Slow cookers are great for gently cooking food at just the right temperature, not too hot or too cold. Too hot, and the heat will cook away the nutrients normally retained by the food, too cold, and the food will take longer to cook and may not reach a temperature suitable for consumption.
While too hot is not as big of an issue, a slow cooker not hot enough is quite a concern.
Why doesn’t my slow cooker get hot enough? There are a lot of variables to consider in discovering the cause behind your slow cooker not becoming hot enough. One of those variables could potentially be the fill level of course. Too much or too little food could affect the rise in temperature.
Sometimes having too much food or a high fill level in your slow cooker can cause it to not heat as quickly or as adequately. If the slow cooker is plugged into a working outlet and you’re positive the fill level isn’t to blame for the low temperature, chances are the issue stems from a deeper cause and the electrical components are to blame.
What Affects The Temperature Of A Slow Cooker?
Given that a slow cooker, just like any other type of cooking appliance, is made up of many components, electrical and all, it’s no surprise that there’s a lot that goes into regulating its temperature and more importantly, the right temperature.
With a lot of moving parts and pieces, one mishap could cause the whole slow cooker to stop working properly.
Some of the external and internal variables that affect the temperature of a slow cooker are:
- The fill level or amount of food placed in the slow cooker is more than the recommended amount. Most slow cookers are designed to hold ¾ worth of food.
- How well the lid is sealed could also affect how hot the slow cooker becomes. Lifting the lid up too often causes hot air pressure to escape. If the lid isn’t tight enough the heat could escape this way as well.
- The location of the heating elements i.e., the bottom of the slow cooker or the walls of the slow cooker. Sometimes heating elements located on the bottom of the slow cooker take longer to heat up versus those around the walls of the slow cooker that surround the contents.
- The type of temperature and heating controls on the model of the slow cooker. Some models have continuous heating while others have built-in temperature control.
- The type of food or contents in the slow cooker i.e. whole foods, fatty foods, liquid, etc. Depending on the liquid or fat content of the food placed in the slow cooker, it will heat up at a different rate.
Components Responsible For Your Slow Cooker’s Temperature
In addition to these variables, there are also the actual electrical components that are necessary for creating the perfect temperature in a slow cooker. If the fill level or other minor causes aren’t responsible for your slow cooker not heating up enough, it’s most likely an electrical component that is damaged or not working properly.
Here are some of the main electrical components of a slow cooker:
- Fuse—A thermal fuse or simply on its own, fuse, is responsible for preventing your slow cooker from becoming too hot and overheating. Once the slow cooker reaches a certain high temperature, the fuse turns off the heat as a safety precaution in order to prevent a fire from starting. If the fuse is damaged or has burned out, which is quite common, it may cut off the heat before the slow cooker even reaches a hot temperature.
- Switch—A switch controls the cooking time and temperature of a slow cooker. If the temperature switch is broken, you may not be turning to the temperature you think you are or at all even. Sometimes the control board being broken may cause the switch to not work, however, if the control board is indeed working, the switch or switches may just need to be replaced.
- Control/Circuit Board—The control or circuit board is essentially the hub of all of the electrical components responsible for making the slow cooker perform as expected. Many electronics have a control board, it’s normally that small green box with wire pathways all on it. If this is burned out, the slow cooker will not become hot enough no matter how high you turn the switch.
- Heating Element—The heating element is responsible for the heating of your food. It’s a vital essential to keeping your slow cooker hot, not because it is an electrical component, but more importantly because it is the actual source and creator of hot for your slow cooker. If this is broken, your slow cooker will not be able to produce heat at all.
- Probe—A probe is more or less like a sensor that detects the temperature of the slow cooker as well as the food inside of the slow cooker. If the probe becomes damaged or is broken, it cannot properly detect the temperature of the food and will delay the slow cooker from heating up.
How To Check The Temperature Of Your Slow Cooker
Unless the cause of your slow cooker not heating up enough is clearly evident, it’s hard to tell with a naked eye where the problem is stemming from. If you’re unsure what could be wrong with your slow cooker, you can test the temperature of it by following a few simple steps.
Testing your slow cooker isn’t just to ensure it heats up properly, it’s also super important for making sure that your slow cooker’s function overall is where it needs to be and meets current safety standards for food.
To test your slow cooker’s temperature:
- Fill your slow cooker with water about halfway to the top (the temperature of the water does not matter).
- Turn the temperature or heating switch of your slow cooker to the lowest setting. Place the lid over the slow cooker and let it sit for 8 hours.
- Once the full 8 hours have passed, remove the lid and swiftly check the temperature of the water with a cooking thermometer. The initial temperature of the water should be about 185 degrees Fahrenheit. A temperature slightly higher than 185 degrees is fine, it simply means your slow cooker heats up at a faster rate. However, if the temperature is less than that, it’s indicative of an underlying problem.
“If the temperature is less than 185, however, you should sincerely think about getting rid of your appliance. A slow cooker on low should be about 200 degrees; while the high setting should be 300 degrees.”
Source: How To Test Your Slow Cooker
If the temperature of your slow cooker after this test is less than that of 185 degrees F than all of your instincts suspecting it wasn’t heating up enough were correct after all. If this is the case, you would ultimately be better of replacing your slow cooker.
If a replacement is not an option, refer to the owner’s manual for resources for repair options.
Additionally, you can further explore if a low temperature is caused by an electrical mishap and contact the company that manufactured your slow cooker for more resources and options. It’s recommended in the meantime that you don’t use your slow cooker for safety reasons.
Consuming raw or undercooked food is a health hazard and should be avoided at all times.