Slow Cooker vs. Crockpot: What's the Difference? | America's Test Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Slow Cooker vs. Crockpot: What's the Difference? | America's Test Kitchen? ›

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

Even though both can produce similar results, there is a main difference between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. A slow cooker will cook food longer at a lower temperature, whereas a pressure cooker uses hot steam to cook food much quicker.

The verdict. Putting the numbers together, it costs roughly 26p an hour to run an average oven, nearly 21p more than a medium-sized slow cooker. So, the slow cooker is cheaper to use than the oven in most cases, but always factor in: Size of the slow cooker.

Slow cookers, also known as crock pots, are designed to cook ingredients slowly during the day while people are away at work or pursuing their activites. Modern slowly cookers heat contents thoroughly, are safe, retain heat well, and come in a variety of sizes.

Yes, you most certainly can cook raw meat in the slow cooker! You put it in “cold”, with whatever liquid your recipe calls for, turn it on either “low” or “high” depending on your recipe (I usually start it on “high” for a couple hours, then turn it to “low”), and in 6–7–8 hours, it's now COOKED meat!

Absolutely, which is why you should always adjust times and amounts as needed. Smaller amounts of slow cooker hamburger only need a few hours before they are done.

Can you overcook something in a slow cooker? Slow cookers are specially designed to cook food for long periods of time, but yes, you can still overcook in a slow cooker if something is left on the wrong setting for longer than it's supposed to be.

Cost-Effective. Slow cookers are a great way to stretch your food budget. You can buy cheaper cuts of meat and let the slow cooker work its magic, resulting in tender and flavourful meals that champion the underrated bits of an animal.

Traditionally cheaper cuts of meat always slow cook better. Slow cooking breaks down the connective collagen in meat, which turns into unctuous gelatine. This creates that soft and tender mouth feel we all crave.

Which is better a Crockpot or slow cooker? ›

When it comes to cooking, you can use either. While Crock-Pot is just a brand name, Crock-Pots, Crock-Pot-style slow cookers, and other types of slow cookers will all get the job done.

Absolutely! If you feel comfortable leaving your crockpot on while you're at work, you should also feel safe using it overnight. However, if your slow cooker is old, it may be time to toss it.

As the hot circulates inside the air fryer, this can cause hot liquids to splatter, which can be dangerous and messy. Slow cookers are better for sauce-based recipes – they're usually low maintenance and very efficient to run, which is ideal for keeping energy bills down during the cost of living crisis.

Can you put meat straight into a slow cooker? Meat can be added directly unseared and not browned. However, browning meat and caramelising the beef is a great way to add depth of flavour and improve the visual appearance of the final dish.

Using foil in slow cookers can make serving easy, particularly with casserole recipes. Plus, you can wrap chicken in a foil packet and set it on top of all the other ingredients in the slow cooker, which can lead to more evenly cooked meat. So go ahead and use foil in your slow cooker, because those things are magic.

Water or liquid is necessary to create steam. When cooking meat or poultry, the water or liquid level should cover the ingredients to ensure effective heat transfer throughout the crock. Some manufacturers of slow cookers recommend adding liquid to fill the stoneware 1/2 to 3/4 full.

For many home cooks, a Dutch oven or a stovetop or electric pressure cooker may be a better investment.