Tyler Florence Says Slow Cookers Are “In” for Winter

When catching up with our celebrity chef friends at the recent Food & Wine Classic in Charleston, we asked them about all the latest trends and how they change up their routine as temperatures drop and seasonal produce turns hardier. Tyler Florence told us that he’s all about low and slow for the winter: “Crock-Pots all day. Pressure cookers all day. Braised, yummy, really, really rich meat over buttered noodles, over potato purée, over vegetable purée…that kind of stuff, I absolutely love.” We couldn’t agree more. What’s “out” for winter? “Chili crisp,” says Florence.

Take his advice: Skip the overdone chili crisp and settle in with a slow-cooked, cozy meal. If you don’t love the idea of tending a pot all day, turn to a slow cooker or multi-cooker, like an Instant Pot. Don’t have one yet? We found plenty of Amazon deals on models from top brands like Crock-Pot, Instant Pot, Cuisinart, Ninja, and more. And with savings of up to 50%, you’ll go from sad to satisfied in no time flat.

Best Amazon Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker Deals 

• Replaces 10 Different Kitchen Tools: Ninja Everyday PossibleCooker Pro, 6.5-Quart, $110, originally $130
• 50% Off: Crock-Pot Small 2.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker, $30, originally $60
• Our Favorite Instant Pot We’ve Tested: Instant Pot Pro Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo with Multicooker Lids, $200, originally $270
• Mini Multi-Cooker: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker, $60, originally $90
• High-Tech With a Sous Vide Function: Crock-Pot Programmable 7-Quart Slow Cooker, $120, originally $150

Instant Pot Pro Crisp 11-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Pressure Cooker Combo with Multicooker Lids

While this Instant Pot comes in at a higher price point, it does much more than slow cook. Its 11 cooking functions include pressure cook, air-fry, slow cook, steam sauté, sous vide, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, and warm. If you’re looking for one appliance to do it all, this is your best bet.

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Mini Electric Pressure Cooker

We named this mini, 3-quart Instant Pot our favorite small capacity pressure cooker, the top mini Instant Pot, and the best mini multi-cooker — we like it that much. It’s great for small, cramped kitchens and features many of the settings users love from larger models. Because of its diminutive size, it operates at lower power than larger models and doesn’t excel at searing, but it gets the job done.

Instant Pot Pro Plus Wi-Fi Smart 10-In-1 Pressure Cooker

Get this one if you want a super-smart Instant Pot. It has all the bells and whistles and offers high-powered settings, functioning just as well as a frying pan on the stove when set to sear. It’s simple to set up and the app is intuitive to use, but it’s only worth the — now-discounted — price if you’ll actually use the smart settings.

Chef IQ Smart Pressure Cooker with WiFi and Built-In Scale

This smart option from Chef IQ also features an app with pre-programmed recipes. Its functions can replace multiple other kitchen tools and appliances, like a frying pan, steamer, and pressure cooker. As an added bonus, it includes a built-in kitchen scale that could prove helpful for cooks carefully tracking their diets or precisely testing recipes.

Cuisinart 3-in-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Multi-Cooker

This model is our top slow cooker choice overall. It’s easy to use and has ample capacity for hearty winter meals, including plenty of surface space for searing meats and veggies on the sauté setting. The lid and removable pot are both dishwasher-safe — the only drawback is that the lid doesn’t lock, so it’s not a great option if you plan to travel with it.

Ninja 10-in-1 Everyday PossibleCooker Pro, 6.5-Quart

We dare say this Ninja multi-cooker looks remarkably chic. It’s designed to sit on your countertop without dramatically reducing your available space. It can even replace 10 other kitchen tools like a sauté pan, saucepan, rice cooker, and Dutch oven. This versatile slow cooker is basically like adding an extra burner and oven rack for busy cooking times like the holidays.

Crock-Pot MultiMeal Multicooker and Programmable Slow Cooker with Bake Function

If you’re a meal prepper, we recommend this dual-pot model, which allows you to cook two dishes simultaneously on different settings. Beyond the normal high/low, those settings include sear, rice/steam, warm, and bake. If you’re looking for a slow cooker that will help you consolidate weeknight cooking, this is the one for you.

Crock-Pot Large 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker with Auto-Warm Setting

For an easy-to-use, large-capacity slow cooker, a classic Crock-Pot will get the job done. This is our favorite model for feeding a crowd, but our tests found that the lid didn’t stay perfectly sealed at high temperatures, if that’s a concern for you.

Crock-Pot Small 2.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker

We picked this classic Crock-Pot as the best portable, mini slow cooker. It’s perfect for potlucks, tailgates, and just washing fewer dishes at home. It’s easy to transport, thanks to the locking lid and side handles, but it does take up slightly more storage space than other models with similar capacities.

Crock-Pot Programmable 7-Quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker with Sous Vide

If you’re looking for a Crock-Pot that does more than just low/medium/high, check out this high-tech version. It features a sous vide setting and temperature probe, along with a programmable digital display. Plus, it still has the convenience of dishwasher-safe parts and a locking lid for transport.