Why You Should Never Put Your Crockpot on the Stovetop
Why You Should Never Put Your Crockpot on the Stovetop
Have you ever had a kitchen mishap you still remember clearly? For me, it was the time I accidentally shattered my nearly new glass-top stove by placing a hot lid upside down on it. The sound of glass breaking was unforgettable, and I had no idea that a simple mistake could cause such chaos. That incident made me more cautious with kitchen tools and appliances. It also sparked my desire to learn more about how to use them safely.
But even with this added caution, surprises in the kitchen still happen. Recently, I was browsing a favorite Facebook group for kitchen enthusiasts when I stumbled upon a post that caught my attention. The user shared a photo of her stovetop covered in what looked like chili—so much so that you couldn’t even see the surface of the stove. The story behind the mess was shocking. She had cooked chili in her crockpot for six hours on high but felt it wasn’t done, so she placed the crockpot directly on the burner for an extra hour. When she tried to move the cooled crock to the fridge, the base gave out, and chili spilled everywhere. I could feel her frustration. If that had happened to me, I would’ve cried for hours before even thinking about cleaning it up.
Why You Should Never Put a Crockpot on a Stovetop
What went wrong in her case? Many commenters in the group were quick to point out one crucial mistake: you should never place a crockpot on the stove. But why is that such a big deal?
The answer is simple—crockpots, or slow cookers, are not designed for stovetop use. These appliances are built for slow, low-temperature cooking, perfect for soups, stews, and chili. The ceramic insert inside the crockpot is made to withstand low heat over long periods, but it can’t handle the concentrated, high heat of a stovetop burner. Here’s why:
Why You Should Never Put a Crockpot on a Stovetop
What went wrong in her case? Many commenters in the group were quick to point out one crucial mistake: you should never place a crockpot on the stove. But why is that such a big deal?
The answer is simple—crockpots, or slow cookers, are not designed for stovetop use. These appliances are built for slow, low-temperature cooking, perfect for soups, stews, and chili. The ceramic insert inside the crockpot is made to withstand low heat over long periods, but it can’t handle the concentrated, high heat of a stovetop burner. Here’s why:
Ceramic Construction: Crockpots are usually made of ceramic, a material that can easily crack or break when exposed to sudden changes in temperature. When you place the ceramic insert directly on a hot burner, it’s exposed to heat in a way it wasn’t designed for. Unlike the slow, even heating provided by the crockpot itself, stovetop burners deliver concentrated heat that can quickly overheat and damage ceramics.
Thermal Shock: The rapid temperature increase from the stovetop can cause thermal shock, leading to cracks, fractures, or even the entire base of the crockpot shattering—just like what happened in that messy chili disaster.
To avoid this, always keep your crockpot off the stovetop. Stick to using it as intended, and you’ll save yourself from a big, frustrating cleanup and the risk of damaging your kitchen appliances!