This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out (2024)

Worrywarts, listen up.

By Madison Flager
This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out (1)

Delish editors handpick every product we feature. We may earn commission from the links on this page.

Earlier this year, hearts everywhere broke when Jack Pearson's cause of death was revealed. Despite a very swift calming of fears by both Crock-Pot and the This Is Us cast and crew, when season two rolled along, the slow cooker side eye was fresh in people's minds once again.

Delish: Eat Like Every Day's the Weekend

This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out (3)

Now 12% Off

(SEASON TWO SPOILER ALERT, GUYS) But no, your slow cooker is not going to kill you—in a statement back in January, Crock Pot said "the safety and design of our product renders this type of event nearly impossible." (ICYMI, and, again, I am very sorry for the SPOILERS, an old, faulty slow cooker caused a fire in the Pearson's home that led to Jack's death. Watch the show already!).

Still, I had questions. When you leave your house in the morning, how soon do you need to return if your slow cooker is on? How long could you THEORETICALLY wait before returning? What if my train gets stuck underground for an hour and I'm still not home after THAT amount of time?

I spoke to Pat Schweitzer, director of Hamilton Beach's Consumer Test Kitchen, and Mary Beth Brault, the group manager of Hamilton Beach's Corporate and Consumer Communications, to get some answers.

Let's cut to the chase: How many hours can I leave my slow cooker on?

That varies by what's inside the slow cooker and also by the appliance's setting and model, the experts say. Most recipes for all-day cooking call for 6 to 8 hours on low. Quality- (and safety-) wise, another 1 to 2 hours in 'keep warm' mode won't mess things up. And after that, you've still got a good amount of buffer time.

While leaving it on for days is certainly not recommended, most programmable slow cookers have a 24 hour cycle; after that, the slow cooker would shut off automatically. That's a lot longer than I was expecting, and than I would assume anyone plans to leave their slow cooker on. To clarify, even if you leave your house at 7 a.m. and for some reason don't get home till 10 or 11 p.m., you are fine. Do not worry. Your slow cooker was made for this!

Also, to note, Hamilton Beach tests all of their products (toasters, deep fryers, etc.) in extreme situations, and a slow cooker is not high on Schweitzer and Brault's list of concerns.

Are there slow cookers made for worriers like me?

Hamilton Beach Set 'n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker

This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out (4)

Now 12% Off

Essentially, yes! Many newer models have programmable settings to switch the heat to 'keep warm' after a set amount of time, as well as automatic off switches after 24 hours. Hamilton Beach's Set and Forget models, like the this one, can be programmed two ways: to switch to keep warm after a set length of time, or to switch once your food gets to a certain internal temperature (helpful with meat dishes so your chicken doesn't get dry).

What other precautions should I take when I use my slow cooker?

This was interesting: Schweitzer and Brault told me a good rule of thumb is to make sure your slow cooker is half full; it's even better to have it two-thirds full. This keeps the food from overcooking. Conversely, to make sure foods aren't undercooked, don't stick something frozen directly into your slow cooker. For food safety reasons, it needs to be thawed first.

Bottom Line:

Slow cookers are, by nature, very low wattage appliances. They're meant to cook food slowly and safely. All in all, "you can feel very confident leaving it to cook all day unattended."

This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out (5)

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Food News

Disney's Newest Ride Has A Sweet SurpriseAre There Dead Wasps In My Figs?Is A Happy Meal The Same Without A Smile? How To Get Costco Delivered Without A Membership

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

Inside Taylor Swift's $21K-A-Night Italian VillaThe Only Canned co*cktail I Love Is From FinlandPopeyes Throws Shade At Chick-fil-ATeenager Dies From The Viral 'One Chip Challenge'
Guy Fieri Reveals How He Lost 30 PoundsYou Need These Floating Wine Glasses In Your LifeMcDonald's Is Releasing A 'Grandma' McFlurry'The Bear' Is Returning For Season 3 Soon

Advertisem*nt - Continue Reading Below

This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out (2024)

FAQs

This Is How Long You Can Leave Your Slow Cooker On Without Freaking Out? ›

Stick to the cook time indicated on your recipe

How long is it safe to leave a slow cooker on? ›

Slow cooker recipes are often designed for an eight-hour cook so that the food is ready when you return home after a long day. Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on for 12 hours? Yes, you can use your slow cooker for longer than eight hours, as long as you keep an eye on it.

How long is too long for a slow cooker? ›

On some occasions, you'll want to leave food in the slow cooker to keep warm, during Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner, for example, or any other event or holiday. While it's perfectly ok to use your crock pot in this way, try to avoid leaving food on the warming setting for more than four hours.

How long can I keep my crockpot on warm? ›

The 'Warm' setting is ONLY for keeping already-cooked food at the perfect serving temperature until mealtime. To prevent food from dipping into temperatures that aren't food-safe, you shouldn't use the 'Warm' setting for more than 4 hours.

Can you leave a slow cooker on all might? ›

Leaving a slow cooker on overnight can be safe if used properly, but always exercise caution. all the time, just make sure to have enough liquid in there and put it on the lowest setting. Yes I have a timer delay on mine so porridge for the family is ready when I wake in morning.

Can I leave food in crockpot for 12 hours? ›

Today's programmable slow cookers often come with the ability to cook food for up to 24 hours, as well as automatic warming settings that can stay on for just as long.

Can I slow cook beef for 12 hours? ›

Can you slow cook meat for 12 hours? This totally depends on the cut of meat and the slow cooker brand. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for optimum cook times. Generally, meat cooked on the Low setting can have up to 8-10 hours of cook time.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

Can I slow cook pork for 12 hours? ›

If there is a layer of skin on the pork, remove this, then rub the other ingredients onto the pork. Place in the slow cooker on LOW for 12 hours. Once cooked, remove the juices from the pan, remove the fat and set aside. Shred up the pork using two forks.

Is it better to slow cook on low or high? ›

Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting. It's safe to cook foods on low the entire time -- if you're leaving for work, for example, and preparation time is limited.

Can I slow cook chili for 12 hours? ›

The Best Way to Cook Chili:

You can slow cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.

Does the crockpot turn off automatically? ›

Some let you choose a desired temperature down to the degree. Auto Shut-Off: There's no need to worry about these slow cookers burning your food – they shut off automatically when they're done cooking. Timer: You won't need to worry about setting your alarm when cooking with these Crock Pots.

Do slow cookers use a lot of electricity? ›

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a slow cooker is one of the most energy efficient kitchen appliances. On average, a slow cooker draws about the same amount of energy as a standard electric light bulb. This means that despite being on for a longer period of time, a slow cooker actually uses very little energy.

Can you put everything in a slow cooker the night before? ›

Make-ahead when possible: If your slow cooker has a removable insert, assemble the ingredients the night before and refrigerate the entire insert overnight. It's important to note that starting with cool ingredients may lengthen cooking time (but be sure to keep them out of the temperature danger zone).

Can I leave stew out overnight to cool? ›

Food should not be at room temperature for more than two hours. Shallow containers or small amounts of hot food can be placed directly in the refrigerator or rapidly chilled in an ice or cold water bath before refrigerating.

What is the equivalent of 8 hours on low in a slow cooker? ›

Cooking Conversions for Slow Cookers
Traditional Oven or Stovetop LowLow Slow Cooker Setting (about 200°F)High Slow Cooker Setting (about 300°F)
15-30 minutes4-6 hours1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours
35-45 minutes6-8 hours3-4 hours
50 minutes- 3 hours8-10 hours4-6 hours
Dec 8, 2016

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Maia Crooks Jr

Last Updated:

Views: 6501

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (43 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Maia Crooks Jr

Birthday: 1997-09-21

Address: 93119 Joseph Street, Peggyfurt, NC 11582

Phone: +2983088926881

Job: Principal Design Liaison

Hobby: Web surfing, Skiing, role-playing games, Sketching, Polo, Sewing, Genealogy

Introduction: My name is Maia Crooks Jr, I am a homely, joyous, shiny, successful, hilarious, thoughtful, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.