Food - Drink
What's the Difference Between a Crock-Pot and a Slow Cooker?
By DELIA MOONEY
Almost everyone who loves to cook at home owns a Crock-Pot, slow cooker, Instant Pot, or some combination of the three. But while the terms slow cooker and Crock-Pot are often used interchangeably and the devices definitely look similar, there is actually a difference between the two.
Crock-Pot is the name of a brand that first came on the market in the 1970s; the standard model consists of a stoneware pot surrounded by a heating element. Meanwhile, a slow cooker is typically a metal pot that sits on top of a heated surface. Both appliances use moist heat to cook food over an extended period.
The most basic Crock-Pots have two settings, low and high, but models have advanced over the years and now come with new digital timers and other special features. Other slow cooker models are also advanced and are perfect for tenderizing tough meat, making flavorful dips, and getting easy weeknight dinners on the table.