The best slow cookers aren't just for cozy season. They're a year-round staple. They'll be able to steam, sauté, and air fry on top of making warming soups and stews. Whether you're looking for a family feast or a pint-sized model, we've found the best slow cooker for you.
The market is packed with big-name brands, such as Crock-Pot, Instant, and Cuisinart. Whilst this can seem overwhelming, it also means that there's a slow cooker to suit every style of cooking and size of budget. You can find the perfect match for your kitchen, but you just might need a helping hand.
That's where I come in. As a product reviewer and keen cook, I'm part of a kitchen testing team here at H&G. Together, we've tried dozens of the best slow cookers, including all the best Instant Pots. We've narrowed them down to just six of the best out there – our favorite is the Crock-Pot MyTime – but any of the options on this list will bring ease and joy to your home ooking.
The quick list
Here's a quick guide to finding the best slow cooker for you. We go into more detail further down the guide.
The best slow cooker overall
Not too big and not too small, not too complex, and not too simple, not too much, and still enough, everything about this is just perfect.
The best for versatility
Even the most adventurous cook would struggle to find fault with the thirteen, excellent cooking settings on offer from InstantPot. This is actually one of our best air fryers, too.
The best luxury
For a premium machine with generous capacity, look no further than Wolf Gourmet. You will, however, need to start saving for one soon.
The best for large households
Whether you're braising a big batch or slow cooking for the whole household, this has enough capacity to feed a family and then some.
The best non-toxic
This slow cooker is totally free from PFAS, PFOA, lead, cadmium, and all sorts of toxins that could corrupt the taste of your cooking, so you know you're eating cleaner, healthier meals.
The best value
Instant have taken everything we loved about their original pot and made it better. It makes delicious dinners at the touch of a button. When we saw the affordable price tag, we loved it even more.
The best slow cookers
The best slow cooker overall
The very clever Crock-Pot MyTime Slow Cooker can select the type of food you're cooking (meat, poultry, soup, veggies) and the volume (under or over 2 pounds, for example) for automatically adjusted timings and temperatures. You can set the clock and use this to schedule your cooking ahead of time, which is perfect for those four-hour meals that you want to arrive home to without having to be in the house to set the slow cooker into motion in the afternoon. It's worth noting that there's no setting for overnight slow cooks, which is a safety feature, but means that you'll always have to be slow cooking, on the countertop in the daytime.
If you're new to slow cooking, this really removes the guesswork, but for experienced slow cooker users, there's also the option to tap into manual mode for following recipes of your own.
Size-wise, the six-quart capacity is the perfect middle-ground for making family meals or cooking ahead. Its shape is also well-suited to ribs, pulled pork, and even a whole chicken. It, however, doesn't have a lock-down lid for taking on the go, so if you're planning on taking it to potluck you'll need steady hands. Its dishwasher-safe stoneware and glass lid makes for easy cleaning.
Before you leap into the Crock-Pot, there are a few quirks you'll want to know about. The useful lid doesn't lock down, so if you'll take this round to a neighbor's or through lots of rooms in the house, you'll need steady hands. Some reviewers also said that this cooked food a little too hot, but I think that's down to the automatic functions generalizing. You can learn to adjust it to suit your personal preferences.
The best slow cooker for versatility
We don't often give five-star reviews at Homes & Gardens, because that means there's no room for bettering and innovation. However, after hours of testing, it wasn't even a tough decision to award this full points. It cooks great food and we love it.
The Instant Pot offers 13 different cooking functions, all under one lid, making it the most advanced Instant Pot model we've seen. Whilst it might look very similar to older iterations, and it's even cheaper than some, it's certainly the best Instant Pot to date.
Our experts thought this was easy to use and they loved the versatile options, which all delivered top-notch results. If we're being really picky, the pot isn't nonstick, which can make cleaning up a little bit more time-consuming. The inner lids also do need swapping between functions, so even though it has 'one lid' there are a few fiddly bits to navigate before you don't have to lift a finger between settings.
There's more detail in our Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid review.
The best luxury slow cooker
If you're a serious slow cooker and you're looking for a little luxury, this is one of the smartest, most premium slow cookers on the market. It's fitted out with the latest and greatest technology and remains incredibly easy to use.
You can cook rice, sear and sauté meat, and even sous vide with the Wolf Gourmet slow cooker. In fact, the deep insert, meaning you could sous vide a wide range of items at any one time.
The classic red dial will allow you to select from manual settings as well as digital pre-set programs, too.
The stainless steel insert can be used on induction hobs, in the oven, and can go in the dishwasher. That's a win because it's not non-stick. On the plus side, the stainless steel material will make searing easy and pack in heaps of flavor. However, this is incredibly expensive.
There's more detail in our Wolf Gourmet Multi-Functional Cooker review
The best slow cooker for large households
If you're making the effort to slow cook, you'll want to do it in big batches. The generous 8.5 quart capacity ensures that you can feed the whole family and still have some leftovers too.
Our experts used this for a range of functions: making risotto, steaming vegetables, and slow-cooking rice pudding. They were impressed across the board. The large 8.5 quart capacity is non-stick too, making for easy cleaning. If you want to see some really delicious food, we couldn't stop watching the recipe videos on QVC (the braised, fall-apart chuck roast looks incredible and perfect for a Sunday lunch).
Compared to Ninja's 14-in-1 older model, which is further down in this guide, this has fewer cooking functions and less capacity, but it's much more attractive, so it's better for serving straight onto the table with. It's also oven-safe and still reasonably priced; most oven-safe models come with a premium price tag.
The whole time that it is cooking, this will be looking beautiful on the countertop. It's my favorite for aesthetics. It is quite bulky however, so if you need to economize on space, there are better options.
There's more detail in our Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker Pro review.
The best non-toxic slow cooker
This little pot is non-toxic for cleaner cooking and non-stick for quick and easy food release.
The Omni Cooker boasts a 6-qt. capacity. Which is just enough room to cater for a family of five and braise bigger joints of meat. Even though it's big, it's still the right size to make hearty, healthy meals for your family, and still have some leftovers for tomorrow's lunch.
The non-stick coating is free from PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium to protect and preserve the natural flavors and aromas of your food. While the Omni lacks a few of the bells and whistles of some of the more premium machines, it can simmer, reheat, keep warm, and cook on low, high, and delay. That might not be everything you want in a slow cooker, but it's probably everything you need.
The Omni is easy to use and quick to clean. Both the inner pot and the tempered glass lid are dishwasher-safe, though you might prefer to hand-wash to scrub at spills and stains. As for the outside, all you need to do is wipe it down with a damp sponge cloth, and it should look as good as new.
There's more detail in the GreenPan Omni Cooker review.
The best value slow cooker
There's a lot to love about this updated Instant Pot (known as the RIO, in the United States). It's a lot like the classic Duo model, but with more user-friendly features.
Our tester, Lydia, loved the preset recipes – you can literally cook a meal at the touch of a button. With 7-in-1 functionality, you've got tonnes of options, including sauté, pressure cook, steam, and slow cook. You can also prepare ahead with the 24-hour timer and come home to a hot dinner.
In the test kitchen, Lydia made everything from lentil soup to slow-cooked lamb tagine. She said, 'I made a risotto and couldn't believe the rice was perfectly cooked after just 8 minutes. I didn't have to stir or do anything. Using this pot was so easy and I think it will stop me from ordering takeout when I'm feeling lazy or sick. With that in mind, it really does pay for itself.'
The new design also includes an 'anti-spin' inner pot, which did make sautéeing onions easier – and a downloadable app, which is packed with recipe inspiration.
A full review of this updated model is coming soon, but you can read our thoughts on the original model in the Instant Pot Duo review.
The ones that just missed the list
The six air fryers above are our experts' top picks. If you liked what you saw, but want some more options, here's a selection of some more excellent slow cookers.
The best for programmable features
If you'd make use of all fourteen features on offer, this smart model can save you lots of countertop space. If you just want a slow cooker, this is a very bulky option.
The best for large meats
The perfect shape and size for large meats, this non-stick, ceramic slow cooker is perfect for big family meals. It's slower than our other options and doesn't have any non-stick either.
The best for sauté
If you're a passionate foodie, you'll love the brown and sear functions which enhance the slow cook experience. However, if you're on a budget or you need to cook large meats, this isn't for you.
The best compact
Petite, portable, and surprisingly powerful, this miniature marvel has excellent temperature control. It's low maintenance but lacks the finesse of more expensive models.
The best non-stick
If the sink is not your scene, you'll want a slow cooker just like this. It's made from ceramic, so it's easy to hand wash, but also dishwasher safe. You'll just need to make room for it.
The best for budgets
Low or high, this simple model can cover the basics of slow cooking. It dries out meals a little more and doesn't feel as premium, but it's a good option.
How to choose the best slow cooker for you:
There's a lot to consider when choosing the perfect slow cooker for you, mostly the decision will come down to your day-to-day needs, which only you know best. Here are the things to look for when deciding what you're after:
Size
Slow cookers cover the functions of a number of kitchen appliances, so they will save space in your kitchen overall. However, some are bigger than others. This is great if you live in a large household and need to cook big batches, but not quite as useful if you want to make a single serving. Don't worry, there are plenty of small slow cookers too.
Function
Most slow cookers cover basic functions such as baking, browning, toasting, and broiling. More often than not, they'll air fry too. However, if you're looking for one that can steam, for example, you'll have to be more thorough with your research.
Value
Slow cookers come at a range of prices. There are options for those on a budget, but often these have fewer functions or they feel a little flimsy. The more premium options are likely to last longer and have more bells and whistles.
Aesthetics
Slow cookers can be quite dominating appliances, so it's important that you like the look of them. There are plenty of sleek options available.
Cleaning
Oftentimes slow cookers have some kind of non-stick coating, whether it's chemical or plastic. This can make cleaning easy, but what's even better is that some are dishwasher-safe. Keep an eye out for ones that are the easiest to clean - we'll always let you know what we found in our tests.
How we tested these slow cookers
At Homes & Gardens we like to test every appliance before we recommend them to you. That's why our experts take these slow cookers into their homes where they'll use them to do everything from roasting and baking to broiling and steaming. We also make notes on any extra special features and test them out too. If there's an overnight mode, we'll test it and let you know our thoughts. Our experts also make notes on a range of other aspects relating to the slow cookers, including unboxing and cleaning up. That way, when your slow cooker arrives, you'll have no unpleasant surprises in store.
Slow cooker FAQs
Should you buy a digital or a manual slow cooker?
Something to consider when buying a slow cooker is whether you’d prefer a digital or manual option.
A digital slow cooker will give you more control, allowing you to set timers and automatically switch to keep-warm settings.
If you don’t mind a slow cooker that requires a little more monitoring, a manual slow cooker will cost far less than its digital counterpart, and will still offer you numerous heat levels and a keep warm setting to keep your meal warm even if it’s finished cooking before dinner.
A slow cooker will turn hands-on recipes with plenty of preparation into speedy tasks that are finished at the touch of a button. While some of our top picks, from the likes of Calphalon, Cuisinart, and KitchenAid, come with smart digital controls, there are also manual options that can often be less expensive but do require more supervision as they will not switch off automatically.
Can you cook rice in a slow cooker?
You can cook rice in some slow cookers. Some slow cookers, such as the Instant Pot Rio even have dedicated rice modes.
