Crock-Pot Thermoshield

Jarden Corporation, who owns the Crock-Pot brand asked Axis Design with help designing the new ThermoShield crockpot.
At Axis design, I assisted with concept generation and design sketch refinement.

The final design features a primarily plastic body, which is necessary for insulation and being cool to touch, reducing outside temperature by up to 50%, when compared to previous models. The brushed metal “ribbon” that wraps around the body and handles gives the ThermoShield Crock-Pot a premium look.

The ThermoShield Crock-Pot features a locking airtight lid, incorporated cable management and oversized handles for easier transportation.
There’s no chance for spills with this crockpot compared to other models, making it great for tailgating, potlucks and get-togethers.

This project kicked off with a few rounds of ideation.

First round ideation looked at top handle options. I looked at a few themes, such as a handle inspired by a celery stalk, a robust handle, a folding handle and a handle that incorporates a beam. We looked at designs that either incorporated two or four latches.

In addition to looking at top handle variations, we also looked at outer side handles and handles for the stoneware.

This crockpot will need to be portable, so cable management is important. I looked at a few options on how we can incorporate a cord wrap into this design.

I explored different overall themes that incorporates details that we explored in prior ideation.

The selected theme sketch was desired for its horizontal flow. As the design was refined in CAD, the central element became a brushed metal ribbon.
The end result is a crockpot with a premium look.