Best Programmable Slow Cooker With Delay Start

Slow cookers are great ways to have an easy to make meal ready to eat when you get home from work or whatever else you may have going on that day. While most slow cookers are pretty flexible, having one with the ability to delay the start time will much better ensure that your meal will be perfect at the exact moment you’ll be ready to eat it. Unfortunately the vast majority of crock pots on the market don’t have this handy feature. The ones that do have it tend to be quite sophisticated. This article will break down what is the best value slow cooker with a delay start setting. We searched online for the best slow cookers on the market that included a delayed start feature. After sifting through online reviews, reviewing the best selling models, and reading actual customer feedback, we determined that the Instant Pot DUO60 is the best slow cooker to buy with a delayed start function.

Our Number One Pick:

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt Programmable Slow Cooker with Delay Start

The Instant Pot DUO60 is an Amazon best seller and has achieved a nearly 5 star rating from almost 30,000 customers as of the posting of this article. The start delay can be set for up to 24 hours for maximum flexibility. This 6 quart model doubles as a pressure cooker which vastly expands its versatility. Not only can you slow cook with it but you can also make yogurt or perfect rice with it. It can be used as a steamer or a warmer. The inner pot is 3-ply stainless steel which makes for a very durable and safe material for cooking within as well as ideal for evenly distributing heat for better cooking performance. When used as a pressure cooker, it can speed up cooking anywhere from 2 to 6 times. There’s no doubt that this slow cooker is the best bang for your buck and a very high quality piece of equipment.

Runner Up:

Crock-Pot 6 Qt 8-in-1 Multi-Use Express Crock Programmable Slow Cooker

The Crock Pot 6 Quart Express Crock is a great runner up to the Instant Pot DUO6 but get’s beat out by a narrow margin. This slow cooker is also a pressure cooker and can perform basically all of the same tasks as the DUO6 however it is slightly less flexible with its settings. While it does have a delay function it unfortunately can only delay for up to 4 hours. This should be enough for most people but not quite as nice as the 24 hours of the Instant Pot. The ability to override some automatic settings can be a little frustrating but not necessarily a deal breaker. The inner pot on the Crock Pot includes a non stick surface which can be a nice bonus, however durability of non stick surfaces is generally quite poor and will ultimately end up being a bit of a let down with frequent use. If you’re watching every penny then you can save a few dollars by going with the former champion slow cooker brand but we highly recommend going for the Instant Pot DUO60 if you can spare the extra few dollars.

Worth Considering:

COSORI 6 Qt 11-in-1 Programmable Slow Cooker

The COSORI 6 Qt 11-in-1 Programmable Slow Cooker is worth your consideration if you’re not deterred by the price. Like the other options we’ve described, this is more than simply a slow cooker. It differs from the others in that it isn’t a pressure cooker but it is a very versatile cooker. It is capable of achieving up to 400 degree temperatures for all sorts of cooking. It can be set to delay cooking for up to 24 hours and as the name suggests, it has 11 settings such as steaming, simmering, slow cooking, bake, and more. If you find the power and versatility of this slow cooker to be a better fit for your needs you may be able to justify the added expense. If not, we’d strongly suggest one of the previously mentioned cookers. That said, the COSORI is a very nice appliance.

Additional Information:

Things To Keep In Mind

Are pressure cookers the same as slow cookers?

Slow cookers cook at lower temperatures over an extended period of time while pressure cookers are designed to cook at higher than normal temperatures over a shorter than normal period of time. Just because a pressure cooker is designed to cook at high temperatures and high pressures doesn’t mean it can’t slow cook. Most pressure cookers have slow cook settings that allow them to work just like a slow cooker.

What are the advantages of a pressure cooker?

Pressure cookers can cook food much faster since they are designed to cook at much higher temperatures than normal. Pressure cookers also are very versatile and are great as a rice cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, and more.

Other Resources:

Helpful Links

Wrapping Up:

Slow Cookers With Delayed Start Function

Traditional oval 6 quart slow cookers with ceramic pots aren’t very sophisticated but it doesn’t seem like a stretch for them to offer the ability to delay starting cooking. This is a highly requested feature for slow cookers. Unfortunately we were unable to find any basic slow cookers with this function. Pressure cookers and multi cookers are far more sophisticated small kitchen appliances and a few that offer slow cooking options do also offer the delay start feature. The Instant Pot DUO60 is the best that we found on the market that can slow cook as well as delay starting to a later time. Starting can be delayed for up to 24 hours and even though it is can function as a slow cooker, it can function as so many more things as well, most notably a pressure cooker. The price is also very reasonable given all that it is capable of doing. Not only that but Instant Pot brand has a stellar reputation for quality and durability. This is evident in the huge number of customer reviews that are overwhelmingly glowing about the DUO60. While we agree that a simple slow cooker with the ability to program in a starting time seems like a basic request, the next best option is a sophisticated yet easy to use quality product that can slow cook and be set to start at a later time. Good luck and happy cooking.

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