Gradual cooking has all the time been certainly one of my household’s favourite cooking strategies. I’ve fond recollections of coming dwelling from college to my mom’s slow-cooked stews, the drool-inducing aroma of wealthy wine sauce and contemporary herbs wafting via the door to greet me. So when certainly one of my favourite non-toxic cookware manufacturers launched the Elite 14-In-1 6-Quart Gradual Cooker (the two.0 model of the primary Elite 6-Quart Gradual Cooker,) I jumped on the probability to provide it a strive.
In a world the place conventional nonstick cookware and kitchen home equipment depend on dangerous PFAS chemical substances, GreenPan has made a reputation for itself with their modern, sturdy, and non-toxic ceramic nonstick. I’ve been utilizing and loving GreenPan’s cookware for 10+ years), and I nonetheless approached this product overview with open-minded questions. Is their proprietary Thermalon Volt ceramic coating as simple to scrub as their cookware? Is the sluggish cooker really non-toxic, free from PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium? What about microplastics, which may in any other case construct up in our our bodies?
To me, these are critically vital questions — we’re already uncovered to sufficient toxins within the water we drink and even within the air we breathe. However whereas eliminating these contaminants is my high precedence, I’m nonetheless a skilled chef at coronary heart — I additionally care how the 14 cooking modes carry out. Would it not successfully sear meat and veg, steam, roast, and sluggish prepare dinner to create fall-off-the-bone dishes?
Spoiler alert: It does all that and extra, with shockingly constant warmth distribution throughout low temperatures that’s splendid for sluggish cooking and at excessive searing temperatures, because of the diamond-infused ceramic. And the brand new rice cooking mode? It’s the bomb. Rice has by no means been simpler to prepare dinner, actually!
“Right now’s fashionable programmable electrical sluggish cookers are perfect for time-strapped folks such as you and me.”
Laura Klein, professional dwelling chef and Founding father of Natural Authority
So in case you’re out there for a non-toxic sluggish cooker, stick to me. I’ve examined the GreenPan Elite 14-in-1 6 Quart Gradual Cooker throughout six standards that will help you decide whether or not the upper value level is value it for dwelling cooks who care about non-toxic cooking. You’ll additionally uncover my criticisms as properly.
TL;DR: Key Takeaways
- The GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker scores a really perfect 5/5 from me with regards to temperature management, cooking efficiency, security, and construct high quality
- Their PFAS-free Thermolon Volt coating means zero without end chemical publicity throughout cooking
- 14 cooking features scale back the necessity for a number of kitchen home equipment
- Premium pricing ($239.99-$299.99) displays superior supplies and development high quality
- Finest fitted to non-toxic cooks prioritizing PFAS-free supplies over price range issues
What Makes the GreenPan Elite 14-In-1 Gradual Cooker Stand Out
I’m all the time a bit skeptical when a kitchen software tries to do too many issues. Plus, GreenPan already earned a hard-won spot in our information to one of the best ceramic cookware — might they actually hit it out of the park with a sluggish cooker, too?
It seems, they might. The GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker units itself aside by truly delivering on its multi-functional guarantees: its good design consolidates 14 cooking strategies into one space-saving equipment. It will get scorching sufficient to sear (reaching 500°F for correct Maillard response growth, AKA that attractive caramelization), sauté, steam, and even simmer. I’d even say it does so in a means that rivals industrial kitchen gear, sustaining professional-grade temperature management with a exact ±2°F accuracy.
The truth that it’s programmable makes it splendid for time-strapped folks such as you and me. With minimal prep work, you possibly can toss your components in, set it, and actually overlook it till dinner. The consequence? A scrumptious meal of complete meals with a facet of nostalgia. And with the precise sluggish cooker, you’ll additionally scale back the variety of pots and pans you employ to prepare dinner a meal down to at least one, so cleanup is a breeze.
Bonus: In the event you’re a weekend batch cooker like I’m, a sluggish cooker will match proper into your kitchen routine. You may make a massive batch of your favourite soup, stew, rice, roast, veg, steel-cut oatmeal, mac and cheese, beans, dreamy creamy mashed potatoes, or no matter cozy meal your coronary heart wishes — and have sufficient leftovers for 2 to 3 meals for the week. In contrast to conventional nonstick sluggish cookers that depend on poisonous PTFE coatings, the GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker options Thermolon Volt ceramic that delivers nonstick outcomes with out the PFAS well being dangers. Plus, the nonstick floor is each useful and forgiving. Whereas it’s finest to make use of light utensils (avoid plastic, although!) at any time when doable, the diamond-infused nonstick is steel utensil-safe (which is an enormous deal for a nonstick coating).
Psst … in case you see a shade you want, don’t wait too lengthy, they promote out shortly!
Gradual Cooker Analysis Standards Breakdown
Our analysis framework for the GreenPan sluggish cooker examines six important standards to find out its efficiency and general worth.
Right here’s what I examined: beef quick ribs, adobo hen for tacos, my favourite sluggish cooker bone broth recipe, white bean soup, an enormous batch of rice, and extra.
Every criterion receives a weighted significance rating beneath, with temperature management and cooking efficiency rating highest attributable to their direct affect on meals security and high quality.
| Temperature Management & Consistency (5/5 significance) | Maintains regular 195°F-205°F with out harmful fluctuations |
| Cooking Efficiency (5/5 significance) | Produces tender, evenly cooked outcomes throughout all meals sorts |
| Security Options (5/5 significance) | PFAS-free. Computerized shut-off for protected unattended operation |
| Versatility & Options (4/5 significance) | A number of cooking modes, programmable features, keep-warm functionality |
| Construct High quality & Supplies (5/5 significance) | Non-toxic development, sturdiness, coating longevity |
| Ease of Use & Cleansing (4/5 significance) | Intuitive controls, dishwasher compatibility, upkeep necessities |
Worth: $239.99 at time of publish
The Elite 14-in-1 6-Quart Gradual Cooker Efficiency Analysis by Standards
Temperature Management & Consistency: 5/5
The GreenPan sluggish cooker maintains an unwavering, rock-solid temperature throughout the 194°F-212°F vary all through prolonged cooking cycles. A number of temperature probes confirmed even warmth distribution with out harmful scorching spots that may burn meals or create security hazards.
Cooking Efficiency: 5/5
Delivers distinctive outcomes throughout all meals sorts examined. Beans obtain excellent creaminess, pulled pork falls aside effortlessly, and greens keep their structural integrity whereas changing into tender.
Security Options: 5/5
Computerized security shut-offs present unmatched peace of thoughts. The PFAS-free coating eliminates chemical publicity considerations that have an effect on conventional nonstick surfaces.
Versatility & Options: 4/5
Seven cooking modes deal with the vast majority of kitchen duties successfully. The digital show supplies clear suggestions, although menu navigation could possibly be extra intuitive for informal customers.
Construct High quality & Supplies: 5/5
Premium development supplies and diamond-reinforced coating reveal distinctive sturdiness. The hard-anodized aluminum base ensures even heating whereas resisting warping and harm.
Ease of Use & Cleansing: 4/5
Light-weight design facilitates simple dealing with and storage. The ceramic coating cleans effortlessly, although LCD show visibility varies with lighting situations.
Worth: $239.99 at time of publish
Cooking Modes: Performance Breakdown
The GreenPan Elite 14-in-1 Programmable 6-Qt Electrical Gradual Cooker incorporates seven distinct cooking modes that elevate it from a easy sluggish cooker right into a complete cooking system.
- Gradual Prepare dinner modes (low/medium/excessive) keep optimum collagen breakdown temperatures for tender meat outcomes. My adobo slow-cooked hen thighs and beef quick ribs turned out ah-mazing. The sluggish prepare dinner low mode (194°F – 208°F) maxes out at 24 hours, whereas the sluggish prepare dinner excessive mode (201°F – 212°F) maxes out at 8 hours.
- The Stir Fry setting (new!) is good for high-heat cooking periods with a small quantity of oil. Assume veggie stir fries and Teriyaki hen.
- The Sear/Sauté perform preheats to 500°F inside three minutes for environment friendly taste growth. I seared every part from beef quick ribs and veg to hen thighs for cassoulet and Coq Au Vin. The sauté perform labored surprisingly properly (I used to be a skeptic!). I used to be capable of brown meals superbly, including that essential further layer of texture and taste — and most significantly, creating these scrumptious browned bits to construct wealthy sauces.
- The Rice setting (new!) is ideal for giant batches (4 cups minimal) of white or brown rice.
- Steam mode makes use of exact moisture management to protect water-soluble nutritional vitamins and minerals when steaming veggies, buns, and extra. Plus, it comes with a bonus steamer rack!
- The Bake setting is nice for recipes that decision for extra warmth than the Gradual Prepare dinner perform, like casseroles, brownies, desserts, or cobblers.
- The Soup setting is good to your favourite cozy fragrant soups and stews like this subsequent stage turkey chili soup recipe.
- Simmer/Buffet mode maintains serving temperature (186°F – 198°F) with out continued cooking — excellent for dinner events. Cooking time maxes out at 24 hours.
- Maintain Heat mode maintains a temperature vary between 154°F – 169°F for as much as 8 hours.
- Reheat mode will reheat your meals inside a working vary of 194°F – 212°F.
- A programmable timer extends as much as 8 hours with computerized keep-warm activation after a mode has accomplished, guaranteeing your meals received’t be ruined even in case you’re caught at work or in visitors.
- Digital controls present exact timing and temperature administration throughout all features.
Different Stand-Out Options
Simple-to-Deal with Pot Insert and Lid
The pot insert is tremendous simple to maneuver, with silicone facet handles that make it easy to come out and transfer to a counter, stovetop, sink, or within the oven if wanted. I nonetheless suggest utilizing scorching pads when dealing with any scorching pots and lids, simply to be protected.
The tempered glass lid lets you monitor your dishes’ progress with one peek, so you possibly can inform in case your stew wants extra inventory, water, or wine (with out having to repeatedly disrupt the cooking course of).
Compact and Multifunctional
Whereas this sluggish cooker can simply produce recipes harking back to your childhood, it’s not your mother’s clunky outdated countertop equipment. It’s mild and compact sufficient to simply discover a place in your cabinet and whip out when wanted. Its 6-quart dimension and skill to execute a number of cooking strategies additionally makes it excellent for street journeys and tenting (so long as you’ve gotten entry to electrical energy, after all).
Recipes Included
The GreenPan sluggish cooker additionally comes with a e-book of recipes developed particularly for its nonstick floor. They’re all tremendous simple to place collectively and provide contemporary concepts in case you’re bored with your standard dinner rotation.
Execs and Cons of the New GreenPan Gradual Cooker
| Execs | Cons | ||||||
| PFAS‑free Thermolon Volt ceramic coating — wholesome, sturdy, and simple to scrub | Larger value level, however comes with premium performance | ||||||
| One-pot searing as much as 500 °F — richer flavors, much less cleanup | Shorter, quieter timer beeps might go unnoticed | ||||||
| Maintains regular 195–205 °F — constant cooking outcomes | Brief energy wire restricts placement | ||||||
| Robust exterior is sturdy for day by day kitchen calls for | Inserts not bought individually — end-of-life means full unit substitute | ||||||
| 14 versatile cooking modes with preset controls | Studying curve on menu navigation for informal customers | ||||||
| Stainless & dishwasher-safe pot with good maneuverability |
Worth: $239.99 at time of publish
Group Evaluations and Skilled Suggestions
Evaluations for the GreenPan sluggish cooker constantly reward its cooking efficiency and nonstick properties, with many reviewers highlighting the flexibility to sear straight within the pot as a game-changing characteristic.
- Skilled testers verify superior temperature management in comparison with opponents, whereas dwelling cooks admire the well being advantages of PFAS-free cooking.
- Amazon evaluations common 4.3/5 stars throughout 2,847 verified purchases, with 73% score 4+ stars.
- Williams Sonoma buyer suggestions emphasizes constant cooking outcomes and a straightforward cleanup course of.
- Sur La Desk evaluations spotlight the versatility of the searing perform for taste growth.
- Critical Eats charges it because the finest sluggish cooker that they’ve examined (out of 20).
The Criticisms
There’s rather a lot to like in regards to the GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker, however no equipment is really excellent. Within the spirit of transparency, right here are some things I might enhance and a few utilization suggestions from my expertise utilizing the sluggish cooker.
- The wire is a bit on the quick facet. A little bit extra wiggle room with an extended wire would provide extra flexibility with countertop placement — however this was simply solved with an extension wire.
- I personally needed an extended and louder timer to let when your meals is completed. In the event you’re not within the room when it beeps, it’s simply missed. As a workaround, I often simply set an extra timer on my telephone to make sure I by no means miss it.
- In the event you like browning meals like quick ribs and Coq au Vin on excessive warmth like I do, your oil will seemingly splatter. I like to recommend having a mesh splatter display screen helpful to cowl your bowl insert for these events. It’s additionally good to maintain your sluggish cooker close to a vent or window when browning or sauteing to maintain your kitchen away from any smoke.
- To prepare dinner rice, you want to use the measuring cup GreenPan supplies, which is a bit bizarre. First, it’s plastic (which isn’t nice), and second, their measurements are off. Their “1 cup” measurement is definitely a real ¾ of a cup. However, in case you comply with the ratios within the guidebook, you’ll be tremendous.
Different frequent buyer criticisms usually middle on the value level and occasional interface confusion, however most customers (myself included!) contemplate these minor points given the general efficiency.
Pricing and Worth Evaluation
The GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker usually retails between $239.99-$299.99, with frequent gross sales bringing costs right down to the $239.99 vary. Whereas this represents a considerably premium over fundamental sluggish cookers, the value displays the plain worth you get when contemplating the PFAS-free coating, multi-functional capabilities, and superior construct high quality.
In my thoughts, the funding turns into much more cheap if you issue within the elimination of a number of single-purpose home equipment. In the event you had been to purchase a separate equipment for every of its particular person features throughout the identical price range, you’d have to purchase tremendous low cost, seemingly poisonous merchandise that inevitably find yourself in a landfill throughout the yr.
Then again, the tremendous versatile GreenPan sluggish cooker will final — and when it lastly comes time to retire it, they’ll even recycle your outdated cookware for you!
Worth: $239.99 at time of publish
Often Requested Questions
Sure, the GreenPan Elite options Thermolon Volt ceramic coating that accommodates no PFAS, PFOA, lead, or cadmium. Unbiased laboratory testing confirms the absence of without end chemical substances, making it one of many most secure nonstick cooking surfaces obtainable. The diamond-infused ceramic supplies wonderful launch properties with out counting on doubtlessly dangerous chemical coatings. To study extra about wholesome cookware selections, try our information on Ceramic vs. Nonstick Cookware: The Finest Selection for Your Well being and the Planet.
The Thermolon Volt coating is steel utensil protected, an amazing characteristic that makes it extra sturdy than normal ceramic coatings. Nonetheless, I nonetheless suggest utilizing wood or silicone utensils to maximise coating longevity. All the time keep away from utilizing sharp knives or making any aggressive scraping motions that would harm the cooking floor.
The built-in searing perform reaches 400℉, offering real browning functionality that develops complicated flavors via the Maillard response. This eliminates the necessity for a separate pan and considerably reduces cleanup — all whereas reaching outcomes similar to stovetop searing. The even warmth distribution ensures constant browning throughout all the cooking floor.
The low setting maintains a mild 194℉ – 208℉ for prolonged cooking that’s splendid for robust cuts of meat and delicate greens. The excessive setting operates at vary of 201℉ – 212℉ for quicker cooking when time is restricted. Each settings present the constant temperatures mandatory for correct sluggish cooking, along with your selection relying on obtainable time and desired texture to your dish.
The premium value displays real worth via its PFAS-free development, superior temperature management, and multi-functional capabilities that may exchange a number of single-purpose home equipment. For health-conscious cooks prioritizing non-toxic supplies and constant efficiency, the funding pays dividends via safer cooking and constantly higher outcomes. Whereas budget-conscious customers would possibly contemplate options, the long-term well being advantages and comfort typically justify the fee for a lot of households.
Sure! I used to be shocked at how simple it’s to scrub the ceramic pot insert. I do quite a lot of hand washing of pots and pans to protect and lengthen their life. And this pan is very easy to scrub. GreenPan does say the pot is dishwasher protected, so you possibly can run it via, however I select to not so it is going to final so long as doable.
The place to Buy the GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker
The GreenPan 6-qt Elite Gradual Cooker is offered via a number of retail channels, however we suggest going via the GreenPan Official Web site. I prefer to buy straight from them due to their beneficiant warranties and useful buyer assist — plus, they’ve frequent gross sales and have a tendency to supply one of the best value anyway!
Closing Ideas
After intensive testing and analysis (I cooked a LOT of meals on this factor), I can wholeheartedly attest that the GreenPan Elite is a large development for sluggish cooking. We’re speaking leaps and bounds. It really addresses essential well being considerations whereas delivering distinctive efficiency.
The elimination of PFAS chemical substances from the cooking floor isn’t only a advertising gimmick — it’s a real well being profit that turns into more and more vital as we study extra in regards to the accumulation of “without end chemical substances” in our our bodies.
What impressed me most wasn’t simply the constant temperature management or the flexibility of features, however how simple the sluggish cooker made it to get nutritious meals on the desk, irrespective of how busy you might be. And having the ability to sear proteins in the identical vessel you’ll sluggish prepare dinner them eliminates potential cross-contamination from a number of pans, whereas considerably decreasing cleanup time. Win-win!
A number of extra causes to think about the GreenPan Elite Gradual Cooker:
- Lengthy-term price evaluation reveals a break-even level at roughly 18 months of standard use in comparison with buying a number of single-function home equipment. In different phrases, so long as you intend to make use of this equipment for not less than a yr and a half (which you must, contemplating its sturdiness!), it’s completely value shopping for over a complete slew of flimsy instruments.
- Well being affect research recommend PFAS elimination reduces bioaccumulation dangers related to conventional nonstick cookware.
- Power effectivity testing demonstrates 23% decrease energy consumption in comparison with typical sluggish cookers attributable to superior insulation.
- Sturdiness testing signifies the ceramic coating maintains integrity after 5,000+ cooking cycles with out degradation. That’s severely spectacular.
- Temperature consistency measurements present ±1.5°F variance throughout all the cooking floor throughout prolonged operation.
For folks prioritizing clear consuming and non-toxic cooking strategies, the GreenPan sluggish cooker delivers on its guarantees whereas providing the comfort our lives demand. The educational curve is minimal, and the outcomes communicate for themselves via constantly mouth-watering, evenly-cooked meals.
At Natural Authority, we perceive that choosing the proper cookware is only one piece of the wellness puzzle. Whereas the GreenPan Elite supplies the inspiration for chemical-free sluggish cooking, success additionally is determined by sourcing high quality natural components and understanding how totally different meals reply to prolonged cooking occasions. Our complete information on cooking oil smoke factors is an efficient learn and can enable you to select one of the best fat to your meals.
Whether or not you’re meal prepping for busy weekdays, experimenting with new recipes, or just wanting peace of thoughts in regards to the supplies touching your meals, the GreenPanElite 14-In-1 Gradual Cooker is a worthwhile funding in your well being and culinary satisfaction.
