Slow Cooker Versus the Crock Pot

Good morning Wednesday everyone,

   I was scanning through blog posts this morning, and one of my friends just posted about her slow cooker. Which reminded me that I have been wanting to do a post about this appliance.

   I remember when these came out with a heavy ceramic insert they were all the rage-especially for working mothers and were called crock pots. 
  We could put food in them before we went to work and come home with dinner made. I used these allot in the 70's and 80's  This style has come a long way now-different shapes, digital settings, warm settings and more. and some say they are slow cookers some call them crock pots.-My new one says crock pot on the front of it.

   When I met my husband though he introduced me to the slow cooker by West Bend. These are hard to find now so when I need a new one I buy online.  I have really always liked this set up better-I can control the temperature better especially when I am at home-start it on high to get it going and then lower as needed.  It actually gets hot enough to brown a bit-and is great to bake things in too. It looks small but it holds allot of food-fits a whole chicken too.




Photo taken from here

  At the above link here is the explanation:

A Crock-Pot (and a Crock-Pot-style slow cooker) is a type of slow cooker. The Crock-Pot was first introduced in 1970, and it was originally marketed as a bean cooker. Over time it was redesigned, and eventually evolved into the model we recognize today. Many companies now make Crock-Pot-style slow cookers, and they are of course in wide use throughout the country

• Branding: Crock-Pot was the original slow cooker made in this style, and it is the brand name for the slow cookers made by Rival Manufacturing Company, although there are many other brands — including KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach, Bella, and many others — that sell Crock-Pot-style slow cookers. The word "crockpot" has become a generic word for slow cookers.
• Construction: Crock-Pot and Crock-Pot-style slow cookers have a ceramic or porcelain pot that sits inside the heating unit. Some, although not all, slow cookers of this type are heated from the bottom as well as around the sides of the pot. The pot can also be round or oval, and comes in various sizes.
• Heat settings: Crock-Pots have just two heat settings — LOW wattage (bringing them to temperatures in the range of 200°F) and HIGH wattage (bringing them to temperatures in the range of 300°F). Some also have a third, lower-wattage, warming option. (Read more about how this style of slow cookers works in this article from Hamilton Beach.)
• Cooking: While powered on, Crock-Pots and Crock-Pot-style slow cookers cook continuously. Some models also have a timer to allow cooking for a specific amount of time.

This is the photo of the set I bought at Sam's Club but mine was the silver stainless color.

and information on the first photo:

Not all slow cookers are Crock-Pots. There are commercial-style slow cookers; have some distinct characteristics that are not shared by Crock-Pots or Crock-Pot-style slow cookers.

• Branding: "Slow cooker" is not a brand name; it refers simply to the appliance. There are numerous manufacturers of other sorts of slow cookers.
• Construction: Some slow cookers, like the one pictured above, have a metal pot that sits on top of the heating unit (instead of inside a "crock," or heating unit). The pot is heated solely from the bottom. Since the heat is concentrated on the bottom of the pot, food may cook slower than in a Crock-Pot, has a greater chance of scorching on the bottom, and must be stirred more often. The additional stirring requires the lid to be opened more frequently, releasing heat and extending the cooking time.
• Heat settings: These styles of slow cookers usually have heat settings that go beyond just low, high, and warm. Most have a range of five heat settings.
• Cooking: These bottom-heated slow cookers can work in cycles, powering on and off during cooking. Some models also have a timer to allow cooking for a specific amount of time.

Why the Confusion?

The main source of confusion is that most products on the market labeled as "slow cookers" actually have the traits of a Crock-Pot-style slow cooker — a ceramic bowl set inside the heating unit, with low and high heat settings. As consumers, when we search for and buy a slow cooker, what comes to mind isn't the bottom-heated, more commercial-style unit that's talked about and pictured above. Instead it's a Crock-Pot-style slow cooker, labeled simply as "slow cooker."

When it comes to cooking, you can use either. While Crock-Pot is just a brand name, Crock-Pots, Crock-Pot-style slow cookers, and other types of slow cookers will all get the job done.

Last November when I was at the big box store Sam's club they had the large oval Crock Pot and a mini warming one on sale together as a set. (see photo above)  I decided to buy this style again as I would be serving more people. Since it says Crock Pot it must be the original trade marked one.   

      The thing I do not care for this style is the only two heat setting options for cooking-either low or high and then it automatically switches to warm. With this style I just don't feel I have as much control over the cooking.

     The description above for the west bend slow cooker-I would have to disagree about it scorching on the bottom-I have never had that problem with it, and have owned and used one for over 35 years now. It is my go to choice.

    So I am hoping this was not too much information that you don't even care about ha ha  I found it interesting how the two names crock pot and slow cooker have become interchangeable but they do have differences.