Have a nice, warm dinner waiting for you at home with one of these handy kitchen helpers.
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A good slow cooker can help you create largely hands-off meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert. The set-it-and-forget-it approach means you can simmer foods while you're at work or overnight, and it helps keep your stovetop and oven available for other tasks. It works by cooking foods at a low and steady temperature, similar to braising in a Dutch oven, with the ability to keep foods warm after cooking.
When our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test slow cookers, we prepare chicken soup and beef stew. We assess the cookers’ ability to maintain temperatures on both high and low settings, check the texture and flavor of the meat and consider how liquids reduce over time. We factor in whether you can brown foods right in the slow cooker’s pot, and we review any special features like an app, probe or insert.
If you're trying to decide between a multicooker and a slow cooker, we've got top picks for both — and you can read more about how we test slow cookers and what to consider before buying one at the end of this guide. And don't forget to check out the GH Test Kitchen's favorite slow cooker recipes.
In our tests, this 7-quart slow cooker made a rich and tender beef stew and cooked chicken soup and pot roast to safe internal temperatures. We like that you can use this model's removable aluminum pot for browning on the stovetop. However, we did find that, unlike other models in our test, it boiled the broth for chicken soup, which made the meat and vegetables a little overcooked.
The digital controls offer settings for slow cooking on low, high/low and high, plus a programmable 20-hour timer. The six-hour automatic “keep warm” setting will hold your dish at a safe serving temperature when cooking is complete. Both the insert and unit have riveted handles that make it easy to carry them together or separately. The insert is removable for easier cleaning and is dishwasher safe.
In our tests, the Black + Decker 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker nicely slow-cooked a beef roast on low and high, as well as a chicken soup on low. Beef stew had a rich, uniform broth, but the meat was a bit drier compared with other slow cookers.
This updated model offers the same standout features as previous versions — an easy-to-program control panel, large side handles and a locking lid for toting (not for cooking) — plus a sous vide function and an included temperature probe to help prevent overcooking. If you’re new to slow cooking or sous vide, the price point makes it a nice way to give it a try.
This Hamilton Beach slow cooker is the largest slow cooker on our list with an 8-quart capacity. It's especially great for big families or hosting since it can fit an 8-pound whole chicken or a 6-pound roast. If you're looking to feed an even bigger crowd, Hamilton Beach also offers a 10-quart model (though we have not yet tested that version).
It’s affordable, straightforward to use and easy to clean up. We especially love the “keep warm” feature to ensure that your food remains at your desired temperature until you’re ready to eat. The insert and lid are dishwasher safe. Take note that you cannot use the insert for browning.
With six easy-to-use modes including slow cook, sous vide and sauté/sear, the Wolf Gourmet 7-Quart Multi-Function Cooker can help you with a wide variety of recipes. The removable stainless steel cookware insert can be used on your gas, electric or induction cooktop, making this cooker a winner in terms of versatility. You can keep track of the internal temperature of foods with the convenient temperature probe.
This model produced the most tender roast in our test. And cleanup is easy because the insert and lid are both dishwasher safe.
The Calphalon Digital Sauté turned out some of the most tender beef in our Lab tests; the stew broth was rich and the vegetables held their shape. Though you cannot brown foods in the cooker itself, you can remove the nonstick insert and use it directly on the stovetop or in the oven. When we used it to brown meat on the stove, it earned top ratings for even heating.
The dial features settings for low, high and warm. And the digital display for the timer is large and easy to read, making it simple to program your cook time.
Instant Brands — maker of the Instant Pot, our best overall pressure cooker — has rethought the slow cooker. The Instant Electric Precision Dutch Oven uses an enamel cast iron Dutch oven as the cooking vessel. The company states that, when paired with the electric base, the pot delivers five functions: braise, slow cook, sear/sauté, manual and food warmer.
We were very impressed with the browning capabilities when making beef stew in our tests. Searing right in the pot is a time-saver, and it helps you capture more flavor for the resulting dish. That additional flavor helped the overall stew, because while the meat was tender, we did note that the liquid didn't reduce (and therefore concentrate in flavor) very much. Though we tested the Dutch oven only in the base, Instant does say that you can also use it on the stovetop and in the oven. And the classic look makes it easy to bring to the table for serving.
GreenPan is among our top picks for best ceramic nonstick pan, so we were excited to test the brand's slow cooker. The pot has the same nonstick coating as the company's cookware; we felt it was very easy to hand wash — and it's also dishwasher safe (though we recommend handwashing nonstick cookware to prolong its life). We also like that in addition to the base's handles, the pot itself has handles with silicone covers to help keep things cool when transporting.
The simple interface offers settings for slow cook, brown/sauté and steam, which is a less-common setting (and the cooker comes with a steaming rack). The browning function was not the strongest in our tests, but we did note that — as with nonstick cookware — only a little oil was required.
Crock-Pot’s 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker is our top pick for a small slow cooker. It's perfect for bringing warm queso to a tailgate or making a small beef stew for two. This slow cooker requires minimal clean-up as the insert is dishwasher-safe. Handles on its slow cooker's exterior also allow easy transport.
If you are looking for a larger version with more functions, we were impressed with the Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker with Sous Vide. We cooked a roast beef via the sous vide setting, and it turned out perfectly tender. It earned a 2023 Kitchen Gear Award thanks to praise from home testers as well.
Give your buffet table a boost with this Proctor Silex model, which earned a 2023 GH Kitchen Gear Award. It lets you cook one dish in the 6-quart ceramic crock or two dishes in the dual 2.5-quart nonstick inserts. We were pleased with the beef stew in our tests, and we loved that we were able to keep black beans and queso warm in the small inserts for four hours without any scorching.
The crock, inserts and lid are all dishwasher safe, which helps with cleanup. While the simple interface is easy to use — turn the dial to select high, low or keep warm — take note that there's no built-in timer for tracking cook times.
Cuisinart's multicooker earned high marks for its slow cooking function on our list of best pressure cookers: It made a more tender beef stew than the other multicookers in our Lab test. It offers 12 preprogrammed settings, but we found the large and well-lit LCD screen kept the menus easy to navigate. We like that you can remove the sealing gasket for deeper cleaning to help remove lingering odors; it's dishwasher safe as well.
We also liked that — if you are using the pressure cooking function — progress bars show you the stages of coming to full pressure; after cooking, the bars will reverse so you can track when it's time to release pressure. The lid has a unique twisting design that gives a visual indicator of whether the lid is properly aligned for sealing. But it is attached via a hinge, so you'll need sufficient clearance above the machine to use it.
During our side-by-side analysis, our culinary experts tested slow cookers by making beef stew and chicken soup. We made more than 100 servings of stew and cooked up more than 30 whole chickens.
We assessed temperature control and consistency during cooking by measuring the temperature of the food and liquid throughout the cooking process. We inserted thermocouples (sensors that measure temperature) into the breasts and thighs of whole chickens so they could transmit data to temperature-tracking software on a laptop. We put thermocouples in the cooking liquid as well.
We tested each cooker's heat distribution ability to see if there were hot spots (when parts of food cook faster than others). We do this by coating the pot with shortening and a thin layer of flour and then heating the slow cooker until the flour browns; the level of browning is then evaluated against a standardized chart.
We also evaluated each slow cooker’s design, safety features and ease of use without the help of an instruction manual. We assessed the “keep warm” function, the tenderness of the meat and the flavor development of dishes. What we found was interesting: Traditional slow cookers performed well and were consistent. Pressure cooker models that have slow cook features did well, too, but with slightly lower scores.
✔️ Capacity: The main thing to consider is the size of the crock or pot. Slow cooker pots can range from as small as 1½ quarts to as large as 10 quarts, so you can find the size that suits your household. A newer trend is inserts that allow you to divide the main crock into smaller zones so you can cook more than one food at the same time.
✔️ Footprint: Consider how much space this appliance will require. Is it too tall to fit under your cabinets? Will it hog an entire shelf if you store it out of sight?
✔️ Functions: One major factor is whether you can sauté foods right in the slow cooker. If you frequently make dishes that require browning foods as as step, you might want to find a model with a function called "brown," "sauté" or "manual." Is the appliance's sole function to slow cook, or can you steam, air fry, pressure cook or sous vide as well? We also recommend those with an automatic “keep warm” setting that usually holds your cooked food at 165°F, which is above the food-safe temperature of 145°F but won't overcook the food.
✔️Accessories: We found that we liked models that came with a temperature probe that allows you to monitor the internal temperature of foods — or the cooking liquid itself, especially for sous vide — without opening the lid. We were also impressed with the functionality of the Proctor Silex Double Dish Slow Cooker on our list, which includes two small inserts for cooking two items at once.
✔️ Apps and programmable slow cookers: Some slow cookers can be paired with smartphone apps that allow you to set the time and temperature; some will include recipes with ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions. Others have a “delay start” feature that allows you to start cooking without physically pressing any buttons. This is very handy, but we don’t recommend using this feature for longer than two hours, especially when cooking with meat; according to the FDA, when food sits out at room temperature for more than two hours, bacteria can increase exponentially, putting you at risk for illness.
This is kind of a trick question! All Crock-Pots are slow cookers (or multicookers!), but not all slow cookers are Crock-Pots. "Crock-Pot" is the brand name of a successful line of slow cookers from Sunbeam Products, Inc. Much in the way that "Kleenex" has become shorthand for facial tissue, people use the term "Crock-Pot" to refer broadly to slow cookers. As you'll see from our list, there are actually many manufacturers of slow cookers out there.
There is, however, one difference in cooking method: Crock-Pots and crockpot-style cookers generally have a ceramic pot inside a base with a heating element that wraps around the pot. Slow cookers that are not crockpot-style are more likely to have a metal pot and a heating element on the bottom only. These may be able to offer a browning function, whereas Crock-Pots and crockpot-style cookers usually do not.
Nicole Papantoniou has run the Good Housekeeping Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab since 2019; she has tested slow cookers as well as air fryers, toaster ovens and stainless steel cookware. Previously she worked in product development for small kitchen appliances and tools since 2014 as well as in several test kitchens, where she tested and developed recipes and food content starting in 2012. She has a grand diplome in classic culinary arts from the former French Culinary Institute and a certificate in culinary nutrition from the former Natural Gourmet Institute, now both known as the Institute of Culinary Education.
Sarah Wharton is a deputy editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She led the most recent testing for slow cookers — making countless batches of beef stew! — and she has tested many other products, including fish spatulas, immersion blenders and carbon steel pans. She is a graduate of the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and has been cooking professionally since 2017.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).
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