Wolf Gourmet® Multi-Function Cooker
Models: WGSC100S / WGSC110S / WGSC120SR
Why Buy: Safe Stainless Steel Cooking Surface
The Wolf is our top slow cooker pick and the model we’ve used for years.
Wolf Gourmet Multi Cooker
The Wolf Gourmet® Multi-Function Cooker has modes for slow cooking, sauté/sear, sous vide, and rice. And it is only one of two countertop slow cookers with a stainless steel cooking insert. But is the premium appliance worth the hefty price tag?
When evaluating slow cookers the Wolf Gourmet is one of the more visually attractive options on the market. The high-end design is intended to match the iconic Wolf ranges with their signature red knobs. But while a red knob might sway Instagram influencers, most cooks simply want the best tool for the job.
Consumer Reports ranks the high-end Wolf lower than some other models based on its slow cooking ability. And it runs warmer than expected on occasion (note, we’ve isolated this issue). So why is this model the one we use? Keep reading to learn more.
Licensed Brand
The first thing to know: the Wolf Gourmet brand is licensed by Hamilton Beach. This means Wolf Gourmet countertop appliances are not actually manufactured by the same company that made your Sub-Zero refrigerator or Wolf range.
Hamilton Beach manufactures small kitchen appliances typically sold in stores like Target and Wal-Mart. But Hamilton Beach also has a commercial division supplying professional-grade equipment to restaurants, and this commercial arm might be what attracted the higher-end Wolf brand to use Hamilton Beach as a licensee. Note, Sub-Zero fridges and Wolf ovens and ranges are made in the USA, and Wolf Gourmet countertop appliances are manufactured in China.
Wolf Gourmet branded kitchen items are found at Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, and the Amazon Wolf Store where the Wolf cooker is usually available in 3 models:
Why try the Wolf slow cooker?
So why did we opt to try the high-dollar appliance? Our primary reason for purchasing the Wolf was the stainless steel cooking vessel.
Other slow cookers with the ability to sear and sauté use nonstick coatings. And while we use a nonstick pan for cooking eggs, stainless steel is our preference for everyday cooking. If you are interested in nonstick, see our GreenPan Slow Cooker review.
Note, Zojirushi offers a slow cooker with a stainless insert at a lower price point, but we didn’t care for some of the design features, read our Zojirushi slow cooker review.
And some top-rated pressure cookers also offer stainless inserts along with a slow cook mode, but we find the oblong shape of traditional slow cookers to be more versatile than the narrower, deeper pot of round pressure cookers.
Product Description
The solid Wolf Multi Cooker base and pot together weigh in at almost 28 pounds. The durable, tri-ply stainless steel cooking pot weighs just under 5 pounds—similar to an All-Clad stock pot of the same size—and can be used on any stovetop or in the oven (up to 450°F).
The weight of the Wolf could be a pro or a con. If the appliance will move in and out of your cabinets often, the heaviness of the base needs to be considered. On the other hand, if you need to transport food in a slow cooker, the Wolf Multi Cooker sits sturdily in a vehicle without risk of tipping and has a secure, tight-fitting lid. Alternatively, you can transport just the inner pot and lid, then reheat your dish on a stove or in an oven at your destination.
Pros
Stainless steel insert. The heavy-duty, tri-ply stainless steel insert provides a non-toxic cooking surface—this was our primary reason for purchasing this slow cooker. A stainless pot is easier to lift than traditional ceramic crocks, and it won’t crack or break.
Capacity. The 7-quart capacity is great for families, batch cooking, and entertaining. We cook everything in it from whole chickens, to brisket, to large batches of gumbo.
Warranty. The Wolf slow cooker comes with a 5-year limited warranty.
Versatile. Both the pot and lid are stove, oven, and dishwasher safe.
Searing and sautéing. Cooking can be done in the unit or on any stovetop. Searing on your stovetop (versus in the unit) accomplishes 2 things:
First, heating on the stove gives you faster and more even heating.
Then when the pot is placed back into the base, the unit does not have to cool down to a slow cook setting—this helps regulate slow cooking temps a bit better.
Sous vide. The unit includes a removable sous vide rack to keep food bags separated for even cooking. Note, if you don’t use vacuum sealed bags, then a sous vide rack will not keep bags submerged—in this case, watch Kenji López-Alt's suggested submersion method.
Cons
The price is high, so you may want to watch for a sale. Note, it is usually $50-100 less expensive at Amazon versus Wolf Gourmet or other stores,
Overall, the lid is high-quality and tight-fitting, but the silicone gasket around the glass lid can absorb food smells. Cook’s Illustrated offers an easy solution: place silicone items in a 350°F oven for 1 hour to remove odors. Note, the tea towel trick works with this style of lid.
The interior cooking surface of the pot is polished stainless versus a brushed stainless like All-Clad pans. Food doesn’t release quite as well from polished stainless as brushed stainless, but this drawback is negligible—if any food sticks, simply soak your pot for a bit.
UPDATE: The unit lacks the precise temperature control expected from a Wolf cooking appliance. We’ve always stated here that the unit sometimes ran a little warmer than expected, but we couldn’t identify the exact scenario as it only happened occasionally. We’ve now determined that WARM mode functions as expected (holding between 160-175°F) when the unit is either initially set to WARM (for the purposes of our testing) or when the unit turns itself to WARM after cooking (normal usage). But when we’ve been cooking on LOW or HIGH and then (inadvertently) turn the unit off, then back on to WARM, the unit quickly heats to a boil—this is not expected, but is easily avoided.
Note, the “warm” mode on a slow cooker is not for cooking, read more about using warm mode safely.
The controls and settings are not super intuitive at first—you’ll want to keep the user manual handy for the first few uses.
Does not include a roasting/steaming rack.
The lid handle gets very hot to the touch. This isn’t really a negative, as you can just keep a kitchen towel or hot pad nearby, but you might be accustomed to stay-cool handles (as we were after using a Cuisinart Multicooker for years).
Cooking Modes
Program Slow Cook
“Program” is the Wolf’s programmable slow cooker mode—allowing you to select a heat setting for a set number of cooking hours up to 24 hours, then automatically switching to WARM.
The Program mode also offers the option of choosing 2 different heat settings within the same cooking session. The instruction manual gives the example of cooking on HIGH for 4 hours, then LOW for 3 hours, but considering both modes eventually reach the same temperature, we’ve never found a good use for this “feature.”
Manual
“Manual” is another slow cook mode, but instead of setting the length of cooking time, you just turn on the appliance and it cooks until you manually turn it off or switch it to keep warm. This is an easy, straightforward mode and we use it often.
Temperature Probe
The temperature probe is for use with foods that require a precise temperature, such as sous vide or a certain cut of meat. For example in sous vide mode, the cooker will heat to your desired temp then hold steady. Or if cooking a pork roast to 145°F, the cooker will switch to warm mode when the roast reaches temp—this can help prevent overcooking, but if you really want to cook a roast to an exact temperature, then you’ll need to remove it when the cooker alerts you it has reached temp.
Note, the probe cannot be used to monitor the temperature of the pot when using the manual or programmable slow cooking modes (the unit displays an error on the panel). If you want to monitor the temperature of your food while cooking, consider purchasing an America’s Test Kitchen recommended thermometer or consider a crock pot with temp tracking (see our review of Hamilton Beach slow cookers).
Rice Mode
If you plan to use the Wolf rice cooker setting, make a note to lightly oil the stainless insert with cooking spray to keep rice from sticking to the pot. The rice mode works similarly to a traditional rice cooker—producing a nice result on texture and cooking faster than usual crock pot rice. It also works well for large batches of rice.
Sous Vide
We don’t sous vide often, but our weekly cooking challenge encourages us to branch out every now and then with dishes such as sous vide egg bites or steak. If you like to sous vide, the mode works as expected. Note, we suggest silicone bags versus plastic for sous vide.
Conclusion
We are huge fans of this appliance and it is what we’ve used here at The Smart Slow Cooker for years. The high-end Wolf is easily the best slow cooker on the market. If you want to cook safely in stainless steel and don’t mind the cost, the Wolf Gourmet® Multi-Function Cooker is a fantastic option for slow cooking—check pricing here.
If the price is too steep, see our other slow cooker reviews.
REcipe: Osso Buco with Mustard and Horseradish Gravy
See more Wolf slow cooker recipes for slow cook, sous vide, and rice modes.
