Hamilton Beach 7 Quart Slow Cooker vs Crock-Pot 3-Quart Manual Slow Cooker

Buy the Hamilton Beach 7-quart if you cook for a family or want to set a time and walk away. Its programmable timer shifts to keep-warm on its own, and the lid strap makes it a real travel cooker. The Crock-Pot 3-quart is the simpler, smaller choice for singles, couples or dips and sides. Owners of both praise the stoneware and easy cleanup; the Hamilton Beach draws more complaints about the lid fit and its 220-volt cord, while the Crock-Pot has no timer at all.

• Choose the Hamilton Beach 7-quart if you want a set-and-forget timer, a keep-warm mode and a lid strap for carrying it to potlucks.
• Choose the Crock-Pot 3-quart if you cook smaller batches and prefer a plain high/low/warm dial with nothing to program.