You want to buy a new slow cooker.  As it just so happens with a lot of stuff we want to purchase, the choice becomes overwhelming.  Different brands, different features, shapes and sizes…where to start?

I get you.  I’ve been there before I bought my first ever slow cooker.  Then I knew exactly what I wanted when I bought my second. And laid eyes on my third. 

Consider this THE guide to buying the perfect slow cooker for your needs and desires.

Here are the only 5 questions you need to ask yourself to come to the perfect decision.

1. Do you want to batch cook in it?

If it were up to me, my answer would always be YES!  If this is something you want to do, opt for the largest possible size which makes sense for you (think counter & freezer space, family members etc).  The very largest available is 11 litres (yep!).  That’s huge in my books, but take your pick from the range of sizes available.
Keep in mind that even if your freezer is very modest in size, you can still buy a good-sized slow cooker, and repurpose the second or third batch of food.  You can very easily eat the rest of the food for lunch the next day, or use food as a pie or wrap filling, make patties out of it, or a casserole…the options are endless.
By the way, my slow cooker is a 6 litre one.  Specifically this.

2. Are you out of the house most of the day?

Is that a yes?  In that case, you need a programmable slow cooker.  The non-programmable types have a knob which just goes to on or off.  Simple.  The programmable versions however, have a timer.  You can choose to have the slow cooker on for as much time as you desire, on whichever setting you choose.  Once it’s done, it will automatically switch to ‘keep warm’, and you can come home to a ready-to-serve home cooked dinner.   Almost all new slow cookers come with the ‘keep warm’ feature.

3. Would you like to cook roasts, whole chicken, casseroles and lasagne in it?

Then I would definitely recommend buying one which is rectangular or oval, or larger in size. Do have a good look at the specs and the size of the slow cooker bowl before making a purchase. The downside with having an oval or round one is that lasagne is not as easy to serve as it is out of a rectangular model.

4. Is washing the dishes an integral part of your day?

Lay off the sarcasm woman!  Oh my, I couldn’t resist!  I am banking on getting a ‘no’ from most of you 🙂
Get a slow cooker in which you can sauté in, and brown meat in.  This will save you having to use another pan for this step and therefore having to wash more dishes.  Oh, and make sure that the slow cooker you buy has a dishwasher-safe pot if you do have a dishwasher!

Other features

Portability

Portable slow cookers have tight fitting lids and handles on top for easy transportation.  Unless you plan on taking your slow cooker to potlucks or picnics, there are far better features to look out for.

Built in temperature probes

These fancy units ensure your food is cooked to the correct temperature before automatically switching to keep warm.  No more guessing!

I’ve yet to see these locally, or on a European website, but here goes the link for your info.

Stirring feature 

Your food gets stirred while it cooks.  In all honesty, I cannot see the advantage to this.  My slow cooker does not have this feature and it is not something I need. That said, the paddle is removable in most of the models I’ve seen.

See one here.

WiFi connectivity

This is a cool feature to have just for the sake of it, but I find it be unnecessary.  Apparently, you can switch your slow cooker on and off, adjust temperature and cooking time, and get ‘food is ready’ notifications on your phone.  Why you would want to switch your slow cooker on or off from your phone is beyond me, as is adjusting temperature and cooking time.  I mean, wouldn’t you need to actually see the food before deciding that these specifics need to be adjusted?  

See one here.

One final word of advice

Whichever feature tickles your fancy, just make sure that you are not missing out on anything essential by opting for that particular one.
There are a variety of specifications and different features available – so really, it is a matter of priorities.

I do hope that this blog post has helped you get a clearer picture of how to choose the perfect slow cooker for you.  It’s not half as intimidating as it looks when you have all the info laid out!

I am an advocate of slow cooking.  Absolutely love it.  It saves me so much time; I can whip up homemade goodness in no time! 

You can learn ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW (this is years of trial & error) to use your slow cooker to perfection, learn how to batch cook in it, and adapt any recipe for your slow cooker in my mini online course, Slow Cooking, Fast Batching. It’s a great way to fast-track to impressive results in 40 minutes flat, and it costs only € 25.00!

PS: If you’re curious to see my slow cooker (this is my 3rd! :-)), you can see an unboxing video of it here.

Happy Friday!

Love,

Nakita xxx