Best Slow Cooker – Buyer’s Guide

The Ninja Foodi is an air fryer, pressure cooker, and slow cooker all in one. When the Ninja Foodi was released, it got a lot of buzz. People were excited that there was a new kid on the block. They hoped it was just as good as the other two. The fact that it pretty much sold out instantly shows it was even better than anyone expected.

When we tested it, we loved everything about it. The instructions and guide made it so easy to get used to, and it was a breeze to handle as well. The sheer amount you can do with the Foodi is extraordinary, from boiling an egg to slow cooking a ragu and air frying potato wedges. Because it is such a unique and high-quality appliance, we did not think a short review would suffice, so we dedicated a much more comprehensive review below:

You can read our dedicated in-depth Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Review in full for more details by clicking HERE.

Its capacity is similar to the aforementioned Crock-pot, but this option is programmable, like the Andrew James model. Its delayed start function lets you choose the start time, and it has an automatic keep-warm function once it’s finished slow cooking, so your meal is still hot – but not overcooked – when you come to serve it.

The inner bowl is non-stick and is removable, therefore easy to clean. It is also dishwasher safe. This model comes with a free recipe booklet to give you some inspiration – from slow cooked chilli to porridge.

This slow cooker is one of the industry favourites and has been created for simple use, it’s easy to utilise the features, easy to clean and can be used for a whole host of meals. Crock pots have become increasingly popular for good reason with them being versatile and hassle-free but Morphy Richards have again exceeded all expectation with this red innovative product.

You can sear, stew or slow cook in this appliance and it adds a new dimension to your kitchen capabilities, simply put on the food and leave it to soak up the flavours and slowly reach completion. This particular item is one with three heat settings, a lightweight design and a non-stick aluminium pot. You can cook and serve from the same pot plus washing is made super simple with the removable pot that can be washed in the sink or dishwasher.

It boasts a capacity of 3.5 litres and serves up to four people ensuring that you can make food for the family without stress – it contains a durable design and has a transparent, tough lid perfect for checking over your brewing recipe.

It’s perfect for everyday use and has been created to go the distance with a resilient yet functioning structure that makes for ideal use, capitalise with the removable lid, detachable inner-pot and has different cooking options for stews and soups.

Another of our favourite Crock Pot offerings, and this is one of the largest capacity slow cookers on offer, so great if you have a lot of hungry mouths to feed.

The removable die-cast pot lets you take it straight to the table, and is also easy to clean up afterwards. It can also be used on the hob which is handy, so you can seal meats or saute ingredients before starting the slow cooking. Think we can all agree this is much easier than transferring it all from a frying pan – we all love minimal washing up.

The DuraCeramic coating is four times more durable than a standard non-stick coating. As well, both the pot and lid are oven, fridge and freezer safe. This gives you countless opportunities to make the meals you want, how you want.

With a keep warm function, you can ensure everyone is ready before you settle down, without risking spoiling the food. When it comes to the cooking, the digital timer counts down the hours and minutes left so you can keep an eye on proceedings, and then automatically switches it to warm when done.

Moving on from the actual cooking performance, the digital screen is nice and clear to see, and we love how it looks a little different too. Gloss white provides a change from the usual blacks and stainless steels, and the cast aluminium material will keep it strong and scuff free.

This is a small cooker which will have your back for years to come and will create delicious meals without any fuss from you. Well worth the investment.

It holds 6.5 litres, which will make several portions of food. You can easily fit a whole chicken or leg of lamb into this appliance, and it will come out incredibly tender and falling off the bone. It’s also great for stews, casseroles, curries and all the usual recipes.

This Morphy Richards model has a toughened glass lid and both the bowl and lid are perfectly fine to go in the dishwasher. You can also place this straight onto the table to serve. This model also looks really nice, with a polished stainless steel outer casing and oval shape – the perfect shape for slow cooking bigger cuts of meat.

Slow cookers aren’t the most stylish appliances. But this model actually manages to look the part as well as do its job.

There is a glass lid, which doesn’t seem to steam up compared to some other models which is ideal for keeping an eye on the proceedings. We also loved how the inner pot is hob-proof, so if you need to brown off or seal your meat before adding the other ingredients to make a casserole or ragu, you can do it all in one item. Much easier, and much less washing up – something everyone likes to hear.

It is relatively lightweight, and the dial for the setting choice is nice and easy to turn. Because the inner bowl insert is metal, it is also easy to lift out of the body to wash up. You still have a very generous capacity too, which is plenty for a full family meal, and the ability to choose from three heat levels means your soups can heat away while you are at work or be done quickly when you get home for a quick meal.

The price is a big high for a simple product like this without a timer, so you seem to be paying for the looks as well. Should this bother you? Not at all if you’re bothered about style. It is worth bearing in mind that the low setting is still powerful, so stews can bubble away, but don’t let it put you off.

Retro slow cookers are unfortunately hard to come by, so this offering from Swan (a.k.a industry leaders in the retro look) is a winner if you really care about your aesthetics.

The removable inner pot is good when you want to take it straight to the table for everyone to help themselves. It is also dishwasher safe, for an easy cleanup. There is a 32-page recipe book included, which you can use for a bit of inspiration if you’re stuck on what to make.

We liked the idea of the auto setting, which starts the cooking off on high then drops it to low when ready, so it is perfectly cooked without you having to bother. This is perfect for stews and soups. There is also the low setting for any pudding or porridge or a high setting for pulses.

There is a choice of three sizes, which is brilliant. The 1.5L is ideal for one or two people, and the 6.5L is a huge titan of a slow cooker which could quite easily feed half a dozen people or more. A couple of the accessories are a little flimsy, such as the lid handle or dial, but they still do the job.

The sheer choice of colours will definitely appeal to you if you like to step away from the neutrals and blacks. Forget the usual light blue and green retro looks – you also have grey, red, orange and lime green if you’d prefer a pop of colour.

It is a great match if you have other Swan retro appliances, or are fussy about the size you are wanting. The price is pretty relative to what you get, too, with each option.

A basic and affordable slow cooker, yet one which still does a fab job in getting your dinners served with minimal effort.

It is 3.5L, so great for a small family. There are two heat settings, high and low, so whether you need a casserole in less than three hours or want to keep your tagine bubbling over while you are at work, there will be perfect results in the end.

The stainless steel outer and glass lid makes it a stylish addition to any kitchen, and even though it is not a particularly starry-looking item, this actually makes it quite nice in a way. You just have a simple dial for your control, so there is no fuss and messing about.

It would make a brilliant first slow cooker for your home, and there are so many online recipes which you can follow for inspiration. The included booklet also gives you many basics, as well as easy instructions to follow.

The inner cooking bowl is removable from the base, so you can take it straight to the table and wash it all up afterwards. All of the ingredients came out perfect in our tests too, from meat to hard carrots, so stress is at a minimum.

Perfect for any recipes, from stews and casseroles to soups and puddings, this is a slow cooker which can handle every meal, from the hearty traditional ones to the adventurous concoctions.

We would expect no less from a name such as Crock-Pot, who are the kings of the slow cooker world. It is nice and easy to use, thanks to a digital screen which gives you full control over timings and settings.

Don’t worry about the cleanup either, as it is simple to wipe clean and pop away. The last thing anyone wants after dinner is to spend ages washing up, after all. There is also a rubber seal around the lid, so no moisture is lost during cooking. This will please anyone who gets annoyed by dripping condensation when they go to stir the food.

Another feature which prevents this is the hinged lid. You don’t have to scramble to get a cloth down to set the lid on anymore, or struggle with oven mitts and tea towels as it is too hot. Great for that last-minute adding of spices. It can be removed if preferred, or for cleaning.

As it is 4.7L, it is great for families or anyone who wants to cook a meal which will do them a couple of times.

A lovely affordable and quirky slow cooker for those who like to make mealtimes fun.

The matt black coating allows you to do what both the name and the picture suggest. You can write on it with chalk, which could come in handy more than you’d think. Whether you want to leave a note for the family to say what is cooking, tell them not to touch/stir/turn it off, or keep track of the ingredients you’ve added/need to add and timings, all the data is in one place.

The 3.5L capacity will make enough for around four portions, so you have a pot which is big enough to get a few meals out of or keep everyone happy at dinner time. A glass lid lets you keep an eye on things before it is ready, so you don’t have to keep removing the lid and releasing the heat.

Shape-wise, the taller design means it is a bit less wide than a lot of others on the market. Therefore, if you have a small kitchen, you won’t need to take up a ridiculous amount of space when it is in use.

It isn’t the most reliable when it comes to results. When we cooked with chicken breasts on both the high and low settings, it all broke up into smaller stringy segments. It also seemed a little too powerful on the slow setting for our liking, with liquids starting to bubble almost straight away.

But for the price, it is a good, fun offering for anyone who needs the convenience every so often. Ignore any other dated reviews which state that the sticker leaves behind a sticky residue when removed – we can confirm that Russell Hobbs have taken this feedback on board, and ours was left spotless.