# Finally buying a new crock pot (aka slow cooker) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350 "2012-01-31T22:52:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/1 "2012-01-31T22:52:03Z")
I have one from about 25 years ago that I seldom use because it’s a pain to clean and doesn’t hold much. So I’m going to upgrade and make a ton of tasty easy dinners. Any suggestions? There are about a million brands out there – should I just go to Target and get the cheapest one or is there really a difference? Much obliged, ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/2 "2012-01-31T22:59:14Z")
I recommend surfing the reviews on Amazon to see which have a lot of good recommendations. I was looking for a 3.5 qt size (good for 2 people with leftovers, or 4 people without), and decided on the Cuisinart programmable 3.5 qt oval model as a result. It has 4 heat settings rather than the 3 that most models have (high, low, warm, plus Cuisinart’s has “simmer” between low and warm), and will switch to warm automatically if you’re cooking using the timer and the cooking time is up. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/3 "2012-01-31T23:10:44Z")
If you don’t like cleaning them, you can get “liners” for them. These are basically just disposable plastic bags, shaped perfectly to line the inside of your crock. When you are done, you just throw it out. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/4 "2012-01-31T23:20:58Z")
If there’s any possibility that the slow cooker would be used for a pot luck, get [a Hamilton Beach Stay or Go](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=hamilton+beach+stay+or+go&hl=en&safe=active&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&prmd=imvns&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&biw=1231&bih=779&wrapid=tlif132805184442310&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7308421433009119265&sa=X&ei=j3YoT7PFJuXl0QGS1qTmAg&ved=0CIkBEPMCMAU#). ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/5 "2012-02-01T03:17:32Z")
I bought a new Rival about three years ago and I hate it. It burns everything and even when you put it on warm, the liquid still boils. I really miss my old crockpot (also a Rival). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/6 "2012-02-01T03:46:02Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > If you don’t like cleaning them, you can get “liners” for them. These are basically just disposable plastic bags, shaped perfectly to line the inside of your crock. When you are done, you just throw it out. We call them crock pot condoms. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/7 "2012-02-01T04:09:15Z")
Hamilton Beach makes a nice one with [interchangable crocks](http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-33135-6-Quart-Stainless/dp/B000R8A1OK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1328069253&sr=8-3). Just the thing for different sized recipes. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/8 "2012-02-01T04:14:00Z")
I bought a Hamilton Beach at the end of December. It’s been great so far. I haven’t had to use the clips, but I love that they are there. -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/9 "2012-02-01T05:45:32Z")
be careful of the “crock-pot” brand slow cookers, I had to get 2 of them (one went back) the first was a “6” quart that held more like 4.5 and the 7 quart that I got next barely holds 6. other than that they work great. ---
**Author:** ![Seamack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@Seamack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seamack)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/10 "2012-02-01T12:34:09Z")
I have a 6.5l Russell Hobbs with digital timer - Brilliant at what it does. Advantage of the timer is that it will cook and high or low for up to 10 hours before switching to warm for up to another 10 hours. I wouldn’t really use it more than once a week but it really is handy on busy days. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/11 "2012-02-01T15:43:28Z")
Second looking at reviews. Small appliances are largely crap these days. The quality sucks and they don’t perform the function for which they are supposedly designed. It’s maddening to even do review searches, as you will usually find at least a quarter of the reviews to be one star (negative). But to just go out and blindly buy one is a recipe for frustration. ---
**Author:** ![boozilu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@boozilu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boozilu)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2012, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-buying-a-new-crock-pot-aka-slow-cooker/611350/12 "2012-02-02T01:51:18Z")
Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying the Hamilton Beach with interchangeable crocks. I tried buying from a local store, but couldn’t find it at Sears or Macy’s or Kohls or Target (no Hamilton Beach or Cuisinart at all!). So I ended up ordering on Amazon. Let’s hope it does the trick!