Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker

Curated from 155 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: April 27, 2025

Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker

Brand: Crock-Pot
Price: $38
Snoop Score:
7.1
Sentiment
7.4
Popularity
7.3
Technical
6.6

Snoop's Take

The Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker in Charcoal is designed to cater to large families or gatherings, accommodating over eight people or a 6-lb. roast with ease. Users appreciate its durability and convenience, often citing how it excels in meal prepping and keeping dishes warm at events, with one user stating, "Where that thing really shines is keeping different foods warm at a party, like dips." However, some feedback points to concerns about its cleaning difficulty and the cooking temperature being hotter than expected on the low setting, which may affect the food's tenderness. In summary, the Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker is recommended for those seeking a reliable, spacious slow cooker for family dinners and parties. Its strong reputation for durability and effective warming capabilities makes it a solid choice in its category.

Not for you? Check out our other rated Slow Cookers

I still have my crock pot. I bought used at a thrift store and it still works 20 some years later.

Positive Feedback

The heating unit is so flimsy I'm afraid I'm going to break, bend or crack it.

Negative Feedback
Product
7.1
Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker
Family Dinners & Large Gatherings
8 / 10
Meal Prep for Singles or Couples
4 / 10
Potlucks & On-the-Go Serving
8 / 10
Set-and-Forget Healthy Cooking
9 / 10
See how this compares to all Slow Cookers

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Durable and long-lasting
I still have my crock pot. I bought used at a thrift store and it still works 20 some years later.
I thought the same thing about my 20 year old Crock-Pot. That sucker can cook though.
My cheap Hamilton beach has been going strong for 10 years of heavy use.
Convenient for meal prepping and serving at parties
Where that thing really shines is keeping different foods warm at a party, like dips.
I definitely shouldn't have read the ingredients while I cooked chorizo for the first time but it looked so weird I had to see what was in it.
Perfect for taco and nacho bars
This is almost exactly what I use mine for!
This is the way.
Keeps food warm effectively
I noticed it has a 'keep warm' function, so you can use it not only for cooking but also to keep things warm, whether you've prepared them in your standard kitchen or ordered them from somewhere—imagine having schnitzels in first compartment, potatoes in another, and keeping a warm soup in the third.
Crock-Pots are great for family dinners and events.
Crockpots are an amazing help! Put the green beans in a crockpot and they're done! They stay warm all day and you can just plug them in on the sideboard.
Crock-Pot makes better pulled pork than instant pots.
Glad we kept the crock pot, it make much better pulled pork than the instant pot
Affordable and easy to find.
Crockpots are cheap. As far as I can see, the only reason not to have both is storage.
Convenient for meal prep
I’d love to start a roast or something before we leave for work so it’s ready when we get home.
I have always left it on. I never even considered it being a problem.
Designed for long cooking times
Nothing but burnt pizza in the morning; no fires.
I’ve been living life ever since.
Safe to leave unattended
Ok so if its on the stove, so there's no threat of igniting or overheating the surrounding area.
He said he never attended a fire that was caused by a slow cooker and that he leaves his cooking all day without a concern.
Ideal for cooking beans slowly
Beans and a slow cooker, a match made in heaven...
I love doing my beans in a slow cooker. Heaven is right.
You're 100% right. Anybody that knows anything about beans knows that the best way to cook them is very slowly and gently for a long time so a slow cooker is perfect, possibly the only better way is cooking them very slowly in a clay pot which really is not that much different from a slow cooker, I've done both and I couldn't really tell the difference to be honest.
Convenient for meal preparation
Are Slow Cookers/Crock Pots common in your country? One of my German friends came to the states for Thanksgiving and we'd made him Buffalo Chicken Dip in our crock pot.
Really? It's like the easiest way to cook dinner. Take 20 minutes to prep in the morning before work, dump it all in and plug it in and in 8 hours when you come home you have a meal ready.
Crockpot is a recognized brand of slow cookers
They're all slow cookers.
Crock Pot is a brand of slow cooker.
Crock-Pot has a long-lasting performance
I've had a 7-quart CP that has worked well for me for many years.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Flimsy heating unit
The heating unit is so flimsy I'm afraid I'm going to break, bend or crack it.
Difficult to clean after use
that motherfucker is a bitch to clean the day of.
Cooks hotter on low setting than expected
it cooked Hella fast for being on low... is it a defect?
Most slow cookers cook hotter and faster then they use to.
all slow cookers made within the last ten years or so cook about twenty degrees hotter on each setting.
Does not tenderize food properly
Leave it for 5-6 hrs for a real comparison.
Instant pots cook too hot for proper slow cooking.
I found that the slow-cook function on my instant pot (it's a Secura brand) is way too hot for good slow cooking.
Crock-Pots can be bulky and take up counter/storage space.
we just don't have counter or storage space for another appliance
Concerns about leaving it unattended
I would not leave a crockpot running with no-one home in our house in England. The electrical sistem is just too old, unreliable, and potentially dangerous.
Cooks too hot on low setting
It gets a little too hot for my liking so I returned it.

Compare On All Talked About Dimensions

Product NameImagePriceScoreCompareSee DetailsBuy Now
Crock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow CookerCrock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker$39
8.8
DetailsBuy
Crock-Pot Large 8-Quart Programmable Slow CookerCrock-Pot Large 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker$67
7.9
DetailsBuy
Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow CookerCrock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker$38
7.1
DetailsBuy
GreenPan Elite 8-in-1 Programmable 6QT Slow CookerGreenPan Elite 8-in-1 Programmable 6QT Slow Cooker$249
6.9
DetailsBuy
Crock-Pot 2-Quart Classic Slow CookerCrock-Pot 2-Quart Classic Slow Cooker$16
6.0
DetailsBuy
GreenLife 6 Quart Ceramic Slow CookerGreenLife 6 Quart Ceramic Slow Cooker$46
5.9
DetailsBuy
Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow CookerHamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow Cooker$38
5.8
DetailsBuy
Crock-Pot Small 2.5 Quart Casserole Slow CookerCrock-Pot Small 2.5 Quart Casserole Slow Cooker$49
5.8
DetailsBuy
GreenLife 6 QT Ceramic Non Stick Slow CookerGreenLife 6 QT Ceramic Non Stick Slow Cooker$39
5.5
DetailsBuy
Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker 10 QuartHamilton Beach Slow Cooker 10 Quart$56
5.4
DetailsBuy
Hamilton Beach 4 Quart Programmable Slow CookerHamilton Beach 4 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker$51
5.4
DetailsBuy
West Bend Slow Cooker 4-Quart Manual CrockpotWest Bend Slow Cooker 4-Quart Manual Crockpot$27
5.2
DetailsBuy
BELLA 6.0 Qt Manual Slow CookerBELLA 6.0 Qt Manual Slow Cooker$29
4.8
DetailsBuy
West Bend 87905 Slow CookerWest Bend 87905 Slow Cooker$51
4.2
DetailsBuy
BELLA 1.5 Qt Slow CookerBELLA 1.5 Qt Slow Cooker$12
4.1
DetailsBuy
Cuisinart PSC-350 Programmable Slow CookerCuisinart PSC-350 Programmable Slow Cooker$59
4.0
DetailsBuy
Elite Gourmet MST-250XW Electric Slow CookerElite Gourmet MST-250XW Electric Slow Cooker$13
3.5
DetailsBuy
Elite Gourmet MST-350B Electric Slow CookerElite Gourmet MST-350B Electric Slow Cooker$21
2.0
DetailsBuy

Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Preference for manual over digital slow cookers
The manual crockpots with a low/high knob last longer than the digital ones.
Easy-to-use and affordable options available
Can't go wrong with the simple $20 low-high-warm crockpot brand at Walmart
Don't overthink a crock pot. Just pick one.
Commentary on the evolution of slow cooking techniques.
I’ve always had a crockpot and I used it a lot. I loved coming home to the aroma of dinner ready to serve and the convenience.
Crock-Pots are not widely used in some regions
Not that common. Older people do often still have a cast iron pan here they use to make slow cooked dishes, that basically sits on a low fire for about half a day.
Preference for traditional cooking methods over slow cookers
I do the same thing, but in the oven.
Discussion about Instant Pot's slow cooking performance compared to traditional slow cookers.
Anyone have problems using Instant Pot as slow cooker?
I hope someone else will chime in with an explanation, but the two times I have tried to use it as a slow cooker have been utter failures.
The instant pot on low only reaches like 190° so you'd never really get a good shred on it.
My problem with these so-called slow cookers is that they only heat from the bottom and they do not get things that are higher up in the crock pot they don't cook them the same.
Discussion about ceramic materials in slow cookers.
Slow cookers with stainless steel inner pot? It has felt impossible to find a crockpot with a stainless steel insert (NOT aluminum) or any other toxin-leaching substances that isn’t $200+.
Ceramic is the most common material for the insert. Ceramic is a type of glass, which doesn't leach or absorb anything.
Debate on the heating properties of crockery liners.
Slow cooking is based on using a crockery liner that heats evenly and holds heat.

Hidden Hero Hacks

Unexpected tricks and side‑door uses you’ll love.
Discussion on the performance of Instant Pots as slow cookers
FYI, the Instant Pot is NOT a slow cooker Just use a slow cooker.
America's Test Kitchen tested different brands of electric pressure cookers and determined that Instant Pots perform poorly as slow cookers.
Use the high pressure setting for my pulled pork and it works great and only takes an hour.
I thought the issue was that IP heats from the bottom, while crockpots heat from the sides as well.
Discussion about various food combinations for cooking
What should I cook with it? I was thinking I could do chicken, pork, and maybe some kind of queso dip for a taco night?
Dude ate like ten of them. Just devoured them making all kinds of food happiness noises.
Discussion on preferences between Crock-Pots and Instant Pots.
you can even pay more and get one that has an air fryer lid so it can airfry too

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Curious about changes in slow cooker temperature settings.
Turns out, over the past few years, the temperature settings have been raised, making it harder to find a slow cooker that isn't too hot.
Preference for other brands
In the name of saving space, a pressure cooker with a slow cooker option.
I have the Ninja Possible Cooker Pro. Best decision I made for a slow cooker.
Mine is the Kitchenaid 6 quart and it rocks!never a problem.
General discussion on affordable brands
Hamilton Beach is good in the slow cooker space and usually cheap.
Got a 7 qt. Hamilton Beach about 6 years ago for $40 USD, still going strong today.
Just go to Walmart or Target, and pick up an old school Crockpot. They’re cheap and they do a great job.
Long-term satisfaction with affordable slow cookers
A 7 qt crock pot is 45 dollars on Amazon.
The bowl in my slow cooker is ceramic.
I’ll take my chances with my crock pot.
General advice for new buyers on selecting slow cookers
This takes you to a top 100 list of products in the slow cookers category, based on number of sales/popularity.
Good advice lol, also for newer buyers, check this thread
Curiosity about cooking methods and food preferences
I need to try this.
Try to find some actual Chorizo, the stuff has actual texture, and is a lot less offputting when cooked.
Advice on cooking methods and times for better results
My mom had one that said keep werm on it and I’ll be damned if that thing didn’t last forever
start it on high for a bit then turn down to low?
Debate about cooking methods and times
something that might offer you some peace of mind is a smart outlet or power strip plug in that you can turn off after a certain time via phone app!
Debate about soaking beans before cooking
that would be bad.
Concerns about using ovens in hot weather
It's over 30 C for half the year. I couldn't imagine paying for AC and living in a space with an oven running for hours, when i can just plug a crock pot into the wall.
Seeking easy slow cooker recipes
Can anyone recommend a crockpot recipe that comes out really good, full of flavor?
r/slowcooking is about to change your life
Start with the Mississippi pot roast. Easy, affordable and delicious.
Pulled pork is super easy to make delicious.
Comparison of Instant Pot and Crock-Pot slow cooking
How does that setting compare/contrast to a traditional slow cooker?
It doesn't compare. Slow cook on IP doesn't get hot enough.
The IP only heats from the bottom rather than also from the sides.
it does not slow cook. it will not simmer. it just gets tepid after 8 hours on hi.
Mention of a specific slow cooker brand and its price.
Cookware360 slow cooker. But its pricey

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Disappointment with modern slow cooker technology.
And now these fancy ones with tech can’t even compare. Disappointing.
Difficulty in choosing a slow cooker due to negative reviews
I've done a lot of research including the many posts about choosing a slow cooker on this subreddit- and I'm still paralyzed and can't make a decison!
It doesn't have anything but a dial that indicates off, warm, low, and high, and it works great.
Preference for older, slower heating slow cookers
I have a crockpot from the late 70s and it takes that thing forevvvvver to get hot.
Hang on to that 70s slow cooker forever if you can.
Discussion on manufacturers' responses to safety concerns affecting slow cooker design
The actual Crock-Pot brand cooks at the same temperature whether on high or low, it just takes a longer time to reach full temp on low.
Discussion on safety and risks of slow cookers
They use about 100-200 watts.
Maybe put it on something not flammable, like those firepit bricks, away from cabinets, that won't hurt the crock pot?
And to keep it relevant, I live alone so I definitely do leave the crockpot on when nobody is home and it’s fine! Going on 30 years with no crockpot induced fires.
The Wyze ones are pretty cheap and can alert you to noises or movement.
Preference for older slow cooker models
Older Slow Cooker vs Newer Slow Cooker? Looking to get in to the slow-cooking game and was looking at buying a new slow cooker today when my parents told me they had an old Cordon Bleu one from the 90s still working that hasn't been used in years.
Take the old one. It'll work just fine.
slow cookers are devices that do not need to be "smart" they heat, thats it
I think it might depend on exactly what kind of stuff you are interested in crocking and what other appliances you have.
Discussion on safety concerns regarding beans
Beans are probably the greatest match with slow cookers, more so even than meat in my opinion.
Discussion about brand versus generic terms for slow cookers
One's a slow cooker and the other is a Crock Pot.
Crock Pot is basically only used to refer to a range of electric countertop cookers.
Confusion about brand names and product types
Crock-Pot is just the brand name of a slow cooker. What's your concern?
Discussions on the reliability of different brands
Should I return the crock pot and stick with Hamilton beach?
Concerns about nonstick coatings in ceramic.
It’s the nonstick coating on the ceramic that people are trying to avoid mainly

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