Amazon's Best Slow Cooker, According To Reviews

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Whether you're looking for an easier way to cook for Taco Tuesdays or you simply want an effortless appetizer to wow at your next Super Bowl party, a slow cooker is an essential tool for on-the-go home cooks. They're convenient and the very definition of set-it-and-forget-it cooking, but how do you know which is worth the buy? Well, according to Amazon, the best-rated slow cooker is the Presto 8-Quart Nomad Traveling Slow Cooker, with a 4.8 out of 5 stars rating (and nearly 90% of those ratings are five full stars). Portable and able to accommodate 8 whole quarts, it's the perfect vessel for making slow cooker chili at your next tailgate.

One of the best features? It's rectangular. "The size and shape make it very transportation-friendly, especially compared to the awkward oval- and circle-shaped typical slow cookers with just the small [handles] on the sides," one Amazon reviewer wrote. Others have praised the fact that the lid locks in place and is leak-proof, making travel with hot food that much safer — and others still claim it has lasted years and years for them. "It went above and beyond all my hopes," one excited YouTube reviewer said. They loved how the cooker has insulation to keep food warm for hours while traveling.

We mentioned that it's large at 8 quarts, but what does that equate to? That's a whopping 32 cups, which, to put that in perspective, is enough to serve more than 21 people a full portion of soup. And yes, the shape makes it easier to pack and travel, but we also like the dry-erase label it comes with — it's perfect for potlucks or bake sales. Leave it on for hours, and it won't even leak. "There is a condensation collector on the back of the unit to keep from dripping as well! You can remove this at the end and dump out the water," one reviewer wrote (per Presto).

Even better: No matter how hot your crockpot-braised chicken with kimchi and forbidden rice gets, the outside stays cool to the touch. Plus, the swing-up handle makes carrying it from place to place a cinch; most oval slow cookers don't have a large handle. Instead, they sometimes (if you're lucky) have two small handles — one on each side — which makes carrying slightly tricky. And unlike many other pots, it comes with built-in cord storage and a utensil holder that clips into the lid, so you can take everything you need with ease (and you won't have to go looking for your serving spoon when you arrive).

And cleanup? A breeze. As with most slow cookers, the inner porcelain pot is removable, but so is the integrated lid. You can remove the glass to give it a thorough, proper cleaning every time.