Best slow cookers from Crock-Pot, Ninja, John Lewis and more
Whether you're a meat-lover or vegetarian, slow cookers are a kitchen appliance that will transform your culinary repertoire. They're also one of the most affordable pieces of cooking equipment you can buy.
Why exactly are they essential? All you need to do is prep your ingredients and it will cook them over a long period of time – we're talking hours – at a steady temperature. Thanks to the lid, it will lock in moisture for flavourful, tenderly-cooked dishes.
They do a stellar job of tenderising meat for stews and casseroles but are incredibly versatile, able to whip up meals like macaroni and cheese, loaded potatoes, beef joints and curries.
The two main types are round and oval; the former tend to be smaller and more affordable, while the latter is larger, fitting bulkier foods, such as chicken or pork joints with ease.
We've rounded up the best, so you can up your cooking game ASAP. Featuring retailers including John Lewis, Lakeland and Currys, you're spoilt for choice in this shopping edit of our favourite designs.
12 of the best slow cookers
Ninja OP350UK 6L 9in1 Multi Cooker | £229.99 from John Lewis
Ninja is a leading brand for multi-cookers and this six-litre oval design is made with bigger families and batch cooking in mind. It's an impressive machine that can do it all, including pressure cook, air crisp, slow cook, steam, bake, roast, sear, grill and dehydrate food, sized for four people and big enough to fit a whole chicken.
The slow cooker function can tenderise meats over 12 hours for dishes full of flavour every time.
Morphy Richards Evoke Sear & Stew 461016 Slow Cooker | £64.99 (Was £74.99) from Currys PC World
This easy to clean design has a dishwasher-friendly pot, and chic rose gold detailing that won't be an eyesore on your kitchen counter. Boasting a 6.5-litre capacity, three heat settings and a lightweight, hob-safe pot, it's never been easier to rustle up a feast.
Lakeland 1.5L Slow Cooker | £34.99 from Lakeland
If you're shopping with a smaller budget and want a slow cooker to suit one or two persons, this compact one from Lakeland ticks all the boxes. The glass lid allows you to keep a close eye on your food as it cooks and the encircling element will ensure your meat and vegetables are cooked evenly through.
Tower T16018 Stainless Steel Slow Cooker | £64.17 from Amazon
Another popular brand is Tower and this slow cooker offers everything you need to feed up to four people. Whether you're making overnight oats, a Thai green curry or mulled wine (yes, really), it's as versatile as it gets. The removable pot can be put in the dishwasher so keeping it clean is a doddle too. There are three heat settings and a keep-warm function, simply plug in, switch on and get going. Ready, steady, cook.
Tefal Turbo Cuisine CY754840 10-in-1 Multi Electric Pressure Cooker | £129 from John Lewis
This Tefal model has 10 cooking functions, a generously sized 5L bowl and is three times faster at cooking meals compared to traditional cookware on a gas or electric stove. What's not to love? It's no wonder ti has rave reviews from shoppers. One said, "I regularly host and love this. I make all meals in this from starter to dessert and with a large family it works wonders especially when short on time. Would buy again and I use [sic] it everyday since."
Cookworks 3.5L Slow Cooker | £22 from Argos
For a nifty device that will set you back less than £30, this Cookworks slow cooker is ideal. It has a generous capacity for a smaller family or couple, and you can be confident when your food is finished cooking thanks to the glass lid that will also lock in all that flavourful moisture. The keep-warm function will also come in handy at maintaining the temperature until you're ready to tuck in.
Russell Hobbs Slow Cooker 23200, 3.5L | £37.99 from Robert Dyas
Russell Hobbs is a trusted household name for kitchen appliances and you can't go wrong with this slow cooker. There are three heat settings, a removable dishwasher-safe pot and lid and the handles on it are cool to touch so you won't have to worry about burning your hands.
Crock-Pot Slow Cooker | £65 from Argos
Another reputable brand is Crock-Pot, and this sleek design can serve up to six portions, so bigger families will get a lot of use out of this and the timer allows you to leave it on while you're in the office and return home to a delicious, home-cooked dinner.
GreenPan Slow Cooker, 5.6L | £199 from John Lewis
Make dinnertimes a breeze with this GreenPan multicooker, which can cook family-sized meals with ease. Simply toss all your ingredients in, whether it's meat, veg or fish, and let it get to work. Best of all there'll be only one pot to wash up when you're finished eating.
Daewoo SDA1364 Stainless Steel Slow Cooker | £34.99 (Was £36.99) from Amazon
Whether you want to cook a meal from scratch or keep cooked food warm, this slow cooker comes with an indicator light to let you know when it's ready to dish up and the durable stainless steel body will stand the test of time in your kitchen. The best part? It comes with free delivery from Amazon Prime members.
Swan SF17021BN 3.5L Retro Slow Cooker | £31.99 from Swan
The eye-catching, retro design of this Swan slow cooker has us ordering one ASAP. Perfect for lazy cooks, simply put your ingredients in it and let it do the hard work for you. The three settings work for all types of food; from slow simmering chunky soups to baked dishes such as apple crumble. The automatic function browns meats on the highest setting, before adjusting to low to tenderise meat stews and casseroles.
Sage The Fast Slow Pro Slow Cooker | £209.99 from Lakeland
This machine does it all. While it's more of an investment, it can meet all your culinary needs, with six settings that can pressure cook, sear, sauté, steam and slow cook. That's not all, it also has dual sensors on the top and bottom to monitor ingredients to ensure the most accurate temperature is being used for evenly cooked food.
