Whether you’re fighting off a cold or just want a warm healthy boost to your day, bone broth is great for your health. Bone broth is made by cooking bones and some meat in water for a long period of time. A slow cooker is the best option for cooking the most delicious bowl of both.
Want the short version? I’m a fan of the Instant Pot.
However, there are a few different types of slow cookers, including stock pots and traditional slow cookers. Each has own advantages and disadvantages for making bone broth, so review some of the top rated of each type after looking through our buying guide.
Self-Cook
Self-cook is one of the most important features to look out for in your new slow cooker, especially for bone broth. It lets you program the machine to simmer the bone broth slowly throughout the day while you go about your business. Make sure there is some sort of safety mechanism or automatic shut off on your slow cooker though, as leaving it alone could be dangerous.
Temperature Controls
Along the lines of safety and programmable features, your slow cooker should also have temperature controls. These should be easy to use and comprehensive. You want as many heat settings as possible so that you can cook your broth at the perfect temperature. Your slow cooker should also have a “keep warm” function so you can keep your broth simmering as you serve and eat it. No body wants the last bowl of cold stew!
Large Size
When cooks make bone broth, especially at home, they make it in large batches to have for the whole season. It is easy to freeze and keeps all of its healthy goodness for months to come. With this in mind, the largest slow cooker you can find is ideal for making big batches of your bone broth.
Material
Your slow cooker should be either stainless steel or aluminum material. Stainless steel is very durable and easy to clean, but aluminum is a great heat conductor. Depending on what’s more important to you, look out for these building materials in the pot part of your slow cooker.
If you’d like, you can also find many slow cookers with a glass top. This is convenient because you can see through the glass to check on the progress of your bone broth without compromising the heating process by removing the lid.
Many slow cookers also have a stoneware insert for easy cleaning and transportation. If this is something you can see yourself using, look for this feature as well.
Making soup later? Here’s my round up of the best Immersion Blender For Soup.
Top Picks: General Slow Cooker
General or multi-purpose slow cookers are a great kitchen tool because you can use them for so much more than bone broth! They’ve become cooking staples for many households while being perfect devices for a healthy batch of bone broth.
Instant Pot DUO60
This slow cooker is a bestseller. The overwhelming majority of people who use it, love it. It combines 7 kitchen functions into one, including a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer, warmer, and more. It also has a 24-hour timer, which is great for broth cooking and has a “keep warm” feature to hold your food at the perfect temperature until you’re ready for serving or storing.
See the Instant Pot at Amazon.
Crock-Pot 7-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker
Crock Pot is a well-known brand of slow cooker, and it more economically priced than the Instant Pot while performing all the functions you need to make delicious bone broth. It has removable stoneware and high and low cooking settings, as well as a warm setting. It’s a basic, simple slow cooker model that will work well in most kitchens.
Top Picks: Stock Pot
Stock pots are another great option for bone broth, as they are specifically designed for making stock and broth. They’re generally larger than general slow cookers and you get to control the temperature as they’re not electric. Just set your stovetop burner to simmer and let your delicious bone broth develop those healthy flavors.
Check out my best Soup Recipes for a Sore Throat.
T-Fal Stockpot
The T-Fal is a large, yet reasonably priced, bestseller for stock pots. It comes in multiple sizes for your own individual needs. It has a glass lid with a vented hole to let steam through and is made out of aluminum for efficient heat conduction. It’s oven safe up to 360º so you can stick the whole thing in the oven if you need to keep it warm. A great feature is its nonstick interior for easy cleaning. It’s also dishwasher safe and has a lifetime warranty.
Here’s the T-Fal Stockpot at Amazon.
Cook n Home Stainless Steel Stockpot
The Cook n Home stockpot is another great option. Made from stainless steel, this stockpot boasts durability and a polished design. It has a useful glass lid along with silicone-wrapped handles for safety and ease of use. It also comes in multiple sizing options (5 to 20 quarts) if you don’t feel the need to make huge batches of broth every time.
Check out the Cook n Home Stockpot at Amazon
Conclusion
Bone broth is a great way to get excellent nutrition from something that some people considered a meal by-product. Using an electric slow cooker or a traditional stock pot is really a matter of personal choice.
For me, I love the versatility of the Insta-Pot. When you’re done making bone broth, you’ve got a whole world of possibilities. And the set-it-and-forget feature means homemade dinner is super easy.
If you’re in need for some inspiration for food, have a look at our list of the best slow cooker recipes. It has a variety and even deserts.
See our list of larger slow cookers for one to help you feed larger groups.
Next, check out my picks for the best Knife to Cut Whole Chicken.
Alexis DeAnda is a food fanatic, library card user, and cast iron hunter, in that order. She has been cooking for anyone that will taste it ever since her mom let her make doughnuts on Saturday mornings at the age of 7.