The Best Crock Pot Slow Cooker Reviews

If you are ready to invest in one of the latest crock pot slow cookers that is sold today, you may have to do a little bit of research. There are multiple companies that now sell this kitchen appliance, and they are made in all different sizes and features.

When people go to the store to purchase one, it’s often hard to tell which one is best. They all look the same, differing only in the number of features and the price.

The Best Crock Pot Slow Cooker Reviews

Instead of just assuming that the more expensive crock pot is going to be better, it’s good to check the best slow cooker reviews a little bit about the competition. Let’s look at what a crock pot slow cooker is, what features to look for, and finally determine which one is actually the best slow cooker.

Before we begin to look at what these kitchen appliances can do, it is important to first clear up a common confusion. When people hear the name crockpot, and also the name slow cooker, they wonder if these are actually the same or a completely different appliance.

Is a crock pot a slow cooker, then? The name crock pot is actually used today to refer to any type of slow cooker that is made. When these were first released, under the name Crock-Pot, it referred to a very specific item that was being sold.

Today, both of these terms are used to describe both the generic device, and those that are sold via the Crock-Pot brand. These are kitchen appliances that allow you to cook different dishes such as stew, soup, pot roast, and even beverages and desserts at a very low rate of speed.

Therefore, as we search for the best crock pot slow cooker, this is referring to the same appliance. Though there are many of these today labeled as either slow cookers or crock pots, they serve the same purpose and have come a long way since the original invention.

Difference Between a Crock Pot and a Slow Cooker?

This kitchen appliance was actually developed by a corporation called Naxon Utilities. They were out of Chicago. The name Naxon is based upon an individual called Irving Naxon, a person that decided to create this unit as a been cooker.

Since that time, many different companies have decided to create these units which are very popular, especially with families that have a very busy schedule. The ability to combine multiple ingredients together, and come home to a fully cooked meal, was a main selling point for this kitchen appliance.

It has also received a great amount of amazing ratings and recommendations which made this as one of the popular among kitchen appliances. As time passed, it was modified, allowing it to do far more than simply cook beans. It evolved into what we all know today as a multipurpose kitchen appliance that is capable of preparing hundreds of different dishes, all at a slow rate of speed.


Branding and Construction of Crockpots

The branding that was applied to this particular product was that it was a kitchen appliance that provided convenience. When the original Crock-Pot was designed and marketed, it was primarily done in the 70’s by Rival Manufacturing Company.

Soon after, well-known companies such as Ninja, KitchenAid, Bella, Cuisinart, and many others began to create their own.

  • The construction of the crock pot is typically porcelain or ceramic. This pot sits inside of the actual heating unit. Some of them actually heat the material from the bottom, and also on the sides.
  • There are different shapes including those that are oval, and round, oval and round, plus they do come in various sizes. They are designed to provide two separate heat settings in most cases. This is a low and high setting.
  • Low settings can go up to 200F, whereas the high setting goes up to 300F. Although some of them do have three separate settings, to settings is the most common. These programmable slow cookers with a timer, allow you to set how long the food is to cook until it is done.


Why Are These Appliances So Popular?

As mentioned earlier, the main marketing tactic that was used was selling the convenience of this kitchen appliance. However, there were other marketing strategies.

crockpot liners

  • For example, there was the novelty of the crock pot when it first came out, something that everyone had to have because it was the newest and most innovative kitchen appliance that had been created in decades.
  • Other marketing strategies would promote how many different meals you could cook, even if you had no cooking experience at all. Even better, they provide you with a cookbook with hundreds of top slow cooker cookbook recipes that you could use with their crock pot, making the preparation of dinners even easier. This was perfect for not only people that were on the go, but for those that absolutely hated to be in the kitchen – that’s is one of the best crock pot features.
  • Finally, one of the best marketing strategies ever used was to promote the idea that you are providing your family with the healthiest possible meals.

Due to these marketing strategies which were very effective, slow cookers became extremely popular, and are still popular today. There are some advantages and disadvantages to using them. Let’s look at the advantages of using a crock pot slow cooker.


Advantages of The Crock Pot Slow Cooker

There are a couple of different advantages to using a slow cooker. For example, you can save money on preparing meals every day. An example of this would be the ability to buy meat that did not have to be top-of-the-line, meat that would come out tender with every meal that you prepared.

That’s why this is perfect for creating stews with meat that has lean muscle fiber, or any type of connecting tissue.

The meet will literally become gelatinized, completely soft and tender by the time you are able to eat your meal. They will drop down to a low temperature once everything is cooked, preventing the stew from burning.

Finally, these are very easy to clean. Instead of having multiple pots and pans that you are using to prepare a meal, everything is done in this one simple container. All of these advantages are wonderful, but there are just a few disadvantages that you need to consider. Click to read more and learn things about slow cookers.


Disadvantages To Using A Crock Pot Slow Cooker

One of the disadvantages that some people have noted, especially those that are focused on making nutritious meals, is that some of the nutrients are lost during the slow cooking because of the way that it affects certain enzymes.

  • The other problem that people have noted is that if your electricity goes out, you will come home to a stew that is not done. This could actually ruin all of the food, especially the meat that you are cooking, which could be problematic.
  • Scalding may also occur if you are using a cheaper model which has very poor heat controls. There are no negatives that should prevent anyone from giving these a try. In most cases, the effects of heat on enzymes is going to be minimal, and if you do have a problem with your power, you simply replace all of the ingredients and start over from scratch.

Remember, this is something that takes only minutes to prepare, and the machine does the rest. Now that you know why this is such a popular kitchen appliance, let’s now look at what the best crock pot slow cooker actually is.


What Is The Best Crock Pot Slow Cooker?

One particular brand of crockpots really stands apart from all of the others. It has a lot to do with how it is easy to integrate with modern technology. People do everything with their phones, downloading apps so that they can complete certain tasks.

This is something that you can do by connecting your crock pot to your smart phone.

A company by the name of Wemo has created a series of crock pots, many of which are Wi-Fi controlled. This allows you to actually monitor your crock pot from afar, adjusting the cooking time, temperature, and other aspects of using your crock pot. By simply downloading the WeMo application, this will enable you to control all of the crock pots that they sell.

Of all of them, the best one is the Crock-Pot Wemo 6-Quart stainless steel Smart Wi-Fi slow cooker. This has received rave reviews, and it has many different features including the adjustable temperature and cook time that is application controlled.

Of course, you can also modify all of these controls manually, directly on the unit, just as you would any other crockpot that you would purchase. One thing you can check is this stainless Kitchenaid slow cooker reviews having almost the same features. 

What you are purchasing is not only a state-of-the-art slow cooker, but one that gives you the convenience of having advanced controls. It has three heat settings, removable oval stoneware, and is very easy to clean.

There was only one noted problem with this unit and that was an inability to remain connected to the Internet. But, if you are only aiming for a decent programmable slow cooker then find out here now.


Other Potential Contenders

The earlier models had problems with the application and remaining in constant contact with the Internet, essentially making it just an ordinary crockpot with exceptional features.

The prices on this crock pot run from $100 to over $200 for each one. The difference in price has to do with the size, controls, and accessories that come with the crock pot, something that you will have to decide for yourself.

crockpot accessories

In fact, most people will not purchase a product without actually looking at the reviews that other people have left that are actual customers for the products that they are considering. This is very true with kitchen appliances. Some of these can cost hundreds of dollars, and you want to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth like one of these Bella top brand crock pot.

Even if you have to pay a little bit more, people are looking for simplicity and convenience, even if that involves learning how to use modern technology like downloading an app to your phone.

There are other notable names in this industry which make these slow cookers. There is Hamilton Beach, Cuisinart and of course Crock-Pot. There are some people that prefer using the latter choice simply because it is the original company.

These all range in size from 2 to 8 quarts, each one with their own unique features. The best way to determine if you have made the right choice is to start looking at what other people have said, preferably o​n large websites like Amazon where you can see reviews.


Best Crock Pot on the Market

To answer the question “what is the best crock pot on the market?”

The answer is it depends with your needs, you see the thing is, if I go ahead and tell you that a specific slow cooker is the best on the market I’d be lying to you. This is because new models show up almost on a daily/monthly basis.

Look at it from this perspective, I have not tried them all simply because there are too many and I don’t have the financing and time to do that (no one does).

What do you mean?

We buy slow cookers to satisfy a need that is the need for healthy home cooked food, this means that if you get the right one in your opinion it will be the best one.

Therefore the trick to finding the best slow cooker on the market is to know how to choose the right one.

How to Choose a Slow Cooker

Your needs should determine what you get and it should lead you on how to buy a slow cooker, this means that before you buy you must make sure that the slow cooker is right for you in terms of:

  • Size and capacity: small (1.5-3.0) medium (3.0-5.0), large (5.0 or more)
  • Shape (oval slow cookers make it easy to cook larger meals such as chicken)
  • Keep warm, auto-cook and timer functions make things easy, but the catch is slow cookers with such functions and digital controls are expensive
  • Heating method
  • Lid material: best option find one you can see through (will keep you from opening the lid)

The best option is to check customer testimonials, believe me even the highest rated crock pots in the market have their flaws. So it pays to know the issues you might encounter before you buy. Here’s a great post to read on when you decide to buy a slow cooker.

Best Crock Pot for One Person

elite gourmet holding

If you live alone the best advice I can give you is “go buy a 1.5 quart slow cooker. This content will give more insights about small sized crock pots.

The reason why the best Crock pot for one person is a 1.5 quart slow cooker is the capacity, oh and it will lower your spending on food and energy this January.

The awesome thing about 1.5 quart slow cookers is they are perfect for entertaining, for instance, you can use it to keep desserts, dips, and cheesy quesos.

And on top of that if you buy one you will no longer have to waste money on takeout, antibiotic chicken or junk food in general. This is because you will always come home to delicious homemade healthy “cheap” food!

Proctor Silex 33116Y Portable Oval Slow Cooker

The best crock pot for one person this January is the Proctor-Silex Portable Oval 1.5 quart, slow cooker, why?

Did you notice the “portable” part? This means that this crock pot is very easy to transport, you can even take it to work with you if that’s your thing.

This slow cooker has a lid with rubber seal and a latch strap that makes it spill resistant.

Other features include:

  • Convenient keep warm feature (keeps food warm without over cooking)
  • 3 heat settings: high, low and keep warm
  • Dish washer safe removable stoneware and lid
  • 1.5 quart capacity (perfect for one person)

These features make the Proctor-Silex 1.5 Quart, oval slow cooker, the best crock pot for one person. So get one today.

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Ease of Use

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Best Slow Cooker on Amazon

If you head to Amazon you will find that there are slow cookers that sell more than others.

The reason for that is very simple, quality, one person bought a slow cooker found out that it was of good quality and made a recommendation.


Stop Beating Around the Bush What Are the Best Slow Cookers on Amazon?

Based on customer reviews and number of sale, the best slow cookers on Amazon are:

1.Crockpot SCCPVL610-S 6-Quart Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow Cooker, Digital Timer, Stainless Steel.

best crock pot on the market

Whoa, that’s a mouthful. This 6 quart slow cooker gets first place because it is very easy to use, convenient and most importantly it’s not that expensive. The slow cooker features:

  • 6 quart capacity
  • Stylish look and removable oval stoneware
  • Automatic keep warm function and three heat settings
  • Programmable

Read the full Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S review here.

2.Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker With temperature Probe, 6-quart (33967A)

Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker With Temperature Probe, 6-Quart (33967)

As the name suggests, best stay or go crock pots, you just set it and walk away, look at it, looks like something that should be in the future, doesn’t it? This slow cooker features:

  • Clip tight gasket lid
  • Easy automatic cooking
  • Three heat settings and a clip on spoon

3. Proctor-Silex 33043 4-Quart Slow Cooker

Proctor Silex 33043 4-Quart Slow Cooker

Thank the heavens for the short name; this 4 quart slow cooker is the third best selling slow cooker on Amazon. The slow cooker has the following features:

  • 4 quart capacity
  • 3 heat settings (keep warm)
  • Dish washer safe glass lid, and stoneware

Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S 6-Quart Programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow Cooker Digital Timer

T​he best thing to do is to prevent spills/leaks from ever happening, this will keep you from going to bed hungry and it will ensure that you don’t go all Donald “tweet” Trump on your slow cooker.

The best solution to this problem is to buy a programmable slow cooker with locking lid, why?

A slow cooker with locking lid is designed to prevent spills and leaks; this means that you can easily transport your slow cooker from one point to another without worrying about spills.


The Answers to Your Problems

My advice is to buy anything that has the tag “Cook and Carry” on it. That is a registered trademark owned by crock pot the company.

The “cook and carry” part simply means that the crock pot has a locking lid, programmable slow cookers with locking lids are perfect for entertaining guests and they come in all shapes and sizes.

Don’t get me wrong there are other companies that manufacture slow cookers with locking lids, thus the choice is yours. You decide what brand you like and find out, if you can find one with a locking lid.


Recommendation

If you are looking for a slow cooker with locking lid my advice is, go for Crock-pot 6 Quart programmable Cook and Carry Oval Slow cooker, Digital Timer, Stainless steel, why?

This slow cooker allows you to program cook times anywhere from 30 minutes up to 20 hours, and the best part is once it’s done it automatically shifts to keep warm. Its features include:

  • Removable oval stoneware
  • Easy to use locking lid that features lid gasket (prevents mess when transporting)
  • 6 quart capacity (perfect for families and entertaining)

Features

Price

Ease of Use

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What is the Best Crock Pot?

The best thing to do before you buy a slow cooker is to look at your needs; however, based on performance, convenience and ease of use. I can tell you that the following crock pot is the answer to the question “what is the best crock pot?”

Crock-Pot SCCPWM600-V2 Wemo Smart Wifi-Enabled Slow Cooker

In my opinion what gives this slow cooker an edge over most crock pots in the market is you can control it from anywhere using your phone.

This means that you can start preparing dinner when you are at the office, class, on the bus etc.

The catch is you need internet connection, if yours is not stable you should get a normal slow cooker. On the other hand if you have stable internet this slow cooker is a life changer, it will immediately stop you from eating out and it will save you precious cash.

Note that, you will need the manual to set it up. Apart from the Wi-Fi thing other features include:

  • WeMo android/iOS Mobile app (allows you to adjust)
  • 3 heat settings
  • Removable oval stoneware
  • Dish washer safe glass lid, and stoneware

Simply put this is the next step in the evolution of slow cookers, so get one today.

Features

Price

Ease of Use

Design



Our Conclusion

In conclusion, if you decide to get one of the crock pots from Wemo, or one of the others from the brands that we have mentioned, it should be based upon what you feel is truly best for you and your situation. Consider factors such as compatibility before even buying a crock pot model.

Many people will only make a decision on a crock pot if it is truly going to be convenient for them, and if they can get it for a fair price. You must always remember that a crock pot must also be able to prepare a multitude of different meals, and this might mean spending a little bit extra on a slow cooker that offers three different cooking temperatures.

Additionally, there may also be settings which will enable you to cook many more recipes, and this added convenience might mean spending significantly more than you had planned. You need to look at this from the perspective of how it is going to change your life, and how many meals you will actually be able to prepare.

If your goal is to provide a different meal every day, you need to make sure that the slow cooker that you purchase has the maximum amount of cooking options.