Best slow cookers UK: 7 picks for stews, curries and batch cooking
Throw it in before work, come home to dinner. Here's how to choose the right size and type of slow cooker, from a 1.8L pot for one to a multi-cooker that sears, steams and cooks rice.
Quick picks
- Best overallCrock-Pot Lift & Serve Digital Slow Cooker, 4.7L, hinged lid (CSC052)Check price
- Best budgetMorphy Richards Sear & Stew Slow Cooker, 3.5L (460012)Check price
- Best with a timerMorphy Richards Easy Time Slow Cooker, 6.5L (461021)Check price
- Best multi-cookerNinja Foodi PossibleCooker 6L Slow & Rice Cooker (MC1101UK)Check price
- Best for batch cookingInstant Superior Slow Cooker, 7.1L, with sauté and steamCheck price
- Best budget family sizeTower Cavaletto Slow Cooker, 6.5L (T16043BLK)Check price
- Best for one or twoCrock-Pot Small Slow Cooker, 1.8L (CSC080)Check price
How we chose: We compared capacity, pot materials, hob and oven suitability, timers, keep-warm functions, dishwasher guidance and guarantees from manufacturer listings, read independent UK testing from BBC Good Food, Ideal Home and The Telegraph, and looked for recurring themes in Amazon.co.uk owner feedback. We have not personally tested these products; this is a research-based roundup. Our research process.
Slow cookers are back in fashion in the UK, and for good reasons. They use far less power than an oven, they turn cheap cuts of meat and a bag of veg into a stew while you're out, and they make batch cooking for the freezer easy. In winter, a pot of chilli, curry or casserole that's ready when you walk in the door is hard to beat.
The choices that matter are capacity for your household, whether the pot is hob-safe so you can brown meat in it first, a timer with automatic keep-warm if you're out for longer than the recipe, and whether you'd use a multi-cooker that also sears, steams and cooks rice. Our picks run from a 1.8L pot for one or two up to a 7.1L batch cooker, and all were in stock on Amazon.co.uk when we checked. Sellers can change, so check who's selling before you buy.
Black Friday tip: Black Friday is Friday 27 November 2026, and Amazon UK has opened its Black Friday Week sale about a week earlier in recent years. Before you buy, check the product’s price history: our Black Friday home buying guide explains how to spot a genuine deal and which picks to watch.
Comparison table
| Pick | Capacity | Pot | Hob-safe pot? | Timer / keep warm | Dishwasher-safe | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crock-Pot Lift & Serve 4.7LBest overall | 4.7L (up to 5 people) | Ceramic, oven-safe | No | Digital timer, 30 min–20 hr; auto keep-warm | Bowl and lid | Check price |
| Morphy Richards Sear & Stew 3.5LBest budget | 3.5L | Non-stick aluminium | Yes (not induction) | No timer or keep-warm | Pot | Check price |
| Morphy Richards Easy Time 6.5LBest with a timer | 6.5L (up to 8 portions) | Non-stick aluminium | Yes (not induction) | Set a finish time; 2-hour keep-warm | Pot and lid (per listing) | Check price |
| Ninja PossibleCooker 6LBest multi-cooker | 6L (up to 6 family portions) | Non-stick, oven-safe to 240°C | Sears in the base | Timer; keep-warm | Yes (per listing) | Check price |
| Instant Superior 7.1LBest for batch cooking | 7.1L (up to 10 people) | Non-stick, removable | Sautés in the base | Adjustable time and temperature; keep-warm | Pot and glass lid | Check price |
| Tower Cavaletto 6.5LBest budget family size | 6.5L (up to 8 portions) | Removable | No | No timer; keep-warm setting | Pot | Check price |
| Crock-Pot 1.8LBest for one or two | 1.8L (1–2 people) | Ceramic stoneware, oven-safe | No | No timer; keep-warm setting | Bowl | Check price |
Specs are from manufacturer listings as of 20 October 2026; claimed figures (running costs, runtimes) are the maker’s, not ours. Check the Amazon page for the current price and exact variant before you buy.
The picks in detail
Crock-Pot Lift & Serve Digital Slow Cooker, 4.7L, hinged lid (CSC052)
Best for: Families of up to five who want a timer and automatic keep-warm
- Capacity
- 4.7L (up to 5 people)
- Pot
- Ceramic, oven-safe
- Hob-safe pot?
- No
- Timer / keep warm
- Digital timer, 30 min–20 hr; auto keep-warm
- Dishwasher-safe
- Bowl and lid
Crock-Pot is the name most people associate with slow cookers, and the Lift & Serve is its all-rounder. You set a cooking time from 30 minutes to 20 hours on the digital timer, and it switches to keep-warm automatically when it's done, so dinner doesn't overcook if you're late home. The lid is hinged, so you can stir and serve without finding somewhere to put a dripping lid. The 4.7-litre ceramic bowl lifts out, goes in the oven and goes to the table, and the bowl and lid are dishwasher safe. BBC Good Food rates the smaller 3.5L version as its best small slow cooker.
Owners say it's well made, easy to use and clean, and a good size for larger portions. The hinged lid divides opinion: most like it, but some say it doesn't seal perfectly, and there are a few reports of the glass lid shattering. When we rechecked on 20 October 2026, the featured offer was from a third-party seller rather than Amazon, so check the seller and returns policy before you buy.
What owners and reviewers like
- Digital timer up to 20 hours
- Automatic keep-warm
- Hinged lid for stirring and serving
- Oven-safe, dishwasher-safe bowl
Watch-outs
- Ceramic bowl can't go on the hob
- Lid seal and glass complaints from some owners
- Heavier than aluminium-pot models
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Morphy Richards Sear & Stew Slow Cooker, 3.5L (460012)
Best for: Couples and small families who want to brown meat in the same pot
- Capacity
- 3.5L
- Pot
- Non-stick aluminium
- Hob-safe pot?
- Yes (not induction)
- Timer / keep warm
- No timer or keep-warm
- Dishwasher-safe
- Pot
Amazon UK's number one best-selling slow cooker when we checked, the Sear & Stew is popular for one reason: you can sear and sauté in the pot on the hob, then drop it into the base to slow cook, so there's only one pot to wash. The lightweight aluminium pot is non-stick and dishwasher safe, but it isn't suitable for induction hobs. There are three heat settings (low, medium and high). Ideal Home names it the best affordable slow cooker.
Owners praise how well it cooks, how easy it is to clean and how useful it is to brown meat first. Many say 3.5 litres is just right for two meals plus leftovers. It's a basic model with dials and no timer or keep-warm setting, so it keeps cooking until you switch it off. Ideal Home found the low setting works as a stand-in for keep-warm. A 6.5L version is also sold.
What owners and reviewers like
- Hob-safe pot for one-pot cooking
- Very low price
- Light and easy to clean
- Ideal Home's best affordable pick
Watch-outs
- No timer or keep-warm
- Pot not induction-compatible
- Small for big families
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Morphy Richards Easy Time Slow Cooker, 6.5L (461021)
Best for: Busy households that want dinner ready at a set time
- Capacity
- 6.5L (up to 8 portions)
- Pot
- Non-stick aluminium
- Hob-safe pot?
- Yes (not induction)
- Timer / keep warm
- Set a finish time; 2-hour keep-warm
- Dishwasher-safe
- Pot and lid (per listing)
The Easy Time takes the guesswork out of slow cooking. Instead of choosing a heat setting, you turn a dial to when you want the food to be ready and it picks the right heat for you. You can still override it with low, medium or high. When the programme finishes, it keeps food warm for up to two hours. The pot is hob-proof aluminium, so you can brown meat first, though like the Sear & Stew it isn't suitable for induction. BBC Good Food names it the best slow cooker with a timer, and its review says the timer runs up to 12 hours in one-hour steps.
Owners say it's easy to use, makes excellent stews and casseroles, and is simple to clean. It's a big 6.5L, so it suits families and batch cooks better than couples (a 3.5L version is also sold). It's sold by Amazon, and the guarantee is two years when you register it.
What owners and reviewers like
- Choose when dinner is ready
- Two-hour keep-warm
- Hob-safe for searing
- Family-size 6.5L
Watch-outs
- Pot not induction-compatible
- Takes up a lot of worktop space
- Pricier than basic dial models
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Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 6L Slow & Rice Cooker (MC1101UK)
Best for: Cooks who'd use searing, rice, pasta and steaming as well as slow cooking
- Capacity
- 6L (up to 6 family portions)
- Pot
- Non-stick, oven-safe to 240°C
- Hob-safe pot?
- Sears in the base
- Timer / keep warm
- Timer; keep-warm
- Dishwasher-safe
- Yes (per listing)
BBC Good Food and Ideal Home both name the PossibleCooker MC1101UK their best slow cooker overall. It has eight functions: sear/sauté, slow cook, white rice, brown rice, pasta, braise, steam and keep warm. That means you can brown meat in the same pot without touching the hob, then slow cook it. The removable pot is oven-safe up to 240°C for crisping a pie or lasagne topping. Ninja says it fits up to 500g of pasta, 800g of rice or a 1.8kg joint, and it comes with a steam rack, rice paddle and measuring cup.
Owners call it versatile and well made, with straightforward controls, and say it's big enough for a whole chicken or a big batch of chilli. Some wish slow cook had more than high and low settings. BBC Good Food warns the outside gets very hot in use, so keep children away. It costs much more than a basic slow cooker and takes up more worktop space, so it only makes sense if you'll use the extra functions. An 8L version is also sold.
What owners and reviewers like
- Sears, steams and cooks rice in one pot
- Oven-safe pot up to 240°C
- Top pick at BBC Good Food and Ideal Home
- Accessories included
Watch-outs
- Expensive for slow cooking alone
- Exterior gets very hot
- Slow cook has only high and low
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Instant Superior Slow Cooker, 7.1L, with sauté and steam
Best for: Big families, parties and filling the freezer
- Capacity
- 7.1L (up to 10 people)
- Pot
- Non-stick, removable
- Hob-safe pot?
- Sautés in the base
- Timer / keep warm
- Adjustable time and temperature; keep-warm
- Dishwasher-safe
- Pot and glass lid
The Instant Superior has the biggest capacity of our picks at 7.1 litres, which Instant says feeds up to ten people. It combines four functions: sauté, slow cook, steam and keep warm. You can brown meat and onions in the pot itself before slow cooking, and set the time and temperature yourself. The non-stick inner pot and the glass lid are dishwasher safe, and the cool-touch handles mean you can carry the pot to the table. BBC Good Food names it the best slow cooker for batch cooking, and The Telegraph made it its Best Buy.
Owners say it's easy to use, handles large batches well and looks smart. The recurring complaint is the non-stick coating peeling after a short time, so use wooden or silicone utensils and hand wash if you can. It's large, so check you have room for it, and it's sold by Amazon.
What owners and reviewers like
- Largest capacity here at 7.1L
- Sauté in the same pot
- Adjustable time and temperature
- Pot and lid dishwasher safe
Watch-outs
- Reports of non-stick coating peeling
- Bulky to store
- More than smaller households need
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Tower Cavaletto Slow Cooker, 6.5L (T16043BLK)
Best for: Large families who want a big pot for not much money
- Capacity
- 6.5L (up to 8 portions)
- Pot
- Removable
- Hob-safe pot?
- No
- Timer / keep warm
- No timer; keep-warm setting
- Dishwasher-safe
- Pot
Tower's Cavaletto gives you a 6.5-litre family-size pot for a budget price. It has low, high and keep-warm settings, a removable dishwasher-safe pot and cool-touch handles for carrying it to the table. The guarantee is three years if you register it online (one year as standard plus a two-year extension). It was the third-best-selling slow cooker on Amazon UK when we checked, and it comes in several colours.
Owners say it's plenty big enough for family meals, easy to use and clean, and great value, with perfect stews and soups. The main complaint is the glass lid: several owners report it shattering within weeks, so let it cool before washing and avoid sudden temperature changes. There's no timer, and the pot can't go on the hob. It's sold by Amazon.
What owners and reviewers like
- Big 6.5L capacity at a low price
- Keep-warm setting
- Three-year guarantee on registration
- Sold by Amazon
Watch-outs
- Lid-shattering reports
- No timer
- Pot isn't hob-safe
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Crock-Pot Small Slow Cooker, 1.8L (CSC080)
Best for: Singles, couples and small kitchens
- Capacity
- 1.8L (1–2 people)
- Pot
- Ceramic stoneware, oven-safe
- Hob-safe pot?
- No
- Timer / keep warm
- No timer; keep-warm setting
- Dishwasher-safe
- Bowl
Not everyone needs a pot that feeds eight. Crock-Pot's 1.8-litre model is sized for one or two people and takes up very little worktop space. It has low, high and keep-warm settings, and a removable stoneware bowl that's dishwasher safe and oven-safe, so you can brown a cheesy topping under the grill. It was the second-best-selling slow cooker on Amazon UK when we checked, and it's one of the cheapest from a big brand. It comes with a two-year guarantee and is sold by Amazon.
Owners say it's ideal for one or two, cooks stews brilliantly and is easy to clean, and some say it's cheaper than using the oven. With a small pot, you'll need to scale recipes down and avoid overfilling. There's no timer, so it cooks until you switch it to keep-warm or turn it off.
What owners and reviewers like
- Compact for small households
- Very low price from a big brand
- Oven-safe, dishwasher-safe bowl
- Keep-warm setting
Watch-outs
- Too small for batch cooking
- No timer
- Ceramic bowl is heavy for its size
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What size slow cooker do you need?
As a rough guide, 1.5–2L suits one or two people, 3–3.5L two to four, 4.5–5L a family of four or five, and 6–7L big families or batch cooking. Slow cookers work best between about half and two-thirds full, so don't buy a huge one for small portions. Joints and whole chickens need an oval pot with enough depth. A small model makes a practical present for a student or someone living alone; see our Christmas gifts for him under £50 and gifts for cooks for more ideas.
Hob-safe pots, sear functions and why browning matters
Browning meat and softening onions before slow cooking adds a lot of flavour. With a basic ceramic pot that means using a frying pan first and washing it afterwards. Hob-safe aluminium pots (Morphy Richards Sear & Stew and Easy Time) go straight on a gas or electric hob, though not induction. Multi-cookers such as the Ninja PossibleCooker and Instant Superior have a sear or sauté setting built in, which works on any kitchen. If you love cast iron, see the casserole in our pan sets guide.
Timers and keep-warm: worth paying for?
A basic slow cooker keeps cooking until you turn it off. That's fine if you're home, but a ten-hour workday plus commute can turn a six-hour stew into mush. A digital timer with automatic keep-warm, like the Crock-Pot Lift & Serve or Morphy Richards Easy Time, switches to a gentle holding temperature when the cooking time ends. For anyone out all day, it's the feature most worth paying for.
Running costs
Slow cookers are low-wattage appliances. Most of our basic picks are rated at roughly 100–300W, while multi-cookers draw more when searing. A 163W slow cooker running for eight hours uses at most about 1.3kWh, roughly 33p at an illustrative 25p per kWh, and usually less, because the element cycles once it's up to temperature. For comparison, an electric oven is typically rated at 2kW or more. For quick weeknight meals, an air fryer is the other energy-saving favourite.
Food safety basics
Thaw frozen meat fully before it goes in, so the food heats up quickly enough. Dried red kidney beans must be soaked and then boiled hard for at least ten minutes before slow cooking, because a slow cooker doesn't get hot enough to destroy their natural toxin. Tinned beans are fine as they are. Keep the lid on, since every peek lets heat out, and follow the manual's minimum and maximum fill levels. Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate or freeze them within a couple of hours.
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FAQs
Is it safe to leave a slow cooker on while I'm at work?
Slow cookers are designed to be left unattended. Stand it on a heat-resistant worktop away from the wall and anything flammable, make sure the cable can't be pulled, and choose a model with a timer and keep-warm if you'll be out for longer than the recipe needs.
Is low or high better on a slow cooker?
Both reach a safe cooking temperature; high just gets there faster. As a rough rule, an hour on high is equivalent to about two hours on low. Low is better for tough cuts that need time to become tender.
Can I put raw meat in a slow cooker?
Yes, raw (fully thawed) meat is fine. Browning it first is for flavour, not safety. Don't put frozen meat straight in.
Do slow cookers use a lot of electricity?
No. Most basic models are rated at roughly 100–300W, so a full day's cooking usually costs well under the price of running an electric oven for an hour.
Can I use a slow cooker pot on an induction hob?
Only if the maker says so. The Morphy Richards aluminium pots in this guide are hob-proof on gas and electric but not induction. Ceramic slow cooker bowls should never go on any hob.
Do you get commission?
Yes. If you buy through our links, Amazon may pay us a small commission at no extra cost to you. It doesn't affect which products we include. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Sources we consulted
- BBC Good Food: best slow cookers, tested and reviewed
- Ideal Home: best slow cookers, tested
- The Telegraph: best slow cookers
- Food Standards Agency: cooking your food
Prices change constantly, so we don’t list them here. Always check the current price, seller and delivery details on Amazon before buying. If anything on this page looks wrong or out of date, tell us.
