Today on my Mommy of a Monster Facebook page I asked: Do you call it a slow cooker or a crock pot? because I know many people use the terms interchangeably. Almost everybody responded that they called it a crock pot. But what’s the difference between a crockpot and a slow cooker anyways? Is there a difference?

One responder said: I try to say slow cooker because Crock pot is the brand name. Slow cooker is what it is.

Another said this: Crock pot. Isn’t a slow cooker what is used for canning? I don’t think they’re the same thing.

Well to clear things up, I thought I’d share what I found out. Yep, there is a difference between a crock pot and a slow cooker.

What’s The Difference Between a Crock Pot and a Slow Cooker?

I found some great information about the difference between the two – here are some of them.

A crock pot is actually a type of slow cooker, so they are very similar, but not all slow cookers are also crock pots. A crock pot is a type of slow cooker with a stoneware pot that sits inside a surrounding heating element. A slow cooker is a usually metal pot that sits on top of a heating surface. Slow cookers often allow a cook to remove the pot and then use the heating surface below to fry foods on.

According to eHow: The history of slow cookers started with a bean cooker in 1970. The brand expanded its cookbook to include many dishes. The company redesigned its bean cooker by reshaping it, adding handles and a glass lid. It was given the registered trade name, “Crock-Pot,“ which is now sold under the “Rival“ brand name. Over the years, “crockpot“ became a generic term often used when referring to any type of slow cooker.

So when we all call it a crock pot, it’s technically like calling all tissues Kleenex.

Difference Between A Crock Pot and a Slow Cooker

Crock Pots

Crock pots have heating elements on the bottom and sides of the crock (usually ceramic), with a glass lid, and a oval or round heating element that the crock sits in. Crock pots usually only have a high and low setting, as well as a “keep warm“ setting. Crock pots cook at very low temperatures which allows you to use less expensive cuts of meat that will come out tasting amazing and just fall apart after being cooked for a long period of time at a low temperature.

Slow Cookers

Slow cookers only have a heating element on the bottom. They consist of a glass lid, a pot, and a heating element (like a hot plate). Slow cookers have different temperature settings, notated by numbers one through five. Slow cookers cook meats and food more slowly than a crock pot unless the food is cut into small pieces, allowing the food to cook more quickly. The cooking heat doesn’t cook continuously like a crock pot – it runs in cycles, rotating on and off. And the heating element can be used as a griddle, which makes slow cookers more versatile in the kitchen.

So there you have it, and now you know the difference between a crock pot and a slow cooker. A crock pot is a type of slow cooker, but a slow cooker isn’t always a crock pot.

And here’s a crock pot tip for you: Jason hates when I don’t brown the meat before putting it in the crock pot. But if you add butter and paprika to chicken before putting it in the slow cooker, it will create it’s own brown color while cooking.

I absolutely love my crock pot, and use it a lot. For crock pot recipes the whole family will love, check out my crock pot recipes here on my blog or my Crock Pot Cooking on Pinterest.