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7 best slow cookers for a low effort dinner
Minimal faff, maximal deliciousness
We don’t know about you, but post-lockdown life has made a decent dent on our bank accounts, so if you’re looking for sneaky ways to save while socialising and going to the office becomes the new new normal, we’d suggest adding a slow cooker to your kitchen ASAP.
The handy machine is a great time-saving appliance that makes dinner and lunch prep super quick and easy – just chuck some ingredients in, press go, and hours later you’ll return to a tasty meal.
Can it really be that simple? Yes! And our top-rated machines below start from just £20. All that’s left is to decide how to spend the saved time and pennies – autumn wardrobe planning anyone?
What slow cooker should I buy?
Ready to get your meal prep on? Here are our tried and tested best buys:
- Best slow cooker: Crock-Pot Lift & Serve Digital Slow Cooker CSC052
- Best slow cooker for small kitchens: Salter Rose Gold Edition 3.5 Litre Slow Cooker
- Best slow cooker for one to two people: Judge Slow Cooker JEA34R
- Best for design: Salter Chalkboard Slow Cooker EK2842
- Best-looking slow cooker: Next Copper Effect Slow Cooker 983971
- Best budget slow cooker: Swan 1.5 Litre Slow Cooker
- Best for energy efficiency: Tower 3.5L Slow Cooker
What can you make in a slow cooker?
Slow cookers are great at creating all things comforting. Think veg-packed soups, vegan chillies, spag bol and creamy curries. For meat eaters, they’re also particularly good at turning inexpensive cuts of meat into delicious dinners. They might not be able to manage banana bread, but they can do pretty much everything else!
Things to look out for
Capacity is key. If you’re only cooking for yourself, get a 1.5-litre machine. Got the whole gang to feed? You might want to consider a larger option - as a guide, 4.7 litres will feed about five people.
Some include a built-in timer that will automatically stop the machine from cooking but keep your meal warm for you, while others will need to be stopped manually. Multiple heat settings will also let you have more control.
If you’re impatient (and curious) like us, opt for one with a glass lid — that way you can keep an eye on your grub without letting any heat escape, while an indicator light lets you know when the machine is on.
How we test
There’s only one way to figure out how good these slow cookers really are — and that’s to get them cooking. Following our failsafe recipes, we tried all our favourites dishes to see how these slow cookers fared. We tasted our way through soups, stews and curries, checking how moist they were across all settings, while also monitoring how energy efficient each machine was.
Crock-Pot Lift & Serve Digital Slow Cooker CSC052
You don’t really realise quite how small your kitchen is until you’ve got to find room for a giant wet lid. Well, the good news is that this machine has a hinged one, which flips back while you’re stirring so you'll never have the where-to-put-this panic. We also like that the inner ceramic pot doubles up as a serving dish (meaning less washing up!).
The 4.7-litre capacity is pretty generous too, and ideal if you’re feeding a few or making your lunches for the week. Once your food is cooked, it automatically switches over to the "keep warm" setting to ensure your grub is ready and waiting. And the food? It was perfectly cooked.
Key specs
Capacity: 4.7 litre (approx. 5 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 2
This is a small but mighty slow cooker that’s mini enough to tuck away if your kitchen is on the diddy side but still big enough to cook for all the flatmates, thanks to its 3.5-litre tank. It was energy efficient in testing, making it a good pick for savings in the long run, and we can confirm it whips up delish food too, with top-notch moisture retention. Just watch the slightly loose lid and wobbly pot when stirring. Oh, and did we mention it’s a looker, too?
Key specs
Capacity: 3.5 litre (approx. 4 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 3
Judge Slow Cooker JEA34R
Just the two of you? At just 1.5 litres, this one's pretty compact and will knock up a cosy dinner for two, no problem. It’s mega easy to use with a choice of low, medium and high settings, and there were no complaints about the dishes it produced. It did spit at us occasionally when checking food, but it was nothing we couldn’t handle.
Key specs
Capacity: 1.5 litres (approx. 2 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 3
It’s time to get creative because this machine comes with a packet of chalk! Tell your flatmates what’s for tea, or just write HANDS OFF, we’re not here to judge.
The 3.5-litre capacity means there will be enough curry to go around if you’re feeling generous. There’s no built-in timer, so don’t forget to set an alarm. We had way too much fun with this one.
Key specs
Capacity: 3.5 litre (approx. 4 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 2
Slow cookers can look nice too. This one also aced our soup test and knocked up a banging curry. It’s dead easy to use, with just three heat settings, and can easily be moved around the kitchen using the two sturdy handles.
Key specs
Capacity: 3.5 litre (approx. 4 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (not dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 3
This one is a total bargain and will make you wonder why you’ve never owned a slow cooker before. With a 1.5-litre capacity, it won’t take up much space in the kitchen, and it’s super energy efficient. Just stick it on the trusty auto-setting and away you go.
Key specs
Capacity: 1.5 litre (approx. 1-2 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of settings: 3
Here’s another one we wouldn’t be embarrassed to have out on display. It’s still compact but with a slightly larger capacity than the copper one from Next (above), so it's ideal if you’ve got more people to feed.
Our testers discovered it was a whiz at chicken curry but not quite so hot with beef stew. Either way, it’s extremely energy efficient so your ‘leccy bill will thank you for it.
Key specs
Capacity: 3.5 litres (approx. 4 servings)
Pot: Ceramic (dishwasher safe)
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 3
Hannah is our homes editor, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.
Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more.
Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe.
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