Crock-Pot 6 Quart Cook & Carry Programmable Slow Cooker with Digital Timer Stainless Steel (CPSCVC60LL-S) pack of 1

Why it's worth it

This is the plain, programmable six-quart Crock-Pot that most households should own. You set a cook time up to 20 hours, it drops to warm on its own when the time runs out, and the gasketed lid locks down so you can carry chili to a potluck without wearing it.

The timer is the whole reason to buy this one. You can program anywhere from 30 minutes to 20 hours, and when the cycle ends the cooker shifts itself to warm. That's the difference between coming home to pot roast and coming home to shredded, dried-out disappointment. If your commute runs long or your kids' practice schedule moves, the food just waits at a safe serving temperature instead of cooking another two hours.

The locking lid makes it the one slow cooker you'd actually put in your car. A rubber gasket seals the rim and the latches clamp it to the handles. Owners who haul food to church suppers, tailgates and family gatherings consistently point to this as the reason they bought it. Most slow cookers are strictly counter appliances. This one goes places, and it doesn't leave a puddle of gravy in your trunk.

From our review of 11 slow cookers, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +The timer is the whole reason to buy this one
• +The locking lid makes it the one slow cooker you'd actually put in your car
• +Six quarts is the size most families should buy
• +Cleanup is about as easy as it gets

What to know

• –There's no temperature probe, so doneness is a guess
• –The stainless exterior is a fingerprint magnet