My slow cooker died halfway through a big batch of beans last night

I was making a huge pot of black beans to freeze for the week, and the heating element just quit after about two hours. I had to finish them on the stove, which used way more gas than I planned. What's a good, cheap replacement brand that will last more than a year?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_vera1mo ago

Ugh, that's the worst when it dies mid-cook. I've had good luck with the basic Crock-Pot brand ones from Walmart, they're simple and mine's going on three years. What's your budget for a new one?

theawest1mo ago

My budget is just hoping the next one feels guilty.

torres.drew10d ago

Yeah exactly, @theawest's comment kinda nails it - the cheap ones are a gamble, but the basic Crock-Pot brand at Walmart is honestly hard to beat for the price. I'd add though, if you really want it to last, look for one with a metal heating element instead of a ceramic one, those tend to burn out faster (learned that the hard way after two $20 ones died on me). The old-school models with the dial switch, not digital, are usually sturdier too.