I've got 2. One is the round vintage orange Sunbeam brand that I picked up for $7 at a second hand store. The other is a larger oval Rival brand, which is good for cooking large roasts, etc.

I can't imagine a slow cooker damaging granite. Good heavens I use ours on our countertop which is just regular laminate. They just don't get that hot, which is the purpose of slow cooking.

Raven will pipe in and mention her love of her Aroma cooker. It's a roaster and slow-cooker all in one. Other people love the Nesco cooker. I'm not familiar with that one.

I have several crockpot/slow cookers. They are basically the same thing...The rival costs next to nothing and is just as good as the more expensive. I can't imagine the need for a fancy computerized (expensive) cooker. I use mine all the time...

Any crock pot is fine, just pick the size you need. They work the same way. Very easy to use and you can even buy liners for easy clean up. If you want some good recipes go to Pinterest

You don't need a crock pot for slow cooking. You can do it in a warming drawer or in an oven that sets to a low enough temperature. Crock pots were invented for making cholent, bean stew to eat at midday on the Jewish Sabbath when no cooking was allowed that wasn't started before sundown the night before. Home ovens at the time crock pots were invented couldn't do a low enough temperature. The tradition started in Europe and the Middle East, where the bean pot would be put in the large community or bakery oven (usually stone or clay) before the Sabbath started, where the fire would have been banked or let go out. They'd fetch the beans home after morning services. The crock pot didn't go above the temperature allowed for opening and closing (usually 140°, though sometimes there was also a higher temperature).

Modern crock pots work at a much higher temperature than the old ones. When the old ones were marketed to housewives in the '70's, for instance, the idea was to fill it before leaving for work and have dinner ready 8-10 hrs. later. The government got involved however because you really have to have it going that long to raise the temperature of the contents into the safe range for long enough to preclude a bacteria problem. Not that there were lots of people getting sick from undercooked slow cooker stew. It's just something the U.S. government does.

This being the case, the old recipes don't work with the new slow cookers without a major reduction in time, and most recipes are 4-5 hrs. rather than 8-10, which means having a timer becomes essential.

Unfortunately, there is such a thing as a bad slow cooker. I own one. I would recommend a round rather than oval, unless you specifically want the shape for shanks or ribs or something. Also, get one where the crock is fully surrounded by the unit, but still lifts out easily. Some have temperature dials. The ones with Low/High use a variation in wattage so high gets to the cooking temperature faster, but it's the same maximum temp. Some, nowadays, have a keep warm setting (165° or so) which is closer to the old "low" and what some people use with their old recipes. If you want to see what temperature you're really getting, heat a crock full of water for an hour or two and check it with thermometer a couple of times, 15 min. apart. When you have two readings the same, that should be the normalized cooking temperature.

Another alternative is sous vide. There are relatively inexpensive immersible units nowadays where you use your own pot and water, so have a fairly small item to store. It will hold a precise and constant temperature much better and for much longer. There might be some adjustment to be made to some of the recipes, with it though. A taller, deeper pot, like the crock of a slow cooker, would be best for sous vide, but you could also use a large pickle jar. If you did this, then you could also play with standard sous vide vacuum sealed cooking as well. :)

As Jas said I will sing the praises of the Aroma multi cooker. It does slow cooking, fast cooking, saute and brown all in the same pot and does wonderful steamed food and vegetables. I just got my new one at Costco for about half price. I highly recommend a multi cooker, one device that does many jobs well. It is a cool to the touch cooker so definitely won't damage anything. I will get a link for you. I posted a whole bunch of recipes not long ago for my aroma cooker.

Link about the aroma.

By the way I have not used an actual crock pot with a crock for years, too hard to clean.

Thanks everyone!

I used my West Bend bean pot style slow cooker for decades, long after the porcelain finish inside was stained and looking worn. I'd begun doing research on the newer versions and kept finding the same warning, they all cook hotter.

I ended up with a Fagor multi cooker and use it all the time - I probably enjoy it more than any other single appliance in my kitchen. I brown, slow cook, and pressure cook in it, super easy to set timing, and just as easy to clean when finished, would really hate to be without it now. It will hold on 'warm' after cooking time has finished, but truthfully, I haven't found it overcooks foods using my old recipes. (two settings for slow cook - slow, and slower ;))

It's 6 qt, seems to be a good size for us. For larger things, I've got a Nesco roaster and that's where the holiday ham went that needed a full 8 hours at 275F according to the meat market it was shipped from (gift). The Fagor wasn't inexpensive, but worth every penny in my kitchen.

I got my first Crock Pot in 1977 and had it for about 20 years then somehow it got a crack in the ceramic 'pot'. It was the old fashion round one. I was a vegetarian then and made all kinds things in it including the best rice pudding. I replaced it with an oval one. I don't think the oval one cooks as well as the old round one did. It is the basic model with high, low and warm. I still use it at least one a week on average, Now though it is to slow cook roasts after browning them in a frying pan. DH loves sauerbraten cooked that way.

I have a Rival Select Crock Pot that is over 20 years old. I have never had a problem with it. I prefer using the Low temp and leaving it all day. That way I put everything in in the morning and it is ready at dinner. And if I don't get to it for another hour or two, it's no problem. It is great for stews and soups especially. There are cookbooks out there with good recipes. My favorite is Fix It and Forget It. I use it all the time. It's inexpensive and low tech. My kind of appliance. :) Oh, and I usually put it on a wooden cutting board on top of my laminate counter. It doesn't get too hot, but I just like having the cutting board there.

I use mine both when we're away and when we're home. It's nice having it cook while we're doing other things around here.

Pork and beef roasts, chicken, stews, chili, all come out great.

I have a Hamilton Beach double dish slow cooker. You can use it like a regular slow cooker or cook two separate recipes in the removable dishes. It has high, low and keep warm settings. I'm not sure of the size but I cooked a large turkey breast in it last Thanksgiving. I usually set it on top of my stove when I use it. Just a handy spot for it.

A slow cooker. Reasons: easier to clean. Bigger cuts of meat fit better. They travel better (great for ...bring a dish). Easier to adjust normal recipes.

A "Crock-Pot®" is a slow cooker. They are the same thing. "Crock-Pot®" is simply a trade name for Jarden's (formerly Rival) product.

I had 2 or 3 of them and threw them out when I got the Nesco cookers. With the crackpot, I got the choice of off, low (which didn't get things hot) or high (which boiled everything). With the electric roaster, I can select the temperature I want from warm to baking temperatures and if it's a bit too high or low, I can adjust it. I can't understand why anyone would buy a slow cooker these days. Plus the roasters are usually cheaper than than the slow cooker. For me, it's a no-brainer as they say.

I have one of the roasters too but it's way big for general daily cooking. I use it when we have big parties or need to cook a whole turkey or ham or giant roasts. I have made big batches of gumbo for a crowd. I have a 3 compartment server and warmer that fits on top of the roaster.