What Are Slow Cooker?

The Slow Cookers


Bella 5-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
KitchenAid 6-quart Programmable Slow Cooker with Glass Lid
Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker with


Models with the ability to brown

Crock-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker with Stovetop Safe Cooking Pot

A note on one omission: I did not include the best selling slow cooker on
Amazon, the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow
Cooker, because, over weeks of use, I have found that it runs
unacceptably hot, reaching a full, rolling boil when set to low for even a
few hours.
To answer these questions, I completed three tests on each one of the cookers.
Temperature monitoring: I filled each cooker with 12 cups of cold (around
Then I set them to cook on low for six hours and monitored the
Temperature of each one with an identical probe thermometer to see
How low the low setting really was--ideally, it should not rise much
above 200˚. (In reality, the cookers ranged from 180˚ to 205˚ after four
hours on low. For braising, I prefer a bare simmer, using a bubble
Breaking the surface of the liquid every now and then, which occurs
around 190˚.) Then I let them change to warm for four hours to see how
Quickly and dramatically the temperature would drop--the lower the
Better, as long as it remains above 140˚.
Beans: To check the evenness of the high heat setting, I cooked one
Pound of soaked black beans with 6 cups of water in each slow cooker on

hours. I was looking for beans that were all well tender at the same
Time, rather than beans that overcooked around the edges before the
ones in the middle were done.
Strata: Making a braise is too easy; any slow cooker can do that. A
Strata--basically a savory bread pudding--is a more revealing test.
Slow cookers can make lovely, delicate-textured stratas, but a few
Models have hot spots across the wall of the insert, where it is closest to


Parchment and then constructed this strata in each one, adapting the
Recipe slightly by increasing the egg quantity to six for additional structure and
Swapping the Gruyere for cheddar, because, well, that is what I had. I then

I added one more test for the three cookers with stovetop-safe inserts:
Browning and sautéing: Stovetop-safe inserts should function as well as
A skillet, so I analyzed their capacity to sauté and brown. In each one, I
Sautéed one large yellow onion in one tablespoon of olive oil over
Medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to see if it would become evenly soft
and translucent within 10 minutes.
Thighs over high heat in one tablespoon of canola oil, leaving them
Undisturbed for 2 minutes before flipping. I was looking for deep, even
Browning on the chicken skin and some fond (browned bits) left behind

What worked: This cooker ran the cheapest and slowest by far: After six
Hours on low it registered only 180˚ (the lowest temperature of
Seven) and when it kicked over to warm it dropped all the way to 160˚ within
The first hour and then to 147˚ after four hours--again, the lowest
Temperatures of the bunch.
Cooking, the ability to really hold a low temperature is the most
Important feature a slow cooker can provide, and it's what really sets this
one apart.
The model is unique in that it has an internal thermostat that produces
Tiny, constant adjustments to keep the temperature low, well below
boiling. Most other cookers let the temperature rise gradually without
adjustment. The electric heating element can also be specially insulated to
prevent hot spots, ensuring evenly distributed heat.
Cooker to take six hours to cook the beans (the normal time was four
Hours), but if they were finally done, they were perfectly creamy,
Without any breakage. (And if you want to cook something
Quickly, you're not using the toaster.)
evenly golden around the edges.
In addition to dependably low heat, this cooker has a superbly
Easy, intuitive control panel that is very easy to read and set. There
Are separate buttons for the 3 heat settings and + and - buttons that
Allow you to adjust the cook time up and down in 30-minute increments.
The brightly lit display counts the time down as it cooks and an alert
Sounds once the cook time has elapsed. When it switches to warm,
The timer begins from zero and begins counting up, so once you get
Home, it's obvious how much time it's been operating on warm. During cooking,
The lid handle stays cool enough to touch with your bare hands, as do the

What didn't: This was the only slow cooker to fulfill all the criteria. It
Doesn't offer in-insert browning, so you've got to use a separate skillet for
That, but the dependable slow heat and excellent design is worth
Washing an extra dish.
What worked: I liked this model ran slow, reaching 183˚ following six
Hours on low and then falling to 169˚ after one hour on warm, and all of the
Way down to 150˚ after four hours warm. It evenly cooked beans in
A half an hour, and made a delicate, uniformly browned strata.
Unlike traditional slow cookers, which have a stoneware insert, this one
Is made from nonstick coated aluminum, making it stovetop safe--and also
Much lighter and easier to handwash compared to heavier crocks. Over
Medium-high heat on the stovetop, it may sauté an onion to translucency
In about ten minutes. Over high heat, it may brown chicken thighs into a
Crisp, medium gold in about 8 minutes, and even though it's nonstick,
Which is never perfect for searing, there was a few fond left on the floor

I also loved this cooker's easy-to-use control panel. (You'd
Think a good control panel would be a common thing, but it is not.) This
One has a large dial that satisfyingly clicks into position to set the heat level,
The
Handle on the lid stays cool enough to touch, though the handles on the
insert do not.
What didn't: I wish that there was an alarm when the cook time elapses,
And the insert's handles did not get quite so hot during cooking. The
Insert isn't dishwasher safe, and you need to remember to not use
Metal implements on the surface.
Abby Hocking / Food & Wine


What worked: I really like this machine even though it has some
drawbacks. It runs a bit hot, topping out at 201˚ on low, but it's the
Same sort of internal thermostat which KitchenAid does, therefore it holds at
About 200˚, still well below the boil, instead of continuing to climb. It is
Also well-insulated, cooking both beans and strata very equally, without
The beans were done in 3 hours, the shortest cooking
Time of all, partly because this model runs a little hot and partly because
It is bigger than the others, at seven quarts.
What I really like about the All-Clad is its shape and searing ability,
Which makes it ideal for braises, soups and stews. The insert, which can be
Made from nonstick-coated aluminum, is long, rectangular and relatively
Shallow in comparison with the others, with a ton of bottom surface area. You
Can easily sear five large chicken thighs in it without crowding the pan. It
Is stovetop secure, and performed excellently in sautéing the onion and
But it also has the ability to sear when set
To the stove casing--the only one I tested that has this feature--and
It really works better that way. It gets screamingly hot and can sear
Chicken skin to a deep, rich brown or quickly sauté an onion into gold. It
Feels really convenient to begin and complete a braise with one pot in one
place.
This model alarms when the cook time has elapsed and counts upward from
zero on warm. It's also a beautiful, sleek stainless steel machinethe
Luxurious SUV of slow cookers.
What didn't: This cooker is the most expensive by far at about $250. The
Control panel is simple to read, but not the most intuitive to set. It has
Minimum programmable times of four hours on low and two hours on
High, which means you can not set it for, say, 2 hours on low, which can be irritating.
(This is most likely a paternal attempt to ensure food safety.) The handle
On the lid gets so hot that you require a potholder to open it, which seems
Like an avoidable annoyance, particularly at this price.
Cookware, you have to remember not to use metal implements.

What worked: This is a basic slow cooker that's a good value. It topped
Out at 192˚ after six hours on low and finally fell to 145˚ after four

What didn't: The beans were respectable, but those against the back
Wall of the insert cooked through much faster than others. That's
Because this model has a major hot spot there: The strata burned across
The entire back side. The control panel was easy to read but not intuitive
To set--the power button doubles as the "set" button, which doesn't
make sense to me. There's no alarm when the cook time has elapsed and
It is only going to operate on warm for four hours, half the time of others.

Temperature Probe, 6-Quart
What worked: This version used to be my favorite--it is a reliable
Workhorse, a superb value, and it comes with its own probe
Thermometer, so that you can put it to switch to warm when a particular
It also runs fairly slow, reaching 186˚ following six
Hours on low, but the warm feature does not function as well as others. (It
Only dropped to 165˚ after four hours on hot, the most popular of the group.) It
Produced equally creamy beans. I love that it is easy to set and has a loud
Alarm when it begins cooking and as soon as it finishes. The handle on the lid
stays cool enough to touch and has a bonus spoon rest.
What did not: The warm setting doesn't fall . And it has two
Significant hot spots: The strata burnt on both narrow ends.
Cuisinart 6.5 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
What worked: This version made a very respectable showing--it is also
One of my old favorites. It cooks nice and slowly, rising to just 181˚ over
Six hours on low, the second lowest of the group after the KitchenAid. It
cooked beans perfectly. The control panel is easy to use and read and it
Beeps when the cook time elapses. The handle on the lid gets a bit warm
But remains cool enough to touch.
What didn't: The warm setting did not fall low enough (over an hour, the
Temperature decreased only 10 degrees, as opposed to 20-plus degrees
In other versions) and it's a small but noticeable hot spot where the
Strata burned against the rear wall.
Crock-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker with Stovetop Safe Cooking Pot
What worked: This nonstick coated aluminum insert did a fine job
sautéing the onion and browning chicken skin on the stovetop. It made
Respectable--if slightly unevenly cooked--beans and a uniformly golden
strata.
What didn't: In my experience, Crock-Pots run too hot. This one was the
Hottest of the bunch, climbing to 205˚ after six hours . The control
Panel is easy to use, but it's hard to tell when it's started cooking--
There's no indicator light, so you need to stand there and make sure the
Timer begins counting down. There is also no alarm when the cook time
finishes.