Equipment Review: Best Slow Cookers ("Crock Pots") & Our Testing Winner
Equipment Review: Best Slow Cookers ("Crock Pots") & Our Testing Winner
Buy our Co-Winning Slow Cooker: https://bit.ly/4bIXSpf
Buy our other Co-Winning Slow Cooker: https://bit.ly/3yrRKCR
Buy our Best Buy Slow Cooker: https://bit.ly/3yvO8Qf
Behind the Testing: http://cooks.io/2hmwlBS
Full testing details and ranking chart: http://cooks.io/2hmE2Ia
Recipes & tips in our slow cooker guide: http://cooks.io/2krSikq
We tested eight 6- to 7-quart slow cookers to find the best one:
KitchenAid 6-Quart Slow Cooker With Solid Glass Lid
Cuisinart 6-Quart 3-in-1 Cook Central
Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Slow Cooker with Stovetop-Safe Cooking Pot
Hamilton Beach Stay or Go 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Crock-Pot Smart Wifi-Enabled WeMo 6-Quart Slow Cooker
Gourmia SlowSmart Express 7 Qt Digital Programmable Slow Cooker
Black + Decker 7-Quart Slow Cooker—Teal
Can machines designed for the same simple purpose—cooking food slowly enough that you can walk away—be all that different? You’d be surprised.
We review the best (and worst) rimmed baking sheets:
Curious about carbon-steel skillets? Watch our review:
WINNING TRAITS OF A GOOD SLOW COOKER
– At least 6- to 7-quart stated capacity and nearly the same in actual, usable capacity
– Oval shape that can accommodate roasts
– Digital and programmable; automatically switches to warming mode when cooking is done
– Glass lid and countdown timer to let you check progress
– Easy, intuitive display and controls that give unambiguous feedback to user
– Internal temperature sensor that automatically maintains temperature control to prevent boiling
– Internal insulation that prevents hot spots and maximizes cooking efficiency
– Handles that are large and easy to grip and that stay cool
WHAT WE EXAMINED
We tested eight 6- to 7-quart slow cookers, preparing a variety of recipes using both low and high temperature settings and varied cooking times. We used temperature probes to map heating patterns, and a panel of testers evaluated how easy the cookers were to use and clean. We also dismantled a set of the cookers to understand the placement and type of heating elements they contained. All slow cookers were purchased online.
COOKING
We prepared boneless, skinless chicken breasts; whole bone-in turkey breast; and pot roast. We evaluated the texture and flavor of the food and rated the cookers on the uniformity of cooking. We did a final round to test the built-in browning function, when available. We gave highest marks to cookers that produced evenly cooked, juicy, and tender foods every time.
EASE OF USE
We evaluated how easy the cookers were to fill, set, and maneuver, including the intuitiveness of controls, displays to monitor cooking, weight of the crock, size and shape of handles, and whether the handles became hot.
CLEANUP
We washed each model six times by hand and 10 times in the dishwasher (unless the manual instructed not to do so). We gave high marks to models that were easy to clean, with few nooks and crannies to trap food or water. We also gave preference to pots and lids that were dishwasher-safe and emerged from 10 dishwasher cycles good as new.
HEATING PATTERNS
To map heating patterns, we used temperature probes to track the temperature of each cooker’s contents as it heated 4 quarts of room-temperature water over a period of 6 hours on high and 12 hours on low.
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The 9 Slowooker Commandments. This is how you cook with the slow cooker in Germany.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHKpZBU9A3Y
I sure wish ATK would update this research. Six years ago is too long for me to completely trust their recommendation.
How does the kitchen aid hold up long term? I have read a few bad reviews…
I find your review disingenuous. I have slow cooked pork and beef several times in the KitchenAid cooker for up to 10 hours on both low and medium. It never cooks long enough to shred the meat, but the meat is tough!!!! It would be nice if you spent more time determining the best end results for food quality. It seems like your review came as a result of a paid product promotion.
In my experience, the best slow cookers are the vintage original Rival Crock Pots *without* the removable crock. I’ve taken them apart to find out what makes them so good, and the difference actually is that the heating wire in these models is wrapped around and bonded directly to the crock, it actually warms the entire crock evenly all up the sides. It truly makes a serious difference, these are the BEST crock pots. However, the downsides are definitely there. The small typically 3.5qt capacity is limiting and so is the tall cylindrical shape instead of a wide oval one. But if you ever see one in good shape at the thrift shop, it’s DEFINITELY worth picking up!
Looking at postings from customers on Amazon, Kitchen Aid is seriously lacking in quality control on this one. Either the croc doesn’t fit, or the lid doesn’t fit the croc, or both. Not everything ATK recommends is a winner.
Incredibly unhelpful video not naming the any of the good or bad slow cookers except your overall winner.
There are many newer options on the market today. It is time to repeat the testing. It would be nice to include some lead free/ healthier alternatives.
Which 10 quart crockpot, 2023 Update Pl. is the best
Please don’t make us rely on "APPS" to run our devices. We have enough spying on our phones as it is already. My phone is De-googled btw. Strongly recommended.
I bought the Cuisinart but the non stick surface hasn’t been very durable and a new pot is 100.
Can you brown your meat in the Kitchen Aid one?
I would love an update on this! 6 years is a long time in the cooking/tech world.
I wish you would do an update video…
Fantasys😅Of "HOT" Diner
2023 it’s time for an update please!
I wonder why the 360 Americraft slow cooker wasn’t included, made in the USA and very high quality.
This review is six years old. Have they performed any updated tests?
The vintage white one from a yard sale or second hand source 😂
Fantastic job. 👍Thank you.
Dear, this test is from a few years ago. We have a new multi-function slow cooker. Our products are innovative in function and appearance. Can you give it a Test?
FYI to anyone looking at this video, the winning model (or whatever the link goes to) appears to have some quality control issues now or this review was a joke 6 years ago.
The one I got came with lid that doesn’t cover the entire pot, and the pot itself doesn’t fit snuggly into the base.
KitchenAid’s website doesn’t even accept the serial number when filling out a support request, so ended up just returning it.
Thank you!! This is by far the best review I have ever seen.
I’ve had two Crockpots and a couple other “slow cookers” and they all just boiled the food.
I purchased this slow cooker based on this review and I must say I don’t feel it’s worth the price. Meats cook well, but vegetables don’t cook completely—“they still have a “bite” even when cooked on high for 8 hours. I still think my old $20 Crockpot brand from Walmart worked best.
I have an Instapot my sister bought me years ago that has a slow cook “feature”… don’t expect it to work. I don’t think that was an option here but I had high hopes for mine to work as a slow cooker and it sucks! Never fully cooks or heats up enough. I’m very curious about the Ninja newest version of a slow cooker with 12 modes but it’s 8.5 and too massive. Unfortunately they don’t offer a 6-7qt size too bad because it offers a lot of functions
We bought the Kitchenaid and it’s a total piece of crap … I’d fire your MIT engineer!!! I literally have no idea how this slow cooker won unless Kitchenaid paid y’all off .. no significant gaps between the lid and crock were mentioned nor was the shitty seal fix
amazing how you didn’t say anything at all in the end…
Can you please do an update
Stop trying to tenderize meat in a slow cooker. The temperature is too high.
Switch to Sous Vide and you will never go back. The texture and flavor of the meat are much better.
My ex was happy (satisfied) when her buttons were clicked too. I didn’t need an engineering degree either!
Loved the way you conducted the testing and the real facts about the different aspect to consider before buying a crock pot. Súper Good Video! Hats off!!
Is this video still relevant? It’s almost 8 years old.
Can you make a new video or 2023 best crockpot
Oval Shapes are more versatile as to what you cook in a slow cooker, meaning you can do roasts and loaves. But round allows for more consistent cooking by avoiding cold spots. The cooking occurs from heating elements wrapped around the well that the ceramic bowl sits in; heat travels in from the outer surface of the ceramic bowl, so obviously a stretched (oval) shape will affect the cooking.
Six to Eight quarts may allow more versatility by allowing roasts and loaves, but it also means a HUGE appliance footprint that may be impractical or impossible for a small/tiny kitchen. If you have an oven, leave roasts and loaves for baking there. Also, very small kitchens are also usually burdened with very small freezers and refrigerators, so slow-cooking in volume usually results in leftovers difficult to store. One rule of thumb says slow cooker volume should equal 1 quart per person in the household plus 1 quart more; so a 3-person home would need a 4qt slow cooker and someone living alone could get by with a 2 or 2.5 qt slow cooker.
The biggest issue for slow cookers is that any slow cooker less than 4qts is unlikely to have a timer or shut-off mechanism. That means you can’t risk the fire hazard of leaving a 3qt slow cooker to cook all day while you’re at work or in class. Slow cookers under 4qt have just the On/Off, High, Low, Warm settings, requiring you be present to monitor how ‘done’ the contents become AND manually change the setting (they aren’t automatic), to avoid burning the food.
Manufacturers are missing an important market of singles (retirees, chronically-ill, students, single parents) who would love AT LEAST the safety feature of an auto-shutoff feature. This would increase the utility and desirability of small-volume slow cookers as well as protect customers (who may upgrade their slow cookers in the future) who had to go out or had fallen asleep while the slow cooker was on.
For safety’s sake, it’s a good idea to always plug your slow cooker into a timing device, to shut the appliance off after a period of your choosing. Outlet-positioned timing devices are marketed to fool potential thieves into believing someone’s home because the lights come on (while you’re actually away); they can be applied in these instances to provide protection.
Have to solidly disagree.
Just go online at everyone’s favorite home delivery shopping store that starts with an A and ends with an N. Check out the reviews and you will see a big upset.
Normally, ATK’s #1 products have a near 5 star reviews but this one barely cracks 4. Thats a big sign folks….
I bought this unit and had the same exact problem as all the other low reviewers – not hot enough.
I think ATK got hosed by kitchenaid during this test as the real life product is incredibly under powered.
Foods that I would normally cook low on a cheap 1990’s slow cooker would take 10 hours on high with this kitchenaid and it just barely finished cooking.
This thing is going in the garbage. And I am on the hunt for a new slow cooker😮
ATK should really pull this video off the net.
how about low wattage for a "slow cooker"??
These guys/gals don’t play. They hired engineers from MIT. 😆
Would have liked a second option like they do on present reviews
how about options for cooking for 1 – 3 people.
Love KitchenAid products! Thanks! 🎉
I feel like it’s time to test slow cookers again and this time recommend a 2nd option…please…
Thank you for this video.
Nic
I wondered if a Ninja product would be involved in this test. Multi-cookers are now very popular. Perhaps it’s time to test those that include slow cookers in their functions.
My biggest concern, which was not addressed, is the level of toxicity in the inner pots for those who are looking for truly non-toxic cooking.
Best video!! So many on the market. I feel I wont have buyers remorse now, or burn up my house with the wrong purchase!! This video gets 2 thumbs up!!
This beginner’s guide is perfect for busy people like me! Can’t wait to try batch cooking with a slow cooker. 🥘💡 @homekitdecor
Testers couldn’t figure out how the buttons worked? Did they red the directions first? That may help. People have such an aversion to reading instruction manuals. Less stuff would get sent back and not broken.
Manual is the best
If you want a timer
Go buy an outlet timer
Which is a multitasker 🤗😍