The slow cooker makes cooking beans a hands-free experience. It’s important that the beans remain covered with water the entire time — replenish with boiling water if necessary — but otherwise this is a no-brainer; always use the “High” setting to make sure the beans cook fully.
Rinse and pick over 1 pound and put them in the slow cooker; pour in enough water to cover by 2½ inches. Cover and cook on high until the beans are tender. For beans, depending on the type and age this can take 3 to 5 hours; for lentils (including moong and urad dal), 1½ to 2 hours; and for split peas, about 2½ hours.