Home » Crock Pot Sizes Guide: How Big do You Need (Explained)

Crock Pot Sizes Guide: How Big do You Need (Explained)

Crockpots, also known as slow cookers are an integral part of many kitchens around the world. Food cooked in a slow cooker tends to retain a lot of its flavour when compared to that prepared in a normal pot or pressure cooker.

This article is a crockpot size guide to help you choose the best option for you as far as size is concerned. There are many crockpots in many sizes and the one that you end up going for depends on the number of people you are cooking for and entertaining, the 7-10-quart is an ideal size for you.

A large family will be served well by a 5 – 6-quart crockpot while a 3-4-quart crockpot will do great for a small family.

A couple or individual will most likely need nothing bigger than a 1-2-quart. This is a general guideline of what sizes work for different groupings.

In the rest of this article, we will go a little bit more in-depth and see exactly what you need to look out for depending on your needs.

Benefits of Crock Pots

In case you are reading this article and are on the fence on whether or not a slow cooker is for you, let’s talk about why slow cooking is so good in the first place.

Food prepared in a crock pot or slow cooker generally tends to have better flavor and the nutrients are also locked in because the food is cooked at a lower temperature.

They are great for tenderizing lower grades of meat which tend to be tougher and harder to cook. You can literally throw in all your ingredients and allow them to cook and in a few hours, you have a ready-made dish.

This may come across as an overgeneralization of the whole process but does paint a somewhat accurate picture of it all. With a crock pot, you can cook food overnight.

Simply load all your ingredients into it and let them cook overnight. In the morning, your food will be done. Refrigerate it and the flavor will intensify during the course of the day.

When you re-heat your food at dinner time that night, your food will taste even better. They are great for cooking low-grade cuts of meat into tender portions that melt in your mouth.

They are also really easy to clean and maintain. I could go on and on, on the benefits of crock pots but I’m sure this should be enough to convince you to get your first one.

The Crock Pot Sizes Guide

Family Size Crock Pot Size
1-2 People1 – 2 Quarts Crock Pot
2-4 People3- 4 Quarts Crock Pot
4-6 People5-6 Quarts Crock Pot
6 People and more7-10 Quarts Crock Pot

The crock pot is in about 83% of American homes and they will long continue to be so for decades to come. They have changed from the early days and are now digital with a host of functions that their predecessors didn’t have.

There are generally two types of crock pots, the oval and round crock pots. The round ones tend to be priced cheaper on average and slightly smaller than their oval counterparts.

The oval crock pots are larger and great for fitting bulky foods. The most common crock pot sizes found in most homes are the five- and six-quarts models.

These generally meet the needs of most families as they can cook a decent sized meal and some leftovers for those who might want second servings.

It is also very common for most families to own different sized crock pots for different needs especially in situations where they are hosting or want to prepare 2 separate dishes at the same time.

1 – 2 Quarts Crock Pot

If you live alone or are a couple, a one to two quarts crock pot is the ideal size for you to prepare meals. These are ideal for single servings recipes or if you want to make dips. These crock pots are really small and, in some cases, can be described as extra small.

3- 4 Quarts Crock Pot

This generally works well for small family meals. It is great for making desserts and casseroles as well as stews. If you have a bigger family, this can work well as a second crock pot for preparing side dishes while you use a bigger one for your main dish.

5-6 Quarts Crock Pot

This is the most commonly used crockpot size and works very well for large families. It is ideal for stews, casseroles, desserts, and soups. As most families have more than one crockpot, it is very common to have this as the main pot and 3-4-quart crockpot as an extra one.

7-10 Quarts Crock Pot

This crockpot can hold a whole chicken and large roasts and is ideal for hosting. Unless you have a really large family, this crockpot will be used only on big occasions or when you are hosting some people. The biggest-sized crock pot on the market right now is is a 10 quart one and can easily handle 10lbs to 12lbs of meat.

Tips to Help You Buy the Right Size Crock Pot

Now that we’ve given you some guidelines related to how many people, in general, you want to cook for, that is not the only deciding factor when it comes to choosing the right crock pot for you.

What you want to cook is equally as important as how many people you are cooking for. Though the smaller crock pots are ideal for smaller food portions, you might want to do the occasional beef or pork ribs or a big roast.

In such instances, you will definitely need a bigger crock pot. Smaller crock pots only come in a round shape which makes it harder for them to accommodate the aforementioned foods.

Some recipes also require a pot in pot method and these can only be done in larger and oval pots. A pot in pot method is when you place a casserole dish, baking pan, small rack, or other utensils inside the crock pot and slow cook it that way.

If you want to try out these recipes, you definitely need a bigger crockpot. Some larger pots also come with additional accessories like metal cooking inserts which can be used on a stovetop for browning and to sauté.

Technology

The older crock pot models that we grew up on were stove units that you needed to monitor. The current crock pot models come equipped with timers that switch it off once the cooking is finished.

You can simply load you’re your ingredients, set the timer then head off to bed or work while your crock pot cooks your meal.

Some models also come with a keep-warm function which keeps your food warm once it’s cooked until you are ready to eat.

It’s worth mentioning that the popular multicooker Instant Pot is also capable of acting as a crockpot with the added advantage of having a host of other functions as well.

Pot Materials

Crockpots also tend to come in different materials like ceramic, aluminum, and stoneware. The stoneware pots can be used in an oven if you are cooking a multi-stage dish that needs to be transferred from the pot to the oven.

On Sale!Bestseller No. 1
Crock-Pot 7 Quart Oval Manual Slow...
  • Spacious 7 quart manual slow cooker serves 9 plus people or fits a 7...
  • Set cooking time to high and get a hot meal in no time or set it on low and...
  • Keep food at an ideal serving temperature for as long as you need to with...
Bestseller No. 2
Crock-Pot 6 Quart Cook & Carry...
  • 6 quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker serves 7 plus people
  • Digital countdown control lets you program cook times anywhere from 30...
  • Easy to use locking lid featuring lid gasket provides extra seal for less...
Bestseller No. 3
Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow Cooker with...
  • DELICIOUS MEALS WITH MINIMAL EFFORT: The Hamilton Beach slow cooker makes...
  • FEED THE WHOLE FAMILY: The slow cooker has a large 6 quart stoneware crock...
  • EASY TO LIFT AND CARRY ALONG: With full-grip handles, the large slow cooker...
Bestseller No. 4
Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker, Extra Large...
  • PERFECT FOR A LARGE GATHERING: The 10 quart slow cooker lets you cook...
  • REDUCE SPILLS: The lid clips tightly to the slow cooker handles to reduce...
  • COOK FLAVORFUL MEALS WITH MINIMAL EFFORT: This Hamilton Beach slow cooker...
On Sale!Bestseller No. 5
Crock-Pot Large 8 Quart Programmable...
  • Holiday Dinner Hosting Essential: 8-quart slow cooker capable of preparing...
  • Digital timer counts down cook time up to 20 hours
  • Automatically keeps food Warm after cooking is done

Does the Size of the Crockpot Make any Difference?

yes, the size of the crockpot does make a difference. The amount of space inside a crockpot relates to how many hours it will take for the food to cook. Generally, smaller crockpots will take less time, while larger ones may need more time. Some other factors that may affect cooking time are the presence of liquids in the food and if you add seasonings or sauces to your recipes before cooking them.

What is the most common size of a crockpot?

In general 5 and 6 Quartz, slow cookers are the most popular sizes, while the 10 and 12 versions are rare. Many families have 5 or even three 6 qt. slow cookers in their home, which is the most popular size.

What is the Largest Crock Pot Size?

The largest crockpots have been grown over the past few years, with the biggest ones being up to 10 qt. There are a number of reasons for this large size. First, the larger crockpots allow for a greater amount of food to be cooked, along with a longer cooking time compared to smaller ones that have less capacity. Additionally, there have been cases where a family has purchased a new 10 qt.

What is the smallest possible size of a crockpot?

The smallest crockpots are the 1.5 qt. pots, which are useful in small homes or to simply cook one dish at a time. However, the small ones do not hold much food and may not be useful in larger homes.

Can you cook small quantities in a large slow cooker?

Yes, you can cook small quantities in a large slow cooker. There are high-quality models that are able to prevent overcooking by automatically turning off the cooking process when the food is ready.

Difference Between A Crockpot And A Slow Cooker?

Conclusion on CrockPot Sizes Guide

Though the size of the crock pot required is determined mainly by the number of people who are going to be using it, there are other factors like the dishes you want to prepare and your general schedule.

If you want to cook certain dishes, smaller pots simply won’t do. You need to have a larger one. If you are a busy professional and away from home most of the time, you would appreciate the feature that allows you to automatically cook your meals, a feature that smaller electronic crockpots don’t come with.

You might also be a single person or couple but like to cook your meals in batches then store them away for re-heating later. In this case, a large or mid-size crockpot will be ideal for you.

The size that you end up going for has to be based on these considerations and more instead of just the number of people you are cooking for. We hope this article has helped you in deciding which crockpot you want to go for.

Resources:

https://www.thekitchn.com/best-size-slow-cooker-256960

Leave a Comment