Hamilton Beach 33967 vs 33969 is a look at “Set’n Forget” programmable slow cookers. Based on my research, these are both great machines with a lot of upside. In fact, slow cookers in general are great low-cost products to keep around as they allow you to make meals a lot more conveniently.
As far back as I can remember, my family has always had a slow cooker. Even going back to my grade school years, I can remember coming home from school and being welcomed by the pleasant aroma of a healthy and delicious meal.
But which of these machines should you choose? Well, below, we’re going to help you out with that. On this page you will find all of details that you need to make the right choice.
Click here to see price for the Hamilton Beach 33967
Click here to see price for the Hamilton Beach 33969
Appearance and Size
To look at these little cookers, you wouldn’t be able to immediately determine the differences between them. At first glance, I could see any differences but then I noticed that the 33967 has a longer lid handle than the 33969. But what advantage, if any, does this provide?
Slow cookers have come a long way from their humbler beginnings – appearance-wise (and programming-wise). Both units are stainless steel and black with a modern look. These two have digital interfaces and LED readouts. There are buttons that you push to do the programming – use arrow buttons to select the temperature or set the tim.
With older models, you’ve probably seen them, there is no digital control panel. And for the temperature, you are usually limited to just three choices; low, medium, and high.
The shape is the same, however.
Performance
The performance with either of these cookers will be better than what you’re used to with those older models. You have many more options with these machines – giving you a lot of flexibility.
Programmable Cooking – Slow cooking is already fast and simple. But when using an older model you don’t have a whole lot of control over the temperature. Some of the most basic models don’t include an auto-shutoff nor a timer. These models are different, however.
Ø The program mode allows you to simply set the amount of time that your food needs to cook, select low or high heat and the slow cooker does the rest (We always use the timer on our stove to keep track of the time).Your food will cook while displaying the heat setting and remaining time. When the cooking is done, your slow cooker will automatically shift to warm – that is a very convenient feature.
Ø The probe mode is perfect for large cuts of meat like brisket, whole chicken, or pot roast. These cuts of meat are best prepared low and slow. In probe mode, you simply insert the probe into the meat and set a temperature. Once the desired temperature is reached the cooker will automatically shift to keep warm. This is a very convenient feature that affords you the freedom to have your meal prepared worry-free. You can be sure that the meat is tender and cooked to your preferences.
Ø The manual mode is what I’m used to. In this basic mode you put the ingredients inside the pot and simply select low or high heat based on what you are cooking. Maybe if you’re experimenting with a dish and you aren’t sure about the times and temperatures needed you would select this mode. Or maybe you just need the slow cooker to warm up a dish and want to keep it set to low.
Capacity
Both of these slow cookers have a 6-quart capacity. Which I think is a great size for medium to large families. You know, maybe 4 to 6 individuals. But this is going to largely depend on your family’s appetite. It could even work well for you if you were cooking in advance and were preparing leftovers.
Get more details on the Hamilton Beach 33967
Get more details on the Hamilton Beach 33969
Very Convenient Features
Both of these slow cookers have some very convenient features that honestly made me want to just throw away our old slow cooker. There are side handles that make both of these units very portable.
But you may notice that the handles are positioned differently on these machines. The handles on the 33967 are a little further away from the cooker and have a fill grip design. In my opinion, this makes the 33967 easier to handle – you won’t have to awkwardly try to hold onto the slow cooker with a towel or oven mitts.
Lids for both crock pots have a hole in them to allow excess steam to escape but it also doubles as a convenient way to probe the meat and check the temperature.
The clip-tight gaskets lock the lid in place making the transport of your cooked meal even easier.
Only the 33967 comes with the clip-on spoon which may not sound like much but it offers yet another layer of convenience. You won’t have to go “where did I put that spoon?” You just clip it back in place when you’re finished and voila, it’s there.
Pros and Cons
These cookers are very similar and because of that a lot of the pros and cons for either machine are going to be the same or similar. Below you will find pros and cons that are the same for each device. But when there is a pro or con that fits only one machine it will be notated in parenthesis.
Pros
- The 6-quart size is the goldilocks’ size – not too big and not too small
- Keep warm is an amazing feature that lots of users love –maybe the best feature
- Snap on lid makes for easy transport
- Large full-grip handles make transport easy – whether it’s across the room or to a party across town (Hamilton Beach 33967)
- It’s easy to program the settings for both of these cookers
Cons
- There may be some off-gassing from the lid lock-down gasket
- Pricier than your run of the mill $20 slow cooker
- There were some users for both that complained that the lid lock-down doesn’t fit well
Summary
When it comes to the Hamilton Beach 33967 vs 33969 slow cooker comparison, I’d go with the 33967. I believe that, while performance will be even for both, there are convenient features on the 33967 that I like. It has the clip on spoon and more importantly full-grip side handles that are larger and placed further away from the unit making it easier to grab and carry.
Hamilton Beach 33967 – Check Price
Hamilton Beach 33969 – Check Price
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