I’ve been meaning to write this post for a while now. This post has its roots in an e-mail I received from a reader a couple of weeks ago. According to her, the outside of her slow cooker had gotten noticeably hotter over the last months and now she felt unsafe leaving her slow cooker unattended as she had done before.
I set out to do some research, hoping I could provide some clarity on the subject.
Alright, let’s get to it.
Should my slow cooker get hot on the outside? To help the slow cooker distribute the heat properly, it has heating elements installed around its sides. These elements are often placed between the inner and outer casing. When the heating unit reaches high temperatures, the exterior is affected to some extent, and that’s almost inevitable. The outer parts are oftentimes made of metal, which conducts heat very well.
So, it isn’t rare for a slow cooker to get really hot on the outside.
With that said, should we really burn our fingers every time we touch our slow cooker and how dangerous is the increased temperature?
If you’re looking to upgrade or purchase a new slow cooker, take notice: The Hamilton 33265 slow cooker comes with a cool-surround feature which keeps the sides from getting hot. The Hamilton comes at an affordable price on Amazon.
As it turns out, many users claim that their slow cooker’s exterior reaches unbearable temperatures when cooking. Older models, made in the 1990s don’t get hot on the outside, but many newer models do – the question is; are they still safe to use?
How Hot Should My Slow Cooker Get?
I got in contact with the company that manufactured my slow cooker and asked them. They advised me to do the water test to measure the inside temperature of my slow cooker during a cooking cycle. I did the test, which is done in two simple steps;
- Set the slow cooker to cook on low for 5 hours
- Measure temperature
The cooker should measure temperatures around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Which it did.
Now, this may not be true for the cooker you’re using as I was guided by the company that manufactured the slow cooker I currently use.
Apparently, it is totally normal for a slow cooker to get really hot on the outside, therefore, the cooker has to be placed on a foundation that can handle the heat.
Where Should I Place My Slow Cooker & What Should I Place Under My Slow Cooker?
Considering that slow cookers are meant to run for a long time, and sometimes without supervision, it is important to be aware of the cooker’s surroundings. You must be careful of where you place the cooker, but more importantly; what other items you put close to your slow cooker as they may melt once the slow cooker reaches its peak.
I’ve heard of people placing their slow cookers on laminate countertops, near plastic bottles, or close to other items that don’t handle heat too well. This has, in turn, caused countertops, bottles, or whatever it may be to melt and fuse to the slow cooker’s exterior.
You have to make sure that your cooker is placed somewhere safe. Read the manual provided by the manufacturer to find the general guidelines for the appliance. In addition to anything written in the instruction manual, I would focus on the following when handling a slow cooker:
- The area: Make sure that there’s enough space between the slow cooker and any nearby items when cooking.
- The counter: The slow cooker’s base may get very hot during a cooking cycle (this varies from cooker to cooker). Exposing your counter to that kind of heat for several hours can damage it. This can be countered by placing a heatproof tray under your slow cooker.
- The family: Yes, your family is part of the equation. If you have kids at home, make sure that they are either a) aware of the slow cooker and the risks or b) unable to reach it.
- The hands: Get a pair of silicone mitts and have them ready whenever you’re handling your slow cooker. Accidentally touching a hot slow cooker’s exterior can be extremely painful.
In addition to a heatproof tray, a slow cooker can also be placed on:
- Pot Holders
- The stovetop
- Wooden cut board
- Baking sheet
If you’re leaving your cooker unattended an entire evening, I would use the stovetop. It’s originally made to withstand the heat, the spilled food, and the moisture – this makes it the ideal place to put your slow cooker. And, unlike your counter, it won’t be stained or damaged by the heat of the cooker.
Do Slow Cookers Heat Up The Kitchen?
Have you ever experienced a heated kitchen on a hot summer day in a small apartment, with few windows and little-to-no wind? Trust me, it isn’t a nice experience. With the slow cooker, this isn’t as much of a problem though.
No matter how you choose to cook your meal, there has to be heat involved. This heat will, to some extent, escape the oven, pot, slow cooker, air fryer or whatever it may be. How effectively your kitchen is heated depends on the size of the room, the appliance, the outside temperature, and probably a bunch of other things too.
So, if the oven, which only runs for about an hour, heats up the house, won’t the slow cooker (on a cooking cycle of 8-12 hours) turn my kitchen into a sauna?
I fully understand why you would think that, but that isn’t the case, for most slow cookers at least. Because slow cookers operate at quite low temperatures for long periods of time, the indoor temperature isn’t affected by that much. The overall change in temperature should be countered by just opening a window.
Is It Ok To Put a Slow Cooker on a Granite Countertop?
My slow cooker has been used repeatedly on our granite countertop since we installed it 2 years ago, and to be honest, there’s no way you could tell that I’ve been slow cooking on the exact same spot (I don’t know how many times..).
The slow cooker’s feet provide enough elevation to keep the cooker’s base from getting in contact with the granite countertop – this reduces the amount of heat transferred from the cooker to the granite.
Yet, there’s always a risk with stone products and heat. When natural stone is exposed to heat, the thermal shock may cause the stone to crack. However, this isn’t as harmful as it sounds when slow cooking.
Why?
Because thermal shock cracking is more likely to happen when a stone product (counter) comes in immediate contact with an item that is already extremely hot – which creates a large temperature difference between the item and the stone. This is not the case when cooking in a slow cooker as the temperature change is gradual.
Another thing that can cause your granite to crack under thermal shock is the condition of your granite countertop. If scratched or damaged, the granite may not be able to withstand the stress caused by the immediate heat.
But if you feel insecure about slow cooking on Granite, why risk it? Placing your slow cooker on a silicone trivet is enough. Silicone trivets are available on Amazon for a very small sum.
I was curious to see what the rest of the slow cooking community had to say about granite countertops. The general consensus seems to be that slow cooking on granite is safe and people have done it successfully without placing anything under their cooker.
Conclusion: Should a Slow Cooker Get Hot On the Outside?
The answer to this question is simple; yes, many slow cookers do get hot on the outside – all models don’t. Use the proper tools and apply safety measures when you’re handling your slow cooker and you should be fine. I hope this has helped you. Thank you for reading.