Best Slowcookers for Back to School as Rated by Customers

In hopes of helping students (and parents of students) on the verge of returning to University / College in the coming weeks, today I examine the top 5 slowcookers for back to school as rated by Best Buy customers. But before I get started, a bit of housekeeping is in order. First, it should be noted that today’s selections are given in no particular order.

Second, I’d like to offer a brief explanation of how these cookers were chosen: The first step I took was to look through Best Buy’s entire inventory of slowcookers for models with at least a 4 or 5 star rating. Next, since only one slowcooker received more than 3 customer reviews / ratings, I will say that the sample size is considerably smaller than I would have liked. However, of the 6 or 7 cookers that had 3 customer reviews, 4 of these had at least a 4 star average rating. Thus, these cookers dominate today’s list. A few of the cookers had just one rating, and the majority of them had none at all. Even so, each of the selected models received high praise and very useful customer comments, so I am very confident that the models discussed below represent the very best selections that Best Buy currently has to offer. Read on for the full list!

First up on our list is the very useful Breville 6 Litre Fast Slow Cooker. This particular unit, as a larger cooker with room for enough food to feed a fairly good sized family, is great for students that like to feed all of their friends as well as themselves.

Among its key features are the fact that it’s both a pressure cooker and a slow cooker in one. In fact, it has functions for pressure cooking, slow cooking, steaming, sauteing, and warming. Not too shabby! For pressure cooking, its settings are low, medium, and high, and it also has pressure release and safety valves.

Jonathan, from Toronto, ON, sums up the value of this one nicely:

This next slow cooker is popular with customers across a variety of different colour schemes. It has positive ratings in both its red, blue, & black colour models, and it’s called the Crock-Pot Lunch Crock Food Warmer. This cooker is not large, but its 20-ounce capacity is perfect for students requiring single-serving meals. It’s also got a (dishwasher safe) removable food vessel and is small enough to bring with you just about anywhere, so you can have meals in your dorm room, your cubicle (if you’re a grad student with shared office space), or anywhere else that has an ordinary wall outlet. This one is an A+.

The customer comment I selected for this one actually came from the blue model even though I’ve linked to the red. Peggy G, of Lethbridge, AB, was so enthusiastic about it that I pasted in her entire (long) comment below:

Third up is the Breville 6.5L Slow Cooker. This is another fairly large unit with some great features. It also comes very highly recommended by the 3 people who reviewed it. Its features include 3 temperature settings (low, high, & dual) and a detachable power cord. It also has a non-stick, scratch resistant, die-cast aluminum cooking vessel and a stainless steel lid. This particular model would be great for anyone sharing a student flat. You and all of your busy flatmates can share meals and food expenses as well as cooking duty as you navigate your busy student schedules. You’ll all benefit from a healthier way of eating than the typical pizza, beer, & fast food student lifestyle.

Jannine L, from London, ON, had this to say about the Breville 6.5L Slow Cooker:

The 4th slow cooker that customers really seem to love is the Hamilton Beach 5.68L Slow Cooker. This model has 3 cooking modes (Temperature / Timer / & Manual) that together help to ensure that your meal is cooked to the perfect temperature internally. It also has a programmable timer, a gasket-sealed lid, a temperature probe, a way to clip your spoon right onto the handle, and a removable (& dishwasher safe) stoneware crockery with glass lid. This is a top notch slowcooker by anyone’s standards!

But if you don’t believe me, just ask Borgie, of Toronto, ON, who had plenty to say about the Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker: 

Finally, rounding out the list at No. 5 is the Cuisinart 4L Slow Cooker. While not the highest rated cooker in the mix, this model does have a number of useful features that you’re certain to enjoy. Among them are a touchpad control panel with LED timer display, various control settings (including High, Low, Keep Warm, & Simmer), a 3.5 quart (removable) ceramic cooking pot that’s dishwasher safe (as is its lid), non-slip rubber feet to ensure that it stays put on your countertop, and a 24 hour cooking timer. Additionally, this cooker shifts automatically to the “Warm” setting when your cooking time is up, and it even includes a nice recipe book.

Nicole, from Toronto, ON had this to say about the Cuisinart 4L Slow Cooker:

Well, we’ve come to the end of our list, and I trust that one or more of the slowcookers featured here has spoken to you as a useful back to school item. Of course, if you’d prefer to keep looking, there’s bound to be something that meets your needs amongst Best Buy’s complete selection of Slow Cookers. Remember, school will start again before you know it. Having an easy way to prepare healthy meals right there in your tiny little dorm room could prove to be a major back to school blessing! But be sure to check what small appliances (if any) your dorm room allows first. Good luck in your studies.

If you enjoy reading opinions and comments from your fellow Best Buy customers on a number of useful products, you might be interested in some of the other articles in the “As Rated by Best Buy Customers” series. Among the topics you may enjoy reading are the following: Top 5 juicers as rated by Best Buy customers, Top 5 Blenders, as rated by Best Buy Customers, & Top 5 TV Antennas as Rated by Customers. Enjoy!