Are Old Crock Pots Safe to Use? Check the Plug Date First

Usually, yes. A factory-made crock pot with an unbroken glaze and a base that heats properly is a safe thing to cook in, even if it is twenty years old. The risk most people worry about, lead in the glaze, is real for some pottery, but the federal government's own warning list points mainly at handmade, antique, chipped and brightly coloured pieces, not everyday factory slow cookers.

The bigger surprise is a different one. Between them, two recalls from 2003 and 2005 covered about 5.3 million slow cookers whose base handles could snap while full of hot food. Many of those cookers are still sitting in cupboards, thrift stores and holiday hand-me-down boxes, and one of them can be identified in ten seconds by a date stamped on the plug.

An old crock pot is usually fine. Check three things: the plug's date, the glaze, and the heat.

With Thanksgiving less than three weeks away and slow cookers coming out of storage across DC, Maryland and Virginia, here is how to run those checks.

Are old crock pots safe to use?

A slow cooker has three parts that age differently, and each one needs its own check:

• The base and handles. This is the electrical part with the heating element and the handles you lift it by. The recalls below were about this part.
• The ceramic insert. This is the glazed stoneware bowl. Lead questions are about this part.
• The heat. A cooker that no longer gets hot enough is a food-safety problem, not a fire or lead problem.

If all three pass, age on its own is not a reason to throw a cooker out. If any one fails, the fix might be as simple as a replacement part, or it might mean the cooker is done.

Was my old Rival Crock-Pot recalled?

Possibly. In July 2005 the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced an expanded recall of about 2.6 million Rival Crock-Pot slow cookers. The handles on the base could break and spill hot contents. CPSC had 126 reports of broken handles, including 33 people who reported burns.

The recall covered these model numbers: 3040, 3735, 5025, 5070 and 5445. The model number is on the UL label on the bottom of the base.

The quickest check is the plug. According to the recall notice, a four-digit date code is stamped on the side of one prong. The first two digits are the week and the last two are the year. Any plug from 0199 (the first week of 1999) through 3504 (the 35th week of 2004) is covered by the recall or the earlier one it expanded. So a prong reading 2203 means the 22nd week of 2003, and that cooker is covered if it is one of the listed models.

The remedy was a free replacement base, not a refund. CPSC's notice tells owners to stop using the cooker and contact the company for instructions.

Were Hamilton Beach slow cookers recalled too?

Yes. In July 2003, Hamilton Beach and Proctor-Silex recalled 2.7 million slow cookers for the same kind of problem: base handles that could break and spill hot food. The company had about 4,700 reports of broken handles, and two people needed medical attention for burns.

These models were sold from January 1999 through December 2002 and hold 3.5 to 6.5 quarts. Look on the bottom for the model number and a series code from A to D.

The remedy here was also a replacement base. CPSC's page for this recall shows the company's recall hotline number was updated in May 2024, so the recall is still being handled more than twenty years later. Call the number on that page rather than an old one printed elsewhere.

Older recalls like these never "expire" for a seller, either. CPSC states plainly that federal law prohibits anyone from selling a recalled product. For a wider method that works on any appliance, see how to check if a product is recalled before you buy used.

Do old crock pots have lead in the glaze?

Most factory-made ones are unlikely to be a problem, but you cannot tell by looking, and a few kinds deserve real caution.

The FDA explains how lead gets into ceramics. Some glazes contain lead because it helps the glaze melt. When a piece is fired at the right temperature for long enough, almost all the lead is locked into the glaze. When it is not, lead can leach into food, and acidic foods such as tomato sauce make that more likely.

The FDA lists the "problem types" of ceramic ware to watch for. Pottery that is:

1. Handmade, with a crude look or an irregular shape
2. Antique
3. Damaged or heavily worn
4. Bought from flea markets or street vendors, or from a maker you cannot identify
5. Brightly decorated in orange, red or yellow, since lead is sometimes used to make those colours stronger

The FDA adds that pottery made in commercial factories for everyday use is much less likely to have lead problems. A 2017 NPR report reached the same view: mass-produced slow cookers are probably safe, and none appeared on the FDA's list of tested products found to contain lead at that time.

What does that mean for a used crock pot? A chipped, crazed or badly worn insert falls into the FDA's "damaged or excessively worn" group. If you are unsure, the FDA suggests a home lead-test kit from a hardware store: you rub a swab on the food surface and it changes colour if lead leaches out. If a test shows leachable lead, the FDA strongly advises against using the piece for food. It also warns that no amount of washing or boiling removes lead from pottery. Any concern about lead exposure in a child is one for a doctor, who can order a simple blood test.

Is it safe to buy a used crock pot?

Yes, if it passes these checks. Bring this list to a yard sale, a thrift store or an auction pickup:

1. Read the plug. Look for a four-digit date on a prong. On a Rival, anything from 0199 to 3504 on a listed model is a recall to sort out first.
2. Read the bottom. Note the brand and model number, then compare them with the tables above and search the brand on cpsc.gov.
3. Wiggle the handles. They should be solid, with no cracks where they meet the base.
4. Inspect the insert under good light. Walk away from chips, cracks or a worn, dull glaze on the inside, and from brightly coloured handmade crocks used as inserts.
5. Check the cord. No cuts, melted spots, taped repairs or a loose plug.
6. Check the lid fits. Steam held in by the lid is part of how a slow cooker cooks safely.
7. Make sure it gets hot. At home, run it before trusting it with a meal (see the next section).

Buying used is also good for your wallet and keeps a working appliance out of a landfill. If you are shopping for kitchen gear, browse today's buy-now items or live auctions, and use the same seven checks on anything you bring home.

How do I know an old slow cooker still heats safely?

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) says a slow cooker normally cooks between 170°F and 280°F. Heat, long cooking and trapped steam work together to kill bacteria. A cooker whose element has weakened may not get there.

A simple home check, which is not an official test: fill the insert about halfway with water, cover it, run it on low for several hours, then measure the water with a food thermometer. It should be well above 140°F, the temperature FSIS says food must be held at for serving. If it struggles to get there, retire the cooker.

FSIS also gives a few rules worth knowing before the holidays:

• Thaw meat first. Always thaw meat or poultry before it goes into a slow cooker.
• Don't reheat leftovers in it. Reheat on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven to 165°F, then move the food to a preheated slow cooker to keep it hot.
• Power cut while you're out? Throw the food away, even if it looks done.

Planning a big holiday meal? Our guide to Thanksgiving fire facts covers the rest of the kitchen.

The bottom line

An old crock pot is usually safe. Most of the danger in the official records comes from two big handle recalls on cookers made around 1999 to 2004, not from age itself. Read the plug date and model number, look closely at the glaze, and test the heat once before Thanksgiving. If it passes all three, keep cooking. If it fails one, get the free replacement base or let it go.

For questions about buying from us, see our FAQ.

Know someone pulling Grandma's crock pot out for the holidays? Send them this before the stuffing goes in.