Cuisinart Slow Cooker

Plug In Your Personal Cook

A slow cooker promises to be a little fantasy grandmother who sits in the kitchen all day cooking for you, but use the wrong cooker and that dream could fizzle. A cooker might run hotter than expected, drying out the food or turning it mushy, or slower than you want, so dinner isn’t ready when you are. A well-designed slow cooker excels in covered, moist-heat cooking, also known as braising. This technique is beneficial for meat—usually tough, cheap cuts that tenderize through long, gentle cooking. This lower-than-boiling temperature range is also good for developing deep, complex flavors in soups, stews, and sauces.

"Worth its weight in gold for the practical cook who wants to feel confident about putting good food on the table."

— Detroit News

This Set Includes:

Cook Along with Bridget and Julia

Enjoy mastering a new recipe while tuning in to and following along with new episodes of America’s Test Kitchen with all-new recipes. Every recipe that has appeared on the show is in this cookbook, along with the test kitchen's indispensable notes and tips. You’ll also find a shopping guide that shows what ingredients the ATK Reviews team recommends so that you can re-create the exact dish you see on your screen.

New and Improved Shopping Guide

Enjoy mastering a new recipe while tuning in to and following along with new episodes of America’s Test Kitchen with all-new recipes. Every recipe that has appeared on the show is in this cookbook, along with the test kitchen's indispensable notes and tips. You’ll also find a shopping guide that shows what ingredients the ATK Reviews team recommends so that you can re-create the exact dish you see on your screen.

A Simple Citrus Peel

Hold a citrus strip horizontal, pith side facing you, near the surface of your cocktail. Pinch the zest to express oils onto the cocktail and then rub the outer edge of the glass with the peel.

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(2) Baking Sheets
(2) Sheet Cover Lids

Review Key:Good Fair Poor

Winner, Slow Cooker With Searing Capabilities

Cuisinart 6-Quart 3-in-1 Cook Central

Cleanup

Cooking

Ease of Use

We loved the lightweight, nonstick metal crock and stay-cool plastic handles that made this model so easy to maneuver and clean. The long, rectangular crock sits directly over a built-in hotplate, so this model tends to run a little hotter and cooks foods faster than traditional ceramic slow cookers. We suggest checking recipes early for doneness. It cooked evenly in every test and has built-in temperature sensors that prevent the contents from boiling. Its brown/sauté function eliminates the need for a separate skillet, and its steam function and included metal rack let you use it as a steamer. A few testers found setting this cooker a little confusing due to its slightly busy control panel. That said, it’s a solid performer that yielded excellent cooking results and is a great choice if you hate to lift heavy crocks or worry about breakage.

Features: Low, high, simmer, and warm settings; brown/sauté and steam functions; metal rack for steaming; will keep warm for 24 hours after cooking

Material: Stainless Steel

Style: Digital programmable

Highest temp reached on low setting: 199.8°F

Highest temp reached on high setting: 206.7°F

Actual Capacity: 4.5 qt

Crock Material: Aluminum with nonstick coating

Crock Weight: 3.45 lb

Dishwasher Safe: Crock and lid

Weight: 16 lbs

Winner

Cuisinart 4-Quart Cook Central 3-in-1 Multicooker

Design

Cooking

TThis new "multicooker"—a slow cooker that can also brown/saute and steam food—produced perfect chicken, steaks, and ribs, with no scorching or hot spots. Its programmable timer can be set to cook for up to 24 hours and then automatically switches over to “keep warm." We liked its lightweight, easy-to-clean, unbreakable metal insert with extra-large, comfy handles, and its oval shape, clear lid, and intuitive controls. The brown/saute and steam functions both work as promised. A nice bonus is that the browning function, with adjustable temperature control from 150 F to 400 F, lets you sear food before slow-cooking, or reduce sauces afterward, without dirtying a second pan.

Material: Stainless Steel

Style: Digital programmable

Highest temp reached on low setting: 198°F

Highest temp reached on high setting: 195°F

Weight: 9.5 lbs

A Simple Citrus Peel

Hold a citrus strip horizontal, pith side facing you, near the surface of your cocktail. Pinch the zest to express oils onto the cocktail and then rub the outer edge of the glass with the peel.