8 Best Slow Cookers 2023 | Top-Reviewed Kitchen Appliances
Whether you want to whip up a stew, casserole, roast, pulled-pork or even a cake, the slow cooker is one of the most versatile kitchen tools at your disposal. Just consult one of the many Facebook groups dedicated to the trusty appliance.
Food Director at Taste.com.au Michelle Southan credits their popularity to their convenience and ease of use.
“We all live busy lives and many of us are working at home but with the slow cooker, you pop your casserole, stew or soup on in the morning, set the timer and that's it. It makes getting dinner done so easy and stress-free,” she told news.com.au.
“Slow cookers aren't just for your classic winter stews. You can bake bread, make quiches, lasagne and even cook desserts, like dumplings, self-saucing puddings, and crumbles, in them, too.”
One of our favourites is the Instant Pot Duo, which is currently $110 off for the larger 8L model. Shoppers love its versatility and say it’s easily replaced several kitchen appliances, with one reviewer calling it “the best kitchen time saving investment I’ve probably ever made”. Other slow cookers we’re loving include the Breville Smart Temp Slow Cooker, Russell Hobbs 6L Searing Slow Cooker and Philips All-In-One Cooker.
HOW WE CHOOSE PRODUCTS
To help you find the best slow cooker for your needs and budget, we asked Food Director at Taste.com.au Michelle Southan for her advice and recommendations on what to look for when buying a slow cooker.In addition, our shopping team read hundreds of customer reviews and looked at test results and ratings from product review sites to find the best slow cooker from premium to budget to help you find the right one.
In this article
OUR TOP PICKS
OUR TOP PICKS FOR SLOW COOKERS
Nutri Ninja Foodi Multi Cooker OP300, $280 (down from $449.99), Amazon Australia
Tried and Tested by Shopping Writer Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito
The slow cook function on the Nutri Ninja Foodi has saved me so much time and made food prep super easy. I can easily chuck all the ingredients in the pot before heading to work, and have dinner ready by the time I get home. Sometimes multi cookers can be a little tricky to use at first, but this was very simple to use from the start. It’s also pretty easy to clean for the most part, although does take a bit of bench, storage and sink space.
Looking at reviews, it’s the slow cook function on the Nutri Ninja Foodi that shoppers are particularly loving, especially when the unit itself is also compact and capable of grilling, baking, roasting, pressure cooking, air frying, crisping and steaming. You can expect a 6L cooking pot, along with a 3.7L Cook & Crisp Basket and pressure and crisping lids.
BEST ALL-IN-ONE MULTI-FUNCTION SLOW COOKER
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 Multi Cooker, $159 (down from $269), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
“Throw out all your other appliances … that’s (what) I did”, a reviewer joked.
Instant Brands have developed a huge following, thanks to their versatile kitchen gadgets and relatively affordable price points. The Instant Pot Duo is one of the popular models to choose from, available in 5.7L and 8L capacities. This multi cooker can function as seven different appliances, including a slow cooker, rice cooker, pressure cooker, yoghurt maker, steamer, saute pan and food warmer. You can also expect 13 one touch smart programs and a handy steam rack.
“The best kitchen time saving investment I’ve probably ever made. Solid build with good safety features,” praised a shopper.
“Would always love to have slow cooker style foods but never organised enough to plan eight hours ahead – this gets around that pretty well!”
“I wanted a pressure cooker, a new slow cooker and an air fryer – what better than to get it all-in-one,” another wrote.
Philips All-In-One Cooker HD2237/72, $179 (down from $249), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
For an all-rounder, it’s worth considering the 1300W Philips All-In-One Cooker. It packs 16 preset cooking programs, plus a large 6L pot for family-size meals. You can expect a variety of functions, including sear, steam, stew, bake, yoghurt, soup and pressure cook. There’s also a generous 12-hour keep warm setting, along with slow cook capability that can run up to 12 hours.
“I’m glad I purchased this cooker. It’s so easy to use and allows me to stop using a pan to brown my meats before putting them into the slow cooker. Less dishes to clean. So many programs and a cookbook with delicious recipes,” an Amazon customer posted, rating it five stars.
“This is definitely a winning choice.”
Although the shopper noted the bottom of the pot sometimes gets sticky and hard to clean after browning meat.
BEST SEARING SLOW COOKER
Russell Hobbs 6L Searing Slow Cooker RHSC650BLK, $89, The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
Love pulled pork? Then you’re going to like this Russell Hobbs slow cooker. It boasts searing and slow cooking capabilities, plus digital controls, a timer, three cooking modes and a wrap around heating element to make sure your food is heated evenly.
“This is a great little all around cooker and can cook a variety of meals. It does a great lamb roast with very little fuss and is easy to clean up. I wish I had bought one years ago,” a reviewer posted on The Good Guys website.
BEST COMPACT SLOW COOKERS
Russell Hobbs 3.5L Slow Cooker 4443BS, $39.94 (down from $49.94), Amazon Australia
What You Need To Know
For those short on storage space or who live in smaller households, the 3.5L Russell Hobbs Slow Cooker can cook up to four small servings, or two large ones. It has three simple settings and an auto function that begins at high and switches to low when the cooking temperature is reached. It has dishwasher safe parts, too.
Reviewers say it delivers great results for the price, with one writing: “I really like this product because it’s a perfect size for me. I had a larger slow cooker that is good for bulk cooking, but just for two to four people this is perfect. Easy to use and clean”.
BEST EASY TO USE SLOW COOKERS
Breville Smart Temp Slow Cooker BSC420BSS, $143.20 (down from $179), Myer
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
The 6L capacity on the Breville Smart Temp Slow Cooker makes it ideal for large households of up to eight people. It features a Temperature IQ sensor, which automatically controls the temperature to prevent overheating. There are also pre-programmed low, medium and high settings to suit your recipe.
“Easy to use, easy to clean and the results are very tasty indeed! I made fall off the bone tender lamb shanks on my first try,” wrote a reviewer, giving it five stars.
“For years I had an old slow cooker that routinely burned the food because it didn’t switch to warm. This one does, no more caked on crusty edges,” another commented.
BEST EASY TO CLEAN SLOW COOKERS
Crockpot Traditional 3.5L Slow Cooker CHP200, $69, The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
For a slow cooker that’s easy to wash up, this budget friendly seems to be the go-to pick. Most Amazon reviews on this Crockpot slow cooker praise its easy to clean design and love the fact it’s dishwasher safe.This Crockpotslow cooker is designed to cook up to four servings and is safe to use in an oven. There is even a recipe booklet included with 20 dishes to help you get started.
“Classic slow cooker, perfect for smaller meals. Perfect size for my husband and myself,” an Amazon customer wrote. “Easy to use, very easy to clean. Love it.”
BEST DIGITAL SLOW COOKER
Crockpot 4.7L Lift & Serve Slow Cooker CHP550, $88 (down from $99.95), The Good Guys
What You Need To Know
Want something a little more advanced than the standard dial, but just as easy to use? This Crockpot slow cooker offers a 4.7L capacity and features a hinged lid to minimise mess. It also has a wrap around element to ensure food is heated evenly, even if you don’t stir, and comes with an intuitive digital control panel and a 20 hour timer.
“The lid style is fantastic. The dish is deep and the food cooks evenly. I love the fact it goes straight from cooking at high or low to warm. This way I can leave it on while at work and not worry about changing settings,” a happy customer posted.
“Fits perfectly into the dishwasher, too. I doubt I’ll ever look at another brand other than Crockpot again.”
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A SLOW COOKER?
Here are a few factors to take into consideration when making your decision:
• Capacity: Those cooking for households of two will only need a slow cooker with a capacity of up to 4.5 litres, while a six to eight litre model is better for families and larger groups.
• Shape: An oval shaped model is best if you’re cooking longer cuts of meat, like lamb shanks.
• Dishwasher-safe: Models with dishwasher-safe parts will make clean-up way easier.
• Timer: A unit with a digital timer makes it easy to check up on how long you have left, and lets you know when it’s ready to eat.
• Auto setting: Slow cookers with an auto setting start on high until the food is brought up to temperature, then reduces to low for the rest of the cook.
• Budget: Models with more programmable features may cost you more, while budget-friendly picks may be light on customisable functions.
If you’re on the hunt for a slow cooker, Michelle says there are plenty of options to suit your needs.
“You can now buy ones with multiple functions, so you can saute your onion and brown the meat prior to the slow-cooking process all in the one pot, saving on washing up,” she explained.
IS IT NECESSARY TO BROWN MEAT BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE SLOW COOKER?
Searing isn’t necessary, but it’s an extra step worth doing. According to Taste.com.au, it’s a great way to develop more complex flavours, enhance the colour, and promote a better texture.
“We recommended adding a small amount of olive oil to a hot pan, and searing the meat all over until it’s browned before transferring it to a slow cooker,” wrote Taste.com.au’s Partnerships Producer Olivia Brown, who is also a qualified nutritionist.
“The science behind this is that a series of chemical reactions take place when the protein and sugar in the beef are heated at high temperatures, leading to richer, more caramelised flavour (known as mallard browning reactions).”
RELATED: How to slow cook
CAN I LEAVE A SLOW COOKER ON ALL NIGHT?
As they’re designed to be used for extended periods of time, it’s technically OK to leave your cooker on all night, as long as you’re following the manufacturer instructions. That said, it’s always a risk to leave appliances unattended, so give the manual a good read through first.
IS SLOW COOKING HEALTHY?
It depends on the recipe you’re cooking, but there are plenty of healthy meals to whip up in your slow cooker. Think veggie-laden stews and soups, or gently tenderised meats.
For more kitchen upgrades, check out our round up of the best cast iron pans and Dutch ovens, as well as the rice cookers worth adding to your kitchen bench.
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Originally published as 8 best slow cookers 2023 | Top-reviewed kitchen appliances
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