Top 5 compared
The best slow cookers
Throw it all in before work and come home to dinner.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How this works
The top 5 at a glance
A slow cooker is a heated pot that cooks at a low, steady heat for hours, turning cheap cuts, beans and a few vegetables into something that tastes like it took all day, because it did. Most have Low, High and Warm settings. Manual ones run until they’re switched off, programmable ones count down, and multi-cookers can also sear and sauté in the same pot.
Every pot here lifts out of its base, and the stoneware ones go in the dishwasher. Size depends on who’s eating: a small cooker suits one or two, or a dip at a party, while a big oval one takes a whole roast or batch cooking for the freezer. A locking lid keeps a full pot from spilling on the drive to a potluck.
What matters
- A timer that switches to Warm when the cooking time ends.
- Stoneware that’s oven-safe, with the temperature it’s rated to.
- Cool-touch handles for lifting a full, hot pot.
#1Crock-Pot 7-Quart Manual Slow Cooker (SCV700)
$30–$50
A 7 lb roast or dinner for nine fits in the 7-quart oval stoneware pot, with Low, High and Warm on one dial. The stoneware lifts out, goes in the oven or microwave, and washes in the dishwasher.
What owners say: Owners say it heats evenly, turns out a tender pot roast and makes cleanup easy with the stoneware lifting out. Some had the crock crack within weeks.
A closer look: Fill it between half and two-thirds full and keep the lid on, since every peek lets heat out and adds cooking time. Low takes about twice as long as High, so a recipe written for four hours on High can simmer all day on Low while you’re out.
- Oval stoneware pot
- Microwave-safe stoneware
- Dishwasher-safe lid and pot
Best for: Family dinners and big roasts
- Capacity
- 7 qt
- Pot
- Stoneware, oven-safe
- Settings
- Low, High, Warm
- Timer
- No
- Brown in the pot
- No
- Locking lid
- No
#2Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker PRO 8-in-1 (8.5 qt)
$150–$200
Sears, sautés, steams, braises, bakes and slow cooks in one 8.5-quart pot, which then goes in the oven and onto the table. It heats from the base and the sides, so it can simmer and brown like a pan on the stove.
What owners say: Owners like that one pot can sear, slow cook and boil, find the controls easy to work out and say there’s room for a big family. The nonstick coating chipping early is the worry a few raise.
A closer look: A full rack of ribs or a whole brisket fits in the pot, and the glass lid lets you check on it without lifting. Ninja suggests washing the nonstick pot by hand to keep the coating at its best, and the base is about 16.5 in wide, so measure the counter first.
- Sous vide, bake and proof
- Heats from base and sides
- Glass lid with spoon-ladle
- Hand-wash the nonstick pot
Best for: Searing and slow cooking in one pot
- Capacity
- 8.5 qt
- Pot
- Nonstick, oven-safe to 500°F
- Settings
- 8 functions
- Timer
- Yes
- Brown in the pot
- Sear setting
- Locking lid
- No
#3Crock-Pot 2.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker
$50–$75
A slow cooker that doubles as the serving dish: the casserole-shaped stoneware lifts out and goes to the table, and the Cook & Carry lid locks down for the drive to a potluck. At 2.5 quarts it suits two or three, or a side dish for a crowd.
What owners say: Owners call it just right for two or three and pretty enough to leave out on an open shelf, and they rely on the locking lid for potlucks. The outside gets hot while it works, which some didn’t expect.
A closer look: The long, shallow dish suits a pork loin, enchiladas or a baked pasta, and the stoneware can go in the oven to brown the top before serving. Wrap the cord around the base for the trip, and on Warm it keeps a side dish at serving temperature through the meal.
- Casserole-shaped stoneware
- Goes from cooker to table
- Cord wraps around the base
- Dishwasher-safe pot and lid
Best for: Small households and potlucks
- Capacity
- 2.5 qt
- Pot
- Stoneware, oven-safe
- Settings
- Low, High, Warm
- Timer
- No
- Brown in the pot
- No
- Locking lid
- Yes
#4Crock-Pot Design Series 7-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker
$50–$75
Set a cook time anywhere from 30 minutes to 20 hours and it switches to Warm when the countdown ends, so dinner waits for you rather than overcooking. The lid locks down with a tight seal for carrying a full pot of chili to a tailgate or a potluck.
What owners say: Owners find it dependable for soups and family dinners and like the digital timer and the lid that locks for travel. Some say it runs hot even on low, and a few had one stop after a handful of uses.
A closer look: Glance at the digital display from across the kitchen to see how long dinner has left. The big side handles help when carrying a full 7-quart pot out to the car, and the bowl and glass lid both go in the dishwasher afterward.
- Switches to Warm when done
- Digital display
- Large side handles
Best for: Long workdays and tailgates
- Capacity
- 7 qt
- Pot
- Stoneware, oven-safe
- Settings
- Low, High, Warm
- Timer
- 30 min–20 hrs
- Brown in the pot
- No
- Locking lid
- Yes
#5bella 1.5-Quart Slow Cooker
$10–$20
A small slow cooker for one or two, or for keeping queso and dips warm at a party. The stoneware pot has a ceramic nonstick coating made without PFAS, and the pot and glass lid go in the dishwasher.
What owners say: Owners use it for meals for one or two and for dips and sauces, and say it heats evenly without taking over the counter. A few found the temperature unsteady.
A closer look: Two servings of chili or soup fit, and it makes a pot of chocolate fondue for dessert too. The nonstick coating lets food slide off, and a soft sponge rather than a scouring pad keeps it that way.
- Made without PFAS
- Cool-touch handles
- Non-skid feet
- Makes chocolate fondue too
Best for: Solo meals, dips and fondue
- Capacity
- 1.5 qt
- Pot
- Stoneware, ceramic nonstick
- Settings
- Low, High, Warm
- Timer
- No
- Brown in the pot
- No
- Locking lid
- No
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Crock-Pot 7-qt manual | #2Ninja PossibleCooker PRO | #3Crock-Pot 2.5-qt casserole | #4Crock-Pot Design Series 7-qt | #5bella 1.5-qt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best budget | |||
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 |
| Price | $30–$50 | $150–$200 | $50–$75 | $50–$75 | $10–$20 |
| Capacity | 7 qt | 8.5 qt | 2.5 qt | 7 qt | 1.5 qt |
| Pot | Stoneware, oven-safe | Nonstick, oven-safe to 500°F | Stoneware, oven-safe | Stoneware, oven-safe | Stoneware, ceramic nonstick |
| Settings | Low, High, Warm | 8 functions | Low, High, Warm | Low, High, Warm | Low, High, Warm |
| Timer | No | Yes | No | 30 min–20 hrs | No |
| Brown in the pot | No | Sear setting | No | No | No |
| Locking lid | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Best for | Family dinners and big roasts | Searing and slow cooking in one pot | Small households and potlucks | Long workdays and tailgates | Solo meals, dips and fondue |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
Photos are illustrative, some computer-generated. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. It costs you nothing extra. How we pick · How this works.
