The best slow cookers

Morphy Richards was founded in an oast house in Kent in 1936, and this is its cleverest slow cooker: the pot goes on the hob to brown the meat first, then straight into the base. One pan, less washing up.

• 3.5 litres
• Hob-proof aluminium pot
• Non-stick and dishwasher safe
• 3 heat settings
• Light and easy to lift

What owners say: Owners find it easy to clean and simple to use, like browning meat in the same pot, and say it’s just right for two meals plus leftovers.

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A closer look: Brown the meat and soften the onions in the pot on the hob, add the stock and everything else, then drop it into the base and leave it on low. The aluminium pot is far lighter than the usual stoneware, which helps when it’s full of stew. It serves two with leftovers or a small family.

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A big oval 6.5-litre pot that takes a joint or a whole chicken, and cooks up to eight main portions at once.

• 6.5 litres, oval
• Up to 8 main portions
• Low, medium and high settings
• Glass lid
• Dishwasher-safe pot

What owners say: Owners say it makes fantastic soups and stews, copes with big quantities and is easy to use and clean.

Heads up: The pot can’t go on the hob, so browning needs a separate pan.

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A closer look: The medium setting is a useful middle ground, cooking in roughly four to ten hours when low would take too long. It’s heavy when full, so lift the pot with both handles and oven gloves. Ideal for batch cooking chilli or curry for the freezer.

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Set it for anything from 30 minutes to 20 hours and it switches to keep-warm when time’s up, so a late train doesn’t mean overcooked stew.

• 3.5 litres (3–4 people)
• Digital timer, 30 minutes to 20 hours
• Automatic keep-warm
• Oven-safe stoneware bowl
• Dishwasher-safe lid and bowl

What owners say: Owners find it easy to use and good for stews and curries, and say it fits four chicken breasts or a whole chicken.

Heads up: Some owners report the lid not sealing well, and a few had the pot crack.

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A closer look: Programme it in the morning for the time you’ll actually be home, and it drops to keep-warm when the countdown ends. The stoneware bowl can go in the oven to crisp a topping before serving. The hinged lid saves hunting for somewhere to put it down.

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Sears, sautés, steams, bakes and slow cooks in one 8-litre pot, which then goes in the oven and onto the table.

• 8 cooking functions
• 8 litres, up to 8 portions
• Heats from the sides and base
• Oven-safe pot to 260°C
• Glass lid with built-in spoon

What owners say: Owners say food cooks evenly and turns out well, and love the family size, the range of options and how easy it is to clean.

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A closer look: Use the sear setting to brown in the pot itself, then switch to slow cook without moving anything. At 1200W it’s far more powerful than a traditional slow cooker, so it can simmer and steam like a hob too. It’s big: measure the worktop space before buying.

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Small enough for a studio flat and cheap enough for a student, but it still does proper stews, curries and chilli for one or two.

• 1.8 litres, serves 1–2
• Low, high and keep-warm
• Removable stoneware bowl
• Oven-safe bowl
• Dishwasher safe

What owners say: Owners say it’s compact, easy to use and brilliant for stews, and cheaper to run than the oven.

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A closer look: At 1.8 litres it holds two generous portions, or one plus lunch the next day. The bowl goes from base to table, or into the oven to brown a cheesy topping. A thoughtful present for someone living alone or starting university.

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