We’re living in a golden age of small kitchen appliances (see: slow cookers, Instant Pots, and air fryers). We’re also in a not-so-golden age of abundant counter space. So what’s a home cook to do?

An Instant Pot surrounding by bowls of ingredients ready to go in the slow cooker - Qwart/Getty Images ...

If you haven't broken out your slow cooker in a while, then now's the time! That steady workhorse, the Crock Pot, with its simple settings ("high, low, warm") and heavy ceramic interior is a valuable ...