PURCHASING A NEW CROCK POT - HELP!!

Hi' love mine sooo much. I purchased a new one a few months ago and I think with the newer ones the inside comes out which makes it easier for cleaning. Mine is 2 quart and kind of oval shaped. Love foe that because I can do a bigger roast or good sized chicken. Do yourself a favor' and purchase crockpot liners. They are by the foil and plastic wrap, I think 3 in a box. Put in crockpot first and then helps with clean up so much. Won't cook without one anymore. Happy cooking.

if your budget allows check into an electric pressure cooker (can be used as slow cooker too)

I would not trade mine for anything! All the foods I love in a fraction of the time....and all I do is put the lid on.

I've had 3 different crock pots and they were all good/bad in various ways. I don't think I'd recommend any particular one. I have one by Farberware right now. I haven't found spending tons of money makes a better crock pot...they're all somewhat the same. Buying in the middle of the price range is a good idea to balance reliability and price.

The kind with a rubber seal around the lid are the best cookers IMHO. Keeps the moisture in and cooks a bit faster too.

Getting the right size for the kind of meals your cooking is really important obviously. I only cook meals for 2 and once really overestimated the size I needed. A huge crock pot 3 quart or bigger is great if your making soups as a batch or cooking for lots of people but if you only need to make big batches a few times a year it will dry out smaller recipes in 1/2 the time the recipe is supposed to cook.. :P

I do love the crock pot liners they help so much with cleanup (a bit pricey though).

Shop for the right size and lowest price. I like the Rival that I've had the past several years. I would NOT buy one with a built in timer because that has been a fail point before, but I do use mine with a separate plug in timer when necessary. These are the same timers I use to turn on Christmas lights, and lamps. I can use them anywhere and anytime.

I have the Ninja and I love it. As well as a slow cooker, it is also a small oven up to 450 degrees. And yes, make sure you purchase one with a timer. The only thing I don't like about my Ninja is that the outside is metal and gets very hot. I still have a scar on my arm from a burn when I reached over it to get something.

I love my Ninja cooking system. Makes the most delicious meals--not only crockpot meals! But even for crockpot meals, you can brown the meat in it first, then switch it to crockpot setting and add the other ingredients, then set the timer for how long you want it to cook.

I've even used the Ninja to make steam baked cupcakes. My kids love 'em better than those made in the oven!

It is "hands-down" the best investment I've ever made for an appliance.

I agree on the liners for the most part makes clean up simple.

I have a few crock pots/slow cookers, different brands...different sizes & shapes. Tall is good for some recipes, oval for another.
You don't want something too big for the majority of what you are cooking.

I cook for one and don't want tons of leftovers so I've been using my smaller (<6 qt) more often.

For sure get one with removal inside and one with a keep warm feature.

None of mine have timers (older units) but love that idea about using a plug in timer device (I work from home so usually not an issue)

Check Amazon for reviews of various makers & models.

Happy cooking!!

I have a 30 year old Rival 5 qt crock pot with the removable crock. If I ever needed to get a new one, I would go with whatever is the closest. No fuss, high and low setting, large enough for roasts and my big batch chili, and the ceramic crock cleans so easily.

One recommendation I would make is that the crock part of the crockpot be removable from the holder. With some crockpots you cannot remove the pot part of the crockpot to clean it, as it is permanently attached to the appliance. Also, if the pot is removable, then you can prepare it the night before, put it into the refrigerator and then just pop it into the holder in the AM and start it up when you are going out the door. Just remember to write yourself a note and so you don't go off and forget to turn the crockpot on (I speak from experience).

I have used crockpots for 30+ years. They are safe to leave running when you go to work - actually that is the whole idea of using one. There is nothing like coming home from work and when you open the door smell that supper all cooked and ready. They do smell up the house in a good way. When I was home with my kids years ago I used to fill the crockpot and the bread machine when we were going to be gone all day. Talk about a great smell - fresh bread and the dinner all ready when you walked in the door.