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Are you looking for comprehensive slow cooker reviews? If the answer is YES then you are in the right place!
A slow cooker is one of the most straightforward kitchen appliances we have today. It’s one of those set-and-walk-away cooking equipment that will make a busy homemaker’s life so much easier.
However, with so many different options, how do you know which one is best for you? Don’t drive yourself nuts trying to weed out the good ones from the bad ones because we’ve got that covered!
In this website, you are going to find everything you need to know about slow cookers from reviews to buying guide.
Top 3 Best Slow Cooker Reviews
Advantages of Slow Cookers
- They can save you money! Cheap cuts of meat in fact taste better put in a stew or other slow cooked dish, the tissue and muscle fiber found on cheap meats will add a lot of flavor to a stew.
- You really can set your slow cooker and forget about it. The hazards of doing so are very low, and this is an extremely safe way to cook.
- You can’t really burn many foods cooking them in a slow cooker, as the temperatures don’t get high enough to do so.
- It really is the low maintenance way to cook! You can put everything in just one dish to save on the washing up afterwards, and because you’re just shoving everything in a pot you don’t need to worry about timing everything right, it will be cooked when it is cooked!
1. Hamilton Beach 33967 Set ‘n’ Forget Programmable Slow Cooker
We may as well jump in with probably the most recognizable brand and model of slow cooker on the market today with a quick review of the Hamilton Beach 33967. This is the number one best selling slow cooker on Amazon today, which must mean something, right? So does this model live up to the hype attached to it?
Our Rating: 
(4.4 / 5)
Features of the Set N Forget include:
- Three modes for automatic cooking: program, probe, and manual
- Dishwasher Safe
- Probe mode is great for large cuts of meat or for meals that require food to reach a specific heat and temperature
- In built thermometer reads the temperature of your dinner whilst it cooks; this is then displayed on the outside of the cooker.
- LCD screen for ease of use
- Secure design secures content of the cooker wherever you take it
- A lid that securely seals in place with wire clips on the handlse. Serving spoon clips onto lid for simple access
- 6 quart removable stoneware crock fits a 6 lb. chicken or a 4 lb. roast
- Designed to cook all food evenly and consistently
- Easy, full grip handles make carrying really simple even with a heavy meal
- Stays on during a power outage (as long as it isn’t too long)
This brilliantly reviewed slow cooker has around 4 stars on Amazon, which is very good, plus it is retailing at around the 50 buck mark, which can’t be bad at all! If you’re looking for value for money then this could well be your answer, with a huge amount of features at your fingertips. Remember as well that the cuts of meat you can use wont be too expensive, and in the long run a good quality slow cooker like this can even save you money on your meals.
Below is a cooking chart provided by the manufacturer, Hamilton Beach showing you how long certain meals or types of food will take in this slow cooker.
2. Cuisinart 3-In-1 Cook Central
Next up we have an amazing bit of kit from Cuisinart. Their 3 in 1 cook central is not only a slow cooker but a multi-cooker and a steamer, so there is an awful lot you can do with it. It’s cook modes include slow cook as you would expect, brown/sautee and steam. In fact there aren’t many meals that you’ll cook and not be able to find this useful for at least one aspect of the cooking!
Our Rating: (4.4 / 5)
The price tag for the Cook Central does reflect the fact that it can do so much, but putting that to one side for a minute, this really is the elite when it comes to slow cookers.
- Certified “Frustration-Free” Packaging
- Steaming rack included for steam mode
- big blue backlit display with simple-to-read temperature and timing settings
- Removable 6 quart non stick cooking pot made from aluminium
- cool to touch handles and glass lid for good view and comfortable moving around
- Dishwasher-safe and removable parts which mean almost effortless cleanup
- Limited three year warranty.
Okay, so it isn’t limited to being a slow cooker, but in my opinion that is the beauty of this offering from Cuisinart, it means that for a similar space in your kitchen you get three times the functions. It’s not for those on a shoestring budget I’ll admit, but if you want the creme de la creme of kitchen appliances then this definitely needs to be on your list.
And finally, a Cheap Model…
3. Crock-Pot SCR300-B
I always love to include an affordable model for those of us on a budget, or even just looking for a basic slow cooker which can save us a few bucks! This is a manual model as you would probably expect for the price tag ($11.50 at the time of me writing this). Manual means you simply set your heat, pop in the ingredients and go. In fact, this means you’re unlikely to get bogged down in the complexities of some other models, making this a good choice for those of us who just want a no frills but good quality Slow cooker.
Our Rating: 
(4.5 / 5)
Quality is certainly what you get from this, virtually 5 star reviews across the board for the Crock-Pot SCR300-B. Which offers…
- 3 Quart capacity
- Removable round stoneware
- Dishwasher safe design, both the stoneware and lid
- Recipe booklet Included for some great meal ideas.
How to Choose the Best Slow Cooker
Slow cookers are not created equal so to help you end up with the best one, check out the things you need to consider below when shopping for a new slow cooker.
Size
You can find slow cookers ranging from 1-quart to 7-quart capacity. If you are cooking for a big family, you obviously need to go for a size that will give you enough capacity to make anything from pot roasts to chili. If you will only use the crockpot to make dips, a 16-ounce little dipper will do the trick. For those who are cooking for 1 or 2, they will make do with a portable 1.5 or 2-quart slow cooker.
Shape
The shape of the slow cooker is not just for aesthetic purposes. Round-shaped crock-pots are perfect for soups, stews and chilis while oval slow cookers are recommended for preparing larger pieces of food like whole chicken. Oval-shaped slow cookers provide more flexibility compared to the traditional round-shaped slow cooker.
Style and Design
If you are the type who like to move kitchen appliances around or if you are going to bring the slow cooker often to potluck dinners then you will surely appreciate one that comes with locking lids. Newer models usually have an attachment that secures the lid to the base to avoid messy spills and for easy transport. If you like hosting parties and you want to put the slow cooker on a buffet table, opt for one with a stylish and elegant design.
Features
Older models (manual) only come with high/low settings but today you can find slow cookers that feature digital control panel and programmable setting that allows you to keep the equipment warm even after the cooking time is over. This feature will come in handy if you can’t go home right away just to turn the unit off. You don’t have to worry about coming home to a burnt meal. Some advanced slow cookers have temperature probes which help you monitor if the meat is already cooked.
Price
The price of slow cookers can range anywhere from $15 to $200. If you are not too fussy about the most advanced features and you will make do with one that has low and high settings then go for an inexpensive model. You can find a good slow cooker as cheap price. While it may be cool to own the most expensive cooking equipment, the question is- do you really need all the bells and whistles?
(4 / 5)
