Slow Cooker vs. Crockpot: What's the Difference? | America's Test Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Is a slow cooker and a crockpot the same thing? ›

A slow cooker and a Crockpot are the same thing, essentially. A slow cooker is an appliance of which there are lots of brands. Crockpot is one brand of slow cooker. Crockpot popularized slow cookers when they launched their version in the 1970s.

Even though both can produce similar results, there is a main difference between a slow cooker and a pressure cooker. A slow cooker will cook food longer at a lower temperature, whereas a pressure cooker uses hot steam to cook food much quicker.

Do professional chefs favor crock pots for cooking. Crock pots offer certain advantages that can appeal to professional chefs. They excel at slow cooking, allowing flavors to meld and develop, making them ideal for dishes like stews, soups, and braised meats.

It's More Tender and Flavorful

Aside from being juicier, slow-cooking makes meat a lot more tender and flavorful. The extra juices help to accomplish this but it's mainly the long-cooking time that brings out the richness of the meat.

Slow cookers, also known as crock pots, are designed to cook ingredients slowly during the day while people are away at work or pursuing their activites. Modern slowly cookers heat contents thoroughly, are safe, retain heat well, and come in a variety of sizes.

What are the disadvantages of a slow cooker? Slow cookers only apply heat to the bottom of the crock, which cuts down on their ability to reduce liquids and brown foods, and develop flavor the same way a Dutch oven or pressure cooker can.

Traditionally cheaper cuts of meat always slow cook better. Slow cooking breaks down the connective collagen in meat, which turns into unctuous gelatine. This creates that soft and tender mouth feel we all crave.

Can you overcook something in a slow cooker? Slow cookers are specially designed to cook food for long periods of time, but yes, you can still overcook in a slow cooker if something is left on the wrong setting for longer than it's supposed to be.

The best slow cookers of 2024 are:

Best overall slow cooker – Ninja foodi possiblecooker 8-in-1 slow cooker, £129, Amazon.co.uk. Best budget slow cooker– Cookworks 3.5l slow cooker: £22, Argos.co.uk. Best slow cooker for foodies – Russell Hobbs good to go multi-cooker: £49.99, Amazon.co.uk.

Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting. It's safe to cook foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.

Does meat get more tender the longer you cook it in a slow cooker? ›

Collagen makes meat tough when cooked quickly, but when slow-cooked, it breaks down into gelatin, giving you that juicy, tender mouthfeel. Fattier — and cheaper — cuts of beef can also be good for slow cooking, because the fat helps to ensure the beef won't dry out while adding extra flavour.

It can be nice to cook the onions beforehand, as the flavour is different to when you put them in raw, but experiment both ways as you may find you prefer one. It can also be good to brown meat to give it some colour, but again, this is not essential.

Technically you can cook raw meat in a slow cooker, but it's tricky and requires a bit of preparation in order for it to be really worth it. If you simply pop some raw meat in your slow cooker, it won't have a chance to brown, which adds some much-needed flavor and cuts down on plenty of unappealing grease.

Impressively easy use and clean, the Crockpot Lift and Serve is a must-have kitchen gadget. It's not the cheapest model out there for a device that functions as a slow cooker only, but we think it offers good value for money thanks to its versatility – meats, casseroles, and stews were all a doddle to cook in it.

Solve your Meal Dilemmas with Crockpot

The crock is safe for reheating in the oven and is dishwasher safe, so clean up is easy.