Shhhh... Listen! Do You Hear The Sound Of Slow Cooker?

The Slow Cookers







Models with the ability to brown
Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Programmable Stovetop Slow Cooker


A note on one omission: I didn't include the best selling slow cooker on
Amazon, the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow
Cooker, because, over weeks of use, I've found that it runs
unacceptably hot, reaching a full, rolling boil when set to low for even a
few hours.
To answer those questions, I performed three tests on each one of the cookers.
Temperature tracking: I filled each cooker with 12 cups of cold (around
I then set them to cook on low for six hours and tracked the
Temperature of every one with an equal probe thermometer to see
How low the low setting really was--ideally, it should not rise much
above 200˚. (In reality, the cookers ranged from 180˚ to 205˚ after four
For braising, I prefer a bare simmer, with a bubble
Breaking the surface of the liquid every now and then, which happens
around 190˚.) I then let them change to warm for four hours to see how
Quickly and dramatically the temperature would fall--the lower the
Better, as long as it remains above 140˚.

Pound of soaked black beans with 6 cups of water in every slow cooker on

hours. I was Searching for beans that were all nicely tender at the same
Time, rather than beans that overcooked around the borders before the
ones in the middle were done.
Strata: Creating a braise is too simple; any slow cooker can do that. A
Strata--basically a savory bread pudding--is a more revealing test.
Slow cookers can make lovely, delicate-textured stratas, but some
Models have hot spots along the wall of the insert, where it's closest to
Those spots will cause uneven browning and
scorching on the edges of the strata. I lined each slow cooker with
Parchment and then constructed this strata in each one, adapting the
Recipe slightly by increasing the egg quantity to six for extra structure and
Swapping the Gruyere for cheddar, because, well, that is what I had. I then
cooked it on low for 4 hours.
I added one more test for the 3 cookers with stovetop-safe inserts:
Browning and sautéing: Stovetop-safe inserts should function as well as
A skillet, so I analyzed their capacity to sauté and brown. In every one, I
Sautéed one large yellow onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over
Medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, to see if it would get evenly soft
and translucent within 10 minutes. I also browned skin-on chicken
Thighs over high heat in one tablespoon of canola oil, leaving them
Undisturbed for 2 minutes before flipping.
Browning on the chicken skin and some fond (browned bits) left behind

What worked: This cooker conducted the cheapest and slowest by far: After six
Hours on low it registered only 180˚ (the lowest temperature of all
Seven) and when it kicked over to heat it dropped all the way to 160˚ within
The first hour and then to 147˚ after four hours--again, the lowest
Temperatures of the bunch.
Cooking, the ability to actually hold a low temperature is the most
Significant feature a slow cooker can offer, and it is what really sets this
one apart.
The model is unique in that it has an internal thermostat that produces
Tiny, constant adjustments to keep the temperature low, well below
boiling. Most other cookers let the temperature rise gradually without
adjustment. The electric heating element can also be specially insulated to

Cooker to take six hours to cook the beans (the normal time was four
Hours, but when they were finally done, they were perfectly creamy,
Without any breakage. (And if you want to cook something
Quickly, you're not using the slow cooker.)
evenly golden around the edges.
In addition to dependably low heat, this cooker has a superbly
Simple, intuitive control panel that's very easy to set and read. There
Are different buttons for the 3 heat settings and + and - buttons that
Permit you to adjust the cook time up and down in 30-minute increments.
The brightly lit screen counts the time down as it cooks and an alert
Sounds once the cook time has elapsed. When it switches to warm,
The timer begins from zero and begins counting up, so once you get
Home, it is obvious how long it's been running on warm. During cooking,
The lid handle stays cool enough to touch with your bare hands, as do the
insert's handles.
What didn't: This was the only slow cooker to meet all the criteria. It
Doesn't provide in-insert browning, so you've got to use another skillet for
That, but the dependable slow heat and exceptional design is worth
Washing an excess dish.
What worked: I enjoyed that this model ran slow, reaching 183˚ after six
Hours on low and then falling to 169˚ after one hour warm, and all of the
Way down to 150˚ after four hours on warm. It cooked beans in
Three and a half hours, and made a delicate, uniformly browned strata.
Unlike traditional slow cookers, which have a stoneware insert, this one
Is made of nonstick coated aluminum, which makes it stovetop safe--and also
Much lighter and easier to handwash than the heavier crocks. Over
Medium-high heat on the stovetop, it can sauté an onion to translucency
In about 10 minutes. Over high heat, it may brown chicken thighs to a
Crisp, medium gold in about 8 minutes, and even though it's nonstick,
Which is never perfect for searing, there was a few fond left on the bottom

I also really appreciated this cooker's easy-to-use control panel. (You'd
Think a fantastic control panel could be a frequent thing, but it is not.) This
One has a large dial that satisfyingly clicks into place to place the heat level,
The
Handle on the lid stays cool enough to touch, though the handles on the

What didn't: I wish that there was an alarm when the cook time elapses,
And the insert's handles didn't get quite so hot during cooking. The
Insert is not dishwasher safe, and you need to remember not to use
Metal implements on the nonstick surface.
Abby Hocking / Food & Wine

One Browning ($300 on Williams-Sonoma)
What worked: I really like this machine Though it has some
drawbacks. It runs a bit hot, topping out at 201˚ on low, but it's the
Same sort of internal thermostat that KitchenAid does, so it holds at
About 200˚, still well below the boil, instead of continuing to climb. It is
Also well-insulated, cooking both beans and strata very equally, without
The beans were done in 3 hours, the shortest cooking
Time of all, partially because this model runs a bit hot and partly because
It's larger than the others, at seven quarts.
What I love about the All-Clad is its shape and searing ability,
Which makes it perfect for braises, soups and stews. The insert, which is
Made of nonstick-coated aluminum, is long, rectangular and comparatively
Shallow in comparison with the others, with a ton of bottom surface area. You
Can easily sear five big chicken thighs in it without crowding the pan. It
Is stovetop safe, and performed excellently in sautéing the onion and
But it also has the capacity to sear when set
Into the stove casing--the only one I tested that has this feature--and
It really works better that way. It gets screamingly hot and can sear
Chicken skin into a deep, rich brown or immediately sauté an onion into gold. It
Feels really convenient to start and finish a braise with one pot in one
place.
This model alarms when the cook time has elapsed and counts upward from
zero on warm. It's also a beautiful, sleek stainless steel machine--the
Luxury SUV of slow cookers.
What did not: This cooker is the most expensive by far at about $250. The
Control panel is simple to read, but not the most intuitive to place. It has
Minimum programmable times of four hours on low and two hours on
High, so you can't set it for, say, 2 hours on low, which can be irritating.
(This is probably a paternal effort to ensure food safety.) The handle
On the lid becomes so hot that you need a potholder to open it, which seems
Such as an avoidable annoyance, particularly at this price.
Cookware, you have to remember not to use metal implements.

What worked: This is a basic slow cooker that's a good value. It topped
Out at 192˚ following six hours on low and finally fell to 145˚ after four
hours on warm.
What didn't: The beans were respectable, but those against the back
Wall of the insert cooked through much quicker than others. That's
Because this model has a significant hot spot there: The strata burned across
The entire back side. The control panel was easy to read but not instinctive
To set--the power button doubles as the "set" button, which will not
There's no alarm Once the cook time has elapsed and
It will only run on warm for four hours, half the time of the others.


What worked: This model used to be my favorite--it is a reliable
Workhorse, an excellent value, and it includes its own probe
Thermometer, so you can set it to switch to warm when a particular
It also runs fairly slow, reaching 186˚ following six
Hours on low, but the warm feature does not work as well as others. (It
Only fell to 165˚ following four hours on hot, the hottest of the group.) It
Produced equally creamy beans. I love that it is easy to set and has a loud
Alarm when it begins cooking and as soon as it finishes.
stays cool enough to touch and has a bonus spoon rest.
What did not: The warm setting does not fall low enough. And it has two
Significant hot spots: The strata burnt on both narrow ends.
Cuisinart 6.5 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
What worked: This model made a very respectable showing--it is also
One of my old favorites. It cooks slowly and nice, rising to only 181˚ over
Six hours on low, the second lowest of the bunch after the KitchenAid. It
cooked beans perfectly. The control panel is easy to use and read and it
Beeps once the cook time elapses. The handle on the lid gets a bit warm
But remains cool enough to touch.
What did not: The warm setting didn't fall low enough (within an hour, the
Temperature decreased only 10 degrees, instead of 20-plus degrees
In other models) and it's a small but noticeable hot place where the
Strata burned against the rear wall.
Crock-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker with Stovetop Safe Cooking Pot
What worked: This nonstick coated aluminum insert did a fine job
sautéing the onion and browning chicken skin on the stovetop. It made
Respectable--if slightly unevenly cooked--beans and a uniformly golden
strata.
What didn't: In my experience, Crock-Pots run too hot. This one was the
Hottest of the group, rising to 205˚ following six hours on low. The control
Panel is easy to use, but it's tough to tell when it's started cooking--
There's no indicator light, so you have to stand there and be sure the
Timer starts counting down. There's also no alarm Once the cook time
finishes.