Costco Online UK Limited, UK Home Office, Hartspring Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD25 8JS. Registered in England and Wales No. 8055444 Cooking for the family or for entertaining is so much easier using the Gourmet Large Triple slow cooker You’ll note that the best small cookers have significantly lower capacities by design—0.6 quarts (20 ounces) to 2.5 quarts. These can be ideal for smaller households, or for making dips and sauces in smaller quantities than a 5 or 6-quart machine would yield. Either way, when shopping for a slow cooker, always buy one with a slightly higher capacity than what you really need, because you should never fill your slow cooker up to the brim. “Slow cookers perform best when they are half to ¾ full so be sure to adapt your recipes accordingly,” says Grainger. The 3 (2.35L x 3) cooking pots are individually controlled so you can cook various different recipes at once – meaning you have choice and convenience in one cooking device!

Gourmet Triple Slow Cooker — Direct GB Gourmet Triple Slow Cooker — Direct GB

Beyond ease of use, it’s an all-around MVP and keeps both dips and dinner warm for hours without overcooking or drying out food. But while it keeps food just-right inside, the outside exterior gets extremely hot to the touch. This is likely not the best unit to have on the countertop with curious kiddos, and it’s not that travel friendly either as the small handles get super hot, too. We struggled to get a good grip when transporting this one and ended up touching the hot exterior while holding the tiny handles.And it’s also clutch for singles who live in an apartment with just a cooktop or if you don’t want to use an entire oven for one baked potato—this teeny tiny appliance steamed the best baked potato we’ve ever had. You can use this slow cooker to cook your meal, and when it’s done it turns into an attractive serving dish for dips, sauces, and more. Plus, the stoneware is oven safe, so you can always put it in the oven for the finishing touches on a cheesy crab dip or baked spinach dip.

The 8 Best Slow Cookers of 2023 - The Spruce Eats The 8 Best Slow Cookers of 2023 - The Spruce Eats

Grainger says convenience, ease, and safety are three key reasons that slow cookers have been a favorite kitchen appliance for decades. “Because slow cooked meals are often prepped in the morning to be eaten at dinner, you can feel reassured that the food is cooked and held at the proper temperature to avoid any food safety issues. Families on-the-go often rely on the convenience of slow cookers to cut down on take-out meals and fast food while still being able to enjoy a nutritious home cooked meal.” Not only does using a slow cooker cut down on time spent in the kitchen but it also helps to reduce the price of groceries—especially meat,” says nutrition expert and Cleverful Living founder Holley Grainger, MS, RD. “Cooking inexpensive, tougher cuts of meat at a low temperature over a longer period helps to break down connective tissue and fat yielding a juicy and tender product.”The number one feature of a mini slow cooker is that they are small and compact, which makes it a good option when you’re tight on space or don’t want a lot of leftovers. But there are other features that may interest you as well. Almost all mini slow cookers have basic temperature control functions that let you switch between high, low, or warm settings. Some models, like the Cuisinart 4-Quart 3-in-1 Cook Central Multicooker, come with built-in timers, allowing you to set how long you want your meal to cook for. They will automatically shut off or hold the food at temperature when the timer is up. Mini slow cookers are typically categorized as a capacity below 4 quarts,” says Lynne Just, Consumer Test Kitchen Chef at Hamilton Beach Brands. “For small kitchens with tight spaces, the most beneficial attribute is their condensed size. However, some other reasons you might reach for a mini slow cooker instead of a full-size option include cooking meals for one to two people, cooking small cuts of meat or small batches of soups or stews, using it as a fondue pot, cooking with no leftovers.” The mini slow cookers on our list range in size from 1 to 4 quarts. Those in the 1- to 1.5-quart category are great when cooking for one or making dips, while 2.5 quarts and larger is best for cooking for two to three or those who prefer leftovers. The shallow design doesn’t allow for cooking some traditional slow cooker meals like pot roasts and stews. Imusa 1.5-Quart Slow Cooker: For anyone concerned with wasting food, this Imusa 1.5-quart mini slow cooker is ideal. While it’s best to use it to cook for one to two people, you might be able to squeeze enough food out of it for a family of four with no extras. (We made beef stew for four people which was pushing it, to say the least.) As it cooked, we saw no signs of build-up or liquid seeping out. We also liked that food stains were easily wiped off by hand or the dishwasher. However, it only comes in a bright teal, which may not suit all kitchen color schemes.