Best Slow Cooker for a Large Family

The best slow cooker for a large family is exactly what you need to get dinner on the table fast. There is always an easy crockpot chicken recipe that will feed a crowd!

This post contains affiliate links. Please see the full disclosure policy below.

Best Slow Cooker for a Large Family

Crock pots or slow cookers can be a large family’s best friend. They save time and money by cooking meals slowly and evenly, using less energy than other cooking methods. And they’re perfect for busy families who want to come home to a hot, healthy meal without spending hours in the kitchen.

Choose the Right Slow Cooker for Family Size

When choosing a slow cooker, it’s important to consider the size of your family. Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, from small 2-quart cookers to extra large 10-quart slow cookers. If you have a large family, and your children are all older, you’ll need a slow cooker that can accommodate a big batch of food.

We actually have several (I don’t remember exactly how many) in varying sizes for our family of eight.

If your family is larger and you have older children who eat an adult portion, this extra large 10-quart crockpot is the size you will need. Depending on your family size, you may even need two of them.

Before I found my favorite extra large 10-quart slow cooker, I sometimes used two 8-quart crockpots to get a large enough meal to feed my family and have some leftovers.

Even if you have six children, like we do, you may be able to use a smaller 6-quart slow cooker if your children are younger and do not yet eat like adults.

You may think there is no reason for a larger family to have a small 2-quart slow cooker or a 4-quart slow cooker, but we use those to cook side dishes to go along with our slow cooker entrée. These are the perfect size for cooking crock pot buttered corn or crock pot corn pudding, or any other veggies.

What are you cooking in your slow cooker?

Finally, think about what type of food you’ll be cooking in your slow cooker. If you like to cook slow-cooked stews and soups, a slow cooker with a high-sided pot or slow cooker liner is ideal. If you prefer to cook tender meats and roasts, choose a slow cooker that has high temperature settings and comes with a slow cooker rack for even cooking.

What crock pot features are important to you?

Slow cookers have come a long way in recent years. Some brands offer slow cookers that come with pre-programmed settings and digital timers, which can help make cooking even easier. There are wifi capable slow cookers that work with Alexa or you can start from your cell phone if you forget to turn in on when you leave the house.

There are still the older style basic slow cookers that have only one knob on the front that with setting of warm, low and high. You can even find old vintage crock pots on Etsy.

What brands have a good reputation?

Some slow cooker brands have a good reputation for quality and durability where others may be less well known. Many have been listed in the best slow cookers of the year. Some of the best known brands of slow cookers are:

• Hamilton Beach
• Crock Pot
• Cuisnart
• West Bend
• All Clad

What is the counter top footprint of your slow cooker?

When choosing a slow cooker, you should also consider how much space it will take up on your counter. The shape of the slow cooker? Will it fit under the cabinets? Will it fit if you decide to store it in a cabinet? These are important things to consider. Be sure to check the dimensions of the slow cooker before you purchase it.

Slow Cooker Accessories

Many slow cookers have accessories like:

• Roasting Racks
• Insulated Carrier Bags
• Steamer Baskets
• Air Fryer Lids

Hamilton Beach Portable Slow Cooker Travel Bag, Insulated Carrier Case for 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 Quart Crock, Internal Mesh Net Holds Pot in Place, Compatible with Other Brands, Black (33002)6 Quart Oval Slow Cooker Liners Compatible for Crock Pot 6 QT, Easyjoy for Crock Pot , Reusable Silicone Divider Insert, Dishwasher Safe BPA FreePrepara Oven Safe Flexible Nonstick Kitchen Meat Roasting Rack, RedChefAid Slow Cooker Liners, 100% Silicone Reusable Crock Pot Insert Accessories for 6-8 Oval or Round Quart Slow Cookers, Food Safe & Dishwasher Safe (Black-Grey)Silicone Roasting Rack for Baking Canning Cooking Steaming, Crock Pot Pressure Cooking Rack for 6 Qt 8-Quart Slow Cookers, Oval-Green-2SetLid Pocket, Organizer Pot, Slow Cooker-Unique Kitchen Lid Holder-Keep Your Countertop Free & Clean-Works With Most Crock, 1 Pack,TAYDOIBAN Silicone Slow Cooker Liners Compatible With Crock Pot 6-8 QT,Slow Cooker Divider Allows Cooking Two Different Meals At Once Time, Reusable Silicone Divider Insert, Dishwasher Safe, BPA FreeGolkcurx Double Layer Slow Cooker Bag for 6-8 Quart Oval CrockPot and Hamilton Beach Models, with Padded Adjustable Strap, Top Zip Compartment, and Front Pocket for Utensils(Bag Only)Reynolds Kitchens Slow Cooker Liners, Regular (Fits 3-8 Quarts), 20 Count

 

Other Appliances with Slow Cooker Features

You don’t have to purchase an appliance that is only a slow cooker. There are lots of multi function counter top kitchen appliances that have a slow cooker function in addition to other functions like:

• Rice Cooker
• Steamer
• Roaster
• Warmer
• Yogurt Maker
• Pressure Cooker
• Dehydrator
• and more…

What can you cook in a slow cooker?

You may be surprised that a slow cooker can be used for lots more than cooking soups and stews. In fact, I was surprised to learn that you can cook everything from a whole chicken to ground beef to scrambled eggs in a slow cooker. A crock pot or slow cooker can be a very versatile kitchen appliance.

Other Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes

• Easy Crock Pot Salsa Chicken
• Crack Chicken Crock Pot
• Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken
• White Chicken Chili
• Cock Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole via Crystal & Comp.