Best Inexpensive Slow Cookers: Save Time & Money in the Kitchen
Slow cookers are the unsung heroes of the kitchen, transforming mealtime into a hassle-free experience. These ingenious appliances let you prepare delicious, hearty meals with minimal effort. Imagine tossing in your ingredients and letting the slow cooker do its magic while you go about your day. Plus, they’re not only convenient but also energy-efficient—saving you money in the long run. Let’s explore the best inexpensive slow cookers that make cooking a breeze!
Why Choose a Slow Cooker?
A slow cooker is a simple but brilliant kitchen tool. It cooks your food—slowly, of course—taking about 8 hours for meals that might take just 30 minutes using other methods. But here’s the magic: with a slow cooker, there’s no babysitting. You can toss in your ingredients, set the timer, and walk away without needing to stir or watch over it. That’s what makes them perfect for busy families, working professionals, or anyone who loves the idea of a home-cooked meal without the hassle.
How Slow Cookers Save You Money
Slow cookers don’t just save you time—they save you money too! Running a slow cooker for 10 hours costs an average of just 21 cents. Compare that to roasting a pork roast in an electric oven for two hours, which costs around $2.51—or $1.49 if you’re using a gas oven. Over the course of a year, using a slow cooker can lead to significant savings on your energy bills.
And there’s another bonus: slow cookers don’t heat up your kitchen the way a stovetop or oven can. This is especially important during those hot summer months when keeping cooling costs down is a big win.
Is It Cheaper To Use a Slow Cooker?
Undoubtedly, yes. Let’s say you pay twelve cents per kWh to run your stovetop and slow cooker, a stovetop at 1500 watts is going to cost you $0.18/hour while a slow cooker at 250 watts is going to cost you $0.03/hour.
Even if you were to run your slow cooker for eight hours every day, you would still only be paying $0.24 a day or $87.61 a year. An oven that is run for 8 hours a day at 1500 watts is going to cost you, $525.66 a year.
Now, it’s unlikely you are going to run your stovetop for eight hours a day, every day, so let’s say two hours a day, that’s still $131.41 a year.
Source: KitchenSnitches.com
Why Size and Heat Efficiency Matter in Slow Cookers
When choosing the best slow cooker, size matters. For peak performance, you want to fill your slow cooker about 3/4 of the way full. This ensures the food cooks evenly and stays at the right temperature. A 7-quart model, for example, may be too big for a small family of two, while a family of six wouldn’t be happy with a 1.5-quart slow cooker. Choosing the right size is key to making sure your slow cooker works efficiently and gives you the best results.
Now, let’s check out my top picks for the best slow cookers that will make your life in the kitchen so much easier!
Top 4 Best Inexpensive Slow Cookers
- Best Compact Slow Cooker: Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
- Best Upgrade: Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set & Forget Programmable Slow Cooker
- Best for Large Families: Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker
- Best Versatility: Hamilton Beach 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
Best Compact Slow Cooker: Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
The Hamilton Beach 4-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a compact yet versatile cooking solution. This user-friendly appliance allows you to easily mix and match temperature settings with your desired cooking times, ensuring perfect results every time. It’s also a breeze to clean, making post-meal cleanup quick and easy. With a capacity ideal for a 4-pound chicken or a 2-pound roast, it’s the perfect size for small families or cozy dinners.
Best Upgrade: Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set & Forget Programmable Slow Cooker
The Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set & Forget Programmable Slow Cooker is a standout appliance that consistently cooks food at a gentle simmer, ensuring tender, flavorful roasts every time. What truly sets this slow cooker apart is its integrated probe thermometer, allowing you to monitor and achieve precise cooking temperatures. This feature gives you confidence that your meals will turn out perfectly every time. Plus, the locking lid seals tightly, making it ideal for transporting your dishes to parties, potlucks, or tailgates without worrying about messy spills along the way.
Best for Large Families: Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker
The Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker is perfect for feeding gatherings of 9 or more, comfortably accommodating a family-sized roast. With adjustable cooking settings, you can choose to cook on high for a quick meal or on low, allowing tonight’s dinner to simmer while you’re at work. Plus, it features an auto shut-off function that keeps your meal warm until you’re ready to serve.
Best Versatility: Hamilton Beach 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
The Hamilton Beach 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker offers exceptional versatility, allowing you to set your desired cooking time. Once the time is up, it automatically shifts to Warm mode, ensuring your meal is ready when you are. With its generous 8-quart capacity, this cooker can accommodate a whopping 7-pound chicken (that’s one impressive bird!) or a 4-5 pound roast.
Designed for convenience, the lid features a rubber gasket and clips to ensure a secure fit, preventing spills during cooking. Plus, cleanup is a breeze with a removable, dishwasher-safe crock and glass lid.
- MORE: Cozy Comfort: Apple Cider Pork Roast in the Slow Cooker
- MORE: Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Pulled Sandwiches with Easy Coleslaw Recipe
Question: What’s your go-to recipe for your slow cooker? Share your favorites and let’s inspire each other to cook more delicious meals.
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Hi Mary! I see all but one of these models are programmable instead of manual. Do you prefer the programmable ones? The ones I have looked at seem to be a little pricier than manual, not sure if it’s worth the cost. Any thoughts?
Great question! My slow cooker is programmable and in 9 years since I purchased it, I have never once used that feature (she says sheepishly). I load it up, set it to High or Low, look at the clock, calculate 6 hrs from now (or the number in the recipe) and hit start. If I were to purchase today, I believe I’d forego programmable and go with manual.
i have a round 5 qt crockpot which i love and it has a glass top which tells me it’s pretty old but i love it except for (as one person mentioned), it’s hard to put meat in it to fit just right but it cooks great and everything tastes amazing; however, i should tell you that i have only cooked tough cuts of beef which turn out sooooo tender. i asked about recipes that have slow cookers but haven’t seen what size is the norm and there seems to be none showing 5 qt sizes. thank you
One of my favorite crockpot recipes is the Mississippi Pot Roast. It cooks for hours and is so tender and juicy when done. Just add sides.
A few years ago I ran across an off-brand 2 qt slow cooker that was OVAL in shape, like the larger ones (I have never understood why they make the smaller ones ROUND, as they are so much harder to cook in) in a thrift store and bought it for $5. It is the PERFECT size and shape for a single chicken breast half, which is plenty for just the two of us. I have used it so much that I decided I needed to get a backup for when it went out and had a terrible time finding a similar oval one of the correct size. But I did, another off brand and it is in my storage closet in the garage waiting for when I need it!!
Does anyone know if there are any of these crock pots that have truly been tested to be lead free? I think they’re mostly made in China. Please let me know! I do have an Instant Pot that I’ve used on slow cooker setting, but it doesn’t seem to work as well as the others on that setting. Thank you for any input or your research findings on the lead issue!
I’ve always hated cooking things like stews on the stove top because of the need to continually check that the stove isn’t too hot or not hot enough and that the food isn’t burning to the bottom of the pot. What I’ve always loved about my slow cooker, besides the fact I can just ignore it once the food is in it. is that it separates the food prep clean up from the after dinner dishes. If you clean up as you prep everything for the slow cooker, all you have left to wash after supper is the slow cooker itself and your plates and cutlery.
My slow cooker says NOT TO lock the lid on.
Does an Instant Pot fall into the slow cooker category?
I have a slow cooker and an Instantpot. The instant pot is my go-to appliance because it can be used for each step of preparation and cooking.