My slow cooker's heating element gave out during a big family dinner

It happened about three weeks ago, right when I was trying to make a big batch of pulled pork for my cousin's birthday. I'd had this Crock-Pot for almost a decade, a real workhorse. I prepped everything the night before, dumped it all in that morning on low, and went about my day. Came back eight hours later to a stone-cold pot and raw meat. The little 'on' light was lit, but no heat at all. I had to scramble and order a ton of pizzas, which blew my budget by about $80. It's funny how you just expect these things to keep going forever. I ended up buying a new one with a digital timer, but I miss the simple dial on the old one. Has anyone else had a slow cooker just stop heating, and is it even worth trying to fix?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.nina3mo ago

Actually, that light usually means it's getting power.

charles_kim3mo ago

Wait, that light means it's ON?

dylan_stone331mo ago

Charles I've had that EXACT same thing happen with the light. On my old Crock-Pot the light just meant the cord was plugged in and getting power to the base, not that the heating element was actually working. Pulled pork disaster is the WORST because by the time you realize it's cold you're already committed to feeding everyone. I called around to a few repair shops after mine died and they basically laughed and said the heating element is sealed inside the ceramic so you'd have to crack it open to fix it. For a $40 slow cooker it's just not worth the hassle. The new digital one is fine but I totally get missing that simple dial, the new buttons drive me crazy too.