Ultimate Crock Pot Comparison Guide and Key
Included in the matrix are 8 columns:
- Crock pot pictures
- Crock pot brand and name/model – (click to view more details or to purchase)
- Capacity (measured in quarts)
- Dishwasher Safe? – is this particular crockpot model dishwasher safe or not?
- Price – These are approximate prices on Amazon.com. These change frequently based on availability, special promotions, and more. But generally speaking: $ = under $40, $$ = $40 to $100, $$$ = $100 to $200, $$$$ = $200+
- Rating – The average user rating on Amazon.com. This can be very helpful in deciding if people are satisfied with their purchase.
*Click on any of the columns to sort the data to help make your decision easier
Images | Crock Pots | Capacity (in Quarts) | Dishwasher Safe? | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Crockpot SCRBC750-BS Trio Mini Crockpot | 2 | yes | $$$ | 4.4 |
 | Hamilton Beach 33967 Programmable Crock Pot | 6 | yes | $$ | 4.2 |
 | Crockpot SCCPVL610-S Programmable Crock Pot | 6 | yes | $$ | 4.4 |
 | Hamilton Beach Stay or Go Crock Pot | 6 | yes | $ | 4.4 |
 | Crock Pot SCR300SS Round Slow Cooker | 3 | yes | $ | 4.2 |
 | Crockpot 32041-C Little Dipper Mini Crockpot | 0.5 | yes | $ | 4.1 |
 | Crock-Pot SCCPLC200-G Mini Crock Pot | 0.625 | yes | $ | 4.7 |
 | Proctor-Silex 33112Y Mini Crock Pot | 1.5 | yes | $ | 4.6 |
 | Continental Electric Red Mini Crock Pot | 3 | yes | $ | 3.8 |
Easy, healthy cooking without the hassle and mess
Crockpots (also known as slow cookers) are a great way to save time on cooking and cleanup for you and your family. They also are great for those of us who aren’t very experienced home chefs or don’t have the time for elaborate meals after we get home from work.
This is the Hamilton Beach Set and Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
With a slow cooker or crockpot you can grab your ingredients and seasonings, put them into the cooker, set the temperature, and then let it cook while you’re at work, running errands, etc. There are dozens of great cookbooks that are just for crock-pot recipes and can add a variety of easy-to-prepare and flavorful meals to your menu.
Another great benefit of using mini crockpots is that if you’re cooking for yourself or for two preparation and cleanup are very quick and easy. I use a mini crock pot for a lot of my cooking because I’m a single guy with an active lifestyle and between cycling and working on my business I don’t have time for traditional cooking, it’s million ingredients and huge mess produced.
Choosing the crockpot or slow cooker that’s right for you can be a daunting task when you see just how many of them are available. The main factors I consider when choosing a slow cooker are:
- How many people you’re cooking for — for a single person 1-2 quarts will do, for more than that you’ll want a cooker with a larger capacity
- Style — I prefer stainless steel because it’s easy to clean and is very durable
- Your budget
- Warranty
The main types of crockpots and slow cookers available are:
- Family-Sized Crockpots and Slow Cookers– best when cooking for more than two people or when you want to prepare a large volume of food for freezing
The family sized Crockpot bowl is usually 3.5 to 7 quarts in size made from ceramic with a glass lid that is inserted into the cooker base. The cooker base is made from stainless steel with a heating element. Most have three heat settings and some even come with an auto keep warm cycle. The larger sized crock pots come with a programmable count down timer up to 24 hours. Digital readout and some even have presets to cook special meals.
- Mini Crockpots and Personal Slow Cookers– best when cooking for yourself or two people; also great for making hot dips and snacks for parties
The mini-crock pots come in multiple sizes ranging from 16 ounces up to 2 quarts. With a stoneware insert and a glass lid. Three heat setting and a light that lets you know when it is in operation.
- Fondue Pots– melt cheese and heat dips for parties
Fondue pots are usually made from heavy gauge metal with a ceramic bowl and several forks for dipping. They come in two styles, the ones that are electric have a heating element built into the base with two heat settings low-high. The other style uses Sterno for heat. These fondue pots are mostly for entertaining or have a commercial use. Plates are optional but usually come with the set.
- Pressure Cookers– best when you want slow cooked flavors but need it in a hurry
The pressure cooker is a heavy gauge pot that come in sizes that range from 2 quarts to 12 quarts. A locking lid with a pressure gauge that lets you know how high the pressure inside the cooker is getting. Most come with a steamer basket and a wire basket insert for cooking fruits, veggies, and fish.
- Manual Slow Cookers– The manual slow cooker has a stoneware bowl and only has 2 heat settings. High-low. With a glass lid and dishwasher safe this slow cooker is basically an entry level cooker.
- Programmable Slow Cookers– made basically the same way with the added capability of programming the time and temp with an auto keep warm setting built in. This slow cooker depending on size is the mid level cooker of choice.
- Cook and Carry Slow Cookers– are a convenient way to cook a meal and carry it to the party. The stoneware bowl has a lid locking system to prevent spillage. The best feature of the cook and carry slow cooker is not having to transfer the food from the slow cooker to the serving pot. Up to a 6 quart capacity and three heat settings(low-warm-high) and a stainless steel exterior this cooker is dishwasher safe./li>
Most of us know about the standard fare that a family sized crock pot can make beef stew, chili, soups. How about all of those things you don’t know about? How about a whole chicken? A pork roast with all the trimmings? Pasta sauce?
Yes these and more can be made in your family sized crock pot with just a little bit of time and imagination. The larger size of the family crock pot allows you to be creative in what you make for the family. Preset cooking times let you plan ahead for family night at the dinner table when you don’t have time to cook.
Roped into the company picnic? Need two gallons of baked beans tomorrow, not a problem with the family sized crock pot. Just pour in the ingredients and set the programmable timer and go to work.
Another thing the family sized crockpot is good at are sauces. Alfredo, enchilada, BBQ, nacho cheese, gravy, or anything else you can think of with the larger size of the family crockpot any occasion is just a few hours away.
The mini-crock pot is more suited for 1 or 2 people. Some mini’s come with three ceramic bowls to cook different things at the same time. Your turn to cook tonight? The smaller size ranging from 16 oz to 2 quarts makes cooking a snap. Having a party? Need some dip? The mini crock pot is the way to go. Drop in a couple of cans of bean dip some onions and cayenne pepper and there you have it. Spicy bean dip just add the corn chips.
The Fondue pot is a party favorite with so many different things it can make. Some of the electric models allow for heating oil for simmering small chunks of beef, mushrooms, chicken, broccoli, Jalapeño poppers, and mini pirogies. The traditional fondue pot is cheese lovers heaven. Melted cheese and cauliflower, asparagus, chunks of any kind of pork or beef. Just about anything you can think of will dip. Party time just got better with one of these. Have a chocolate fetish? The fondue pot melts all kinds of chocolate, dark, light, milk, cocao powder.
The pressure cooker is one of those kitchen tools that doesn’t get very much respect. Why? Because most have no idea what to do with it outside of cooking meat or chicken. The pressure cooker is designed to cook many different foods under pressure faster than most conventional methods. What kinds of food? Well how about butternut squash, corn on the cob, any kind of vegetables, beans cook without pre-soaking in a short time. You can do rice in large batches in minutes, most Italian sauces can be made in a pressure cooker. Lobster dinner on the menu? How about some king crab legs? Just about anything you can cook in a slow cooker you can make in a pressure cooker in half the time.