Versatile and easy-to-use slow cookers are pretty much a gift from the culinary gods. Whether you're a busy parent who cooks for the whole family or you're constantly on the go and don't have time to meal prep during the week (who does?!), these multitasking kitchen appliances are here to back you up.
For some quick background: Slow cookers gently simmer and cook your food low and slow over the course of the day, so you can spend just minutes preparing a meal that tastes like you've been in the kitchen for hours. And don't worry, it's completely safe to leave them on while you're gone (although there are a few small exceptions! More on slow cooker safety here).
How We Chose
We asked our very busy Best Products editors to dish out their picks for the slow cookers they actually use at home and would recommend to a friend. Beyond getting our editors' top picks, we also asked them about their favorite features of their slow cooker model as well as their favorite dishes to make during the week. Who knew we were such talented home cooks?
In addition to this feedback from our own team of testers, we also scoured reviews from trusted sites including Good Housekeeping, Food & Wine, Wirecutter, and Business Insider. Factors that we considered in deciding on these top picks include price point, efficiency, temperature control, ease of use, and size.
From petite pressure cookers to an Instant Pot that can literally do it all, these slow cookers are editor-tested and approved. Your days of stressing over meal prep end here.
This 6-quart Crock-Pot has a super convenient locking lid that keeps the contents inside warm during transit. The stay-cool handles also help support the weight of this bad boy and prevent burns.
My favorite feature of this slow cooker is the programmable timer setting, which lets you program cook times anywhere from 30 minutes to 20 hours. I also really like the automatic warming mode feature in case you — like me — somehow always forget to turn things off in the kitchen while you're running around.
The go-to meals that I make in this slow cooker are vegetable chili, chunky beef stew, and really simple roasted chicken dishes with big chunks of lemon, black pepper, and herbs.
Named Food & Wine's best overall pick, the Cuisinart Cook Central 6-Quart Slow Cooker is a total game changer for its superior heat retention and easy-to-use LED digital display features.
As the Food & Wine editors pointed out in their testing, "The most important feature of a slow cooker is its ability to cook low and slow over a long period of time, and this model proved to be quite reliable."
Reviewers also love this slow cooker for its comfortable and easy-to-maneuver design thanks to two sets of body handles, plus an oversized handle on the glass lid. If you're transporting a batch of ribs, slow-cooked veggies, or chili from point A to point B, this is the slow cooker you'll want.
The O.G. of all slow cooker brands, this Crock-Pot is a trusted and reliable kitchen appliance. This 7-quart manual slow cooker has over 13,000 positive reviews on Amazon, and after thorough testing, our editors also still swear by it. The four heat settings are controlled by a simple, straightforward dial, and the reasonable price point just simply can't be beaten.
"I've been using a version of this same Crock-Pot since I started cooking as a kid, and no matter how many newer, smarter versions of slow cookers come out, I still consider this one perfect in its simplicity," raves our former photo editor.
With beautiful copper accents and a black stainless steel body that elevates the look of any kitchen, this 6-quart slow cooker from Crux is a serious showstopper. We know looks aren't everything, though, so luckily this slow cooker is also incredibly user-friendly and intuitive, even for new cooks.
With an easy-to-use LCD screen and programmable time and temperature settings, this slow cooker takes the guesswork out of cooking at home. Reviewers also love the cool-touch handles to prevent accidental burns when moving from countertop to table.
Our editors love this top-rated slow cooker for its overall design and smart, secure lid clips, which ensure the lid stays nice and tight without any risk of spillage. The built-in thermometer also comes in handy for checking and ensuring food is at a safe, consistent temperature before eating.
Whether you're slow-cooking a classic pot roast or roasting root veggies, we love the reliability and temperature control features of this slow cooker from Hamilton Beach.
6
Best for Cooking Proteins
Instant Pot Duo60 6-Quart Programmable Pressure Cooker
If you're new to the Instant Pot craze, we recommend that you start with this best-selling 6-quart model. This versatile kitchen appliance works as an electric pressure cooker, sterilizer, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, and warmer — all in one smart device.
"As crazy as it sounds, I meal-prep for my dogs, and we use the Instant Pot to cook all the chicken for them. I used it to meal-prep for myself, too, and found that the Instant Pot is a game-changer when it comes to cooking proteins quickly," our senior electronics editor Brandon Carte writes.
The most affordable and compact option on this list, this 3-quart Crock-Pot slow cooker is a great pick for smaller households. Although it’s a manual model that can’t be controlled remotely or programmed to an exact temperature, our editors love the no-frills functionality.
"Depending on the day and what I’m cooking, I’ll set the temperature knob to low if I am running errands or to high if I plan on being home and want to eat sooner rather than later," writes our senior home decor editor Melanie Yates.
We also love the warming function to keep the food at a serving temperature if the cooking happens to wrap up before we're ready to chow down. Using this slow cooker helps our home-cooking routine by allowing us to make up a large batch of food for the week without being in the kitchen for hours.
If you're using a slow cooker on the regular and looking for a do-it-all appliance, check out this sleek model from Breville. Named Best Value Slow Cooker by the editors at Good Housekeeping, this 6-quart slow cooker is incredibly versatile and also easy to use.
A color-changing LCD screen displays when the cooker is pressurizing, cooking, or releasing steam. Impressively, there are also 11 different pressure-cook settings, plus a custom setting for your favorite recipes.
Named Food & Wine's most affordable pick, this BLACK+DECKER 7-quart slow cooker gets points for its reasonable price point, even cooking, and temperature control. A sometimes overlooked feature, this slow cooker has a built-in lid holder to keep your countertops clean, which we love.
This slow cooker also has a fun chalkboard surface for writing down recipe notes, timing reminders, or even allergy concerns, in case you're cooking for a small group dinner.
Danielle St. PierreSenior Food & Drink EditorDanielle is the former food & drink editor for BestProducts.com, where she put her knowledge as a cocktail consultant and connoisseur to use; her work can also be spotted on Thrillist, Food & Wine, and Delish.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
