Y’all are always asking me which crock pot you should buy. So, I did a video recently of my crock pots, but then I thought maybe I would just devote an entire post to buying a crock pot.
Everyone has different preferences. Some of you might want a programmable slow cooker – while I would rather take a beating. Some of you might want an insert that lifts out – and some of you might not care because you use crock pot liners (I’m way too cheap for those). There is a crock pot for just about everyone – no matter what you want. Even if you want it with a football team on it.
So, I scoured the internet and looked at a bunch of different sites and came up with the top 10 ranked crock pots out there…also known as “slow cookers.” I almost always call it a “crock pot” even though that’s a brand name – just like some people say “Kleenex” instead of tissue.
I want you to know that NONE of these are affiliate links. I didn’t want you to think I wrote this post to make a quick buck off Amazon affiliates. 🙂 I just want you to have a reference point for when you need/want to buy a new crock.
- Hamilton Beach Set’N Forget – This one runs around $50 and it’s programmable. It also has a built-in temperature probe. Nice feature.
- West Bend Oblong 5 quart Slow Cooker – This is actually a crock that sits ON a base instead of down in it. My MIL has one similar and it works great. Runs around $52. The insert can also be used directly on your stovetop.
- Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 – This ranks very high with Consumer Research, but it gets mixed reviews on Amazon. This is what I have and I LOVE IT! I love that it has 3 crock sizes and stores so easily without taking up extra space. This one runs around $55.
- Rival Crock Pot 3735 – This is your basic crock pot. No bells and whistles…and I like that feature. 🙂 The stoneware is removable. Owners LOVE IT, but note that it cooks hot, so you’d go with the lower time setting listed in a recipe. Cost is around $25.
- Crock Pot 20 ounce Food Warmer – I’m really considering buying this one for Barry to take to work. The reviews are great. And it would be nice for his lunch to be piping hot and ready when noon rolls around. Great for those who don’t use microwaves. This is only about $20, so it’s a steal in my book!
- Crock Pot Smart Set – This is another programmable one. It also features a touch-screen. That’s just a bit too fancy for me. But if you work away from home and need to have your crock turn off at a certain time, this might be a good one to consider. Cost is around $75, so it’s a bit steep.
- Hamilton Beach Stay-or-Go – I love the feature of this one where the lid has a clip so that when you travel you won’t worry about spills! I spill things a lot. If my GE crock pot died, this is the one I would purchase next. Cost is great at only about $33!
- Cuisinart 3-in-1 Multi-Cooker – This is like the Cadillac of crock pots. This puppy will crock your socks off – or it will sautee…or it will even brown meats! Everything is dishwasher safe…but that doesn’t matter to me since I don’t have a dishwasher (by choice). The only down side to this is that it’s non-stick. But if that doesn’t bother you, then get yourself a Caddy baby! Cost is around $150. So, have a yard sale first.
- Proctor Silex 4 Quart – This crock will run you less than $20. For the money, it gets GREAT reviews. There aren’t any bells and whistles on this one either. Just turn it on and go. But, if you need a crock pot and you need it now, this one would fit the bill. Four quart is my favorite size crock.
- Crock Pot Cook and Carry – At about $36, this is another winner for me. It has clasps on the side for holding the lid on. I love taking my crock to church potlucks, so this feature is a plus. It’s a 6 quart and perfect for a large family or a BIG honkin’ roast on Sunday.
And there ya have it! This is your reference for buying a new crock…and if you don’t need one now, you can come back to this later. 🙂 Or start saving up your Swagbucks to buy one!
**The same night of this post, my FAVORITE GE crock died. It split right down the bottom. 🙁 We called about a replacement, but they don’t make it any more. We decided on this basic Hamilton Beach model because I don’t like fancy bells and whistles. 🙂 **
**NOTE: The above Hamilton Beach link IS an affiliate link, but none of the others are.**
I have the Hamilton Beach Set-it-and-Forget-It programmable model. I also have a 7-quart Hamilton Beach with just the regular knob. I use them both, but honestly, I kinda like the basic one with the knob better. When I make stock, the programmable one is a pain because it automatically shuts off after like 12 hours! So I have to be sure to turn it off and then back on at least once to run a batch of stock for 24 hours. I also LOVE the capacity of the 7-quart model. It’s just my hubby and I (til baby is born in November!), but I like to double or triple soups/stews and freeze the leftovers. I can fill that baby to the brim and have several quarts of leftovers! And I added the 20 ounce food warmer to my Amazon wish list – great idea for hubby at work!
I love regular knobs – I’m not a programmable type of gal. 🙂
Love my crockpot!! Stacy, I was wondering if you are familiar with dehydrators. I am thinking about purchasing one for when my garden is ready to harvest.
Yes – I have a 9 tray Excalibur dehydrator. 🙂 I should blog about it.
Stacy, have you heard about some of the crocks in crockpots containing lead that can leach into your food? I believe Laura at http://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com did a post about this a while ago. Seems that Hamilton Beach was a brand that said they do not use lead in their glaze, but it could be in the pottery under the glaze. I love my H.B. crockpot, but I’m always looking it over carefully to see if the glaze is beginning to wear off (it is SO old!) Just thought this would be something you might like to look into. I’m a little paranoid about things like that (-:
Yes, I have heard about the lead. I posted about it a long time ago. You can easily test your crock with a lead kit at Lowes. 🙂
http://www.stacymakescents.com/the-great-crock-pot-lead-debate
I have 20 swagbuck dollars saved for my new crock pot (currently living without one 🙁 ) I know which one I want!
Can I tell you something? After I posted this, my favorite one cracked all the way through. *SOB!*
Mine cracked during a stock making marathon. Not only did I lose my favorite crock, I lost 6 qts of yummy, organic, grass-fed beef stock…I’m still not sure which I’m more sad about.
SAD!!! 🙁
I’ve got three and love them! And I see them all. the. time at rummage/garage sales! Seriously I don’t understand it when someone doesn’t own one…I consider them a necessity of my life and when you can get them for $1 or maybe $3 (okay, they are older models and all) then there is just no excuse!
And yeah, I’d need a garage sale to pay $150 for one….or I’d just turn around buy one for $3 at someone else’s sale and then spend the $147 on chocolate or something!
What? Didn’t hear anything you said except “chocolate.”
Just curious why you choose to not have a dishwasher? We have one but it doesn’t work well so I don’t use it. What is the point of doing dishes in the washer if it leaves a film and I have to rewash things anyway? Also I can wash dishes by hand way faster than the washer can, seems like it takes a long time to do a load and not sure how much water it is using either. Just curious what your take is.
I never had one growing up, and honestly…I don’t understand them? You have to rinse before putting them in…then they don’t always get clean. It takes forever for them to wash and then forever for them to dry. Ain’t nobody got time for that. I can wash and air dry FASTER. And the dishwasher detergent is expensive. The end. LOL
I’ve never had a dishwasher until I moved into the house I’m at now… I thought OMG finally a dishwasher!!! I used it a lot when we first moved in cause well I’ve gone FOREVER without having one so I was excited lol…Then I got a water bill for $62 (2 months) I was like hmmm…. that seems high because it’s only my husband and I in our house. No kids. So since then I have been doing them myself and my water bill now every 2 months has gone down to $33-$36 every 2 months. So you can’t tell me it takes less water. But It truly does take a long time and it’s just much quicker for me to do them myself and let them air dry. Now If I’m making a large dinner or doing one of my cooking/baking weekends I’ll load it up and let it do it’s thing but otherwise it’s a nice place to store dishes to keep them off the counter! 🙂
I like how you think.
A dishwasher uses less water .
I disagree. 🙂
The crock that you can put on your stovetop would be awesome! No more separate pan to brown meat!!!
Yep! Cool feature. 🙂
@ the West Bend Oval I requested and received this 2 yrs. ago to replace my 1976 round 5qt West Bend also with a separate base(a wedding present that I absolutely loved and used an outrageous amount) and I managed to warp the bottom of this new one within the first year when using on cooktop browning a roast. It also cooks on the slow side. I also have the ‘Crock Pot’ brand with the removable insert and it cooks hot for my recipes.
It seems that each crock cooks different – even the same models. It’s strange. You’d think they would pretty much be the same, but nope.
I can’t believe my Kitchen Aide didn’t make the list. IT ROCKS!!!! I love it and it is HUGE!
Out of all the lists I looked at, I didn’t see it on a single one. 🙁
Perfect timing! Just yesterday I was telling my husband how much I “need” a big oval crock pot and a 4 qt crock pot. Right now we have 2 either 5 or 6 qt round ones. And technically they’re not even mine. Thanks for taking the time to put this list together. I put a couple on my amazon wish list. 🙂
Crock pots are a NEED. You can quote me on that.
This is an awesome list and I think I might do the same and get my husband the 20 oz food warmer. But you know, you should have done affiliate links – you earned it!
🙂 Nah – I didn’t want to be a salesperson.
I’m still using my mom’s miserable programmable crock pot. Sometime real soon now, I’m going to have to shell out for a new one. Not the $150 one. Oh, my.
Yeah – that’s a bit extravagant.