Slow cookers are a great way of improving your home cuisines by enriching your meals with richer, more pronounced flavors and tenderized foods. These cookers can be used to prepare a wide range of foods, from broths and soups to stews, casseroles, and one-pot meals. They are great at conserving energy and use far less electricity than ovens. So if you plan to invest in one of these appliances for a hands-off cooking experience, here are five of the best slow cookers available today.
Read also: Pressure Cooker vs Slow Cooker
Comparison Chart
Best Slow Cookers Reviews
Crock-Pot Slow Cooker
This 3-quart cooker takes our top spot for offering the best value for money. It’s very affordable and has many features that improve your general cooking experience. Moreover, it’s made from stainless steel, a durable material that is sure to keep your cooker serving you for long. You will also find great convenience in how its stoneware and lid are easy to clean using a dishwasher. You are looking at one of the top products in its category for its price.
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The Crock-Pot slow cooker comes in three sizes, 3, 7, and 8 quarts. Each of these cookers can serve 4, 8, or 10+ people. The last two options are ideal if you have a large family or like preparing your meals in bulk. Another upside is that all their stoneware is microwave and oven safe and can be used in the oven for temperatures of up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. However, it’s important to note that the 8-quart option has a lid that won’t fit in your normal-sized dishwasher as it’s too large.
This cooker can be programmed to run for up to 20 hours long, thus giving you that slow cook that gets all the nutrients out and intensifies the flavor. You can choose to use it in Low or High cook settings. Moreover, there is a ‘Keep Warm’ feature which maintains your ready-made food at convenient temperatures so you won’t have to warm your food again when you come back home.
There are many dishes that you can prepare using this cooker. Just toss your ingredients in, and let them slowly turn into delicious delicacies that are healthier and tastier. Some of the commonly prepared dishes include broths, minced meats, stews, and flavorful stocks. This cooker is especially notable for tenderizing meats, making them easier to chew.
Crock-Pot made the stoneware removable and dishwasher safe to make your cleaning work easier.
The digital display on the cooker allows you to set your convenient time from 30 minutes to 20 hours. You can easily monitor the progress of your cooking by looking at how much time is left on the countdown timer. Moreover, there’s an option to readjust the time and increase or decrease it as needed.
Pros
- It can be used safely in ovens
- Stoneware and lid are dishwasher safe
- Adjustable timer
- Convenient ‘Keep Warm’ function
Con
- The walls of the pot sometimes overheat
Elite Gourmet MST-250XS Electric Slow Cooker
If you live alone and are looking for a small, affordable slow cooker, then this Elite Gourmet electric slow cooker is an excellent option. It has a volume of 1.5 quarts and can prepare soups, broths, entrees, sauces, stews, roasts, and dips. However, you should note that other bigger versions of this slow cooker go up to as large as 8 quarts.
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One of the nice aspects of this product is the array of colors they offer their customers. You get to choose the color of your cooker from a list of five options, including white, purple, red, black, and stainless steel.
This cooker has convenient side handles that keep you from coming into contact with the hot exterior wall. The knob is also designed to ensure your hands are protected and you can operate the device safely.
Adjustable cooking settings allow you to select between low, high, and keep warm modes. This gives you the extra control you need for precise cooking while giving you a set-and-forget cooking experience.
Cleaning this unit is quite easy. The inner ceramic pot is removable and can be cleaned inside a dishwasher. The same goes with the tempered glass lid. Another advantage of this lid is that it lets you peek inside the pot and monitor the progress of your food. The exterior of the cooker is smooth and can be quickly wiped down using a wet cloth when you want to get rid of stains and food particles.
You get a limited warranty for one year when you buy this product. Moreover, customers in the US also get support from the company’s customer service team.
The only temporary downside to this product is its strong ‘new’ smell when you use it for the first time. However, this quickly dissipates away in about twenty minutes.
Pros
- Several colors to choose from
- Insulated handles and control knob
- Easy to clean
- Comes with a one-year limited warranty
Con
- Strong smell when used for the first time
Hamilton Beach Store Portable Slow Cooker
Family meals have never been tastier than with the Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker. This appliance is great for typical families as it can easily hold up to enough food for seven people. Hamilton Beach has been making kitchen appliances like coffee makers, blenders, food processors, rice cookers, and so much more. This slow cooker is one of their latest inventions that makes your cooking experience enjoyable.
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As the name indicates, this kitchen appliance does not need your maximum effort to prepare the food. Its slow cooking feature, accessed through simple controls, ensures you can start cooking your flavorsome meals at reduced heat. This feature is important as it means you don’t need to keep checking on your food as the low heat will still make your food ready: just that it will take more time.
Kitchen appliances must be cleaned after use, and some food stains can be difficult to remove with just plain water and soap. The good news is that this equipment has a stoneware crock and glass lid that are removable and easy to clean even in your dishwasher.
When cooking, it is crucial to have a slow cooker that has different cooking temperatures for different foodstuffs. The good news is that you can easily switch the controls to the Hamilton Beach slow cooker. If you want your meal to be ready in no time, you can switch the equipment to cook on high heat and vice versa. Moreover, this machine keeps your food at the optimal temperature by selecting the warm button, ensuring your food is warm until meal time.
While your food is cooking, it is easy for the food to spill over, especially when cooking at a high temperature. This machine comes with lid clips to ensure your food does not spill over, leaving your kitchen in an undesirable state. What’s more, this cooker is portable as the lid clips tightly cover the top of the cooker, meaning you can carry your tasty hot food outside without worrying about spillage.
Family gatherings call for you to have a big cooker to ensure everyone enjoys their share of the meal. This equipment can hold various foods, from large chunks of meat to lasagna and desserts. You can easily serve more than seven people from this cooker.
Pros
- Convenient for family meals
- Easy to clean
- Reduces spills
- Maintains ideal food temperature
Cons
- Has no power on the light indicator
KOOC Slow Cooker
KOOC is a company that believes in manufacturing high-quality cooking and kitchen appliances, and this stainless-steel slow cooker is one machine that is a must-have in your kitchen. You will be able to enjoy cooking meals every day as it becomes less tiresome and more fun.
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When you buy a new machine, one of the first things you think about is whether it has a warranty or not. You don’t have to worry when purchasing this small cooker as it comes with a one-year warranty, and the customer service responds within the first twenty-four hours once you contact them if there is an issue with your cooker. In addition, if the appliance was not what you were looking for, you can return the product within thirty days of purchasing it.
Cooking should not be a hard task, and this KOOC small slow cooker ensures you enjoy every second of cooking. With its three-mode temperature, which is adjustable through the classic knob, you just have to choose what temperature you want your food to cook at. So whether you want your meat to cook at high or low heat, or if you want to keep your food warm until you’re ready, this cooker gives you these amazing temperature settings.
Moreover, you don’t have to worry about how this appliance works. It comes with an indicator light which lets you see the cooker’s operating status. On top of that, the ease with which you cook and stir your delicacy is impeccable. In addition, the cooker has high-quality grips for handling during cooking or when you want to take food to the dining table.
Overcooking your food can lead to nutrients and taste loss, but thanks to the healthy slow cooking feature found in this cooking appliance, you can cook your food at low power. For example, if it’s a beef stew, you select the low heat setting; this way, you will keep all the flavors and nutrients the meat offers.
This appliance is convenient for a small couple starting out living together. Its 2-8.5 Qt is suitable for three people. Moreover, the cooker comes in various colors, which is great for youth who love having unique colors in their kitchen cabinet.
Slow cooker liners are amazing at making your cooking experience less hectic. After purchasing this appliance, you will find five free KOOC liners that cover the surface of your crock-pot, preventing food from clinging to it.
Pros
- Comes with five free slow cooker liners
- Easy to operate
- One-year warranty
- Available in various sizes and colors
Cons
- The appliance comes smaller than advertised
BLACK+DECKER SC2007D Slow Cooker
Slow cookers can cook various foods, but none comes close to this cooking appliance by BLACK+DECKER. This slow cooker is suitable for chili, soups, meat, and roasts. You must prepare your ingredients, place them in this crock pot, and let the heat do the magic.
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Cooking is only great if the result is impressive. This slow cooker will ensure you can peer through the tempered glass lid to ensure everything is going as planned, and you don’t even have to open the lid. This is an important feature to ensure that your food does not overcook, losing its delicious taste.
While cooking, especially on high heat, the cooker tends to overheat, making it challenging to hold the appliance when you want to stir your food. Thanks to the cool touch handle on this pot, you can easily hold the side handles and take your food to the dining table. On top of that, the plastic handles will ensure you can stir your food well and mix the ingredients evenly.
Family dinners are essential, and this slow cooker is convenient for a family setup. Its 7 quarts are large enough to serve over eight people. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about the mess left after cooking. This appliance has a removable stoneware crock made of durable material, meaning you can clean it thoroughly without worrying about it wearing down.
The fun doesn’t end there with this cooking pot. The built-in lid holder ensures you don’t make a mess when serving food. In addition, you don’t have to hold on to the lid when stirring food; this holder offers enough support to keep every part of the appliance in position.
Some foods require low heat while others high heat, and with this equipment, in your kitchen, you can cook either at their required heat. This is because the machine has three heat settings ranging from low, high, and warm, and this knob will ensure your palatable food is cooking at its ideal temperature.
Besides, there are moments when you are waiting for other foods to cook, and you are worried that your food in this slow cooker will get cold. The good news is the warm feature will ensure your food is at the absolute temperature for eating.
Although this product has many outstanding features, one thing that can be improved is the stability of the pot. Users have claimed that the pot does not feel that steady while cooking.
Pros
- Built-in holder
- Cool-touch handles
- Convenient for eight servings.
- See-through glass lid
Cons
- Stability issues
Final Verdict
The first step toward preparing your delicious, healthy meals is getting the right slow cooker. The products listed above are some of the best available today. They are durable, easy to use, and versatile in preparing different meals. Crock-Pot Slow Cooker is our top pick due to its affordable price and the different available sizes allowing you to get the right one for your family.
Try any one of these slow cookers and get cooking!
Read also: Easy Slow Cooker Recipes