Imagine if you could just come home and there is food waiting for you just like when you were a kid. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Well, let me introduce you to slow cookers! These bad boys allow you to prep delicious ingredients in the morning and slowly cooks the food throughout the day which will be ready for you at night. Sounds expensive, right? Well, not all are expensive and I found a few that are actually wallet friendly so let get to it.
Hamilton Beach 33461:
Price: $24.00 (original $34.99)
Capacity: 6 quarts
Settings: 3 (High, Low and Keep Warm)
Material: Stainless Steel
SA: 6/10
A very basic slow cooker perfect for new buyers to try and experience slow cooked food. For $24, this model does everything you need it to do and produces great results. However, it does seem that the glass that this particular brand uses can break after a certain amount of uses so definitely not a long term slow cooker.
Chefman Slow Cooke:
Price: $19.99 (original $33.63)
Capacity: 5 Quarts
Settings: 3 (Low, High, Warm)
Material: Stoneware
SA: 9/10
A very versatile slow cooker. This pot can actually detach from the actual slow cooker and be used in the oven or stove top! It is also naturally non-stick so you never have to worry about anything sticking or cleaning it up after. It also uses less lead than most other similar product which will resonate well with health conscious users. However, use with caution since the material used get extremely hot after use.
Gourmia PC710:
Price: $24.99
Capacity: 7 Quarts
Settings: 3 (High, Low, Auto)
Material: Stainless Steel
SA: 9/10
This product is larger than the other two and cheaper than Chefman. The great feature about this product is the Auto setting which will shift from cooking to keep warm after it is done cooking. Although I am unclear about how they can actually determine that, the reviews seem like it works which makes this product much easier to use for first timers and forgetful people.
Recommendations: I would recommend the Gourmia PC710 over the other 3 because of its size, price and settings. The auto setting is honestly the feature that makes this product so worth it. You will never have to worry about your food overcooking or monitoring it to ensure that it is at the right temperature. This product will set the temperature until it is done cooking and then keep the food warm until you are ready to eat it! Great for families or people living alone. Easily prepare food for yourself way in advance.