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A slow cooker prepares your meals for you—all you have to do is add your ingredients and turn it on, and you’ll have a ready-to-eat dish in just a few hours. We’ve conducted research to help you find the best slow cooker that will up your cooking game. Keep reading to learn more about our top picks.
Top 4 Slow Cookers
- Best Preset Settings: Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Cooker
- Best Accessories: Ninja FD401 Foodi 9-in-1 Deluxe XL Cooker
- Best For Small Meals: Elite Gourmet Electric Slow Cooker
- Best Control: Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Cook Central Multi-Cooker
Best Preset Settings
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Electric Cooker
- $99.95
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Six-quart inner pot
- 12 presets
- 12 pounds
- Digital display
- Lid, steam rack, inner pot, and recipes included
What Customers Are Saying
Positive reviews praised the Instant Pot’s stainless steel construction for being easy to clean. Customers also liked that the cooker had a compact size despite its eight-quart inner pot that could cook dinners for large families. Critics said that the company’s customer service was lacking and that the Instant Pot was a fire hazard.
Best Accessories
Ninja FD401 Foodi 9-in-1 Deluxe XL Cooker
- $133.17
- $249.99
- 47% off
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Eight-quart inner pot
- Eight presets
- 26 pounds
- Digital display
- Crisper lid, pressure lid, cook and crisp basket, rack, inner pot, and cookbook included
What Customers Are Saying
Many positive reviews highlighted the slow cooker’s accessories and presets that allowed customers to cook a variety of meals. Customers especially liked the cook and crisp basket because it allowed them to pressure cook and air fry, which aren’t typical functions of a slow cooker. Negative reviews mentioned the model’s large size and heavy weight.
Best For Small Meals
Elite Gourmet Electric Slow Cooker
- $14.99
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- 1.5-quart inner pot
- Three temperature settings
- Five pounds
- Lid and inner pot included
What Customers Are Saying
Satisfied customers liked the cooker’s see-through glass lid, which allowed them to check on their meals without removing the lid and letting heat escape. Many positive reviews also praised this slow cooker’s inexpensive price. However, some customers criticized its keep warm setting, which many claimed cooked their food rather than warmed it.
Best Control
Cuisinart MSC-600 3-In-1 Cook Central Multi-Cooker
- $159.95
Prices taken at time of publishing.
Key Features
- Six-quart inner pot
- Three presets
- Digital display
- 16 pounds
- Lid and inner pot included
What Customers Are Saying
Reviewers said that they could easily control the outcome of their food with the presets the slow cooker had. Other positive reviews praised this slow cooker for its unique saute and browning feature and its easy cleaning. Negative reviews said that the lining of the nonstick inner pot blistered or bubbled after a short period of time.
Buyer’s Guide
Before buying a slow cooker, consider the following factors.
Capacity
Slow cookers range in size from about 1.5 quarts to 10 quarts. You’ll want to choose a size that fits the number of people you typically cook for. Three quarts is generally enough for one to three people, and four or five quarts is enough for four people. If you regularly cook for large groups, choose a cooker that’s at least six quarts in size.
Shape
Slow cookers either have a circle or oval shape. If you’re cooking large cuts of meat, such as brisket or ribs, an oval pot may be a better option. For remaining dishes, you can use either shape.
Lid
The best slow cookers have a glass lid for checking on your meal’s progress without removing the lid and allowing heat to escape. Some lids also lock for easy transportation of the cooker and its contents to a family gathering or another function.
Removable Pot
Your slow cooker should have a removable insert that you can pull out of the base for easy cleaning and cooking preparation. This pot is usually made of metal, porcelain, or ceramic. All of these materials are good conductors of heat, but porcelain and ceramic are easier to clean than metal.
Handles
You’ll want a cooker that has large, sturdy, and heat-resistant handles. This allows you to move the pot to serve dinner with ease.
Settings
More affordable slow cookers have low, medium, high, and off functions. If you’re willing to spend more money, you’ll find models that allow you to input a temperature, choose a preset function, and set a timer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the keep warm setting on my slow cooker do?
If your dish finishes before you’re ready to eat, the keep warm setting keeps the dish hot so that you’re not eating cold food when it’s time to sit down for your meal.
Can I leave my slow cooker on while I’m out of the house?
Yes. Slow cookers are designed to cook your meals while you’re at the office or otherwise out of the house. However, make sure that nothing is touching the cooker, as this could start a fire.
Can I bring my slow cooker to a function?
Yes. If you’re going to a potluck or another party, you can cook your dish ahead of time in the slow cooker and keep it in there for transportation. To ensure that the dish doesn’t spill in the car, look for a cooker with a locking lid.
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We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.
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