Slow cookers are one of the most useful kitchen appliances for the busy woman. In recent years, as the popularity of slow cookers has grown, manufacturers have added new features and the price range has increased. So, what makes a good slow cooker?

First, slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, with the vast majority between 4 and 7 quarts. For most pot roasts, pork roasts, or brisket recipes, you will want a slow cooker with a minimum capacity of 6 or 7 quarts.  If your recipe calls for a smaller capacity slow cooker, you can put an oven-safe dish in the bottom to reduce the cooking area.

Next, you have a choice of the shape of your slow cooker. Slow cookers come in round and oval. Round slow cookers work well for round-shaped pieces of meat, but if you want to cook a whole chicken or ribs, an oval cooker is better as its elongated shape allows sufficient space for the meat.  Therefore, oval cookers are more versatile.

Some slow cookers also have helpful features. Many have a “keep warm” function, which turns down the heat once your food is done cooking. This function is perfect if you are going to be away from home for longer than the cooking time.  A clear lid is useful to monitor the food as it cooks because if you lift the lid and release the heat you will need to increase the cooking time. Finally, some of the more expensive models have inserts that can be used on the stove-top to brown meat before being used in the slow cooker.