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We slow-cooked Mississippi Chicken to determine the best slow cookers for every key in of cook.
Credit:Southern Living
All parts of the dish were evenly cooked, juicy, and flavorful.
We loved the simple and intuitive control panel.
It has a touch-activated display that offers more control while switching between cooking modes and changing the cooking time.
Credit: Walmart
We had no issues pouring liquid into the slow cooker or removing/re-adding the shredded chicken.
The interior pot is dishwasher safe, and there was no dripping or buildup on any parts.
The nonstick pot cleaned up with ease.
The Crock-Pot Programmable 6-Quart Slow Cooker cooked chicken that was flavorful, juicy, and fully cooked to temperature without being overdone. .Credit: Southern Living
It sous vides, and slow cooks all within the unit, so no extra dishes to wash.
The insert can also double as a serving vessel, further reducing cleanup.
And it all comes at a bargain price.
It has a simple, sleek design without too many confusing buttons.
The instructions, like the operation, were simple and easy to follow.
We found it only took about 2 hours for the chicken to be thoroughly and evenly cooked.
The flavor of the chicken was delicious.
In our pouring test, the banana pepper liquid didnt splatter.
Removing the shredded chicken and re-adding it back to the pot was easy.
We do wish the exterior didnt get so hot, but agood pair of oven mittssolved that issue.
We found that the roomy 7-quart pot handled all of our trials with ease.
The inner stoneware pot was very easy to clean out.
But dont makethe mistake of locking the lid during cooking.
The chicken was flavorful, moist, and rich.
Though it seemed like many buttons to understand, it was easy to use during testing.
We do wish the temperature control offered more specificity.
Removing and re-adding the shredded chicken was a cinch.
We hand-washed this model during testing since the insert is not dishwasher safe.
However, it is pricier than other models on our list.
The cooker has a stainless steel exterior and a ceramic crock with a tight-fitting lid.
The 3-foot power cord keeps you from being tethered too closely to an outletgreat for crowded buffets.
Both the crock and lid are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
It has a simple, sleek design with three heat parameters (High, Low, Warm).
Our Testing Process
To date weve tested 32 slow cookers.
Credit: Amazon
When finished testing, we cleaned each slow cooker thoroughly to observe ease of cleanup.
Then came the usability tests.
Finally, we thoroughly cleaned each slow cooker.
The Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker provides more than enough space for a large family. .Credit: Southern Living
In the end, we took all ratings across tests and evaluated the value of each slow cooker.
Mooney agrees capacity is the most important feature of the slow cooker.
Material
Ceramic/stoneware inserts tend to retain and distribute heat better than metal ones.
The biggest con of this material is that it can be cracked or broken if dropped.
TheOur Place Dream Cookerhas an aluminum insert with a ceramic nonstick coating.
This model cleaned up easily and scored high in heat retention and distribution.
Features
This isn’t your grandma’s world of slow cookers anymore.
Multiple cooking functions can eliminate the need for other appliances.
Extras like utensil holders, versatile Dutch ovens, and more are points of consideration when evaluating slow cookers.
We did find the control panel slightly confusing and wished it had a locking lid.
We appreciated the temperature probe and defrost function, both nice perks at this bargain price.
We loved the stainless steel construction which seemed made to last and looked luxe.
Questions and Answers
Whats the difference between a Crock-pot and a slow cooker?
A Crock-pot is a brand of slow cooker that came onto the cooking scene in the 1970s.
It cooks low and slow without constant attention, but not every slow cooker is a Crock-pot.
Slow cookers are the throw in of appliance and there are many other brands beyond Crock-pot.
Its kind of like the Band-Aid and adhesive bandage debate.
All Band-Aids are adhesive bandages, but not all adhesive bandages are Band-Aidsit comes down to brand recognition.
Lets break down where they differ.
A Crock-pot has a stoneware vessel surrounded by a heating element.
A slow cooker usually has a pot that sits on top of a heated surface.
Both employ moist heat to cook food for long periods and look similar.
What can you cook in a slow cooker?
They makecomfort food on busy nightseasy.
Bazahm gets caught at the restaurant often and doesnt always have time for elaborate dinners at home.
The low-and-slow method infuses the pork with flavor.
Is a slow cooker worth it?
Both of our experts agree on the utility of a slow cooker.
Bazahm points out they are usually inexpensive and very convenient.
It is perfect for tougher cuts of meat and the cooking method allows flavors to meld together.
Credit: Amazon
The Black + Decker has a chalkboard exterior and even comes with two pieces of white chalk to write dietary restrictions, allergy concerns, or even recipes on the pot. .Credit: Southern Living
Credit: Amazon
The Dream Cooker cooked moist and flavorful chicken in two hours.Credit: Southern Living
Credit: Amazon
The Courant 1.6-Quart Slow Cooker heated our cheese dip to perfection in about 40 minutes without scorching the cheese.Credit: Southern Living
We cooked a total of 24 pounds of Mississippi Chicken in the lab.Credit:Southern Living
Although the Hamilton Beach Defrost and Go cooked delicious chicken, we found the control panel slightly confusing and wished it had a locking lid.Credit:Southern Living
