to avoid hurting the pot.
- Never immerse the heating base in any liquid.
Cooking Tips for Slow Cooker Cooking
- Never preheat or place the crock pot into the freezer to avoid extreme temperature change.
- According to The USDA Food Safety Guidelines, you should always thaw meat and poultry before slow cooking for food safety purposes.
- Always fill the pot at least ½ to ¾ full to avert over or undercooking.
- Always keep the lid closed to ensure there is no heat loss and no extra time is needed.
- Don’t reheat the leftovers in the crock pot. In this, you can always count on the microwave to instantly let you enjoy the warmness of your leftovers.
- If you like to prepare meals and cut all of the vegetables in advance, try storing them in the fridge rather than keeping it outside.
- If you lose power during the cooking process, immediately discard the food if you are away from home. However, if you are at home, then grill together the undone food to ensure it’s fully cooked.
► For the complete guide of slow cooking, click here.
Summary
Now, you’re fully aware of what makes a good slow cooker, it’s never a bad idea to make a checklist of the things we have mentioned in this buyer’s guide. While you’re buying at the nearby store, ask the salesperson to guide you through this process, and feel free to go full in with your doubts.
However, when it comes to buying online, platforms like Amazon allow you to compare and contrast competitor products to help you make the best decision. Carefully weigh all your options and then make an informed decision.
A slow cooker is really an amazing appliance in the kitchen. All you need to do is just prepare the ingredients, setting the heat and time requirements, and you are good to go for some solid years. Get one and you won’t regret it!
► Read More: 10 Best Slow Cooker in 2021 (Find what you really need!)
