With different types of cookers available on the market, it is easy to get confused as to which one will be ideal for meal prepping and cooking healthy recipes, but don’t you worry at all because your confusion is about to clear in three, two, one… “Slow Cooker’. Yes, that’s right, you need a slow cooker because this appliance can prepare healthy recipes in the most effective way.
While most of us have an electric pressure cooker in our kitchen, which is good, we should totally have it, but you should also have a slow cooker because things that an electric pressure cooker can’t do, a slow cooker will. To know which the best slow cookers consumer reports is, go check out my amazing list of top 10 slow cookers in the section below.
Reviewing 10 Best Slow Cookers
1. Ninja Foodi Slow Cooker OP101
You want to buy a slow cooker, but what if tell you that this product from Ninja doesn’t just slow cook, but it air fries and pressure cooks as well, then are you going to buy such a versatile product. It will be a bad decision if you don’t. Ninja OP101 features ‘Tender Crisp’ technology, which gives you a chance to quickly cook ingredients. The company has provided a crisping lid in the package to give the food a golden, crispy look.
The unit can pressure cook as well, which is about 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. If you want to use the product as a slow cooker, then you do that quite easily. This unit is ideal for low simmer or braised recipes as well. The capacity of this unit is 5-qt, and the entire pot is coated with ceramic for fast and even cooking. The cooking surface is made up of a non-stick material, which is PTFE/PFOA free.
The slow cooker features a 3-qt cook and crisp basket as well, which also sports a ceramic coating and is non-stick as well. This is a highly versatile product, which lets you slow cook, steam, bake/roast, pressure cook, air fry/air crisp, sear/sauté, and much more. The unit features 14 safety features and has been through tough tests before being rolled out into the market. Lastly, the unit is easy to clean, since it is dishwasher safe.
2. Instant Pot Ultra Mini 10-in-1 Electric Slow Cooker (Best Energy Efficient Slow Cooker)
This is one of the best Instant Pot Electric Slow Cookers available on the market. You just need to twist the dial to set the right program from the preset cooking programs. You can customize the entire cooking process according to your needs. The unit is packed with plenty of features, which include steam release auto-reset, visual progress bar, and automatic altitude adjustment. The cooker is up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods.
Cooking in this cooker eliminates the guesswork, thanks to its microprocessor-controlled programs. The unit has been developed with 3rd generation technology and features an embedded microprocessor. The machine is equipped with 11 highly effective safety mechanisms. You won’t see any steam coming out of the cooker while you are cooking, and all the odors will be contained within as well. You will be able to automate cooking on this slow cooker.
3. Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set & Forget Digital Programmable Slow Cooker (Best Lightweight Slow Cooker)
Hamilton Beach has developed a gem of an appliance because it allows you to cook your favorite recipes at your desired temperature or cooking time. And, when the cooking is done, the program automatically changes to ‘Warm’ to keep your food warm until you decide to eat it. With this slow cooker, you will get a patented temperature probe, which you can insert into large cuts of meat to let them cook at the exact temperature.
You can watch the temperature settings on the control panel. With this slow cooker, you will also get a clip-tight gasket lid, which securely fits in its place to let you take the cooker outdoors for parties. The cooker has a 6-qt capacity, which is sufficient to accommodate a 4-pound or 6-pound chicken. This slow cooker comes with removable crock and glass lid, which are dishwasher safe as well.
4. Crock-Pot 8-Quart Multi-Use XL Express Programmable Slow Cooker (Best Manual Slow Cooker)
If you are looking for a slow cooker, then it’s better to choose the best Crock Pot. This 8-qt capacity multi-cooker has the capability of cooking meals for up to 10 individuals at a time. Moreover, the cooking speed of this cooker is much faster than most cooking appliances. This is a highly versatile appliance, which allows you to slow cook, pressure cook, simmer, boil, sauté, steam, and brown.
The cooker supports manual pressure, which allows you to set a cooking time of your choice at low or high pressure for preparing fully customized recipes. You can prepare the meals of your choice with the touch of a button, which includes soups, chili and grains, etc. The unit features an airtight locking lid that seals under pressure to keep you safe.
Another notable feature of this product is a delay start timer, which gives you the opportunity to start the appliance at a later time. The cooker also features a ‘Warm’ setting, which keeps the food at an ideal temperature until you decide to eat. The food won’t get stuck on the cooking surface, as it is made up of a non-stick material. The appliance is dishwasher safe, thus making clean-up a breeze.
5. All-Clad SD710851 Slow Cooker With Black Ceramic Insert And Glass Lid
All-Clad Slow Cooker is a 6.5-qt programmable unit, which can prepare different types of slow-cooked gourmet meals. The slow cooker comes with fully programmable settings along with automatic 6 hours ‘Keep Warm’ function. The slow cooker has two temperature settings to get you professional results. The pot and glass lid of this slow cooker are dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning a breeze. Coming to the display and controls, then the slow cooker boasts a digital display and push-button controls, which make controlling the unit a lot easier.
You can program this unit for up to 20 hours and select from three cooking modes, which are low, high, and Hi/Lo. When the food is fully cooked, you can keep it warm inside the slow cooker for 6 hours or until you serve it. The cooker incorporates a removable black ceramic insert, which you can keep on the dining table for serving. Integrated handles on this slow cooker allow firm grip as you cook your favorite meals.
6. COSORI 6-Quart Slow Cooker 11-In-1 Programmable Multi-Cooker Pot
Check out this slow cooker, which comes with 11 multi-functions to give you the meals of your choice at your desired time. Sporting a 6-qt non-stick inner pot, steam rack, programmable base, and glass lid, you can’t go wrong with this product. Starting with the exterior of the unit, then you will see brushed stainless steel, which is fingerprint resistant and highly durable. Besides slow cooking, you can simmer, steam, sauté, roast, boil, bake, yogurt, and use the cooker manually.
The cooker works on low, medium, and high settings, so select the setting you think is right for the type of meal you are preparing. Another highlighting point of this unit is its 24-hour delay timer, which lets you enjoy a meal at the time of your choice. The unit also boasts a ‘keep warm’ feature, which keeps the food warm until you decide to eat. The inclusion of a double handle makes moving and extracting the cooking easy. Other features of the product include non-stick parts for easy clean-up and an adjustable temperature range from 86 degrees Fahrenheit to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Maxi-Matic Digital Programmable Slow Cooker
This slow cooker boasts a large capacity, so if you are expecting guests at home, then you can prepare meals in this appliance because it’s 8.5-qt capacity allows you to prepare large meals at once. You can prepare from a beef roast to a large turkey beast perfectly. The slow cooker comes with a timer, which adds a lot of convenience while cooking. The appliance is fully programmable, and you can program it for up to 20 hours. The unit features three cooking settings, which are low, high, and keep warm.
These settings allow you ultimate control over the meal preparation. The slow cooker comes with cool-touch handles to protect your hands from burns and to move the appliance from one place to another easily. The brushed stainless steel construction of the unit allows it to look elegant and at the same time, makes cleaning a breeze. The oval crock and tempered glass lid are easily removable and dishwasher safe too.
8. Presto 6013 Slow Cooker Indoor Electric Smoker
If you want to smoke your favorite meals quickly and without any effort, then you got to have Presto 6013 in your kitchen. This slow cooker and electric smoker combo come with a digital touchpad on which, you will have settings for hot smoke, cold smoke, combination of both, slow cook and keep warm. You can see the time remaining for your food to properly cook or smoke on the digital timer.
As the food gets cooked/smoked, you will hear an alarm turning on to let you know. When you choose the slow cook mode, the unit automatically switches to ‘keep warm’ function. The unit features a specially-designed tempered glass lid with seal-tight gasket to prevent the odor from spreading in the kitchen and choking you. When you are done cooking the food, you can clean the non-stick pot in the dishwasher.
9. Breville BPR700BSS Fast Slow Pro Multi-Function Cooker
When you see this model, you might not want to see another model because Breville has designed an aesthetically appealing slow cooker, which also delivers excellent performance. This slow cooker can easily accommodate a maximum of 4.5 quarts and minimum 1-quart cooking inserts. You will really like the intuitive interface of the unit, which features buttons and knobs to help you with the cooking process.
There are 11 cooking settings in this product along with a custom setting to let you display your creativity. This slow cooker gauges internal pressure using dual sensors rather than a temperature probe attached to the base. As a result, you get accurate readings. The unit also features a color-changing LCD where you can see the temperature, timing, and pressure. You can also see and change preset cooking menus to select the one you need. You can control the cooking to your requirements, thanks to the adjustable timer and pressure settings.
You can get brilliant results while using a slow cook function if you don’t place a lid at the time of cooking. Then, there is a ‘Keep Warm’ function, which keeps the food warm until it is served. This slow cooker has a ceramic non-stick coating that makes cooking highly efficient and cleaning a breeze. The inclusion of a 3-way safety-locking lid and safety valve makes the appliance safe to use.
10. Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Multi-Cooker
Get this multi-cooker, which can slow cook, steam and sauté/brown in the most effective way. Boasting a 6.5-quart capacity, you can expect it to feed a big family with ease. You can cook, steam and sauté vegetables in the same non-stick aluminum cooking pot where you slow cook your favorite soup.
Talking more about the slow cook mode, then you can set it to low, high, simmer or warm. The inclusion of a programmable timer in the appliance makes cooking a lot easier. The roomy dimensions of the product make it easy for you to prepare large quantities of meals at once. When you are done preparing your meals, you can remove the steaming rack, pot, and lid and clean them in the dishwasher.
Final Verdict
I’m sure you didn’t have any idea as to how much variety it is in the ‘slow cooker’ range, but now that you have got to know about it, have you decided as to which product you will be buying out of those 10 best slow cookers consumer reports? If yes, then you should totally proceed with the process and add a technologically advanced slow cooker in your kitchen.