What are the top brands of slow cookers?

Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day and CNET consistently list Crock Pot, Hamilton Beach and Cuisinart as the top brands of slow cookers. Lists of brand ratings, features tested, cooking results and opinions are available on the websites.

While slow cookers range from $40 to $250, Consumer Reports quit rating slow cookers on price because results showed it didn't necessarily reflect overall cooking performance; instead, a slow cooker buying guide is maintained on the website. Listed as the most important features were programmable or mechanical cooking controls, insert composition for reheating or multipurpose use, ease of cleaning, lid construction, capacity and shape.