The Best Slow Cookers in Canada
If you’re looking for easy meals with even easier cook times, a slow cooker won’t do you wrong. Just throw your food and liquids into the pot, turn it on, and when you return a few hours later your meal is all set and good to go!
With the winter months sticking around longer than the other seasons, having a warm and easy comforting meal is a must-have. Take the guesswork and hard work out of it with these top-rated slow cookers.
Our top picks
How to choose a slow cooker
When it comes to choosing a new slow cooker, especially if you’re purchasing one for the first time, keep these in mind to look for:
- Size – While bigger can be better when it comes to cooking appliances, sometimes it can be too big. Some slow cookers are gigantic, and may not fit onto your countertop or table, or you might end up with a lot of food and nowhere to store all of it if you have a smaller freezer.
- Style – Most slow cookers are similar in style, but they can differ. Choose one with colours or made of materials that match your kitchen!
- Features – Slow cookers are getting more advanced as time goes on, with features upon features. If you’re looking for a basic slow cooker that’s just a simple dial to turn and go, or LED touch screens and timers – you’re set.
- Cost – Most top-rated cookers can range from around $30 upwards to several hundred. No matter your budget, there is a slow cooker for you.
Why trust us
There are many slow cookers and crock pots available in the market today and deciding on which can be tricky. Our team spent over 15 hours reviewing and researching top rated slow cookers based on top reviews.
The best slow cooker overall
Crock-Pot 8Qt Slow Cooker
Needing no introduction in brand name, Crock-Pot has coined the term and brand for slow cookers with their Crock-Pot lines.
This 8 Qt slow cooker with a stoneware ceramic insert is ideal for large capacities, including a full chicken if you’d like. Excellent for soups, stews, roasts, and everything else that works best with being slowly cooked.
Ideal for flexible schedules or just setting and forgetting it, you can toss your ingredients in the pot during the morning, go about your day, and have a hot and delicious meal in evening by the time your workday is done.
The 8 QT slow cooker has simple knob functionality options, with Warm, Low, and High settings – Warm keeping your food at the ideal temperature for a while after it’s done cooking, Low for a lower and longer cooking time, and a High function that will cook your food faster. Depending on what you’re cooking it generally takes about 4 hours on High and 6-8 on Low.
Included with this cooker is Crock-Pots Little Dipper Food Warmer that’s perfect for guests or entertaining, as it keeps your dips, sauces, or leftover cooked food warm at ideal serving temperature for hours.
Pros
- Dishwasher safe insert.
- Large capacity.
Cons
- Can run hotter than expected.
Best budget slow cooker
Crock-Pot 2.5 Qt Daisy Pattern
The 2.5 Qt crock-pot is ideal for anyone looking for a simple and budget friendly slow cooker.
If you’re looking for a slow cooker that can make food for two to three people, or one to two with possible leftovers depending on what you’re cooking – this has you covered. There are no bells or whistles with this one, as it’s just a simple turn knob between Warm, Low, and High settings.
The stoneware insert and glass lid are both dishwasher safe, and the body of the slow cooker can be wiped down with a cloth. Despite the smaller size, this top-rated slow cooker can make meals enough for three or more people, or one to two with leftovers.
The smaller size also makes it ideal for anyone with smaller kitchen space or counter space, and is equally just as easy to put away into storage when it isn’t in use.
Pros
- Cute design.
- Perfect for one or two people.
Cons
- No light indication that it’s turned on.
- Cord is short.
Best large slow cooker
Crock-Pot 7 Qt
If you’re in the market for a large slow cooker that can cook enough food to feed your family with leftovers, or bring to large potlucks, this Crock-Pot has you covered.
The stainless-steel body is easy to keep clean, while the ceramic insert maintains and reaches heat perfectly every time. The large size is great for any soups, chili, vegetarian dishes, a seven-pound roast, or it can even fit two smaller whole chickens.
Holiday meals, meal prep for the week, and year-round entertaining are simple. It has a manual controlled dial, making it easy to just turn the knob and let it do all the work. High will cook most dishes in around four hours, while the Low setting can take anywhere from six to eight, depending on your meal. Warm will keep everything at perfect serving temperature for a few hours.
Hot mode also works well if you want to get everything together and made quickly, including dips and sauces for big game nights. The integrated side handles and stay-cool handle loop on the lid make transport and carrying the inner insert easy and worry free.
Pros
- Large capacity.
- Easy to clean.
Cons
- Can get too hot if it isn’t filled enough.
Best portable slow cooker
Hamilton Beach 5Qt Portable Slow Cooker
Available in three different quart sizes, the Hamilton Beach Portable Slow Cooker makes it easier than ever to make a full meal and bring it wherever it needs to go with no fuss.
First and foremost, this medium capacity slow cooker comes with its own Lid Latch strap, that’s removeable and easy to store when you don’t need it. It secures not only onto the insert, but the entire base to reduce messy spills.
The stoneware insert and glass lid are both dishwasher safe while the stainless-steel base is easy to wipe clean from any spills or mishaps, and everything (except for the base) can be stored in the fridge or reheated in a microwave or oven without any damage. Stoneware is fantastically durable.
The five-quart size fits a five-pound full chicken or a three-pound roast, with extra room for veggies, spices, and the required amount of liquids. Craftmanship and quality are good on this, ensuring that your slow cooker will last for years before you have to get a new one.
Pros
- Includes lid-latch addon.
- Stoneware can be used in the stove, fridge, or microwave.
Cons
- Limited size options.
Best slow cooker with ceramic insert
Cuisinart 3.5 Qt Ceramic Insert Slow Cooker
Cuisinart is well known for their appliances and kitchen tools. Their slow cookers are no exception, making this a great deal for a ceramic insert. Easy to clean and non-stick, they’re fantastic for cooking anything.
This ceramic insert slow cooker has two size options, a 3.5-quart and a 6.5-quart cooker insert. The larger size costs a decent step up more than the small to medium sized 3.5-quart, so do keep that in mind if you don’t need an overly large cooker.
The touchpad controls include a 24-hour LCD countdown timer that will switch off automatically once the desired time has elapsed. There are also four cooking modes from Warm, Low, High, and an extra one called Simmer that will heat your food to just under boiling for any foods that are more susceptible to higher temperatures.
Cuisinart includes a three-year warranty in case anything goes wrong, which can give some piece of mind when purchasing a new slow cooker.
Pros
- Touchpad controls.
- Automatically switches to Warm after food is done cooking.
Cons
- Might not get as hot as some other slow cookers.
Best clay insert slow cooker
VitaClay Slow Cooker
If you want a different approach to slow cooking besides the usual and want to try something new, the VitaClay clay insert slow cooker is the ticket.
An unglazed clay pot is the liner/insert for this slow cooker, ensuring that no non-stick chemicals or plastics leech into your food while cooking, especially if scratched. Aluminum and lead free, it’s a great alternative if you’re worried about what may be going into your cooked meals.
The low temperature setting can be used and is perfect for yogurts, and it can also be used as a durable rice cooker for all types of rice, including brown rice that tends to take up a lot of time to cook soft and fluffy.
It’s fully programmable and can be up to four times as fast while cooking, depending on what you’re making and how much you place into the pot. It does only come in a 3.2-quart size, which may be too small for some users, however it can hold a decent amount of food for most, especially when making soups, stews, chili, or yogurts.
There is an Hour and Minute button so that you can personalize your cooking needs to the letter, as well as a separate Yogurt and Rice Cooker button so that there is no guesswork when you’re cooking either of those as sides or meals.
Pros
- Aluminum and lead free.
- Heats up fast.
Cons
- Only comes in one size.
- Lid handle is short, can be hard to grip.
Best small slow cooker
Elite Gourmet 2 Qt Slow Cooker
Looking for a small slow cooker that’s perfect for one or two people that doesn’t take up a lot of counter space, and stays looking nice while it’s there? The Elite Gourmet has you all set.
This small two-quart slow cooker is fantastic for small meal portions. Like other slow cookers, all you need to do is toss in your ingredients, turn it to whatever settings you need, and leave it. The stoneware inner pot and tempered-glass lid are both dishwasher safe, making clean-up even easier, while the outer stainless steel can be wiped down with a damp cloth.
The cool touch handles, and knobs keep your hands and fingers protected while moving the slow cooker or adjusting the temperature setting. Settings for this cooker include Warm, Low, and High. Low will have your meals cooked anywhere from six to eight hours, while High can put your food on the table within four hours.
This brand and type comes in multiple colours, so if you want to match your kitchen or other appliances, you can get a slow cooker that stands out as well.
Pros
- Perfect for 1-2 people.
- Cool touch handles and knobs.
Cons
- No programmable features.
Best high-tech slow cooker
Instant Pot Aura Pro Programmable Slow Cooker
Instant Pot is a well-known name brand now as slow cookers and pressure cookers have become a staple in most kitchens. The Aura Pro is fantastic and lives up to the other models.
A multi-use programmable slow cooker that holds a large eight quarts, you will be sure to fit almost anything you want to cook or make for meals. It does come in several other sizes, including a smaller three-quart pot, a six quart, and the large eight.
The Ultra button allows for customizable programming, including a sterilize, cake, and egg programs. Replacing at least 10 different appliances including rice cookers, pressure cooker, yogurt maker, it sautés and sears, and can also sterilize baby bottles and canning jars.
UL certified with 11 safety features give you peace of mind while operating, and all components that come in contact with your meals are all food grade and safe with no added chemicals. It’s also energy efficient, saving up to 70% energy used while it’s running.
The microprocessor chip monitors the pressure and temperature, timing, and adjusts the heating intensity and duration to ensure that nothing overheats or goes amiss while running. There’s even an altitude adjustment option, and a new steam release reset button.
Pros
- Sous vide.
- Programmable.
Cons
- Temperature can be uneven at times according to some reviews.
How we picked the best slow cookers
For this particular buying guide, we chose the best slow cookers based on top Amazon reviews from users and availability within Canada. Different budgets, styles, and types of slow cookers were chosen that are a good fit for most users that are looking for a new top slow cooker.
Frequently asked questions about slow cookers
What is a slow cooker?
A slow cooker is a countertop electrical appliance that cooks your food at a lower and slower rate than other cooking methods such as boiling, baking, or frying.
How does a slow cooker work?
It works by heating the base, that proceeds up the sides of the inner dish, evenly heating the food inside. Low and consistent temperatures create a vacuum with steam and the lid, keeping moisture in. Most liquid doesn’t evaporate.
What are the best recipes for the slow cooker?
Stews, soups, chicken, and roast beef for shredding are easy meals to make with slow cookers.
What is Crock-Pot?
Crock-Pot is now a brand name but is used interchangeably in English for a slow cooker.
Is it easy to use a slow cooker?
Most slow cookers are simple – Add your ingredients, water or broth, turn the setting to Low or High, and letting it sit for however many hours you need.
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