Can You Put a Crock Pot on the Stove? (Why or Why not?)

Crock Pots don’t come cheap, and nobody wants their Crock Pot (perhaps filled with a delicious batch of chili) to explode all over their kitchen. Can you put a Crock Pot on the stove?

It depends on the kind of Crock Pot you have. If it’s a non-electric Dutch oven made entirely of cast iron, you can. If it’s an electric slow cooker Crock Pot, you may be able to put the inner bowl on the stove if it’s stainless steel or aluminum. You can’t put any Crock Pot stoneware on the stove. 

Which Crock Pots can be used with the stove?

The brand Crock Pot was launched more than half a century ago. This means there are far too many models of Crock Pot to list here. However, whether a particular model can be used on the stove or not is largely dependent on the material it is made from. 

Cast iron Dutch ovens

Crock Pot makes some rather lovely (non-electric) cast iron Dutch ovens. These are absolutely fine to go on your stove and of course in the oven too.

Slow cookers with stainless steel inners

Obviously, you can’t put the exterior electronic part of the slow cooker on the stove (unless you want a complete disaster in your kitchen), but it should be fine to use the stainless steel inner bowl on the stove. To be safe, you should read the user guide and find out if stovetop cooking is mentioned.

Slow cookers with aluminum inners

Same deal as slow cookers with stainless steel inners—it should be fine to put the aluminum inner bowl on the stove. But it’s best to find this in writing in the user guide.

Which Crock Pots (and components) can’t be used with the stove?

Please don’t set your Crock Pot on fire.

All electrical exteriors

It should go without saying (but we’ll say it just in case) that you can’t put the electrical component of Crock Pots on the stove. 

Slow cookers with stoneware/ceramic interiors

Many Crock Pots have a ceramic inner bowl. While some report having used this bowl on the stove and getting away with it, it’s not recommended. The bowl is not designed to withstand such high direct heat concentrated in one area. While you usually can use the ceramic bowl in the microwave and oven, don’t risk it on the stove. It will eventually end up shattering.

Conclusion

Can you put a Crock Pot on the stove? Maybe. Most Crock Pots really aren’t designed with stovetop cooking in mind, with the exception of the brand’s cast iron Dutch Ovens. While you may be able to use some Crock Pot inner bowls on the stove, it’s not guaranteed unless you can find it in writing in your user guide.

It may simply be best to brown or sear food on the stove in another pan before transferring it to the Crock Pot. Yes, it’s one more dish to wash up, but you have the peace of mind that you won’t damage your Crock Pot.