The Temp Tracker also has a ceramic crock, just like our top pick. This model offers a dial to select heat settings, temperatures, and program times, plus buttons to cancel a cycle and to select either the keep-warm or hold-temp option. The backlit digital panel brightens when you’re programming the machine, and it displays remaining cooking times and temperatures throughout the cooking cycle. The keep-warm and hold-temp buttons light up accordingly when the machine kicks over to either setting. Like our pick, the Temp Tracker comes with a one-year warranty. Since owner reviews often claim that slow cookers either cook too hot on low settings or don’t heat up fast enough, we tested how well the cookers could reach and maintain temperatures.
One end of the probe plugs into the cooker and the other sticks through a single hole in the lid so that you can insert it into a roast. In our tests, the probe slid easily into our 3-pound chuck roast, but it may be too short to reach smaller pieces of meat. Many have locking lids and built-in handles for easy transport. There are even hamilton beach mixers that feature car adapters for power for when you’re camping or eating on the go. For help choosing the right Hamilton Beach slow cooker, see our Small Appliance Buying Guide.
We’ve been recommending the Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker since we first published this review in 2013. We’ve found that it still offers the hamilton beach slow cooker best performance and features of any available slow cooker. The Set & Forget consistently cooked foods at a gentle simmer, making the most tender pot roast in our tests.
But as we lay out in our How we picked section, we prefer the convenience of a programmable cooker. The Temp Tracker has a lid with the same style of lock and gasket for spill-proof transportation as our pick. Although you can achieve the same with a regular probe thermometer slipped under the lid, we appreciate that the probe can work in conjunction with the machine to fine-tune cooking times. To supplement our interviews, we read every review of slow cookers we could find, as well as owner reviews, to determine our criteria.
They’re equipped to protect food en route to parties and potlucks anytime you want. Once you’re back home, the stoneware insert removes for easy cleanup in the dishwasher. Hamilton Beach® Large Slow Cookers make it easy to cook a big, tasty meal. Just prepare your fresh ingredients, place them in the crock, and go on your way.
Anna Perling is a former staff writer covering kitchen gear at Wirecutter. During her time at Wirecutter, she reported on various topics including sports bras, board games, and light bulbs. Previously she wrote food and lifestyle pieces for Saveur and Kinfolk magazines. Anna is a mentor at Girls Write Now and a member of the Online News Association. Anna Perling, writer of the most recent update, covered kitchen equipment for Wirecutter for several years and cooks for herself most nights of the week. This guide also builds on research and testing by Wirecutter senior staff writer Lesley Stockton and deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset, as well as writer Camille Chatterjee.
That’s why Stay or Go® Slow Cookers feature secure, clip-tight lids for spill-resistant travel. Even better, the full-grip handles make carrying them to and from the car a simple, stress-free matter. On certain models, the addition of a convenient thermometer probe lets you cook food to a specific temperature.
Skip the dinnertime drive-through by adding healthy ingredients to your crock pot in the morning. There are great cookbooks designed for delish crockpot meal ideas. Hamilton Beach® 6 Quart Slow Cookers work well for family hamilton beach toaster dinners, parties or other large gatherings. The portable design includes easy-grip handles and some models have a Lid Latch™ strap for meals on the go. Also, the removable stoneware is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.