Best slow cooker for perfect one pot wonders

WHEN it comes to choosing the best slow cooker for you, it’s all about size and function.
We explain what to look for and round up the most popular options available.
The beautiful thing about a slow cooker is that you can basically chuck a load of ingredients into it, then kick back and relax. No sweat.
And when we say you can relax, we mean that you can literally leave your meat to cook for about six hours – enough time to really work up some hunger to enjoy your tender, flavoursome food afterwards.
If you've never gone for a long winter's walk in the cold and returned to a hot pot of delicious food in your slow cooker, then this is your excuse to do just that.
To help you achieve all your roast dinner-hopes and dreams, we've found the best slow cookers around, from the cheapest and most popular, to the luxurious gems that we are pining after.
This article and featured products have been independently chosen by Sun journalists. It contains links which are ads, and if you click a link and buy a product we will earn revenue.
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Crock-Pot Slow Cooker
- Crock-Pot slow cooker, £19.96 from Amazon -
This 3.7l slow cooker from Crock-Pot is the perfect size for couples and small families and comes with a keep warm function
The versatile stoneware pot can be used in the oven as well and, once your food is cooked, be taken straight to the table for serving.
The lid and the pot are both dishwasher safe to save you from washing up.
Morphy Richards Sear and Stew Slow Cooker
- Morphy Richards Sear & Stew cooker, £28 from Amazon -
The Morphy Richards Sear & Stew slow cooker, with a massive 6.5l capacity, is ideal for busy families.
The cooking pot is hob-proof, so you can start cooking on the hob before transferring it over to the slow cooker to finish off, saving you from extra washing up.
There are three temperature settings to choose from - low, medium and high - and the pot and the lid are both dishwasher safe.
Cookworks 6.5l Slow Cooker
- Cookworks 6.5l slow cooker, £32.99 from Argos -
This generous sized slow cooker from Cookworks has a 6.5l capacity.
There are two temperature settings - low and high - plus a keep warm function.
The inner pot is removable to make cleaning easier but it’s hand wash only and not suitable for the oven or the hob.
Kitchen Master Slow Cooker
- Kitchen Master Slow Cooker - Silver, £17.99 from The Range -
Available in either 3.5litres or 5.5, the Kitchen Master Slow Cooker is a best-seller from The Range.
Not only is it easy to control the temperature of it, this gem also has a glass lid so you can watch your goods as they cook.
For less than £18 for the smaller one and only £24.99 for the bigger one, you can't fault it.
Russell Hobbs Sous Vide Slow Cooker
- Russell Hobbs sous vide slow cooker, £79.97 from Currys -
This 6.5l machine from Russell Hobbs is a slow cooker and sous vide in one.
It comes with a sous vide rack so pouches of food can be easily stored upright during cooking, and a temperature probe for precise temperature control.
Or you can just use it as a normal slow cooker - the cooking pot is hob safe too.
Lakeland 2-pot Slow Cooker
- Lakeland 2-pot slow cooker, £49.99 from Lakeland -
For the ultimate slow cooking fan, there’s this 2-pot slow cooker from Lakeland.
You get two 2l pots in one gadget, each with its own temperature control.
The capacity for each one is quite small - ideal for one or two people - but it allows you to make two different slow cooked meals at the same time.
John Lewis & Partners JLSC458 Slow Cooker
- John Lewis & Partners JLSC458 Slow Cooker, 6L, £50 from John Lewis -
For just £50, the John Lewis & Partners Slow Cooker is great quality for an even better price, if the review are anything to go by.
Among the 44 customers who left praise on the site, one says, "This slow cooker was a great price and of a high quality. It's easy to operate and keep clean and gets used most days. Highly recommended!"
There's four settings, a 30 minute to 10 hour timer and even two year guarantee, what else could you wish for?
Morphy Richards Slow Cooker
- Morphy Richards Slow Cooker, £19.99 from Currys -
One of the best-selling slow cookers at Curries, this Morphy Richards design is yet another bargain at under £20.
There's three heat settings, a transparent lid and the ceramic pot inside is removable and parts are dishwasher safe too.
Slow-cooked beef with loads of messy toppings, anyone?
Sage The Fast Slow Pro Multi Cooker
- Sage The Fast Slow Pro Multi Cooker, £199.95 from Harrods -
Ok, so we might have saved the best looking slow cooker until last. This Sage The Fast Slow Pro Multi Cooker is as high-tech as they come.
It does everything you could ever imagine. As in, you can slow cook, pressure cook, reduce, sauté and sear using this machine, and this machine only.
There are dual sensors at the top and bottom which monitor the ingredients to ensure you have selected the accurate temperature and pressure, as well as an interactive LCD to keep you informed at all times. Divine.
Choosing the right size slow cooker
One of the first things to think about when choosing a slow cooker is the size, and you need to look out for the working capacity rather than just the bowl capacity as this can vary a lot.
The ones on the market can range anywhere between 1 litre to 6.5 litres in terms of bowl capacity but something that’s around 3 to 4 litres will suit most couples or small families.
The joy of slow cooking is that the results can be easily frozen, so it’s ideal for batch cooking - another reason to go up a size from what you’d normally look for.
Of course, you’ll also need to consider the size of the machine.
As your slow cooker will need to cook for four hours or more, you need to make sure you have enough space on your counter for it, and there’s also enough space for storage.
What are the main features of a slow cooker?
The most basic no-frills slow cooker does just that - it applies gentle heat to the cooking pot to allow food to slowly cook through without drying out or sticking to the base.
There are usually two temperature settings -- high and low -- and sometimes a keep warm function.
They are very affordable, with some starting from as little as £10.
Higher end slow cookers will have features such as digital timers, searing function (so you don’t need to sear the meat in another pan) and even other cooking modes, like pressure cooking.
What can you cook in a slow cooker?
Slow cookers are best for one-pot dishes where the food needs long, gentle cooking.
Stews, sauces, soups, casseroles and even curries are great examples of this.
You can also use it for making things like yoghurt.
What are the benefits of slow cooking?
One of the best things about slow cooking is that you can save money while doing it.
Cheaper cuts of meat are best cooked in the slow cooker as they generally need longer to soften.
They are also less energy consuming than ovens and you can let it run overnight unattended.
Those with busy schedules will also love them because you can basically set it and forget it.
Plus, you can batch cook, which saves time and generally works out cheaper per meal.
How to cook gammon in slow cooker
Firstly, you put the gammon in the slow cooker and then pour roughly 250ml of water around it.
People tend to cook 750g of gammon for around four hours on high, or on low for double the time – that's generally the rule with slow cooking.
We recommend making a glaze for your gammon and applying it to your meat before cooking it.
The longer you leave it in the slow cooker, the more tender it'll be. Take with that what you will.
How to cook beef joint in slow cooker
First of all, let us just say that searing the outside of the meat prior to cooking is extremely important and can take your beef joint from tasty to absolutely delicious.
If you want your beef rare then cook it at 50C, medium at 60C and then well done should be done at 70C.
Then, simply cook on high for three hours or low for five hours. Simples.
How to cook brisket in a slow cooker
Always cook brisket with the fat side up in slow cookers, and never leave it for longer than eight hours if you want it to be at just the right level of tender.
We recommend cooking it on low for around six hours, but keep checking to see how it feels when you're nearing the end of that time.
You can always throw in your vegetables whilst it's cooking too for a flavoursome meal.
How to cook chicken in slow cooker
When cooking chicken in the slow cooker, you don't have to add any water because it's already quite a moist meat.
People generally cook the chicken for around five hours on low, so it is quite a long-winded way of cooking, although if you add butter, a bay leaf, onion, salt and pepper, it'll be a lot tastier than if it was fried or oven-cooked.
MOST READ IN SUN SELECTS
As well as our guide to picking the best slow cooker, we’ve also rounded up the best multi-cookers.
For another time-saving gadget, try a pressure cooker.
An Air fryer is another great gadget for those who want healthier fried food at home.