- Experts agree it’s safe to leave a slow cooker on while you’re away, as long as it’s in good condition.
- Keep the slow cooker clear of flammable items, don’t lock the lid while cooking and avoid overfilling.
- Newer models with auto shut-off and “keep warm” features add extra safety when cooking unattended.
The slow cooker is a true kitchen workhouse. You can break it out to braise a chuck roast, to make a hearty soup or when you want to avoid turning on the stove during the hottest parts of the year. It brings a meal together almost effortlessly. The ability to “set it and forget it” is what makes a slow cooker so appealing—but can you truly leave it on unattended?
We spoke to several fire safety and product experts to get their take, and as it turns out, slow cookers have an incredibly low fire risk, making them one of the few appliances you can leave on when you’re not home.
Is It Safe to Leave Your Slow Cooker On When You’re Not Home?
All three experts we spoke with confirmed that it is totally safe to leave your slow cooker on while you’re out of the house, so long as it’s in proper working order. “The beauty of cooking with a slow cooker is that it uses low wattage that ramps up heat over a longer period of time,” explains Paula Pennington, a senior product manager at Hamilton Beach Brands who oversees their slow cooker division.
Steve Lockwood, a Phoenix-based fire safety inspector and the owner of Mountain State Fire Protection, added that as long as the plug and cord are in good condition with no exposed wiring and all the buttons work, your slow cooker is safe to leave cooking even when you’re not home. “Slow cookers are meant to be turned on and forgotten about when you leave your home,” he says.
And while cooking is the leading cause of house fires in the U.S., resulting in an average of 138,212 fires annually, slow cookers cause only an average of 231 fires a year, or less than 1 percent of cooking fires. That statistic illustrates the low fire risk they represent, says Susan McKelvey, a spokesperson for the National Fire Protection Association.
Safety Tips for Leaving Your Slow Cooker Unattended
While the fire risk from leaving your slow cooker on while you head to work or run errands is low, it’s not non-existent. “All cooking appliances that generate heat need to be used with caution in mind,” McKelvey says. “For slow cookers, that means making sure it’s in good working order, following the manufacturer’s instructions for usage and care and keeping it well away from anything that can burn when it’s in use.”
Beyond keeping it clear of objects it could burn, like a kitchen curtain or dish towel, you’ll also want to make sure the slow cooker is placed in a spot where it won’t get bumped. If the lid is dislodged, the liquid inside the slow cooker might boil away, and that’s when a fire could occur.
Pennington adds that if your slow cooker comes with a locking lid for transportation, you shouldn’t use the lock while cooking. While it may seem like a smart way to keep the lid from coming off, this can result in excess pressure building up in the slow cooker, potentially damaging your machine or even causing an explosion.
You should make sure to not overfill your slow cooker, which can not only cause a big mess in your kitchen but potentially lead to food cooking unevenly or not being cooked to the proper temperature.
Features to Look For in a Slow Cooker
If you are in the market for a slow cooker and plan to use it while you’re away from home, our experts recommend that you keep an eye out for some key features. A programmable slow cooker with an automatic “keep warm” option will ensure that your meal doesn’t overcook; these slow cookers will automatically switch to their “warm” function after cooking for a set number of hours. Even better, some models have a thermometer probe that fully control the cook mode, switching to “keep warm” once your dish reaches the desired temperature. These programmable models will frequently shut off automatically after their default total “on” time is reached, once your slow cooker has been on for a total of 12 to 24 hours (including the “cook” and “keep warm” cycles).
If you have an older model of slow cooker that doesn’t have these features, you can still use your slow cooker when you’re away from home. Just bear in mind that you’ll need to be more diligent about getting back in time to turn your cooker off. While it might be tempting to pair your slow cooker with a smart plug, Pennington recommended against it. “We advise against using plug adaptors. The appliances have a polarized plug that should be plugged directly into a polarized outlet.”
The Bottom Line
Fire experts say you can truly “set and forget” your slow cooker, as long as your machine is in good working order. Before you leave a slow cooker on while you’re out of the house, you’ll want to make sure the cord has no fraying, the plug isn’t damaged and all the buttons are functioning properly. Set up the slow cooker away from any other objects, like dish towels or kitchen curtains, and do so in a place where it’s not going to be bumped or knocked into. (The lid coming off is the biggest fire risk.)
If you plan to use a slow cooker while you’re away from home, look for models with programmable features and auto-shutoff functionality. If your slow cooker doesn’t have those features, you can still leave it on while you’re away from home, just be diligent about getting back to the house to turn it off when the cooking time is up. Don’t use a smart plug or outlet with your appliance—it should be plugged directly into a polarized outlet.
