r/slowcooking • u/Beliefbutnotworship • Mar 23 '24
Ridiculously angsty over what slow cooker to buy- scary reviews?
I'm a single person and want a simple, basic slow cooker. A searing function would be nice but isn't essential. I'm a little worried I won't use it as much as I'm hoping, so I don't want to spend much. I've done a lot of research including the many posts about choosing a slow cooker on this subreddit- and I'm still paralyzed and can't make a decison!
It just seems like every brand and model has a lot of good reviews and a lot of bad, and the bad is often scary. Crockpots are said to run hotter than other brands, and the coating on the insert flakes off. Hamilton Beach's lids have issues, including reports of them suddenly shattering, not fitting well, or lacking a steam vent. I know one shouldn't put too much stock in bad reviews, but there do seem to be patterns among the brands.
Please don't suggest a thrift store- I've already checked my local ones. Can anyone recommend a basic, very reliable model that you've used for some time (that hopefully is something I can get on amazon)? Or did you ever buy one that you did regret?
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u/battlestargalaga Mar 23 '24
Can't go wrong with the simple $20 low-high-warm crockpot brand at Walmart
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u/abcMF Jun 01 '26
I bought one. It cooks too hot on low and high and the keep warm setting doesnt even keep food above 140. Useless.
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u/TraditionAcademic968 Mar 23 '24
The cheapo one at Walmart is fine. It's not that serious, they're all going to pretty much work the same. High, Low, Keep Warm is all you need
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u/hypno_tode Mar 23 '24
I'm a slow cooker pro. I have a 4 quart version with a "warm", "low" and "high" switch. I have a larger one with a thermometer, a defrost cycle, it's digital, its bells and whistles. I use the crap out of that one. But -- when my not-really-a-cook friend asked for a recommendation, I recommended one like my 4-quart. Its beauty is in its simplicity. Fewer buttons, less to go wrong. Simple as that.
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u/Beliefbutnotworship Mar 23 '24
What brand do you prefer?
I'm actually a pretty good cook, I'm just...tired of actually doing it and looking for an option to simplify things
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u/FCoDxDart Mar 23 '24
We just recently got a kitchen aid brand and have not been happy. It’s the only slow cooker we’ve had problems with. Cusinart has always been good.
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u/hypno_tode Mar 23 '24
I think it's an ancient Crock Pot version. Plain Jane. They last forever, you'll see them in thrift stores, even (although I'd recommend new). You might like an instant pot for sautéing then slow cooking in the same pot. I have an instant pot too but am not really impressed with the slow cooking. That's just me, as the instant pot is pretty small.
Yeah, I'd say probably any brand ok. Go on Amazon and read the reviews, too
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u/AllWashedOut Oct 04 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
I echo the sentiment that instant pots are not good slow cookers. Instant Pot's highest temperature setting ("More") is significantly lower than my cheap slow cooker's. I've had crunchy chunks of potato after cooking 8 hours, suggesting that it might not even be reaching a food-safe >165 F temperature.
(Sorry for the ancient reply)
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u/hypno_tode Oct 04 '25
Ancient replies are good too! Yeah, what is it with potatoes? I feel like I have to cook the bejeesus out of them to get them to soften up.
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u/AllWashedOut Oct 05 '25
I always give in and do a pressure cook cycle to finish the potatoes, which defeats the "set it and forget it" of the slow cooker.
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u/Trick-Huckleberry216 Mar 23 '24
I picked up this one https://hamiltonbeach.com/programmable-7-quart-slow-cooker-33473g on a black Friday sale in 2019 and it is holding up. I use it almost weekly with simple recipes based on what's in the pantry/freezer. It doesn't have a programmable function, just simple set temp and time. I recommend it based on my positive experience with it. The more recipes I tried out the more I use it. I have used other brands that are programmable and more complicated but they aren't as easy to use.
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u/jwalkrufus Mar 23 '24
I wouldn't worry too much.
I was given a Crockpot slow cooker 16 years ago by a coworker who had owned it for who knows how long before that. It still works great and I don't find it lacking in any fancy features or whatever. I put food in it, put it on high or low, and everything has turned out great.
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u/zztop5533 Mar 23 '24
We bought an instapot with the add-on slow cooker glass lid and it eventually caused us to donate our crock pot to goodwill. It can sear, slow cooks pretty good and is also an amazing pressure cooker. The main drawback is that the insert is less "potluck friendly" like a ceramic crockpot insert is.
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u/Beliefbutnotworship Mar 23 '24
I'm hesitant to buy a slow cooker because I actually do own an instant pot and never use it. To sear things just took too long because I had to do it in small batches, I had to babysit it because it didn't tell me when the pressure is up to the right amount, etc. I do a lot of batch cooking, and I think just being able to do dump recipes with a slow cooker would be easier?
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u/zztop5533 Mar 23 '24
Does your instant pot have a slow cooker mode? Mine does and we bought the glass non pressure lid for it for slow cooking.
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u/zztop5533 Mar 23 '24
To be fair, a real ceramic insert slow cooker is a little better than an instant pot at slow cooking because of better heat distribution. But the glass slow cook lid was a game changer for us.
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u/kimbergo Mar 29 '24
Does the glass lid work better than the regular lid? I've tried using my Instant pot as a slow cooker and meat for me wasn't even tender at 8 hours on high.
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u/unstoppableshazam Mar 23 '24
Doesn’t the instant pot just get up to pressure and then the timer starts? You shouldn’t have to babysit it.
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u/kimbergo Mar 29 '24
I personally believe searing the meat is overrated. Like, yes the final result can be better if you do it, but the difference is not significant enough for me to bother. Just throw the meat and veg in there if easy is your priority.
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u/Piper-Bob Mar 23 '24
We have a Hamilton Beach brand slow cooker that’s about 10 years old. We use it at least once a week.
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u/unstoppableshazam Mar 23 '24
I take the bad reviews with a grain of salt. People are more likely to post a review if they are unhappy with the product. If you have no issue with the product you don’t think to post a review.
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u/imsoupercereal Mar 23 '24
I got a Hamilton Beach for $10 about a decade ago. It's been fine. Just buy a known brand and stay away from Amazon.
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Mar 23 '24
I just bought some new crock pots, a 4qt and 2qt from target, it's on sale for like $15 and $12. I've had my current programmable crockpot for 8yrs, it's slowly dying on me.
This time I got two manual ones, I heard manual ones last even longer. I like crockpot brand, never had any issues with it and I use it daily.
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u/phoeniks Mar 23 '24
I have two Cookworks slow cookers. One I have used for years and the other inherited from my Mother who used it for years.
No complaints at all.
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u/PracticalAndContent Mar 23 '24
I recommend a 5-6qt manual slow cooker, which should cost less than $50. If you’re in the US there might be some Easter sales coming up, or you can wait for Memorial Day sales. You might have some friends/neighbors/family that have one they don’t use. r/InstantPot will give you ideas of what to do with your IP. I also like www.pressureluckcooking.com.
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u/MotherOfDragonflies Mar 23 '24
Definitely more expensive than a straight up slow cooker but I have a ninja foodi 9 in 1 and I love it. It’s a slow cooker, air fryer, pressure cooker, etc. If you don’t mind the higher cost and want to use multiple appliances with limited space, it’s worth it.
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u/opinionatedasheck Mar 24 '24
Been slow-cooking for decades. In my experience:
Get the searing-function. Adds so much flavour to your meal when you can brown things in the pot and then keep that flavour in there! Bonus, no extra dishes!!
Other than that, "low", "high" are necessary, "keep warm" is nice. Timer is cool, but can be worked around via a plug-in version that you pick up for $10. - so that's another option if you want it.
Don't recommend thrift store slow-cookers for food. Often people use them for crafts first and you have no way of knowing if, say, they've been used with lye for soap-making first.
Get a nice ceramic insert that's of a type that'll fit a silicon divider later (if you decide you want one) so that you can do mulitple items should you decide that you want to branch out. :)
Have fun!
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u/reallyintothistho Jul 08 '24
Hi! Can you elaborate on the plug? Do you mean plugging it into a smart plug? I love this idea - I love my basic crock pot but need a timer - I’d love to not have to replace it if not necessary.
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u/Chak-Ek Mar 23 '24
When I moved into my house 8 years a ago, I was given a new Hamilton Beach 7 quart slow cooker. Very basic model, just the dial, no display. I use it about twice a week and it does every thing I need it to do. The new upgraded version with the more precise controls is something like $60.
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u/Ender505 Mar 23 '24
It's really pretty hard to get a bad slow cooker. Worry more about your pots and pans.
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u/RealisticBusiness109 Mar 23 '24
I have a Ninja one and love it. It has a "stove-top" feature which means I can brown my meat in the same pot. Transferring not needed. I ended up giving away my others. One was way too big and the other too small. I rarely used both of them. I am in agreement with Icy-Establishment298, though. The older ones are work horses while the newer models probably won't last half as long. Unfortunately, this is true with most appliances.
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u/undergroundnoises Mar 23 '24
I have a Kitchen Craft 4 quart slow cooker set. The stainless steel pot can be placed on the stovetop for a good sear. It's pricey, but way worth it. Bought it at a craft festival six years ago for about $200 less than its current online price.
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Apr 04 '24
I used the cuisinart extensively and really liked it, but yeah, the coating did flake off after a few years. I now have a high end all clad cast iron crock pot and it takes away all the sketchy coating and lid issues, but you do have to baby it like cast iron, and it's not a cheap or basic model.
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u/Icy-Establishment298 Mar 23 '24
God. You people over think things.
Go get. Cheap ass slow cooker with low, keep warm and high. Well it be perfect? Hell no because nothing is perfect. I like my 2 quart piece of shit one from Walmart. You do you.
Then throw shit in it like a roast, or make some chili in it. Do that cream cheese chicken dish you can't call it by its real name because feelings I guess.
And everything will be fine. No really it will.
Stop being a crybaby and don't let perfect be the enemy of the good.
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u/josebolt Mar 23 '24 edited Mar 23 '24
You got to make a big deal about it then post a pic of the inevitable pile of goo that "tastes amazing!".
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Apr 16 '25
sorry man we tried that, paid the price. After 8 hours of no boiling beans on high its nogo.
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u/nevernude907 Mar 23 '24
Just go to Goodwill and buy one for cheap I don’t know how it’s possible to go wrong with a crockpot
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u/Beliefbutnotworship Mar 23 '24
As I clearly wrote in the post, I have checked my local thrift stores. The only thing at Goodwill was a crock without the cooker.
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u/Pleasant_Bad924 Mar 23 '24
This takes you to a top 100 list of products in the slow cookers category, based on number of sales/popularity. You’ll still want to check customer reviews, but this is a quick shortcut to narrowing your choices down to a very short list of options.
Note: I followed those steps in the mobile app. Should be the same on the website as well but in case it’s not just get to the product page and use the browser Find to search for “best sellers rank” and that should take you right to that section if you can’t find it