If you lead a busy life of work, family, and other responsibilities, you need a kitchen appliance that will work for you. With a slow cooker, you can make your favorite meals with little effort and minimal cleanup. With built-in safety features, pre-set cooking programs, and automatic switches to warming only, you can even leave your house and go to work while your slow cooker works in your kitchen. If you’ve been on the hunt for you next best kitchen appliance, scroll through our list of top slow cookers.
Instant Pot Duo Nova 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker
Best slow cooker overall
While this Instant Pot does do a great job at slow cooking, it also does a whole lot more. In fact, this kitchen appliance will serve as a rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker, and food warmer. The user-friendly control panel makes it really clear which program you’re selecting, and you can also delay cooking time up to 24 hours — perfect for doing meal prep the night before a big dinner party. The appliance will be a safe addition to your kitchen counter, with 10 proven safety mechanisms. The stainless steel pot and stainless steel steam rack will stand the test of time, even if you pop them into the dishwasher after every meal.
Why we love it:
- Doubles as rice cooker, steamer, and warmer
- 10 proven safety mechanisms
- Pot and steam rack are dishwasher safe
Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker
Best value slow cooker
This slow cooker will cover pretty much all the bases you’d want a kitchen appliance to hit. It’s programmable so that you can set a cooking time and leave it to work on its own, or you can operate it manually by selecting high, low, or warm temperatures without inputting a time. The slow cooker also comes with a temperature probe that can be inserted into four different areas of the lid to monitor your food’s temperature and determine when the food is done cooking. When cooking is complete, the cooker will automatically switch over to the warming setting, maintaining a safe temperature until it’s time to eat.
Traveling with your dish is a breeze as the lid clips tightly into place to make it spillproof. You can plop it on the seat next to you in the car without worrying about leaking or spilling while you’re on your way to your next holiday party, barbeque, or tailgate.
Why we love it:
- Temperature probe included
- Automatically switches to the warming setting
- Lid clips on to prevent spills during transport
Instant Pot Duo Plus
Most versatile slow cooker
Save up on time and counter space as the Instant Pot Duo Plus combines the functionality of nine appliances along with 15 one-touch smart programs. You can use it as a pressure cooker, slow cooker rice cooker, and more. You can even sterilize items made of glass, silicone, or metal using the Instant pot. To sterilize, add water, the steam rack, and your items to the pot and simply push the sterilize button. And if you’re wondering what makes it smart then you can imagine having power in the palm of your hands or with just your voice. This slow cooker can be controlled through your mobile device with the Instant Pot app as much as it is responsive to Alexa. Not only does the app allow you to control your device’s power, but you can also download recipes and even connect with other users for a community of support.
Why we love it:
- Smart functionality
- Nine appliances in one
- Can sterilize items
Crockpot Mini Slow Cooker
Best compact slow cooker
Kitchen appliances can be quite bulky so if you’re looking for a slow cooker that is compact and attractive at the same time then by all means consider the Crockpot Mini Slow Cooker. It has a 2.5-quart capacity, cord wraps, and locking lid that make it perfect for potluck parties. You can also have food ready as soon as you get home and expect it to be hot with high, low, and warm settings. Another great thing about it is that its stoneware pot is safe to pop in the oven and dishwasher for more versatile cooking and easy cleanup.
Why we love it:
- Compact design
- Stoneware is oven and dishwasher safe
- Three heat settings
The best slow cookers have various cooking options like rice cooking, steaming, and even yogurt making, and they even have some cool features to ensure your food is perfectly cooked every time. When it comes to making dinner, we all dread the long process from time to time. That’s why a slow cooker is a great addition to your kitchen since you can add your ingredients in the morning and have a fully done, home-cooked meal by the end of the day without breaking a sweat.
