The best Crock-Pots you tin purchase

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  • Busy cooks have been turning out delicious, easy, user-friendly meals in their Crock-Pots since the early 1970s. We researched the dozens of available Crock-Pot slow cookers on today's market to observe the all-time ones you can purchase, and the six-Quart Programmable Cook-and-Carry is our top pick.

I'm a huge Crock-Pot fan. After all, what other kitchen appliance allows yous to toss in your dinner in the morning, and and then drive off to work while it cooks to perfection? What other kitchen tool turns out tasty meals without heating upwards your kitchen? Or miraculously converts inexpensive, can-be-tough cuts of meat into tender, falling-off-the-bone deliciousness? I've had several of these handy appliances over the by three decades, and use my electric current tedious cooker at least once a week. Every kitchen – whether it's in a dorm room, studio apartment, or mansion – deserves a Crock-Pot.

Using your Crock-Pot

Introduced by the Rival Company in 1971, and endemic today by Sunbeam, the original Crock-Pot was intended for cooking beans. Today, y'all can cook just about annihilation in this handy kitchen appliance, including obvious dishes similar soups, stews, and casseroles, but likewise desserts including cheesecake, breakfasts, side dishes, corn on the cob, risotto, French toast, and so much more — the list is nearly endless.

Regardless of which Crock-Pot you lot choose, you'll achieve the all-time results by following these tips:

  • Don't preheat your slow cooker before adding ingredients.
  • Place chopped vegetables at the bottom of your Crock-Pot, then add meat, then finish with liquid or soft ingredients. Concord off on anything dairy until the last one-half-60 minutes or so of cooking.
  • Don't take off the chapeau in the middle of the cooking process; it can have 30 minutes for the tedious cooker to regain its full temperature.
  • Your Crock-Pot should be half-to-iii-quarters total when y'all start cooking. Less, and your food is likely to overcook or dry out; more than, and the Crock-Pot might overflow every bit the food expands with heat.
  • Use skinless craven in your slow cooker; the melted fat will add an unpleasant taste and texture to your finished dish.
  • Add fresh herbs and seasonings at the stop of the cooking cycle. Otherwise, you'll lose delicate flavors.
  • Unless the recipe calls for it, don't put frozen nutrient in your Crock-Pot.
  • Every bit a rule of thumb, ane hr on the high setting of a Crock-Pot is equal to 2 hours on the low setting, and then figure your cooking fourth dimension accordingly.

If you're getting ready to purchase your commencement Crock-Pot – or you want to add one with unique features to your collection – so read on. We've whittled down the many models of Crock-Pot on the market to the five that are most highly rated, and that we feel are the most useful.

For the best of everything in your kitchen, you tin also bank check out our other buying guides for the best wine openers and corkscrews, thebest juicers, theall-time toasters, the best strainers and colanders , the best spice racks , the best measuring cups , the best immersion blenders , theall-time pocketknife sharpeners, and more on Insider Picks .

Although the Crock-Pot vi-Quart Programmable Melt-and-Carry is our top pick, for diverse reasons laid out in the slides below, you lot should besides consider the 3-Quart Round Manual Crock-Pot, the Crock-Pot Hook Upwards Connectable Entertaining Arrangement, the 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock-Pot, and the Crock-Pot Lunch Crock.

The best Crock-Pot overall

Crock-Pot

Why you lot'll beloved it: The six-Quart Programmable Melt-and-Deport Crock-Pot is big enough for a crowd with a lockable lid for easy transport and it has programmable cooking times.

The Crock-Pot Programmable Cook-and-Carry solves one slow cooker business: What do you do if you'll be gone for x hours, simply the meal y'all're preparing only needs to cook for eight? No need to worry if you take this convenient dull cooker. Merely set the timer for your desired cooking time earlier you head out.

You can set cooking times from 30 minutes to 20 hours and exit your worries behind. The Crock-Pot will cook your dinner to perfection, and then automatically switch itself over to the "Warm" setting once the time is up.

With a six-quart capacity, this is the perfect Crock-Pot for larger families. Y'all can fit a half dozen-pound roast inside, several pieces of meat along with vegetables, or go alee and roast a whole craven in it — you'll still take room for carrots and potatoes.

The Sweethome likes this Crock-Pot, praising its long timer, mod advent, handles, and locking chapeau. That locking chapeau with its sealing gasket is another fine feature of this Crock-Pot — no more spills when traveling with the cooker to a picnic, potluck, or tailgate party.

Amazon customers are pleased with this slow cooker every bit well. It has nearly 3,600 reviews and an average of 4.2 stars. Buyers like the large capacity, the programmable timer, and the sleek appearance. Several owners complained that the Crock-Pot seemed to run too hot on the "Low" setting, however. Annotation that both the "Low" and "High" settings of a Crock-Pot accomplish the same maximum temperature of roughly 210 degrees. It just takes longer to reach the maximum temperature on low.

The locking lid is a striking. Says 1 pleased owner, "The boring cooker tipped over once in the machine while full of sloppy joe meat, and to my surprise when I arrived at my destination, non a drop of the sloppy joe meat (or sauce) leaked out."

Pros : Locking lid with gasket, programmable timer, large capacity, stainless steel stop, and modern advent

Cons : Might cook too hot on low setting

Buy the six-Quart Programmable Cook and Behave Crock-Pot on Amazon for $57.99

The best Crock-Pot for small families

Crock-Pot/Business organisation Insider

Why you'll beloved it: If you're just cooking for two or 3 people, the 3-Quart Circular Transmission Crock-Pot is the perfect size.

This is the Crock-Pot I've been using for the past six years or and so. In fact, even as I write this, it's working its magic in my kitchen cooking a chicken enchilada goulash that is oh-then-tasty. That means my kitchen isn't hot, I'll only take one crock to wash after dinner instead of multiple pans, and I'g not having to waste whatever time in the kitchen stirring, adjusting temperatures, or paying any attention at all. Perfect.

As the "Transmission" part of the product'due south name suggests, this Crock-Pot is very basic: no digital controls, no timer, and no programming capabilities. Just a unproblematic knob with settings for "Off," "Warm," "Depression," and "Hot." That'due south fine with me, even so. I don't crave any bells and whistles, and the super-low toll of less than $20 fabricated it even more than appealing. Amazon buyers seem to agree with me: The 3-Quart Round Manual Crock-Pot has more than 1,100 reviews and an boilerplate of 4.iv stars.

The 3-quart size is perfect for my family of three. I've used information technology to cook small roasts with vegetables, stews and soups with extensive ingredient lists, and two-to-iii pounds of chicken without whatever overflow or extended melt time.

Amazon buyers agree, praising the Crock-Pot'due south convenient size for a small family. One satisfied buyer said, "It'south small plenty so that information technology doesn't dry out smaller quantities of soup or meat cooked over a long period of fourth dimension, and it takes up less space on the counter than my large Crock-Pot."

1 consequence with this Crock-Pot that is frequently mentioned, however, is that there is no gasket between the drinking glass lid and the crock, and so moisture "spits" out along the edges, causing the chapeau to rattle a bit during the tardily stages of the cooking time. It's not a big deal, though, and does not affect the cooking process.

Pros : Great price, perfect size for 2 or three people, easy-to-clean ceramic crock, stainless-steel attractive finish.

Cons : Some spitting of moisture during cooking, no ability to program in advance

Buy the 3-Quart Circular Manual Crock-Pot on Amazon for $xvi.79

The best Crock-Pot for entertaining

Crock-Pot

Why you lot'll love it: The ingenious blueprint of the Crock-Pot Hook Up Connectable Entertaining System makes cafe-way entertaining a breeze.

One of the toughest aspects of hosting a cafe – or even a sit-down dinner, for that matter – is keeping everything warm while your guests enjoy their meal. Crock-Pot has solved the problem with the interlocking Hook Up system.

The crocks are mix-and-match and there are several metallic colors to choose from, also as multiple sizes. Each has the bones manual settings: "Off," "Warm," "Low," and "Loftier." But what sets the Hook Upward apart from other Crock-Pot slow cookers is that you tin can connect up to six units together with only one plug going into an electrical outlet.

The dissimilar sizes brand it then easy to cook and serve various dishes: Employ the 1-quart double crock for dips and savories; a 2-quart crock for meatballs, hot wings, and similar finger foods; and a three.5-quart crock for meats, stews, soups, or chili dishes. Or, of course, you tin can use just ane crock to prepare a small meal or side dish for your family unit.

Amazon buyers like this cracking Crock-Pot arrangement. It has more than than 400 reviews and an average of 4.5 stars. Owners mentioned the wide range of foods they've prepared and served in the crocks, along with the convenience of keeping everything at serving temperature through the entire result. A typical comment: "They are easy to store, work like they should, are easy to ready and take down, and made my life a whole lot easier. I really got to go out of the kitchen and enjoy the party!"

When not in use, the Hook Up crocks stack for storage.

Pros : Multiple sizes and colors, makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to host a cafe

Cons : Take up quite a bit of storage and counter space, expensive, pieces sold separately

Buy the Crock-Pot Hook Upwardly Connectable System at Amazon for $41.99 and up (double i-quart), $39.49 and up (2-quart), and $46.26 and up (3.5-quart)

The best Crock-Pot for casseroles

Crock-Pot

Why you'll honey it: The Crock-Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock is especially versatile for making casseroles and and so much more.

Prep your repast in theCrock-Pot 3.5-Quart Ceramic Casserole Crockthe night before – French toast casserole, chicken and biscuits, sausage and egg casserole, BBQ craven and veggies, just about anything else you lot fancy – shop the crock in the fridge overnight, slip it into the Crock-Pot base when it'due south fourth dimension to get cooking, go nearly your business for the side by side several hours, and so come up domicile to a delicious, hot meal. Of course, you don't accept to prepare your dish the dark before, but it sure is convenient to take that choice.

The 3.5-Quart Goulash Crock is, as the proper noun suggests, shaped like a casserole dish instead of the traditional upright ho-hum cooker design. That means it's ideal for casseroles and lasagnas, simply don't limit yourself. You can cook chicken, meat, and veggies in this slow cooker as well, and in fact, larger pieces of meat or craven tend to cook more than evenly and quickly. The removable stoneware crock is also oven-safe, so you tin warm or finish dishes in the oven if desired.

And of course, as casseroles are archetype potluck fare, this model comes with a Cook & Carry locking lid arrangement, so no worries about your repast spilling out on road to the event. Every bit a bonus, the attractive lattice pattern looks great on the buffet table, so no demand to transfer your nutrient into another serving dish. It's also available in solid charcoal, plum, and navy.

The 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock has nearly 800 reviews and a four.5 star average on Amazon. Buyers actually like this slow cooker; many say they also own a traditionally shaped Crock-Pot but attain for this i when preparing a meal that isn't large enough to fill up their other crock to the recommended half-to-iii-quarters-full mark. They use information technology for all sorts of things beyond casseroles, too, including ribs, chicken and rice, mac and cheese, corned beef, pork chops, and cake.

On the downside, some customers said the handles didn't feel strong enough to carry the total crock. Others commented nearly the estrus of the appliance's outside while it'southward cooking, but this is an issue with every slow cooker, non just this one. Touch a Crock-Pot after it's been on awhile, and you lot're probable to burn your finger.

This is a transmission Crock-Pot, with a knob for setting information technology to "Off," "Warm," "Depression," or "High."

Pros : Versatile size and shape, locking hat, bonny appearance, reasonable cost

Cons : Handles might feel unstable when carrying the full crock

Purchase the 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock-Pot on Amazon for $35.99

The best Crock-Pot for lunches on the go

Crock-Pot

Why you'll beloved it: Forget about the office microwave or cold sandwiches; with the Crock-Pot Lunch Crock, you tin can heat upward a delicious meal correct at your desk.

Sure, at lunchtime you can brown-bag it, nuke a frozen dinner in the dirty office microwave, or pick up a greasy burger from the nutrient truck. Or, you can enjoy a healthy meal that you prepared at home in the 20-ounce Crock-Pot Lunch Crock, brought into your part, dropped into the warming base, and and then plugged in for a few hours of warming.

Note that the Lunch Crock is non for cooking food, it is for warming food that's already been cooked. And so information technology's perfect for leftovers of all types, hot cereal, soup, chili, and stews.

This personal-size Crock-Pot has more ane,700 reviews on Amazon and an average of four.vi stars. Customers love not having to wait for the office microwave or stand up in line in the cafeteria. Many commented that they purchased additional nutrient containers and so they tin set up several meals in accelerate, so just grab-and-go on work mornings.

Almost buyers stated that the device took just a couple of hours to heat their meal. Exclaims i happy possessor, "Greatest find ever for those with a 30-minute dejeuner! I'g able to gear up healthier luncheon options and warm them in my office!"

As with all things, at that place are complaints, too, about having to practise with the lid. Several customers said their Lunch Crock'southward lid warped, leaked, or did not fit properly. Still, overall, customers actually like this ingenious mini-appliance.

The handy device has a carrying handle for easy transport, forth with a dishwasher safe chapeau and food container. The electrical string wraps around the warming base of operations when non in use. Unlike other Crock-Pots, there are no controls on the Dejeuner Crock. S imply plug it in to turn it on and unplug it to turn it off. You can even choose from carmine, black, blue, or pink to lucifer your style.

Pros : A bang-up culling to brown numberless, plastic storage containers, or buying lunch each 24-hour interval

Cons : Some complaints of issues with the chapeau

Purchase the Crock-Pot Luncheon Crock on Amazon for $17.76 and up, depending on color

Michelle Ullman

Freelance Writer

Michelle is a home and garden guides writer for Business Insider. She'southward a freelance writer specializing in all things related to life at home. Her favorite kitchen appliance is her Crock Pot.

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