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9 best slow cookers for making stews, soups and curries
You can even use them to bake brownies...
Tested by Blossom BoothroydHomes Testing Manager
Speed isn't everything. Just ask George RR Martin (still waiting on that Winds of Winter update, George). The same applies to the humble slow cooker. Effectively the hyper-handy sloth of the kitchen appliance world, these intuitive one-pot wonders can actually save you time, hassle and, with the right model, even money.
How do they work? Well, you fill the bowl with ingredients in the morning or the night before (CC: any Type A readers), turn it on and let it do its thing until you're ready to eat.
Cooking everything from curries to casseroles low and slow, they do all the hard work for you — making them ideal for anyone with a busy lifestyle. All of the flavour, none of the faff.
What is the best slow cooker to buy?
Our expert testers tried 36 slow cookers to find the best ones on the market right now. These are their top picks:
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Is it worth getting a slow cooker?
It's a definite yes from us, especially for the convenience factor. Slow cookers can be left on all day, as they cook at low, controlled temperatures, meaning you're not tied to the kitchen.
They're a smart buy if you're on a budget, too, as they get the best out of cheaper cuts of meat. The long, steady cooking tenderises tough ingredients and brings out their flavour. They also use less energy than modern electric ovens, helping to lower your bills.
Plus, slow cooking conserves nutrients better than common alternative cooking methods such as frying, so give it a try if you're aiming to eat a healthier diet.
What can you cook in a slow cooker?
Popular slow cooker recipes include chicken curry, beef stew, chilli con carne and pulled pork, but these versatile appliances can also be used to make everything from soup, dhal and pasta dishes to yoghurt, rice pudding, cheesecake and brownies.
Our biggest tip is to season your meal generously. Liquid doesn't reduce in a slow cooker, meaning herbs and spices won't intensify in flavour. It's also important to brown any meat thoroughly before adding it to the pot, or it will emerge looking pale and tasting bland.
How to choose a slow cooker
Before buying your first slow cooker, consider these key factors.
Price: Slow cookers can cost anything from £10 to £200, depending on how many programs and functions it offers. The pricier models can make your life a lot easier, but take time to consider whether you'll actually use all those bells and whistles before you splash your cash.
Capacity: There's no point in buying a huge seven-litre slow cooker if there's only one or two of you — unless you're an enthusiastic host or into batch cooking. If you'll be serving four people on the regular, opt for a 4.5-litre model. Remember to consider how much room your slow cooker will take up, too, especially if you're limited on worktop and cupboard space.
Timer: Most slow cookers come with built-in timers, but not all of them have digital displays so you can easily see when your meal is ready to eat. Some models will automatically switch off or shift to a "keep warm" mode, meaning they retain their heat without continuing to cook your food. The latter is useful if your family or housemates often fail to come rushing to the table when they're called.
How we test
Our dedicated testing team put 34 slow cookers through their paces to find the best on the market. They made a beef stew, vegetable soup and chicken curry in each model, using both the low and high settings. They measured how much energy each slow cooker consumed and how much moisture was lost during cooking. Finally, they got to try the finished results and judge them on temperature, texture and taste.
Ready to enjoy some effortless home-cooked meals? Let's dive in.
Serious foodies should check out this fancy multi-cooker with an impressive nine settings and 7.5-litre capacity. In fact, it's such a do-it-all model that it can even roast and crisp a whole three-kilogram chicken! It dazzled our testers by retaining an exceptional 99.27% of moisture in slow cooking mode (yes, we like accuracy) and proving hugely energy efficient to boot.
Its controls are intuitive and the instructions are clear. It also comes with a comprehensive recipe book, so don't be put off if you think it looks too complicated to use. Its only downside is its bulky size.
Key specs
| Capacity | 7.5 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Aluminium |
| Settings | Slow cook, pressure cook, steam, yoghurt, sear/sauté, air crisp, bake/roast, grill, dehydrate, keep warm |
Crock-Pot Lift & Serve Digital Slow Cooker with Hinged Lid CSC052
This reasonably priced slow cooker can cater for up to six people, with its removable ceramic pot doubling up as a serving dish to plonk on the table. It produced flawless meals for our testers (a tough job…), with consistently tender meat and veg.
The hinged glass lid proved a highlight, as it made stirring and adding ingredients easier and mess-free. This cooker also has a countdown timer and "keep warm" mode. Both the bowl and lid can withstand the dishwasher — result! — but note that there's no auto-cook function.
Key specs
| Capacity | 4.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Ceramic |
| Settings | Low, high, keep warm |
Specially designed to create stir-free risotto in its non-stick aluminium pot, this slick silver model is also a fantastic slow cooker. It stewed our ingredients perfectly, leaving them tender but not mushy, and both the handles and exterior stayed safely cool.
Its minimalist, lightweight design makes it easy to store and carry, but the instruction manual is scant on basic information and cooking tips. Still, it automatically shifts to keep warm mode after the timer reaches zero, meaning you won't be left with a sad, cold dinner if you get home late.
Key specs
| Capacity | 3.7 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Aluminium |
| Settings | Slow cook, steam, rice, risotto, sauté, keep warm |
Crock-Pot 5.6L TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker CSC066
This family favourite lets you schedule your cooking 12 hours in advance, minimising the chance of you forgetting to turn it on before heading out the door (we've all been there). Our testers raved about its timeless design, and there's an array of manual and auto functions to try.
Performance-wise, it wowed, delivering stew and curry packed with juicy meat that slipped off the bone. It was pleasingly energy efficient, and both the glass lid and pot are dishwasher-safe. The downside is that the cord is short and the casing got very hot when the cooker was on the high setting.
Key specs
| Capacity | 5.6 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Ceramic |
| Settings | Low, high, keep warm, four presets (meat, poultry, soup, veggies) |
You won't find a better-looking slow cooker than this high-end model — but it's not all style and no substance. It has eight settings and recallable custom options, including pressure cooking, steaming and sautéing. Despite its many bells and whistles, it's a breeze to operate and makes a loud beep once cooking is complete.
Our testers said it made tasty dishes full of succulent meat without sticking or splashing. It's sturdy but cumbersome, and the hinged lid is a touch fiddly to fit, but these are minor qualms for a high-quality product.
Key specs
| Capacity | 6 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Ceramic |
| Settings | Pressure cook (11 programs), low and high slow cook |
If your cooking skills are less Carmy Berzatto and more calmly chuck it in the microwave, this is the slow cooker for you. It aced our design testing, and our experts found it easy to use and "intuitive" (read: entirely faff-free).
We're also happy to tell you that our chicken curry packed some serious flavour. It did struggle to retain moisture when we used the high-power setting, but this didn't particularly change the taste or quality of our meal.
Important intel: There isn't a timer on this model, but it does have a handy keep-warm function, and we found it easy to clean.
Key specs
| Capacity | 3.5 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Ceramic |
| Settings | Low, high, keep warm |
This quirky, wallet-friendly slow cooker has a chalkboard casing for writing on with the three included chalk pens — perfect for kids keen to get involved in the cooking or grown-ups who fancy making a mundane task more fun.
If that sounds gimmicky, don't dismiss it just yet, as it also delivered a solid cooking performance. Think aromatic chicken curry and mouthwateringly tender beef stew. Its lack of a built-in timer may be a dealbreaker for some, but it's our top budget buy.
Key specs
| Capacity | 3.5 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Ceramic |
| Settings | Low, high, keep warm |
This Swan number is the perfect capacity for dinner for one to two people and will ensure your freezer doesn't end up looking like you're entering the batch chicken casserole trade. Thanks to its small size, it also won't take up too much precious kitchen counter real estate. Plus, it scored almost full marks for ease of use.
It made an oh-so-tender and moist (sorry) beef stew in six hours, and although we weren't quite as impressed with the soup and curry settings, it still got the job done.
It doesn't have a timer, so you'll need to manually switch it off after use, but it is dishwasher safe. Did we mention it will only set you back 20 quid? Another excellent budget buy.
Key specs
| Capacity | 1.5 litres |
|---|---|
| Pot | Ceramic |
| Settings | Low, high, automatic, keep warm |
Blossom is passionate about finding the best home products and appliances for GH readers. As head of the homes testing team, she has led reviews across multiple categories, from pizza ovens, and smart plugs to portable fans and hobs. She enjoys delving into the intricacies of products and refining testing protocols to ensure we’re testing them against their claims. Her aim is to find the top-performing products on the market, to help take the hard work out of housework. Blossom’s most notable accomplishment in the lab has been toasting 528 slices of bread in her quest to find the best toasters money can buy. In her free time, she openly admits to being a music geek and indulges her creative side through crocheting, baking, singing and writing.
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