Best Slow Cookers With Browning Feature That Will Make Your Life Easier

If you’re an office person and love fancy cooking then a slow cooker can be your best mate.

It gives you extended cooking time that will help you get a ready meal at your preferable time with better distribution of flavors.

In fact, it’s also the best selection for a busy day since you can prepare meals just by putting ingredients before going to work. The best thing is you don’t need to handle it at all as it will take your whole office time to get prepared.

So, to get a healthy ready meal returning home at the end of the day, a slow cooker has no best alternative.

Therefore, in my Best Slow Cookers With Browning Feature, I will try to share with you the top 5 slow cookers that have browning features in the market that will provide you with excellent performance of slow cooking.

Best Slow Cookers With Browning Features in 2023

In this guide, slow cooker reviews. We’ll be talking about some of the best quality picks and talk about them in detail. The items were picked through intense research and should offer a quality output for the users.

Crock-Pot 8-Quart Manual Slow Cooker

If you look for an excellent working manual control slow cooker on an affordable budget, then the Crock-Pot 8 Quart Manual Slow Cooker has no alternative.

This oval-shaped manual slow cooker allows you to get a healthy home-cooked meal at the end of the day.

If you are a large family, then this KitchenAid 8-quart slow cooker will be the best option to serve delicious and satisfying meals in the most inexpensive and convenient way.

It comes with HIGH or LOW settings as well as the WARM setting to cook your meal at the precise temperature. Besides, for warming dips and sauces, it also has a 16-ounce Little Dipper Food Warmer.

If you compare this slow cooker to the All-Clad SD700450 Programmable Oval-Shaped Slow Cooker, then you will see that its size is quite larger but the price is lower.

You can easily carry this slow cooker everywhere you need as its handle is designed with Soft-grip chrome plated.

Like other high-quality slow cookers, it’s also dishwasher safe, and being both the stoneware pot and glass lid removable, it’s very easy to clean and use.

Our Opinion

If you want a good slow cooker on a low budget this one is the best option for you. Besides, its large capacity with an excellent performance makes this programmable slow cooker more attractive. Hopefully, you will be satisfied using this slow cooker and get excellent output.

02: Chefman 6-Quart Slow Cooker

When it comes to feeding a family, one-pot meals can be a lifesaver. And that’s what Chefman 6-Quart Slow Cooker is serving. This is our second pick and let’s see why it became the runners-up.

With this slow cooker, It’s super easy to prepare meals. You can also cook the food in advance and reheat it for a quick and convenient dinner. Besides, they require minimal clean-up.

One of the great features of this slow cooker is the removable cooking insert. It is stovetop and oven-safe, allowing you to brown and sauté ingredients directly in the insert before slow cooking. You’ll be happy to know that it is portable. This means you can easily transport your meals to family dinners and events without transferring them to a different pot.

This slow cooker is UL approved with advanced safety technology for long-lasting durability. And for those who need a little help getting started, a PDF user guide is available with information on how to use your product.

Next, let’s talk about the functions. There is intuitive dial control that makes it easy to use for beginners. Besides, there are two heat settings – low and high – and a Warm setting to keep your food at the perfect temperature until it’s ready to be served.

Now, when it comes to cleaning up, the nonstick and dishwasher-safe insert makes it a breeze. The glass lid is also dishwasher-safe, so you can simply remove the insert and lid and load them in the dishwasher for easy one-pot cleanup.

So, with 350 watts and 120 volts of power, this slow cooker is sure to be a versatile and convenient addition to your kitchen.

Pros

• Very easy to control and understand the heat functions.
• Safe for cooking all day.
• Comes with a Dishwasher safe and transparent viewing lid.

Cons

• Doesn’t come with an automatic shutoff function

03: Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Slow Cooker

Another slow cooker with a browning feature is here from Cuisinart. Below we’ll figure out why it’s one of the best in the market right now.

First of all, this is a 3-in-1 kitchen appliance. You can slow cook, brown/sauté, or steam using the slow cooker. Here the slow cooking function also comes with 3 heat settings; high, low, and simmer.

The Brown/Sauté function on this electric cooker can be used similarly to a skillet or sauté pan on a stovetop. You can use it for sauté or brown ingredients and reheat food. To use the function, set the temperature to 350 degrees F and stir the ingredients until they are fully heated through.

Another loveable feature of this slow cooker is the convenient one-touch switch. It allows you to switch between cooking modes easily, so you can easily go from pressure cooking to slow cooking or sautéing without any hassle. This is especially helpful when a recipe calls for combination cooking, as it allows you to easily switch between cooking modes to achieve perfect results.

Next, the extra-large blue backlit LCD display makes it easy to read the time and temperature settings, even in low light conditions.

The removable 6-quart nonstick aluminum cooking pot is perfect for cooking large batches of food. Besides, the nonstick surface ensures that your food won’t stick to the pot, making it easy to clean up after cooking. The pot is also dishwasher-safe.

Well, if you love to steam your food, you’ll appreciate the included steaming rack. With the ability to steam for up to 90 minutes, this multi-cooker is perfect for cooking up a high amount of food.

So, considering all the features, I would say this slow cooker will be a great appliance for your kitchen.

Pros

• BPA-free product.
• Easy to control the temperature and time.
• Removable and dishwasher-safe parts.

Cons

• No gasket available around the lid

 

04: Cuisinart MSC-800 7-Quart 4-in-1 Cook Central Multicooker

If you consider this one with the previous cooker, then this one is smarter as it is a 4-in-1 cooker. Now let’s see what other facilities this slow cooker offers.

First, if you pay attention to the capacity, this one is undoubtedly great for a big family with a capacity of 7 quarts. Next, it’s made of stainless steel and looks stunning in your kitchen.

I’ve mentioned this slow cooker has 4-programmable functions. So, undoubtedly this cooker is a versatile addition to any kitchen. The slow cook function allows you to cook on low, high, simmer, or warm for up to 24 hours, making it perfect for creating hearty stews and soups.

Next, the roast function allows you to roast at temperatures ranging from 250 – 450°F for up to 6 hours. This function makes it great for preparing a wide range of meats and vegetables.

Now, the brown/saute function allows you to cook at temperatures up to 500 °F. It is perfect for searing and sauteing. And finally, the steam function allows you to prepare healthy steamed dishes easily.

Let’s talk about the other features now. Here the one-touch lets you easily switch between modes when a recipe calls for combination cooking. Besides, the removable 7-quart nonstick cast aluminum cooking pot has a Teflon coating, making it easy to clean and perfect for various cooking techniques. The pot and lid are dishwashers safe for effortless cleanup.

The appliance also comes with a reversible roasting/steaming rack which gives you even more cooking options. Overall, this slow cooker is a convenient and versatile addition to any kitchen.

Pros

• Pre-programmed functions and easy to understand.
• Dishwasher safe.
• With the slow cooker, you’ll get everything you need.

Cons

• Not programmed to set the temperature at a certain point.

 

Bayer’s Guide of the Best Slow Cooker with the Browning Feature

You may experience complications while you are buying a good slow cooker. Because you will find many slow cookers in the market that come with charming designs.

But these are not best for America’s Test Kitchen as well as you won’t get a lot of the latest and most important features in them.

So, taking this into account, I am here to present some important aspects that you must consider before buying the Slow Cooker with the browning feature.

Size

Usually, 6 quarts size is a perfect size slow cooker in America’s Test Kitchen searches like the Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S-A 6-Quart Cook. Most of the slow cookers come in 6-7 Quarts sizes and that is enough for a typical family.

But if you have a very large family or you want to cook for multiple people, then you have to choose a bigger size slow cooker like the Hamilton Beach 33480 Programmable Slow Cooker. At a reasonable price, this is the best large-size slow cooker in America’s Test Kitchen.

On the other hand, if you want a slow cooker for 2 persons or a family of 4 members, then you have to choose a smaller size slow cooker like the Cuisinart MSC-400 3-In-1 Cook Central Slow Cooker. This is the best mini slow cooker in America’s Test Kitchen.

So, before buying a slow cooker, first, decide how many members you have in your family then in accordance with the number of family members, you should select the size of a slow cooker.

• Shape

Typically, you will find three types of shapes of slow cookers in the market, and they are oval, rectangular, and round-shaped slow cookers.

Though choosing the shape of a slow cooker is your personal preference, you have to focus on round or oval-shaped slow cookers for cooking large brisket, roasts, ribs, or whole chickens comfortably.

And if your main cooking ingredients are beans or vegetables then you may freely choose any shape of the slow cooker.

If your choice is the round shape, then I highly recommend the All-Clad SD700450 Programmable Slow Cooker as the best one.

Or if you want to buy the best oval shape slow cooker, then the Instant Pot Aura Multi-Use Programmable Slow Cooker could be the best for America’s Test Kitchen appliances.

• Browning feature

If you plan to use the browning feature, look for a slow cooker that has a removable insert that is safe to use on the stovetop. This will make it easier to brown your food before slowly cooking it.

• Lid Material

If you want to observe what’s going on inside your slow cooker without opening the lid, then undoubtedly a slow cooker with a glass lid could be the best choice. Glass lid is also very easy to clean but you have to use it very carefully otherwise it may be broken.

Best Glass Lid Slow Cooker in America’s Test Kitchen: Crock-Pot 8 Quart Manual Slow Cooker, On the other hand, slow cookers with the clip-tight gasket lid are easier to carry and are more durable compared to glass lids. Besides, gasket lids allow less messy spills.

Best Clip-tight Gasket Lid Slow Cooker America’s Test Kitchen: Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set

• Price

Though the ‘Price’ of the product is one of the most influential criteria for buying, you also have to focus on other latest features. In this article, I have tried to share the reasonably priced slow cookers that have indeed value and come with modern features.

• Crock Construction

Considering hassle-free washing, and conducting heat you should prefer ceramic and porcelain crock construction. Most of the slow cookers come with ceramic or porcelain construction.

• Method of heating

You should check where the heating element is placed on your slow cooker. Because it’s an important factor that you must take into account. The heating element is placed in different places in a slow cooker like on the side of the base or on the unit’s bottom and you should prefer the slow cookers that have the heating element on the unit’s bottom to avoid burning.

• Easy to Use

It’s also an important factor that you should consider. You should look for slow cookers that come with easily removable lids, are easy to clean, and are easy to operate as well.

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What Brand of the Slow Cooker Browning Feature is the Best?

After long research and considering all the features with the price, I have selected here the 5 best brands. You can choose anyone from my selection as the best slow cooker according to your demand and budget.

So, here are the following 5 brands:

1. Instant Pot: Aura Multi-Use Programmable Slow Cooker
2. Hamilton Beach: Portable 6-Quart Set
3. Crock-Pot: SCCPVL610-S-A 6-Quart Cook
4. All-Clad: SD700450 Programmable Oval-Shaped Slow Cooker
5. Instant: Electric Precision Dutch Oven, 5-in-1: Braise, Slow Cook

FAQs

What is a slow cooker?

A slow cooker is a small kitchen appliance that uses moist heat to cook food over a long period of time retaining the food’s genuine flavor and nutrition. It’s also known as a crock-pot. If you start cooking in the morning with a slow cooker and without monitoring, you will get a ready delicious meal at the end of the day returning home.

Can you slow-cook any cut of beef?

In fact cuts of beef are perfect for slow cooking as tenderizing them requires a longer cooking time. The muscles of a cow including the upper arm and the shoulder are ideal for slow cooking.

Can you slow-cook any meat?

If you want the exact meaty flavor in your cook, then you should slow cook. So, in this case, a slow cooker is the best option to cook any meat for its original taste. But it’s excellent for cooking chicken thighs, lamb shoulder, and for beef brisket.

Should I get a pressure cooker or a slow cooker?

In fact, Slow cookers and Pressure Cookers both are very essential kitchen appliances that come with different cooking methods. A pressure cooker cooks food very quickly on the other hand a slow cooker cooks food slowly and they both are ideal for different dishes. So, in accordance with your time and requirements, you will know better which will be best for you.

But nowadays, you will get some models that come with a combination of slow cooking and pressure cooking features.

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The Rundown

• Best for Programmable: Instant Pot Aura Multi-Use Programmable Slow Cooker– “Waiting for a long time to have a highly programmable slow cooker? Then undoubtedly, this multi-use programmable slow cooker could be your best choice. This is designed with microprocessor technology and you can control your cooking time and temperature to get the best cooking result.

It has many advanced functions including Keep Warm, Delay Start, 10 Smart Programs, and more. Designed with top ribs that prevent water-dropping. Overall, this slow cooker might be exactly what you wanted.”

• Best Portable Slow Cooker: Hamilton Beach Portable 6-Quart Set– “It can’t be denied that Hamilton is a popular and trusted name in the kitchen appliance. Its clip-tight gasket lid makes this slow cooker steady and prevents messy dropping on the way. So, it’s easily portable and you can take it to a picnic, party and any other place.

However, this slow cooker has been tested on America’s Test Kitchen and Skinnytaste recipes and achieved a good name. It will cook food as you set the length of time and it keeps the food warm till you want to eat. Also fantastic for making recipes like soups and tacos. In fact, this is a highly recommended slow cooker for busy working parents.”

• Best for Hands-Off Cooking: All-Clad SD700450 Programmable Oval-Shaped Slow Cooker– “One of the best pricey slow cookers in the market that come with a removable black ceramic insert, long cooking times, easily readable digital display, Integrated handle 2 temperature settings, and more.

Though its price is high, it’s worth the money for its overall quality and performance. This can be the best for hands-off cooking for its programmable features. So, just ‘set and forget.”

• Best Overall: Crock-Pot SCCPVL610-S-A 6-Quart Cook– “At an affordable price, this programmable slow cooker could be a nice gift for your wife on any occasion. After completing its cooking, it automatically changes to the Warm setting option. Featuring a locking lid gasket, you can take it to any party easily. Overall, this slow cooker is a very highly recommended one on Amazon for its price and quality.”

• Best for Large Family: Crock-Pot 8 Quart Manual Slow Cooker-” The large size makes this slow cooker cook large quantities of things. So, if you’re looking for a large-capacity slow cooker at a reasonable budget, then it might be the best one. It’s a manual control slow cooker that comes with soft-grip handles. You may choose it if you don’t want anything extra.