When all you want is a nice home-cooked meal to warm you up, the slow cooker is your hero. Prepare it all in the morning when you still feel sprightly, turn it on and by the time you're feeling peckish in the evening it's transformed – without you barely having to lift a finger. We've rounded up the best slow cookers for easy dinners.
Let's face it, when it's been a long, busy day, many of us don't always feel like cooking come dinner time. With a slow cooker batch cooking is so easy. Enjoy melt-in-the-mouth chicken casseroles and warming beef stews with enough left over for freezing.
Best slow cookers at a glance:
• Best slow cooker for one: VonShef Slow Cooker 1.5L – £19.99
• Best slow cooker for unique design feature: SALTER Chalkboard EK2842 Slow Cooker – £32.99
• Best budget slow cooker: Morphy Richards 460017 3.5 Litre Ceramic Slow Cooker – £34.99
• Best slow cooker for advanced recipes: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker – £89.99
• Best slow cooker for scheduling: Crockpot TimeSelect 5.6L Slow Cooker – £60
People are often surprised at how versatile slow cookers really are. There are so many different things you can make in them – it's not all about casseroles! What about some slow cooker soup for lunch, hot chocolate or even these tasty slow cooker breakfast options? Needing some more inspiration? We've also got a piece on the best slow cooker recipe books.
If you don't own one already, we've listed the best slow cookers available to buy. We've researched the best slow cookers to recommend appliances that are easy to use, energy efficient at a good price point.
Best slow cookers
Best slow cooker for one
Amazon/VonchefDescription
This budget-friendly VonShef Slow Cooker is perfect for a small household. It has simple to use warm, low and high settings for energy efficient cooking that gives you piping hot stews and comforting casseroles.
A customer commented that they got two portions out of theirs: "Just what you need for two people who need an easy dinner."
If you are a single person household you can make meals go further by keeping a portion in the fridge or freezer to microwave for a warming and nutritious meal.
Pros
- Good value for money
- Easy to use and clean
- Costs very little to cook in this appliance
Cons
- Consider a slow cooker with a larger capacity if you're going to use it for batch cooking
Best slow cooker for unique design feature
Currys/Salterwww.currys.co.uk
Description
Leave a message for loved ones on this unique Salter Chalkboard EK2842 Slow Cooker which has a matte surface that you can write on in chalk.
Slow cookers are the most energy efficient small kitchen appliance and with this model you benefit from 81 per cent off your energy bills*. A user comments that it: "Saves on fuel costs and uses up leftover veggies." Additionally, this user praised the chalkboard because their "memory is not what it was."
Simple to use, just put ingredients in the pot and let them stew. The 3.5L capacity allows you to make double portions. Freeze a batch for an easy and filling weekday lunch.
*Comparing the energy (kWh) used per kg of pork using a 1.8kW electric oven
Pros
- Chalkboard for leaving handy notes
- The most energy efficient method of cooking
- Enough to cook several portions and freeze one
Cons
- Whilst ideal for one or two people the capacity is too small for a family
Best budget slow cooker
www.morphyrichards.com
Description
At under £35, this slow cooker is great value, especially if you want to give slow cooking a go but don't want to spend too much. The oval-shaped 3.5L ceramic pot is ideal for joints of meat as well as casseroles, curries and chillies. The easy-to-use dial allows you to select your cooking temperature; Low (6-12 hours), Medium (4-10 hours) or High (3-8 hours).
One user commented: "As someone who cooks plenty and a busy working woman. I needed a slow cooker that was easy no fuss to use, easy clean, stylish and reliable. This product ticks all the boxes."
A variety of recipes are included within the product instruction manual for you to enjoy. The toughened glass lid means you can view the cooking process without letting heat escape, and the removable ceramic pot is an ideal serving dish. When you're done, simply pop the ceramic cooking pot in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
Pros
- Value for money
- A great medium option
Cons
- High setting is not very hot
Best slow cooker for advanced recipes
Description
If you don't like the idea of lots of different gadgets and appliances cluttering your kitchen and cupboards, then this is the solution. This Instant Pot performs seven different functions in one. As well as being a slow cooker, this pot can also be used as a pressure cooker, rice cooker, sauté/browning, yoghurt maker, steamer and warmer.
A user comments: "I love my Instant Pot, it gets used every week for something and it’s a really good accompaniment to my air fryer I hardly use the oven at all."
The large, easy-to-use control panel has 14 built-in programmes, dual pressure, automatic keep-warm and three temperatures for sautéing and slow cooking.
Some of the functions cook with pressure which gets released in a whoosh of steam at the end of the cooking cycle. Alternatively, it can be left for ten minutes to naturally decompress. Our user says: "You can do a stew in 30 minutes with dumplings. I would say if you are a bit nervous about this just go for it because it is a real brilliant thing to use in the kitchen just as a family with lots of kids it reduces the time you spend cooking."
Pros
- Fast cooking with slow cooked textures and flavours
- Great for large portions
- Multi-purpose
Cons
- Trickier to clean
Best slow cooker for scheduling
Tested
www.argos.co.uk
Description
Another entry from Crockpot this new TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker offers two ways to cook so you can tailor your meal to the amount of time you have to prepare it - ideal for busy households. Our tester comments: "The clever thing about this digital slow cooker is it chooses the correct cooking temperature for you based on the type and amount of food, as well as factoring in the time you would like to eat. I cooked an entire chicken to perfection in 4 hours and then was able to create a stock with the leftovers cooking it low and slow overnight."
Its large capacity means you can whip up a batch of your favourite chilli or slow-cooked curry, or cook an entire chicken that will make plenty of meals during the week. Its nifty schedule feature enables you to set up your meal but delays the start time of the cook for up to 12 hours so it's timed and ready for when you get back in from work or wherever you've been.
Our tester further comments: "The only thing I didn't realise was that once the cooker is finished it went into the automatic 'keep warm' function, so when I thought my stock would have long since cooled down it was kept warm. It's not really a bad thing especially when you're making food for the evening, but just something to consider."
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Spacious, great capacity
Cons
- The menu needs some figuring out
Best slow cooker for leftovers
www.currys.co.uk
Description
Serve a comforting slow cooked meal at the table thanks to the detachable ceramic pot. When buying a slow cooker go for one that feeds slightly more than you need. This Crock-Pot is 4.7 litres and feeds up to six people, which is perfect for leftovers. You don't have to fill it every time if you'd rather not have leftovers, but it's great if friends or family are coming to stay and you need to feed a few more.
A user comments that they can save money cooking this way and yet still enjoy delicious meals: "The food comes out very tasty even if I put in lower quality cuts of meat. It saves money because I can use cheaper meat and put in more vegetables."
Pros
- Keep warm setting
- Great size, sturdy
Cons
- Basic functions for the price
Best slow cooker for meat
Description
This Morphy Richards Sear and Stew digital slow cooker is different to traditional ceramic slow cookers, due to its aluminium non-stick hob-proof pot, which means you can sear and slow cook from start to finish in one cooking pot - making the slow cooking process even more efficient.
A customer comments on the benefit of a lightweight non-stick cook-pot: "No glaze to crack, the bowl is lightweight and easy to carry, cleaning involves little effort and you can heat/sear meat direct on any hob other than those using induction heating."
Get your meat started on the hob, in the hob-safe pot, then move it across to the slow cooker base. Once your pot is in the slow cooker base, simply select either the high or low cooking setting. Set the countdown timer depending on when you want your meal ready. In anything from four to 12 hours, you will have a delicious casserole, chilli, curry or a multitude of other warming favourites.
The customer concludes: "The nonstick performance is excellent, heating appears even and the electronic timer with high/low heat and a keep warm function is very easy to use. 10-hour low heat slow cooks of heavy stews resulted in no residue stuck to the bowl."
Pros
- Switches to warm mode when cooking finished
- Straight from hob to slow cooker
Cons
- Lack of time control
Best slow cooker for small household
www.lakeland.co.uk
Description
This no-prep Lakeland 3.5L Slow Cooker will allow you to cook delicious healthy meals effortlessly with time to spare. Just prepare all your ingredients, add them to the slow cooker, select one of the three cooking modes available (High, Low, Auto) and set the timer. A user comments: " It's easy to use, economical and feels sturdy."
The removable ceramic pot is easy to clean, and you can also clean the ceramic pot in the dishwasher for extra convenience. Plus, there's an encircling element for ease of even and efficient cooking.
The user sums up: "Also, it looks smart on the worktop. Very reasonable price too. I wish I had bought one years ago!"
Pros
- Easy to clean and use
- Three heat settings - low, high, and auto
- Dishwasher safe ceramic cooking pot
Cons
- Lightweight - feet are slippy
Best high-end slow cooker
Amazon/NinjaDescription
This crowd-pleasing Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker will feed a family with its eight litre capacity. The benefit of this slow cooker is the ability to sear and sauté meat in the cooking pot before adding vegetables and switching to slow cooking. The digital display helpfully tells you when it's pre-heating and when to add ingredients, so it's full-proof.
A customer comments: "This is the best slow cooker I have ever had. The quality is great, with a great tough non stick lining."
The easy to remove and non-stick cooking pot is oven-safe so you can give a slow cooked cottage pie a crispy top by finishing it in the oven.
In addition, an oblong steaming rack is included so you can also steam vegetables to serve alongside your slow cooked mains.
With Bake mode you can cook delicious sponge cakes and puddings. A happy customer says: "I'll use it to steam my Christmas puds as it's deep enough for the basins. As far as browning it is limited but a few minutes in the air fryer solves that. Next job is proving the dough for homemade bread."
Pros
- User-friendly instructions and recipe booklet
- Easy to use and clean
- Eight ways of cooking in one appliance
- Deep cooking pot so it can fit large joints of meat and pudding basins
Cons
- Large and hefty appliance that will need dedicated countertop space
Best slow cooker for delay start function
ProCookwww.procook.co.uk
Description
If you're out all day and want to come home to a comforting hot dinner that's not burnt to a crisp, this ProCook Digital Slow Cooker is a great option thanks to its delay start function. Simply set the time that you want cooking to start with the easy-to-use controls and the precision timer will ensure cooking begins at the selected time.
ProCook is a premium kitchen appliances brand, so expect superior build quality. A customer comments: "I was more than delighted with the quality of the slow cooker I bought I would definitely recommend this product to others."
Another positive review says: "Fantastic slow cooker. Love that it has a delay function. Highly recommend!"
Pros
- High quality and built to last
- Set the time that you want cooking to start, handy if you're not a home during the day
- Easy to use controls
Cons
- The ceramic cooking pot is heavy, so take care if you're removing it from the appliance
FAQs
Key features to look for when buying a slow cooker
Capacity – most slow cookers will give you an idea of how many people they can comfortably feed, plus their volume capacity in litres. We advise going for one a little bigger – i.e. if you're a couple, look for one that feeds 3-4 people. It's handy for batch cooking and means your slow cooker can also be used for entertaining.
Settings – often there will be three: high, medium and low. These give you control over how long you want the meal to cook for and when you want it to be ready. Simpler slow cookers will only have off and on. But, these days modern slow cookers give you at least these three options.
Timer – some slow cookers have timers, others don't – which just means you need to make note of when you turned it on so that you know when it will be ready. There are slow cookers which also have timers you can set for when you want the slow cooker to turn on, which is handy for some recipes that only call for four hours of cooking time, but you plan to be out of the house for longer.
Ceramic pot – most of the slow cookers in our list feature a ceramic pot, which is detachable. Not only does this mean easy cleaning (they are all dishwasher safe too), but it also means you have a ready-to-go pot for serving. So less washing up all around!
Toughened glass lid – because of the way slow cookers work, you're best off leaving them to it rather than opening them up and checking on them. So, a glass lid means you can peek at your culinary creation without reducing the heat inside the pot.
Digital or manual slow cooker?
Really, this comes down to a personal choice. I have a manual slow cooker and that does everything I need it to do.
Digital slow cookers, with LED screens and timers, can be handy if you'd like to keep track of how long it's got left to cook. Digital cookers also usually come with more settings or are multiple types of cookers in one and are called multi cookers.
What shouldn't I put in a slow cooker?
Believe it or not, there are things that you shouldn't pop in your slow cooker. These include lean meats, raw meat – brown your meat first, too much liquid, delicate vegetables, too much spice, dairy, too much alcohol, meat that has its skin on, soft fresh herbs, seafood, pasta and rice. If you avoid these, you'll have a happy, hearty meal.
Can slow cooking save me money?
Yes it can. Slow cookers have a lower wattage than other kitchen appliances and are designed to cook low and slow. Therefore, you save on your energy costs. In addition, one pot cooking saves the faff of using multiple pots and pans and the resulting washing up.
Batch cook and portion up meals to freeze and reheat in the microwave for simple and quick lunches.
To find out more about the best kitchen appliances to save you money on bills read our buyer's guide from our sister brand A Modern Kitchen.
Stephanie Anthony is the Deputy Digital Editor at Yours. Having worked across a variety of topics, from travel and food to pharmaceuticals, she also has a particular interest in mental health and wellness having studied biosciences at University.