Best Overall Crock Pots by Brand and Model
The Crock-Pot 6 Quart Slow Cooker remains the top seller on Amazon with a 4.7 star average from over 120,000 ratings as of mid 2024. The Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart functions as a 7 in 1 electric pressure cooker and slow cooker, with a 4.6 star rating from more than 250,000 global reviews on the manufacturer site. The Ninja Foodi 6.5 Quart 9 in 1 Pressure Cooker and Slow Cooker holds a 4.6 star average on Walmart with over 18,000 reviews. The Hamilton Beach 33960A 6 Quart Slow Cooker is rated 4.5 stars by Walmart shoppers with more than 40,000 ratings. The KitchenAid 6 Quart Slow Cooker carries a 4.7 star rating on the brand site with a brushed stainless steel exterior and glass lid. The Cuisinart MSC 600 6 Quart Stainless Steel Slow Cooker is rated 4.6 stars on Target with a digital timer and keep warm function. Forbes lists the Crock Pot and Instant Pot as the two most recommended slow cookers in its 2024 kitchen appliance guide.
Consumer Reports ranks the Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker as a top pick for even heating and simple controls. The model uses a 260 watt low setting and a 330 watt high setting with a 10 hour programmable timer. The Instant Pot Duo Evo Plus 8 Quart uses 1000 watts on high pressure and includes 15 one touch smart programs. The Ninja Foodi FD301 8 Quart uses 1400 watts for pressure cooking and 330 watts for slow cooking with a ceramic coated inner pot. The Hamilton Beach 33969A 6 Quart uses 330 watts on high and includes a glass lid and dishwasher safe stoneware insert.
Crock Pot Capacity, Wattage, and Size Guide
Small 1.5 to 3 quart models such as the Crock-Pot 1.5 Quart Round Mini Slow Cooker use 120 watts and serve 1 to 2 people. Medium 4 to 6 quart models like the Crock-Pot 6 Quart use 260 watts on low and 330 watts on high, serving 4 to 6 people. Large 7 to 8 quart models such as the Instant Pot Duo 8 Quart use 1000 watts on high pressure and 330 watts on slow cook, serving 6 to 8 people. The Ninja Foodi 9 Quart uses 1400 watts for pressure cooking and 330 watts for slow cooking with a large ceramic coated pot. SEC filings from Instant Brands Inc. show that the company shipped over 10 million multi function cookers in the fiscal year ended March 2024.
The Crock-Pot 3.5 Quart Oval uses 250 watts on high and fits standard 3 pound roasts. The 6 quart oval models from Crock-Pot and Hamilton Beach fit 4 to 5 pound cuts of meat with a 260 watt low and 330 watt high configuration. The 8 quart round models from Instant Pot and Ninja use 1000 to 1400 watts for pressure cooking and 330 watts for slow cooking. The KitchenAid 6 Quart Slow Cooker uses a 330 watt high setting with a glass lid and metal exterior. The Cuisinart MSC