How many slow cookers and crockpots are sold in the US each year? And
what's the approximate dollar value?

Per the Rival company website (Rival was the first to bring out the
"crock pot" or slow cooker as it is also known) they have sold 80
million crock pots since its introduction in 1971.  A check of Hamiton
Beach's website (another major manufacturer of slow cookers) did not
provide any specific sales information on their slow cooker.  The slow
cookers range in price from $20 - $70 depending on their size and
features.

There has been a resurgence in interest and sales of slow cookers in
the last few years.  On family and cooking oriented websites there are
web pages popping up dedicated to slow cookers due to the ease and
convience of the appliance.
Also, a number of cookbooks on the specific subject of slow cooking
have been recently published.

In my search I found no reference to an association or organization
that tracks slow cooker sales.


Related websites:

Rival 
http://www.crockpot.com/

Hamilton Beach
http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/hb/

familyfun.go (Disney site with crockpot info and recipes)
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/family/recipe/dony58slowcook/dony58slowcook.html


A few of the cookbooks recently published on the subject:

Slow Cooker Cooking by Loran Brody (2/2001)
Slow Cooking by Joanna White (1/2001)
Betty Cricker Easy Slow Cooking Dinner by Betty Crocker (9/2001)
Fix It and FOrget It Cookbook by Dawn Ranck (8/2001)

Hope this is of some use to you.