crockpot

Crock-Pot is a brand of electric slow cooker designed for long, low-temperature cooking. The appliance was developed in the United States in the 1940s by the Naxon Corporation as the Bean Pot and was marketed under the Crock-Pot name after Rival bought the rights in the early 1970s. The name has since become synonymous with slow cooking in households around the world.

A typical Crock-Pot consists of a ceramic or glass inner pot that sits in a heated metal base. The user places ingredients inside, covers with a lid, and the built-in thermostat heats the pot to a steady simmer. Standard models offer low, high, and warm settings, with temperatures roughly around 190-200°F on low, 280-300°F on high, and about 165°F on warm. Cooking times range from several hours to all day, commonly 6-10 hours on low or 4-6 hours on high.

Common uses include soups, stews, braised meats, chili, and casseroles, as the slow cooking process helps tenderize tougher cuts of meat and blends flavors. The appliance is valued for convenience, as it can be assembled in the morning and ready at dinnertime with minimal supervision. Timers and programmable controls have expanded functionality on many models, and some lines combine slow cooking with other methods, such as multi-cookers or pressure cookers.

Safety and care guidelines advise not to operate the unit on a hot surface with the base wet, to avoid overfilling, and to unplug and cool before cleaning. The inner pot is typically dishwasher-safe, while the base may require wiping. The Crock-Pot remains a widely used kitchen appliance for hands-off cooking.