This article was last updated on October 30th, 2020
Buying the correct size slow cooker can seem daunting. Everyone’s meal preparation needs are different.
The size of slow cookers ranges from 1-quart to 10-quarts. 1-quart is suitable for one person, preparing dips and condiments or for reheating leftovers. A 6-quart slow cooker will meet the needs of a family. The huge 10-quart slow cooker will feed a crowd.
You might need a slow cooker sized just right for one person or a couple. Or maybe a slow cooker that suits a small to medium family.
You could even be after a really large slow cooker for a big family or are you the entertainer.
Maybe you are the meal prepper that cooks all day Sunday. Smashing out a huge batch of healthy hearty meals in preparation for your busy week ahead.
Whoever you are I have completed the homework for you in regard to helping you choose the correct size slow cooker!
Below you will find a slow cooker size and serving guide that will help you choose what size slow cooker you should buy.
You will also see some of the types of meals you can prepare in each size cooker as well as some slow cooker recommendations.
This will help you out with what new appliances are on the market. Especially if you are new to slow cooking or you are replacing or upgrading an existing slow cooker.
Let’s go…
Slow Cooker Size Guide
This slow-cooker size guide gives you definitive serving sizes as well as the types of meals you can prepare in the appropriate slow cooker.
| Quarts | Servings | Food Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 (1.7L) | 1-2 singles couples | dips, oats, desserts, appropriate size slow cooker recipes Slow cooker recipes for 1 |
| 3-4 (4L) | 3-4 couples small families | casseroles, soups, stews, breakfasts, desserts |
| 5-6 (5L) | 5 families | roasts, whole chicken, casseroles, soups, stews, breakfast, deserts |
| 7 and above (7.9+L) | 6-7 large families entertainers | 51b roast, 71b chicken, large cuts of meat, large lasagne |
| 10 (11.3L) | 9 or more large families entertainers | 10 pound turkey or 12 pound roast |
What to Consider When Choosing a Slow Cooker
- Do you already have a slow cooker is this an extra one, a replacement, an upgrade to a large model?
- The number of people you will be preparing meals for in the cooker?
- What types of food you will be preparing? Meat on the bone or slow cooker stews, casseroles, and soups?
- Do you have storage in your kitchen or room on your kitchen countertop for a large model?
- Will you be traveling with your slow cooker. Do you need a lid that locks?
- Technology – will you be satisfied with a traditional manual type slow cooker or do you like to keep up with technology – options!
1 to 2-Quart Slow Cookers
Servings – 1 to 2 people
Stainless Steel Mini Crock .65-Quart
There are plenty of single people out there – perfect for students or even someone who travels a lot. It could be used for heating food if there is no other food source!
This is the best size slow cooker for a single person if they do not feed very many other people regularly.
Check out this tiny slow cooker at Amazon here.
Elite Gourmet MST-250XS 1.5 Quart Slow Cooker
A 1.5-quart is a small slow cooker.
Who Is This Slow Cooker For
- Great for a single person/couple
- When cooking main meals serving them with accompaniments will stretch them further (rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables)
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
- One-pot meals like stews, meatballs, and soups
- Prepare and keep appetizers such as dips warm
- Desserts are great in this cooker
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Silver in a brushed stainless steel finish with black cool-touch accents and black stoneware pot
- A tempered clear glass lid with a cool-touch knob
- Stoneware pot and glass lid are dishwasher proof
- Settings for low, high and keep warm
Sizes and Colors Available
- Dimensions of this slow cooker are 8.8 inches x 8.8 inches x 6 inches
- It comes in four colors available purple, red, turquoise, and silver
- It is available 1.4-quart, 2-quart, 3-quart and 6-quart
- The oval shape is also available for large cuts of meat
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
- Great for one or two people
- If you need a larger slow cooker, this mini slow cooker would certainly be handy to prepare dips, oats, desserts
Click here to go over to Amazon and check out the Elite Gourmet MST-250XS 1.5 Quart Slow Cooker.
What some more information about 1.5 quart slow cookers, check out my full article by clicking here.
Crock-Pot 2.5-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker
Servings – 2 to 3 people
- Serves 2 to 3 plus people
- Newbies, singles, and couples
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
- Overnight oatmeal, sauces, dips, small meals, desserts
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Black sleek design with matching black handle glass lid and stylish metal trim
- High and Low cook settings
- Stoneware insert and glass lid are dishwasher safe
- Dimensions – 7.4 inches x 8.9 inches x 9 inches and it weighs 5 pounds
- The cord length 24 inches long
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
A one-pot meal would say it would feed 2 people. Prepare accompaniments and you could stretch the dish to 3 people plus.
Click here to go over to Amazon and check out the Crock-Pot 2.5-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker for yourself.
3 to 3.5-Quart Slow Cookers
Servings – 2, 3 or 4 people
Crock-Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock Manual Slow Cooker, Navy Blue
This Crock-Pot is certainly something a little different. It presents as a rectangle fashion appliance, it does not look at all like a traditional slow cooker which usually sports a brushed steel metal casing.
Who Is This Slow Cooker For
will feed 3 plus hungry mouths
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
- Rectangle shape – traditional lasagna
- Casserole, ribs, shanks, or soups
- Desserts
Features of This Slow Cooker
- The stoneware insert is also conventional ovenproof, so you can cook your meal in the oven then keep it warm in the crockpot by using the keep warm feature. As well as the keep warm setting this slow cooker has manual high and low settings.
- Rectangle stoneware insert is removable
- Cook and Carry locking lid system
- Dimensions – 9 inches x 13 inches
Sizes and Colors Available
- Black/White
- Charcoal
- Perfect Plum
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
After cooking you lock the lid so traveling does not become a messy adventure. When you arrive at the party you simply set the slow cooker to the keep warm setting and wait for serving time.
It would certainly be a talking piece to present meals to family and friends in a very fashionable slow cooker.
Click here to go over to Amazon and check out the Crock-Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Crock Manual Slow Cooker, Navy for yourself.
TIP – A 3.5-quart slow cooker will hold a 3.5 to 4.5 pound whole chicken. It will take 2-3 hours on high setting or 4-5 hours on the low setting. When you cook whole chickens in a slow cooker they are juicy and the meat falls off the bone. Perfect for pulled-chicken…
4-Quart Slow Cookers
Servings – 3 to 4 people
Crock-Pot 4.5 Quart Manual Slow Cooker
- Serves 4+ people
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
Casseroles, stews, and soups are perfect in this size slow cooker.
Features of This Slow Cooker
- High and low cooking settings, as well as the keep warm setting
- Removable stoneware insert
- Stoneware insert and glass lid are safe for the dishwasher
- Unique exterior casing with border, accents, and plastic handles
Sizes and Colors Available
- Damask Pattern
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
Versatile size for singles, couples, and small families.
To see this slow cooker at Amazon just go here, you will be surprised at the great price.
5-Quart Slow Cookers
Servings – 4 people – families
Calphalon 5.3-Quart Digital Sauté Slow Cooker
First impressions of this family-sized slow cooker are WOW. Uniquely modern and slim looking with a family-size capacity.
Who Is This Slow Cooker For
- 4 or more people
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
- Pulled pork
- Curried chicken pieces
- Paella
- Small Roasts
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Searing/browning in one pot – then slow cook
- The cooking pot is oven safe and compatible with electric, gas, and induction cooktops
- LCD – Digital programmable controls
- Made from – Stainless Steel – PTFE- and PFOA-free
- Dimensions – 17.78 x 14.37 x 23.19 inches – Weight – 10.08 pounds
Sizes and Colors Available
- Color dark stainless steel
- Size one only
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
I love the fact that you can brown in the same pot as you slow cook the dish in. The flavors are enhanced when you are able to carry out the cooking method in a single cooking pot.
This slow cooker is a modern twist on an electric appliance that has been evolving for over 50 years.
Go check this cooker out for yourself at Amazon – here.
6-Quart Slow Cookers
Servings – families
Crock-Pot SCCPWM600-V2 Wemo Smart Wifi-Enabled Slow Cooker, 6-Quart, Stainless Steel
Who Is This Slow Cooker For
- Families
- 7 or more people
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
Roasts
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Sleek oval design with a cool-touch handle and lid handle
- Stoneware insert – glass lid- dishwasher safe
- Dimensions – 17.4 inches x 9.6 inches x 13.9 inches and weighs 14.9 pounds
- Built-in cord storage
Technology Requirements for This Slow Cooker
- This Crock-Pot is a smart Wi-Fi-Enabled WeMo 6-quart slow cooker
- Uses the WeMo Application which allows you to adjust cook time and temperature remotely also traditional controls on the cooker
- WeMo App – free to install on any Apple smart device with iOS7 or higher
- Android smart device with 4.0 or higher
- Wi-Fi router – internet connection
Click here to go over to Amazon and check out the Crock-Pot 6-quart Wemo Smart Wifi-Enabled Slow Cooker.
Check out my article here for more information on the Crock-Pot SCCPWM600-V2 Wemo Smart Wifi-Enabled Slow Cooker, 6-Quart.
Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker with Digital Timer
Who Is This Slow Cooker For
- Feeds more than seven people
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
The large oval shape allows you to prepare just about any meal you can think of including;
- meat on the bone
- international dishes
- traditional stews etc,
- ham
- chicken
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Can be programmed for cooking times from 30 minutes to 20 hours
- Serve straight from removable oval stoneware insert
- A locking lid that has a gasket that gives a secure seal
- The removable crockery insert can be used in a conventional oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
- Crock insert is also safe to use in a microwave oven the lid
- Crock and lid dishwasher safe
- Dimensions – 9.4 inches x 15.1 inches x 14.8 inches and it weighs 14.8 pounds
Sizes and Colors Available
- Brushed silver and black accents
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
So versatile that you can either prepare all the ingredients in the get it to where you want to eat then let the slow cooker do its thing. Or you can cook a dish at home then take it to the party and set it to keep warm.
Click here to go over to Amazon by and check out the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker with Digital Timer for yourself.
I have a complete in-depth article here with more information about the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook & Carry Slow Cooker with Digital Timer why not go over and check it out.
7-Quart or More Slow Cookers
Servings – families and entertainers
Large cookers like these will suit big families and families that love to entertain. Even an avid food prepper will get the maximum use out of a cooker this size.
These are two of my favorites.
Firstly a manual slow cooker and secondly a large programmable slow cooker.
Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel
- More than 8 people
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
- Recipes are included with this slow cooker
Features of This Slow Cooker
- The crockpot is polished silver stainless steel with a stoneware insert and a safe glass lid
- Stylish black accents and plastic handles
- Low/High cook setting
- Warm setting to keep your meal warm until serving
- Stoneware insert and lid – dishwasher safe
- Serve from the stoneware insert keeps food hot
- Dimensions – 9.5 inches x 14.4 inches x 14.4 inches and weigh 8.4 pounds
Sizes and Colors Available
- Black
- Silver
- Stainless Steel
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
A great choice for feeding a large group of people.
More information about this slow cooker the Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel
Click here to go over to Amazon by and check out the Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel for yourself.
Hamilton Beach 33473 Programmable Slow Cooker, 7-Quart, Silver
Who Is This Slow Cooker For
- This 7-quart slow cooker will prepare a 6-pound chicken or a 4-pound roast
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Wrap-around heating element – even heating
- Programmable – times ranging from 30 minutes to 18 hours
- Low, high, and warm heat settings
- Reverts automatically to warm setting
- The timer can countdown so you know how much longer the meal will take
- Removable stoneware pot and glass lid are totally dishwashable
- Dimensions – 11.7 inches x 17.6 inches x 9.9 inches and it weighs 12.3 pounds
Sizes and Colors Available
- Stainless only
- 4-quart
- 6-quart
- 7-quart
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
This 7-quart slow cooker is definitely worth a closer look, want more information click here to see my article.
Click here to go over to Amazon and check out the Hamilton Beach 33473 Programmable Slow Cooker, 7-Quart, Silver for yourself.
8 to 22-Quart Slow Cookers
Of course, there are some giant slow cookers on the market as well as a massive 12-Quart cooker that you can fit a turkey in.
Click on the links below to see them for yourself at Amazon.
8.5-Quart Slow Cooker – here
10-Quart Slow Cooker – here
22-Quart Roaster Oven – here
Multi Size Slow Cooker
After all the information you have gathered above – you are still unsure of what slow cooker is right for you?
I have it – a slow cooker where the crockpot inserts are interchangeable.
Crock-pot Choose-A-Crock Programmable Slow Cooker
Servings – 1 or more…
If you have the space to store it – it is for everyone. The interchangeable pots allow you to cook recipes for one up to as many as you need.
What Food Can You Prepare in This Slow Cooker
A color cookbook is provided with this cooking pot. The recipes included are portioned for all three sizes of stoneware.
Features of This Slow Cooker
- Three removable stoneware pots, 6-Quart, 4-Quart, and split 2.5-Qt capacity
- The universal lid fits all three stoneware pots
- Programmable countdown with count down the time from 1 to 20 hours
- The stoneware inserts and the lid are safe to place in the dishwasher
- The stoneware inserts nest into the heating base – providing a compact storage solution
Thoughts on This Slow Cooker
If you have space and are uncertain of what size you need – this is an option. It does not take up any more space than the average family size cooker but provides you more.
Check this unique but practical slow cooker out for yourself at Amazon here.
What Are the Most Popular Slow Cookers
6-quart and above are the most popular slow cookers.
This is not because they are better than a smaller size slow cooker. They will all cook meals as well as each other if liquid and ingredients quantities are followed for recipes in the correct size cooker.
It is because the majority of us out there using a slow cooker of this size are regularly preparing meals for families or need larger quantities for entertaining.
Small Slow Cooker Recipes
Here are a few small slow cooker recipes books that friends and I use;
Slow Cooking for just Yourself – here
Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two – here
Slow Cooking for Two – here
Five Ingredient Slow Cooking for Two – here
Downloadable Slow Cooker Size Guide
Final Thoughts – Slow Cooker Size Guide
Well, that is a lot to take in but I am pleased if you have made it to the end of this article! As it means I’ve done my job!
I am certain I have helped you with choosing the correct size slow cooker you need. The choice of sizes, shapes, functions (manual or programmable), brands, and prices are massive – there is literally something for everyone.
So before choosing the right one for you to make a list of your particular requirements and expectations of what you expect your new slow cooker to do for you.
Also what sorts of food you will be preparing and for how many hungry mouths. Having a detailed list will certainly assist you with purchasing the correct slow cooker for your needs.
If you require more information about slow cookers why not head over and check out my article on about multi-cookers. They have slow cooker functions as well as many more functions including pressure cooking. See that article here.
One-Pot Cooking Rocks
