Consumer Reports – September 2019

Slow Cooker

This cooker earns an
Excellent rating for
high-temp and low-
temp cooking in our
tests with beef stew.
Its locking lid makes it
easier to transport,
and a temperature
probe prevents
overcooked roasts.

HAMILTON BEACH TEMP
TRACKER 33866
$70

87

It earns an Excellent score

in our low-setting tests,

which means it can serve

up tender beef and veggies

in 8 hours. It’s a manual

model, so you’ll have to

make sure you’re home

when it finishes cooking

to turn it off.

CROCK-POT 6-QUART

COOK & CARRY SCCPVL600-S

$30

68

It has a smaller-than-

average capacity of

5.3 quarts, but this pot

has an easy-to-clean

ceramic nonstick coating,

unique among models in

our ratings. Its stovetop-

safe insert can be used on

any type of range to sear,

sauté, or brown food.

CALPHALON DIGITAL

SAUTÉ SCCLD1

$100

78

Models with an oblong-shaped

pot can fit large roasts for

feeding a big family.

A clear glass lid lets you see

your meal’s progress.

It's simple to use, with just two

cooking settings: high or low heat.

A "big" small appliance, it

requires generous counter—and

storage—space.

Recipes need adjusting

for slow-cooking.

It's limited to wet cooking

methods, so there’s less variety in

the meals you can prepare.

WHAT TO COOK:

STEW / SOUP / CHILI / STOCK / RIBS / OATMEAL

WHAT IT CAN DO:

SLOW-COOK / STEW

Frozen meat or poultry may

not have time to fully cook or

get up to a safe temperature,

so always thaw it first.

To avoid overcooked

vegetables, add delicate ones

near the end of the cooking

cycle, when there's about an

hour left to go. And don’t use

canned or frozen vegetables,

because they’ll cook too quickly.

When converting recipes

for a slow cooker, set sauces

and dips on the high setting for

1 to 2 hours. Roasts and large

or tough cuts of meat need the

low-and-slow treatment for at

least 7 hours. Fatty meats such

as ground beef or bacon should

be cooked and drained before

adding to a slow cooker to

avoid making the dish greasy.

Dairy products break down

during extended cooking, so

add them during the last 15 to

30 minutes of cooking.

Perfect

Pulled Pork

Slow-cooked

meat is

tender with

almost zero

effort.

TIPS FROM OUR EXPERTS

PROS

CONS

A slow cooker requires you to chop and brown ingredients in the morning, but

then you can set it and forget it for the entire day—and come home to a hot,

ready-to-serve dinner. Designed to simmer foods at a low temperature for

hours, it’s perfect for soups, stews, and tough cuts of meat.