BEST SLOW COOKERS FOR LOW-MAINTENANCE MEALS, TRIED AND TESTED

Having tested all manner of kitchen kit, the humble slow cooker is the appliance I cannot live without. It's the secret to flavourful casseroles, rich stews and cooking up a week’s worth of meals at once, all with minimal effort. It’s the kind of appliance that, once you start using it, you may never go back.

The clue is in the name – a slow cooker cooks food slowly, versus a microwave which speeds everything up. This approach is perfect for tougher cuts of meat, while also being incredibly energy-efficient compared to having your main oven on for hours.

But not all slow cookers are created equal. Basic models will offer simple high and low settings, which is often all you need. Step up a level, though, and you'll find convenient features like programmable timers that automatically switch to a ‘keep warm’ function, so your dinner doesn't turn to mush if you're running late. Some even have hob-safe pots or a built-in searing function, allowing you to brown your meat in the same pot to lock in all that flavour.

Then there are the do-it-all multicookers. These versatile gadgets do everything a slow cooker can but also throw in functions like pressure cooking, steaming and even air frying. They're a brilliant space-saving solution if you're short on kitchen real estate. To help you find the best slow cooker for your kitchen, I've tested a range of dedicated models and their multicooker cousins. My favourite is the Crock-Pot CSC112 sizzle & stew digital slow cooker, but my tests found a few slow cookers worth considering.

How I tested

I spent a month with these slow cookers bubbling away in my kitchen, simmering everything from hearty stews and pie fillings to soups and even desserts. My goal was to find the models that are not only effective but also convenient and well-built, so I focused on a few key areas during my testing.

• Cooking performance: The most important test by far was how well each machine actually cooked. I was looking for a consistent, gentle heat that could simmer for hours without scorching the contents or creating hot spots. The last thing you want is a stew that’s burnt on the bottom and lukewarm on top, so I paid close attention to how evenly each model distributed its heat over long cooking times.
• Features and usability: A good slow cooker should make your life easier, so I considered the user-friendliness of each model. I looked for practical features like programmable timers that automatically switch to a ‘keep warm’ setting once the cooking time is up. This game-changing feature prevents your perfectly cooked meal from turning to mush if you're delayed getting home.
• Design and durability: Since a slow cooker will live on your countertop or in a cupboard, I considered its physical design and build quality. I assessed the durability of the cooking pot and lid, how much space the unit took up and how easy it was to clean and store. A robust, well-made machine that doesn’t feel flimsy is essential.
• Versatility: For the multicookers in this round-up, I specifically focused on their performance as slow cookers. While these appliances promise a whole range of functions, the slow-cooking feature can sometimes feel like an afterthought. I made sure to test whether they could hold a low, steady temperature just as effectively as their dedicated counterparts, to see if they truly offer the best of both worlds.

Why you can trust IndyBest reviews

Zoë Phillimore has reviewed countless kitchen appliances for IndyBest, including coffee machines, milk frothers and blenders. An expert when it comes to kitchen tech and a keen chef, she knows which features to look out for, including user-friendliness, settings and value for money. Zoë has thoroughly tested all of the slow cookers in this review under real-world conditions – and has made dishes in each and every one – to bring you her honest and unbiased reviews.

The best slow cookers for 2025 are:

• Best overall – Crock-Pot CSC112 sizzle & stew digital slow cooker: £99.99, Currys.co.uk
• Best budget buy – Salter cosmos slow cooker: £26.99, Currys.co.uk
• Best for feeding the masses – GreenPan slow cooker: £200, Currys.co.uk
• Best for busy cooks – Tefal multicook actifry: £124.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best multicooker – Russell Hobbs good to go multicooker: £59.99, Russellhobbs.com

Crock-Pot CSC112 sizzle & stew digital slow cooker

Rating: 5/5

Best: Slow cooker overall

Functions: Slow cooking

Searing option: Yes (on hob)

Keep-warm setting: Yes

Timer: Yes

Capacity: 6.5l

Why we love it

• Huge capacity
• Sear function
• Easy to use
• Useful functions
• Stayed at an even temperature

Take note

• No extra cooking functions
• Not suitable for induction hobs

Crock-Pot is one of the big names in the slow cooker world, and the brand’s CSC112 held up very well during testing. I used this slow cooker to create a chocolate-orange bread-and-butter pudding. It was as delicious as it sounds. You can take the bowl out of this slow cooker and use it on the hob, which cuts down on washing up and faff.

The huge oval bowl has a generous capacity and was perfect for feeding a crowd. I loved that there’s a timer and keep-warm options, which meant I could leave it to cook away and get on with other jobs. The high, medium and low settings offered just the right level of versatility for us – the medium setting cooked our recipe perfectly, in line with the method.

Buy now £79.99, Currys.co.uk

Salter cosmos slow cooker

Rating: 3.5/5

Best: Budget slow cooker

Functions: Slow cooking

Searing option: No

Keep-warm setting: Yes

Timer: No

Capacity: 3.5l

Why we love it

• Simple to use
• Manual keep warm setting

Take note

• Not a huge capacity

If you’re looking for something simple but that gets the job done, this Salter slow cooker is the way to go. Costing less than £30, this is incredible value for some cheap and easy dinners. There is no saute function here, but I could whip up a delicious roasted tomato soup. I selected the medium setting on the dial and then let the appliance do its thing.

At this price, there are a few sacrifices, and one of them is that there isn’t a timer, so you need to rely on your memory or a phone timer. It won’t switch itself on to keep warm, either – you have to do this manually. However, we still think this little slow cooker is a great buy – ideal for students and smaller families.

Buy now £27.99, Currys.co.uk

Russell Hobbs good to go multicooker

Rating: 4/5

Best: Multicooker

Functions: Roasting, sous vide, slow cooking, steaming, boiling

Searing option: Yes (in appliance)

Keep-warm setting: Yes

Timer: Yes

Capacity: 6.5l

Why we love it

• Loads of functions
• Auto shut off for safety

Take note

• The symbols are a bit confusing

I made an absolutely delicious bolognese sauce with this slow cooker. Thanks to the sear function, I could brown off the mince, onions and pancetta before getting on with the main event. The controls make it pretty easy to switch between functions, although I wish the modes were written on the appliance, as I found it hard to remember what the different symbols meant.

When in slow cooker mode, the appliance lets you choose from high or low heat settings. There’s a timer, too, so I could leave my ragu sauce cooking without a care in the world. Once the set time was up, the appliance clicked into keep-warm mode, which operates for four hours and then auto shuts off, giving me extra peace of mind.

Buy now £59.99, Russellhobbs.com

Lakeland 3.5l digital slow cooker

Rating: 4/5

Best: Slow cooker for easy operation

Functions: Slow cooking

Searing option: No

Keep-warm setting: No

Timer: Yes

Capacity: 2.8l

Why we love it

• Delay timer
• Easy to use
• Great for small meals

Take note

• Can’t sear
• No auto keep-warm function

The digital controls on this slow cooker made it really easy to use. I could click through heat settings (low, high or warm) and get things fired up quickly. The Lakeland slow cooker stayed evenly warm throughout cooking, without drying out my pulled pork. One downside I noticed is that there’s no keep-warm function once the timer has counted down and cooking has finished. However, there is a delay timer, so we were able to set the appliance to come on later, so we could return at the end of the day to freshly cooked pulled pork.

Buy now £59.99, Lakeland.co.uk

GreenPan slow cooker

Rating: 4.5/5

Best: Large slow cooker

Functions: Slow cooking, steaming

Searing option: Yes (in appliance)

Keep-warm setting: Yes

Timer: Yes

Capacity: 5.6l

Why we love it

• Large surface area for searing
• Good even temperature
• Easy-to-use controls
• Decent capacity

Take note

• Quite large to store
• On the pricey side

To test this slow cooker, I made a smoky chilli con carne. This required me to brown mince and pork medallions first, which I could do in this unit. A wide surface area on the pan meant I could efficiently sear lots in one go, too. 

Once I hit the slow cook button, the screen offered me high or low settings, plus reheat, buffet or warm options. My chilli cooked all day without drying out – I was able to keep an eye on it through the glass lid. I liked that this model has a buffet option, which keeps food slightly warmer – the perfect eating temperature.

Buy now £200.00, Currys.co.uk

Tefal multicook actifry

Rating: 4/5

Best: Slow cooker for busy cooks

Functions: Air frying, steaming, grilling, roasting, baking bread, dehydrating, slow cooking, making yoghurt

Searing option: Yes (in appliance)

Keep-warm setting: Yes

Timer: Yes

Capacity: 6l

Why we love it

• Great space saver
• Delay timer
• Loads of functions
• Large capacity

If you’re very short on space but hear the siren’s call of lots of different kitchen appliances (air fryers, steamers, slow cookers, etc), the multicooker actifry can deliver all that in one for you. Along with slow cooking, this multicooker air fries, sautés, steams, bakes bread and even makes yoghurt. There’s a tier system, so you can cook on two levels at once, if you’re air frying or steaming.

Plus, you can steam rice in it – I was thrilled to dump my rice cooker and convert to this. I focused on cooking a veggie stew with herby dumplings while testing this model. You can use the sauté function first to brown off ingredients, and then switch to the slow cooker function to get stewing. I loved the “later meal” function, which meant I could put the appliance on a delay to come on. Meanwhile, the keep-warm function added yet more convenience. For a busy family, this is hard to beat as a kitchen appliance.

Buy now £183.99, Amazon.co.uk

Morphy Richards sear & stew slow cooker

Rating: 3/5

Best: Small slow cooke

Functions: Slow cooking

Searing option: Yes (on hob)

Keep-warm setting: No

Timer: No

Capacity: 3.5l

Why we love it

• Compact for easy storage
• Simple to use
• Great price

Take note

• Not suitable for induction hobs
• No keep-warm setting

Great for smaller families, couples or if you’re cooking for one person, this slow cooker is simple to use. You can lift the bowl out and brown off ingredients first – I made a pesto chicken stew this way, browning off the meat first. You can then pop the bowl into the appliance, put on the lid and select from high, medium or low on the dial.

This is literally all there is to it. You cannot set a countdown timer, nor does it switch to a keep warm function – you’ll need to remember to switch it off, so your food doesn’t overcook. I found the slow cooker maintained an even temperature and kept in a lot of moisture, so I had a succulent stew at the end of cooking.

Buy now £29.99, Amazon.co.uk

Cuisinart cook in multicooker

Rating: 3/5

Best: Slow cooker for grilling and steaming

Functions: Grilling, steaming and slow cooking

Searing option: Yes (in appliance)

Keep-warm setting: No

Timer: No

Capacity: Unspecified

Why we love it

• Great for those with limited hob space
• Large surface area
• Good range of functions

Take note

• Lacks some helpful functions
• Quite large to store
• Gets a bit too hot even on low setting

I set about making a steak-and-ale pie filling with this slow cooker. The recipe called for searing off the beef and the onions before adding everything to the pan. I could get the appliance up to searing temperature pretty quickly (it warms faster with the lid on). The design of this slow cooker means the pan has a wide base, which was great for getting a lot of direct heat onto the meat to sear it quickly. However, once I added the liquid and other ingredients, the pan took a long time to cool down to the right temperature. I also missed a timer function on this slow cooker. However, you can also steam, grill and sear using this multicooker – handy if you’re short on hob space.

Buy now £61.99, Amazon.co.uk

Your questions about slow cookers answered

What is the best slow cooker?

There are many amazing slow cookers in this line-up, but I especially loved the Crock-Pot, thanks to its simplicity, value for money and the fact it doesn’t skimp on size, either. The fact that I could brown ingredients on the hob first, all in one pan, was a big bonus, too. Meanwhile, if you’re just looking for a basic, budget-friendly option, the Salter cosmos will do nicely.

Are slow cookers cheap to run?

Not only can slow cookers help you knock up some seriously delicious dinners, they are also energy efficient, with energy company USwitch noting the appliances use a little more energy than a traditional light bulb to run. While they take a little while to cook food, they use just 1.3kWh per meal cooked.

According to research by energy company Utilita, an electric oven is one of the most energy-intensive cooking appliances, costing on average £1.05 per day to run, whereas a slow cooker is typically five times cheaper to run.

What are the benefits of slow cooking?

There are many benefits to using a slow cooker, including that you can create delicious dinners with minimal prep and without spending hours in the kitchen. Once your ingredients are in, you do not have to check on or stir, because the pot warms up evenly and should never overheat.

Cooking for a long time at a low temperature is also perfect for tenderising meat and can preserve nutrients that are sometimes lost when cooking via other methods.

What are the key features to look for in a slow cooker?

Slow cookers often have a number of important features you should consider when choosing the right one for you...

• Capacity: As a general rule, a 1.5-3l slow cooker will feed one or two people; 3-5l will serve three or four people; 5-5.5l will feed four to five people; and a 6.5l machine will feed six to eight.
• Timer: Some slow cookers also have built-in timers, which means, once the set time has been reached, the appliance will either switch off completely or automatically change to a keep-warm setting.
• Temperature controls: Most appliances come with different temperature controls, including ‘low’, which is used for longer, slower cooking throughout the day and ‘medium’ and ‘high’, which are both used for speedier cooking but with similar results.
• Sous vide: A French term that means ‘under vacuum’, some models come with the ability to cook via the sous-vide method, using a sealed pouch. By doing so, the juices and subtle flavours that would otherwise be lost during conventional cooking are retained, making for a tastier meal.

Top tips for using a slow cooker

• Choose cheap cuts of meat: Slow cookers work best when it comes to cooking cheaper cuts of meat such as brisket, ham hock, pork or lamb shoulder and chicken thighs, so bear this in mind when shopping for your ingredients.
• Remember to reduce the liquid in your slow cooker: The liquid in a slow cooker won’t evaporate as it would in a standard pot, thanks to the appliance’s tightly sealed lid. You can reduce the liquid in your pot by roughly a third, so it covers the meat and vegetables, but make sure not to overfill your slow cooker, as the food won’t cook as well.
• Use flour to thicken your sauce: If you have added too much liquid and need to thicken the sauce, mix a small amount of cornflour with some cold water and at it into your slow cooker contents at the end.
• Throw everything in together: If you’re looking to optimise a relaxed form of cooking and not have to stand by the pot, you’ll want to choose recipes featuring ingredients that can be added all at once, at the beginning, and then left to cook.

How long should you leave things in a slow cooker for?

The general rule of thumb is that if a dish usually takes 15-30 minutes in an oven, it will cook in one to two hours in a slow cooker on the high setting, or in four to six hours on the low setting. If it takes one to two hours to cook in an oven, it will take three to four hours on ‘high’ in a slow cooker, or six to eight hours on ‘low’. If it takes two to four hours in an oven, cook it for four to six hours on your slow cooker’s ‘high’ setting, or eight to 12 hours on ‘low’.

For more ways to make weeknight meals a little easier, read our guide to the best air fryers

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2025-01-27T10:07:41Z