Black And Decker 7 Qt Slow Cooker

The Black+Decker 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker ($69.99 at Amazon) helps you cook delicious meals with minimal effort.
It features a sous-vide function that makes it easy to cook meats to your preferred doneness, and it also functions as a regular slow cooker for soups, chilis, and more.
I have made several things in this slow cooker, including mulled wine, which I was able to warm for eight straight hours.
It is also very sleek-looking, blending in with other stainless steel appliances. That said, if you're looking for a quick turnaround for weeknight meals, we recommend an Instant Pot over a slow cooker.

In today's fast-paced world, it is hardly surprising to hear someone say they don't have time to cook a quality meal for their family. While many may end up eating out or even heading to a drive-thru on busy weeknights, others (myself included) turn to a slow cooker or Instant Pot for the majority of meals.

I use a slow cooker so much that mine was starting to get rusted and was in serious need of replacement. As if Black+Decker somehow knew my plight, they reached out to me at precisely the right time, asking if I would like to try their new 7-quart digital slow cooker that comes with a temperature probe and a sous-vide function to give you delicious meals.

I obliged, threw out my old slow cooker, and have been using the new one for several months. Just like my old one and any slow cooker, making soups, chilis, and nearly anything else you don't mind taking its time to cook is as easy as throwing it in and turning it on. This slow cooker, however, has some definite bonuses I have come to love.

Setting up and using the Black+Decker 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker

First up, there are three heat settings: high, low, and warm. High cooks food in three to four hours, low is eight to nine, and warm is for eight hours or as long as you need it to be. While the settings will automatically go to a certain amount of hours, you can adjust them yourself if you need more or less time.

The 7-quart crock means you can get about eight servings of most meals or have tons of leftovers if you're making food for a smaller crowd. The stoneware crock is also removable, so if you know your food will be eaten quickly and don't need to keep it too warm, you can take it right to the table. Being able to remove it also makes it quite easy to clean.

There is also a built-in lid holder that I have found to be even more useful than I thought it would be. The lid easily fits right on the side, so when I made chili and took it to a party, there was no issue finding a separate place for the lid or asking someone else to hold it when someone was filling their bowl. The lid locks so you don't have to worry about it popping off if you're traveling with it. The crock and lid are both safe to clean in your dishwasher too.

Another bonus is that the slow cooker comes with a recipe book in case you aren't sure how to use the sous-vide function. Sous vide isn't a function offered in standard slow cookers, and it prevents overcooking by heating the water that surrounds the food, bringing it to the desired internal temperature.

What I made using the slow cooker

I first used the slow cooker to make mulled wine, which is as easy as pouring a bottle into the slow cooker and adding some spices. I went for cinnamon sticks and cloves and put it on 'warm' so it wouldn't get too hot. It kept the wine warm, but not so hot that you can't drink it after letting it sit for a minute or two, for a whopping eight hours. It then beeps when it shuts off, and you can turn it back on if you need it warmer for longer.

Next was chili, followed by more mulled wine, and then my very favorite soup made with vegetable broth, tons of veggies, and cabbage. The 7-quart stoneware crock holds even more than you'd think it would, including two full containers of broth, multiple cups of vegetables, and an entire head of shredded cabbage. Even once it all cooked down, I was left with enough soup for a whole week of meals, and all made with about 15 minutes of my time.

The sous-vide function is great for cooking meat

Next came time to try the sous-vide function. As a vegetarian, I likely won't be using this function often, as it's meant more for meat. So, I enlisted my husband to test it out and make sure it works as advertised.

To use the sous-vide function, you arrange single servings of food inside any resealable bag, set the time and temperature based on what you're cooking and the level of doneness you prefer, and then insert the temperature probe into the water. It will then alert you when it has reached the level of doneness, and you're finished.

My husband went with a garlic steak recipe in the recipe book that came with the slow cooker. Not only did the steak turn out tender and delicious (according to him), but it was also easy enough for someone who doesn't exactly cook often. The steak took about an hour to cook this way, so if you need your steaks quickly, cooking them the old-fashioned way in a pan on your stove is probably a better bet. If you want them done with minimal effort and have an hour to wait for them, however, this was as easy as could be.

The bottom line

While I have had no issues with the Black+Decker slow cooker so far, it is important to note that I have found it actually takes less time to cook some foods than the heat settings are set for, as the cabbage soup is ready in about five hours on high instead of the eight hours that setting goes to. It does not overcook the soup, but I would recommend checking it a few times when you're trying a new recipe.

Keep in mind as well that this is a slow cooker, so if you want something cooked quickly, making your meals on the stove or with an Instant Pot might be a better bet.

If you prefer throwing your meal together in a snap and letting it cook over a few hours for things like steak or an entire workday for soup, however, the Black+Decker slow cooker is well worth its $69.99 price tag.

Should you buy it? If you need a slow cooker, but also want one that does a bit more than just make soup, chili, and other usual slow cooker meals, this is an excellent choice.
What are your alternatives? If you don't need all the bells and whistles from this slow cooker, you may want to consider a simpler version as it would be quite a bit cheaper. If you do want the sous-vide function but already have a slow cooker, you can purchase a separate sous-vide precision cooker that attaches to any pot, but it is nearly $30 more than the entire slow cooker.

Pros: Incredibly easy to use, cooks a variety of meals and can make fancier dishes in a short amount of time thanks to the sous-vide function.

Cons: It does cost more than the standard slow cooker, coming in at about $40 more than a similar model from Black+Decker. While it works just fine as a regular slow cooker, if you don't need the sous-vide function or a temperature probe, it's not worth the extra cash, and you can stick with a more basic model.

Kaitlin Gates

Freelance Reporter, Insider Picks

Kaitlin is a freelance multimedia journalist with a background in newspaper and broadcasting. She has a degree in journalism and psychology, enjoys writing, editing, music, and movies/TV. Along with Insider Picks, she also writes for Simplemost and Don't Waste Your Money. When she's not writing, you can usually find her on her yoga mat, whipping up a new vegetarian dish, or at a wine tasting with friends. You can email her atkaitlingateswrites@gmail.comor find her on Facebook atFacebook.com/KaitlinGatesWrites.