10 Best Slow Cookers

The Instant Pot 80 Duo is a versatile 8-litre slow cooker with a stainless steel finish, making it suitable for large families or batch cooking. Its 8L capacity is generous, allowing you to prepare meals for several people or store leftovers easily. The shape is a classic round design, which helps cook food evenly. It features 13 one-touch smart programmes, including a dedicated slow cook function, which simplifies the cooking process by adjusting temperature and time automatically. This means you don’t have to guess settings, making it beginner-friendly. The built-in timer and auto shutoff help you ‘set and forget’ your meals safely, with the added convenience of a keep-warm setting to maintain food temperature after cooking.

Made from durable stainless steel, the inner pot is dishwasher safe, easing the cleaning process. The 1200W power allows faster cooking compared to many traditional slow cookers, although this also means it uses more electricity. One thing to note is that while it excels as a multi-cooker, it might be more complex and bulky compared to simpler slow cookers, which could be overkill if you only want basic slow cooking.

This model is an excellent choice if you want flexibility beyond slow cooking, such as pressure cooking or steaming, and appreciate helpful preset programmes that take the guessing out of meal preparation.

The Morphy Richards 6.5L Slow Cooker offers a large capacity that can comfortably serve a family or batch cook meals, making it ideal for gatherings or meal prepping. Its oval shape is a practical design choice, allowing you to cook larger cuts of meat and casseroles evenly. You get three basic heat settings—low, medium, and high—which cover most slow cooking needs, though it lacks a precise timer feature, so you’ll need to keep track of cooking times yourself.

The ceramic pot is great for heat retention and even cooking, plus it’s dishwasher safe, which simplifies cleanup after use. The toughened glass lid lets you check on your food without losing heat, helping maintain consistent cooking temperatures. On the downside, the slow cooker weighs a bit over 5 kilograms, which might be cumbersome if you plan to move it frequently. Also, while 163 watts is sufficient for slow cooking, it won’t speed up the process, so patience is still key.

Featuring a brushed steel finish that looks modern and should fit well in most kitchens, this model is a solid choice if you want a straightforward, reliable slow cooker with a large pot and easy cleaning. For those who prefer more precise control over cooking times or multiple cooking programs, exploring options with digital timers or additional settings may be beneficial.

The Instant Pot XL 7.1L is a versatile kitchen appliance that fits well if you're looking for a slow cooker but want more than just that. With a generous 7.1-litre capacity, it’s great for cooking large family meals or prepping food ahead of time. Unlike many slow cookers with simpler designs, this model offers multiple cooking functions including slow cooking, pressure cooking, steaming, sautéing, and even yogurt making, so it replaces several devices in one. Its wide base and stainless steel inner pot help ensure even cooking and durability.

The touch controls and timer make it easy to set up and walk away, with alerts to notify you when your meal is ready—helpful if you want a hands-off cooking experience. The locking lid and safe steam release add extra safety, which is useful for busy households. On the downside, at nearly 8 kilograms and quite bulky, it takes up significant counter space and might be less portable. Though it’s a slow cooker among many other functions, if you mainly want a simple slow cooker with basic temperature settings, this might feel a bit complex or overpowered.

Cleaning is straightforward since the pot and accessories are dishwasher safe. For those seeking a flexible, all-in-one cooker that can handle slow cooking plus many other tasks, this Instant Pot is a strong choice, especially for families or those who cook frequently.