I think at this point in our online relationship, we can agree every busy adult needs a slow cooker. We all need an appliance that will take charge of the cooking while we do other adulting things. Like laundry. Or working. Or petting the cat. All I’m saying is we’ve all got other stuff to do that doesn’t involve babysitting the food.
Across the Board
What’s the difference between a slow cooker and a crockpot? Nothing. Crockpot is a brand name that has become synonymous with the appliance, like Kleenex and Jello for tissues and gelatin respectively. Not that there’s anything wrong with the Crockpot brand. They do put out a quality product. I’m just saying, they aren’t the only game in town.
A boon across all models is the ability to produce a hot meal without having to heat up the whole house. Depending on the recipe selected, there is no need for standing over a hot stove in the wilting heat of summer. Although in the winter, there’s something to be said for coming home to a delicious smelling meal waiting for you.
So now here’s the real question: Which slow cooker should I get?
Before you dive into an Amazon search, find yourself overwhelmed by choices, and tab the heckies right out, lemme give you a guide to use in making your decision. And don’t forget that you can always ask for others for birthdays and holidays if you decide more than one is needed, but only one can be bought.
There are three major aspects of the slow cooker you will need to take into consideration when making your selection. These are size, shape, and automation.
Size Matters
The size of your slow cooker will determine three major factors for you. They are:
- How many people you can feed
- Which types of foods you can cook
- How long the necessary cooking time will be
I will review these particulars for each general size of slow cooker.
Small (1.5-3 quarts)
The average number of people that a small slow cooker can feed is generally one or two. It’s a good size for a small household.
As for what foods can be cooked in the smaller versions, there is a limitation because of the size. The small is ideal for appetizers like a queso, lil smokies, or mini-meatballs. It’s also a good option for cooking vegetables as a side dish where space or cookware is limited. The smaller size is also more than sufficient to make up to two portions of a main entree, including smaller cuts of meat. Soups and stews are not impossible, but large batches will not fit.
The cooking time on the small slow cookers is less than the more standard medium. When following recipes, understand that times are usually given for the mediums, so you will need to reduce them by half, in most instances. The general rule of thumb for the small slow cookers is 3 hours on LOW or 1 hour on HIGH.
Pros:
- Small slow cookers take up the least amount of space, both on the counter when in use, and also when being stored
- The small models tend to be the least expensive of the options.
- Smalls are the perfect size for appetizers when entertaining or going to a potluck.
- The shorter cooking time can be a boon for someone who needs to start a dinner after work, then address other things before eating.
Cons:
- Small slow cookers are the least versatile when it comes to what can be cooked in them, due to their size.
- The decreased cooking time might not work well for someone who needs to be able to set the slow cooker, then leave for a work shift.
- For whatever reason, finding accessories for the smaller models seems to be the most difficult. Most liners are made for the medium and large versions.
These are some really solid choices for Smalls in both Round and Oval. I personally have owned the round for a number of years. An embarrassing number of years, and it’s still going strong. Same for my Hamilton Beach.
Medium (4-6 quarts)
By and large, the medium slow cooker is considered the standard size. Almost all recipes will give cooking times based on a medium slow cooker.
The average number of people who can be fed from a medium slow cooker is anywhere from 3 to 5, for most meals. Closer to six on the 6-quart models. This is really determined by the intended portion size of the meal. It’s a great size for a family with children, a small dinner party, or batch cooking for smaller households.
The possibilities really open up in regards to what you can cook in the medium slow cooker. They’re sufficiently large enough to roast a whole chicken or a medium roast, and still tuck in a few carrots and potatoes. They’re also ideal for making casseroles. Soups and stews. Making homemade stock in this size slow cooker is not only possible, it’s where it tends to shine. Turn it on, leave it alone, voila stock! This size also works for baking potatoes and potentially other baking projects, including desserts.
As mentioned above, cooking time in a medium slow cooker is considered the standard. You can expect to see times of 6-8 hours for LOW or 2-3 hours on HIGH. This is an important feature for this size of slow cooker, as it becomes possible to set your food before work or sleep, and return to a ready meal.
Pros:
- Most recipes will give times and quantities based on this size of slow cooker.
- The medium slow cooker is more than sufficient to feed a family, or batch cook for smaller households.
- The cooking time on LOW is ideal for a set-it-and-forget-it when heading out to work for the day.
- Medium slow cookers are able to accommodate most recipes including whole chickens and small roasts.
- Most medium slow cookers don’t tend to eat up all the counter or storage space.
- Finding liners (for easier clean up) usually isn’t a problem.
- Some models include a second divided stone where an entree can cook on one side while a vegetable cooks in the other.
Cons:
- Medium slow cookers will not be large enough to cook bigger roasts or cuts of meat.
- While great for feeding a family of four to six, larger families might not find the volume sufficient for their needs.
- While a medium can produce enough food for a potluck contribution, or a side dish, it won’t be enough for a larger crowd if entertaining.
- The medium slow cookers do take up more space than a small and can make storage a challenge in tight living spaces.
These are my recommendations for Medium slow cookers in Standard and Programmable.
Large (7-8 quarts)
For five or more people eating at a meal, a large slow cooker is what’s needed. (Clearly not the case if three of those people are under the age of three.) But if you’re talking tweenagers, and oh lawdie, teenager… you’re gonna want a large. A large is also recommended for use in feeding a crowd, such as entertaining or for potlucks. It is ideal for larger households who need to feed more hungry mouths. Or for someone who frequently entertains and intends to spend more time with guests than attending the kitchen. This is the way to go if you’re feeding a crowd.
Large slow cookers can handle most recipes that one would find for the medium version. Other possibilities open up, such as larger roasts and cuts of meat, medium sized hams, and big batch cooking. (Maybe a very small turkey, but please don’t hold me to that. I’ve not tried it.) Multiple chicken carcasses or stock bones can fit in the large slow cooker, allowing for larger quantities of broth and stock to be simmered at one time. It’s also a good choice when making large batches of sauces for further meal preps, say homemade marinara from garden tomatoes. The large slow cooker is also sufficient in size to make yogurt in canning jars.
As to cooking times, when a recipe calls for a temp of LOW, expect the cooking time to be 8-10 hours. The HIGH cooking temp will be in the 4-6 hour range, typically. A note on cooking times in a large crockpot: if you’re cooking a recipe meant for a medium slow cooker in a large one, the contents will be more spread out, potentially needing the lower cook time. I advise being available if you’re making that change, for at least the first attempt. But by and large, the large slow cooker can also be set before work or sleep, especially if a hefty commute is a consideration.
Pros:
- A large slow cooker is ideal for large households or someone who has other needs to feed large crowds.
- If a long commute would interfere with completion time and potentially cause food overcooking, a large can help with that, with its longer cooking times.
- The large slow cooker is the best choice when cooking roasts with veggies, or larger cuts of meats or hams.
- Any intentions to big batch cook for meal preps or freezer stocking are best served by the large slow cooker.
Cons:
- These appliances are not by any means small. They take up some appreciable real estate on the counter when in use, and then in storage. The stones alone can hog up an entire sink.
- While large slow cookers can accommodate recipes meant for a medium, adjustments invariably will have to be made to the cook time, usually by experimentation and best guesses.
- Because the cooking time is longer, consideration needs to be given to how much sooner to start a cook to have it done at the correct time, or how much later you can anticipate it being finished.
These are my recommendations for Large slow cookers in Standard and Programmable.
But wait, there’s more!! Shape!
Don’t worry, this part of the conversation won’t be nearly so lengthy, though understand it’s also an important factor. Slow cookers come in two shapes, round and oval. Either shape can get the job done, but each has something it’s better suited for.
Round slow cookers are best with liquid things. Think chilis, stews, soups, mulled wine, and hot apple cider. This is not to say that you cannot make any of these in the oval shape, but that round is best suited for these items. If curries and stews and warm drinks are going to be the primary items coming from your slow cooker, choose Round.
Oval slow cookers are best with roasts, meats, casseroles and main entrees. The oval shape is more accommodating to the shape of poultry and roasts. You can, maybe, squeeze these items into a round slow cooker, depending on size and your patience. The increased surface area also helps ensure that casseroles and entrees cook in their entirety and don’t have an uncooked pocket, like with the deeper round version. You can absolutely still cook soups and stews in an oval. If it’s your intention to make a full variety of meals, including meats, casseroles, and soups, choose Oval.
But wait, there’s still more! Automation!
This is actually a relatively newer consideration. Yes, I’m showing my age. Hush. Used to be, slow cookers just had a knob to determine what temp you were going to cook on. Now there’s fancy programmable panels. I have had both in my life, there are pros and cons to each. The main thing to know is that programmable slow cookers address one major problem: what happens if you’re not available to turn the appliance off when the cooking is done.
Remember that conversation about commutes? This is where programmability is actually a good thing. You can set the slow cooker to whatever cooking time you need, and when it’s done, it will automatically switch to Keep Warm, so the food stays safe without overcooking.
So what’s the downside? Ah yes. As with any device with bells and whistles, bells and whistles break. My programmable slow cooker started having difficulty registering the buttons within two years of my getting it and gradually got impossible to use. I’m sure it worked great still for the job needed, but it became unusable because no longer could I input a “yo start cooking.” All the other ones I’ve acquired in different brands have also displayed this problem, in varying degrees. The good ole knob works just dandy until the appliance dies of old age, falls off, or breaks.
However, the knob does have the problem that you cannot tell the appliance to switch temperatures when cooking time is completed. If you’re stuck in traffic for two hours, your slow cooker is gonna keep on cooking, and potentially overcooking, your meal.
Now I can’t speak to which of these two situations is a bigger concern for you. If money is an issue and this is a major investment for you, I would advise not going with a programmable appliance that seems to stop functioning just after the warranty runs out. If you really need your meal to stop cooking and just stay warm until you can get to it, going with the automation might serve you well.
A Word on Some Models
Something consistent across most models now, is that the inner stone is removable from the heat source base. In older models this is not the case, except for one style where the cooker was more of a casserole on a hot plate. If for whatever reason your slow cooker does not allow for the stone to be removed from cleaning, it is absolutely imperative that you do not submerge the electronic portion of the unit in water. It will destroy it.
But what about a multicooker?
At this point, I personally don’t have one, so I don’t want to speak too much for them. (Actually, not quite true. I do have a multi-function pressure cooker, but that’s not the same as an outright multicooker.) However, many of the same considerations are in play here. Are you limited on space in your kitchen where a multi-functional appliance would be good, if not outright necessary? How many people do you need to feed on a regular basis and will the multicooker’s capacity serve that need? Will the multicooker accommodate the foods you intend to cook inside it? I’m providing a link to the one that my friends who have them swear up and down by.
If you’ve stuck with me this long, you are a champ! Hopefully I’ve given you enough solid information to help you make your decision which size and shape work work best for your particular needs. Sure, it’s an appliance, but after years of dedicated service and time saving, the slow cookers have a beloved place of honor in my house. Let me know which one you selected, and why! I love to talk shop like this.
Eat well! Momma
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