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8 best slow cookers for tasty and easy refuelling
You barely have to set foot in the kitchen
If the thought of what’s for lunch gives you an extra boost on your long runs, then trust us, investing in a simple slow cooker might just be the motivation you need to throw in a sprint finish.
They make cooking up delicious dinners easier than ever – whether a Sunday roast is a must for your refuelling or you prefer a veg-packed stew, all you have to worry about before you hit the road is prepping your food and turning the slow cooker on. The mini cooker then does the rest so that when you get in, lunch or dinner is ready to tuck into.
What slow cooker should I buy?
Convinced? We tested 34 slow cookers to find the best ones to add to your kitchen. Here are our top picks:
- Best slow cooker: Crock-Pot CSC052
- Best digital slow cooker: Crock-Pot 5.6L TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker CSC066
- Best slow cooker for risotto: Sage Risotto Plus Slow/ Multi Cooker
- Best multi-cooker: Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker OP500UK
- Best slow cooker for sous vide: Russell Hobbs Sous Vide Slow Cooker 25630
- Best compact slow cooker: Salter Rose Gold Edition 3.5 Litre Slow Cooker
- Best value for money slow cooker: Swan 1.5l Slow Cooker SF17010N
- Best for pressure cooking: Sage The Fast Slow Pro Slow Cooker
Is slow cooking healthy?
Cooking your food slowly over a low heat helps lock in lots of nutrients that are often lost when we cook using other techniques. The lids keep the moisture in too, which tenderises any meat and draws out its flavour, which is especially helpful if you want to use cheaper cuts.
What to look for in a slow cooker
There are a few key things to consider when you’re deciding which slow cooker is best for you. First up is the capacity; if you tend to cook for one to two people, a 1.5-litre design will save you space in the kitchen, whereas if you often feed a crowd, go for a 6-litre model or higher.
Other helpful features include a built-in timer that stops your machine from cooking when the food is ready but keeps it warm until you’re ready to eat. Those machines without this will need more monitoring – glass lids are useful here for keeping an eye on your dinner without losing any heat.
For more control over your cooking, opt for a model with multiple heat settings and if you like reassurance that your cooking is well… cooking, an indicator light will show you when the slow cooker is on.
These days, some slow cookers also double up as multi-cookers. These are great if you’re after multiple appliances in one bit of kitchen tech. We’ve included a few on this list, each with slightly different offerings.
How we test slow cookers
Our expert testers put 34 slow cookers to the test, cooking a vegetable soup, chicken curry and beef stew in each. They tried out the high and low settings, measured the loss of moisture for each dish during cooking and looked at how much energy each appliance used.
They also assessed the temperature, texture and taste of every meal they made. Below are the results.
If you often feed you and your crew, then our winning slow cooker would make a wise buy. The generous 4.7-litre tank can cater for up to six people and its nifty pot can also act as a serving dish. It’s dishwasher-proof and the hinged lid is handy for stirring and seasoning without losing too much precious steam.
When it comes to the food, it doesn’t disappoint either, scoring top marks for its curry, stew and soup; our testers found the meat and veg juicy and tender. It’s not the fanciest on our list, but it really delivers.
Key specifications
Capacity: 4.7L
Heat settings: 2
Pot: Ceramic
Lid: Glass
Crock-Pot 5.6L TimeSelect Digital Slow Cooker CSC066
Another impressive offering from Crock-Pot, this one has an even bigger capacity and allows you to plan ahead; you can schedule your cooking up to 12 hours ahead of dinnertime. Our testers also liked its bright and clear digital display.
In testing, it was energy efficient and performed well too – the beef was succulent and the chicken fell delicately off the bone. It also boasts an array of customisable auto and manual settings, so if you like to be precise with your cooking, this will please.
Key specifications
Capacity: 5.6L
Heat settings: 3
Pot: Ceramic
Lid: Glass
Sage Risotto Plus Slow/ Multi Cooker
Is risotto your carb-loading go-to? Then we reckon this multi-tasking machine would make a great buy as it specialises in cooking the Italian rice dish. The slow cooker function performed reliably in testing too, whipping up deliciously moist curries and stews.
It will also sauté your veg and our testers found it was extremely energy efficient. When your meal has finished cooking, the slow cooker automatically keeps it warm too, eliminating the need for reheating if you decide to tag on a few extra miles.
Key specifications
Capacity: 3.7 litre
Pot: Aluminium
Lid: Glass
Number of settings: 7
Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker OP500UK
The most versatile machine on our list, this multi-cooker can nearly do it all – we’re talking everything from air frying to baking. With a 7.5-litre capacity too, it can cook up large volumes if you’re meal prepping.
The slow cooker feature excelled in our tests, rivalling the performance of the Crock-Pots. Our meals retained nearly all their moisture – 99.27% to be precise – making for tender and tasty dishes. It proved energy-efficient as well, making it a real all-rounder.
Key specifications
Capacity: 7.5 litre
Pot: Aluminium
Lid: Pressure lid
Number of settings: 9
Russell Hobbs Sous Vide Slow Cooker 25630
This slow cooker is the one for getting your serious chef on. Made for sous vide cooking – where you cook your food in a sealed pouch that’s placed inside a temperature controlled water bath – it retains all the juices and flavours of your food that can otherwise escape in the cooking process.
It also does traditional slow cooking well; the cooking time and temperature were easy to adjust and it has a clear digital display for monitoring your food’s progress. The results were also the sort that’ll have you going back for seconds – juicy and packed full of flavour, even after eight hours on the go. Our only criticism is that you have to buy the pouches for cooking sous vide separately. Otherwise, it’s a proper crowd-pleaser.
Key specifications
Capacity: 6.5L
Heat settings: 5
Pot: Ceramic
Lid: Tempered glass
Conscious about cupboard space? Then this compact slow cooker’ll do nicely – despite its small appearance, you can still cram in 3.5-litres’ worth of food and it performed well in testing, locking in moisture to tasty effect.
The Salter website has a great selection of recipes if you need some inspiration, but the same can’t be said for the slow cooker’s minimal instructions. The pot also had a tendency to move when we stirred our food and the lid was also loose, but niggles aside it’s a pretty reliable buy.
Key specifications
Capacity: 3.5 litre
Pot: Ceramic
Lid: Glass
Number of heat settings: 3
If it’s just the one or two of you, then this affordable slow cooker will fit right in – the 1.5-litre design doesn’t take up too much space and still cooks up plenty. Its auto setting delivers the best results, starting off the cooking on a high temperature before dropping to the low setting. You just have to turn it on and let it work.
Our testers particularly rated the moist beef stew, which was ready after six hours of cooking. They also found that the pot’s exterior didn’t get hot during cooking, making it a top scorer for energy efficiency. The pot and lid are dishwasher-friendly, too.
Key specifications
Capacity: 1.5L
Heat settings: 3
Pot: Ceramic
Lid: Glass
Sage The Fast Slow Pro Slow Cooker
From pressure cooking to steaming, this stylish slow cooker has a nifty array of preset cooking modes – including the option to brown foods – that are great for getting creative in the kitchen. It has a substantial tank and a hinged lid, which although a tad fiddly, can be handy for quick check-ups.
The dishes it cooked were top notch, too and lost little moisture during cooking. It has a keep warm function that can be set, coming on automatically if the cooking finishes early and it’s a low energy consumer. One thing to note is that it is bulky, but if you’ve got the cupboard space, we’d say it’s worth it.
Key specifications
Capacity: 6L
Heat settings: 3
Pot: Ceramic
Lid: Stainless steel
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