Best Slow Cookers of 2024

If I made a list of my must-have kitchen appliances, a slow cooker would be right at the top! The best slow cookers make it easy to start a recipe in the morning, then forget about it until dinner time.

Just like that, you’ll have a warm, tender, and flavorful homemade meal waiting for you, and you won’t have to lift a finger except to serve it! You can make all types of food in a Crock Pot, including casseroles, soups, desserts (like apple crisps), and main meals like pot roast or slow cooker pork chops, which is one of my family’s favorite meals! 

To date, I’ve created more than 400 slow cooker recipes for this site! Because I work with slow cookers so much, I actually own 6 of them in different sizes and shapes that I use regularly. (Yes, really!)

My go-to model is the Hamilton Beach 9-in-1 Programmable Slow Cooker. Below, I’ve listed all the reasons I love it, as well as several of the other best slow cookers that I recommend for your kitchen. 

My Top Picks

1. My Go-To Favorite: Hamilton Beach 9-in-1 Programmable Slow Cooker – $99.99 at Amazon

2. Best Portable Slow Cooker: Crock Pot 6-Quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker – $96.70 at Amazon

3. Best Small Slow Cooker: Crock Pot 2-Quart Slow Cooker – $14.99 at Target

4. My Pick for Appetizers: Crock Pot 4.5-Quart Manual Slow Cooker – $19.99 at Target

5. Best Triple Slow Cooker for Parties: Sunvivi Triple Slow Cooker – $99.99 at Amazon

6. My Pick for Casseroles: Crock Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker – $103.99 at Amazon

Reviews of The Best Slow Cookers That I’ve Owned

1. My Go-To Favorite: Hamilton Beach 9-in-1 Programmable Slow Cooker

I love that the Hamilton Beach 9-in-1 Slow Cooker can do it all! This is the slow cooker I reach for most often in my kitchen thanks to its versatility and perfect size for just about anything (6 quarts). It has a digital control panel that lets you choose between high or low slow cook settings, but it also has modes for cooking rice, steaming vegetables, and much more. 

One of my favorite uses for this slow cooker is searing meat—if you’re making a recipe like my Crock Pot Roast, you can use the sauté feature to brown the edges of the meat right inside the slow cooker before adding in other ingredients for slow cooking. It saves you from having to dirty another pan and helps to preserve the tasty juices. Another benefit of this slow cooker is its delay start feature and keep-warm setting. This allows you to time your meal perfectly so it’s done cooking at dinnertime. Bonus is the non stick surface for easy cleanup. So handy!

My Tips: 

If you have stuck-on bits after cooking, just fill up the slow cooker with water and heat on low to loosen up stuck-on food.

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 11 x 12.25 x 10.5 inches
• Weight: 14.8 pounds
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Watts: 1,350
• Type: Programmable

The Pros:

• 9 cooking settings
• High powered
• Delay start feature
• Easy to clean

The Cons:

• No lid lock
• Heavy

Buy the Hamilton Beach 9-in-1 Programmable Slow Cooker:

2. Best Portable Slow Cooker: Crock Pot 6-Quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker

If you’re bringing a dish to a potluck or backyard cookout, the Crock Pot Cook & Carry Slow Cooker is a more travel-friendly model.

This 6-quart programmable slow cooker with buttons instead of a knob is big enough to cook for a crowd, but it’s lighter in weight than other slow cookers and has a locking lid that will prevent spills in the car. This is great if you are bringing one of our popular Crock Pot Dip Recipes to a party.

Just keep in mind that the latches should never be used while cooking, as it can cause the lid to break. The sides of the appliance have large handles that make it easy to tote around, and the digital controls automatically switch to warming mode when your recipe is done cooking. I’ve owned this Crock Pot for years, and it still works as great as ever. 

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 17 x 11.8 x 9.8 inches
• Weight: 11.9 pounds
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Watts: 240
• Type: Programmable

The Pros:

• Locking lid for travel
• Large handles
• Simple to operate
• Long-lasting design

The Cons:

• Short power cord

What Others Are Saying

The Crock Pot Cook & Carry Slow Cooker has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon from more than 26,000 reviews. Southern Living found it to be “the best portable” slow cooker of all the products they tested. 

Buy the Crock Pot 6-Quart Cook & Carry Slow Cooker:

3. Best Small Slow Cooker For Dips: Crock Pot 2-Quart Slow Cooker

There are so many delicious dips that you can make in a small slow cooker—some of my favorites are my Crock Pot White Cheese Dip and Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip, which are always a hit at parties. The Crock Pot 2-Quart Slow Cooker is the perfect size for making and serving any type of dip, and the best part is that this slow cooker costs less than $20!

It’s a simple model with manual controls, and the stoneware insert can even be put in the oven up to 400 degrees. Plus, I love that this Crock Pot is lightweight and compact enough to store in a cabinet, making it a top choice for anyone with a smaller kitchen. 

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 9.9 x 8.3 x 7.9 inches
• Weight: 5 pounds
• Capacity: 2 quarts
• Watts: 100
• Type: Manual

The Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Perfect for serving dip
• Easy to store
• Oven-safe crock

The Cons:

• Manual controls

Buy the Crock Pot 2-Quart Slow Cooker:

4. My Pick for Appetizers: Crock Pot 4.5-Quart Manual Slow Cooker

If you’re making an appetizer like my Crock Pot BBQ Meatballs or Crock Pot Bacon-Wrapped Smokies, this 4.5-quart slow cooker from Crock Pot is the perfect size. (I’m also guilty of using it when I want to make an extra-large batch of queso… because you can never have too much queso!)

This Crock Pot has a mid-size capacity and straightforward manual controls, and it’s also reasonably priced and won’t break the bank. The lid and stoneware insert are also dishwasher safe. This is already great for easy sides like Crock Pot Potatoes and Crockpot Glazed Carrots.

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 12.2 x 8.8 x 12.2 inches
• Weight: 10 pounds
• Capacity: 4.5 quarts
• Watts: 175
• Type: Manual

The Pros:

• Good size for appetizers
• Easy to operate
• Budget-friendly price

The Cons:

• Manual controls
• No locking lid

What Others Are Saying:

Real Simple awarded the Crock Pot 4.5 Quart Slow Cooker “the best budget” of all the slow cookers they reviewed. 

Buy the Crock Pot 4.5-Quart Manual Slow Cooker:

5. Best Triple Slow Cooker for Parties: Sunvivi Triple Slow Cooker 

For avid hosts, I recommend the Sunvivi Triple Slow Cooker—it’s definitely the best slow cooker for parties! Instead of one large cooking insert, this appliance has three 1.5-quart crocks that you can control individually, putting them on high, low, or warm.

Each of the inserts comes with a serving spoon that slots under the lid, as well as a holder that keeps the lid out of the way while people serve themselves. It’s really a neat design that includes overheating protection, and the crocks are small enough that you can easily put them in the dishwasher for cleaning. 

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 9.6 x 22.1 x 4.3 inches
• Weight: 16.3 pounds
• Capacity: Three 1.5-quart crocks
• Watts: 330
• Type: Manual

The Pros:

• Three separate crocks
• Built-in lid holders
• Slots for spoons
• Easy to clean

The Cons:

• Heavy for its size
• Difficult to store

What Others Are Saying

The Sunvivi Triple Slow Cooker has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon from more than 1,000 reviews. 

Buy the Sunvivi Triple Slow Cooker:

6. My Top Choice for Casseroles: Crock Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker

When the holidays roll around, the Crock Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker tends to get a lot of use in my house. It’s wider than other slow cookers and has a shallow bottom, so it’s the perfect size for making any of my Crock Pot casserole recipes—without taking up precious oven space on a busy baking day.

Plus, it has a locking lid and oversized handles that make it easy to transport, and you could even pop the stoneware crock in the oven to create a nice brown topping on your casserole, if you want. The design is truly handy, and I think it’s a worthwhile purchase for anyone who frequently makes casseroles. 

The Specs:

• Dimensions: 20.2 x 7.8 x 12.7 inches
• Weight: 13.5 pounds
• Capacity: 3.5 quarts
• Watts: 270
• Type: Manual 

The Pros:

• Locking lid for transport
• Easy-carry handles
• Oven-safe crock

The Cons:

• Not programmable
• Not ideal for soups or certain dips

What Others Are Saying

The Crock Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon from more than 3,400 reviews. 

Buy the Crock Pot 3.5-Quart Casserole Slow Cooker:

Other Slow Cookers I’ve Researched

GreenPan 8-in-1 Programmable Nonstick Slow Cooker

I recently purchased this GreenPan Slow Cooker, but I haven’t been able to take it for a spin yet. It caught my eye thanks to its 8-in-1 design, which is similar to my favorite Hamilton Beach model, and you can use it to sear meat directly in the crock. Additionally, I’m excited to see how its ceramic nonstick interior performs—it could be a game-changer if it’s as easy to clean as the brand claims. The GreenPan 8-in-1 Programmable Nonstick Slow Cooker is available at Amazon for $246.18.

Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Digital Programmable Slow Cooker

This model from Hamilton Beach is another very popular choice, especially if you don’t have time to monitor your food as it cooks. It comes with a temperature probe that sticks through the lid and into your meat, and the slow cooker will automatically register when your food reaches the ideal temperature. It also has a defrost setting that’s perfect for those times you forget to take the meat out of the freezer. The Hamilton Beach Set & Forget Digital Programmable Slow Cooker is available at Amazon for $69.99.

All Clad Gourmet Plus Slow Cooker

This sleek stainless steel slow cooker is a favorite among culinary publications, but the stylish design comes at a premium cost. I like that it has several different functions, making it possible to brown meat or cook rice right inside the crock, and its 7-quart capacity is large enough to cook for a crowd. However, it’s definitely one of the more expensive slow cookers out there, and I think you can find a comparable model for a much more reasonable price. The All-Clad Gourmet Plus Slow Cooker is available at Amazon for $279.95.

Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker PRO

The Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker PRO has an extra-large 8.5-quart capacity, so it’s a worthwhile option if you have a large family. The 8-in-1 design has settings for slow cooking, braising, and even baking, and the large crock is oven-safe up to 500 degrees. While versatile, this slow cooker is definitely bulkier than many other models, so be sure you have plenty of room to store it when it’s not in use. The Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker PRO is available at Amazon for $129.99.

West Bend Slow Cooker

The West Bend Slow Cooker is one of the more unique models I’ve seen. The heating base is flat and can actually double as an electric griddle, and you simply place the cooking pot on top of it. The pot can also be put in the oven (at low temperatures) or used on the stovetop, and the appliance comes with a tote for easy transport. However, I’m not convinced this slow cooker will be as effective as other models, as it’s solely heated from the bottom of the pot—not the sides. The West Bend Slow Cooker is available at Amazon for $64.99.

Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossom Portable Slow Cooker

Pioneer Woman is known for its colorful, patterned designs, and the Breezy Blossom Slow Cooker is sure to brighten up your kitchen. This budget-friendly slow cooker has a 6-quart capacity, and it comes with tight-fitting lid clips that prevent spills while traveling. This model has manual controls, and it seems like a solid, no-frills option for anyone who wants a pretty appliance. The Pioneer Woman Breezy Blossom Portable Slow Cooker is available at Walmart for $39.99.

Why You Can Trust Me

I’m Carrie, the creator behind Eating on a Dime, mother to 8 kids, and founder of Lazy Day Cooking Club, a membership designed to make dinner fast and easy for busy families!

I began my cooking journey more than 25 years ago, and as my family grew, I started to learn how to use my Crock Pot to save time in the kitchen and make tasty, family-friendly recipes. Fast forward to today, and I’ve created more than 400 easy slow cooker recipes, and even have a cookbook to help save you time and money!

My 6 top picks on this list of the best slow cookers are ones that I own and use regularly, but I also included some others from trusted brands that I’m familiar with, but haven’t yet tested. 

What to Know About Slow Cookers 

What to Consider Before Buying a Slow Cooker

When shopping for a slow cooker, I recommend looking for a 6-quart model, which is typically the perfect size for most family recipes. A nonstick interior is key for easy cleaning, but if you want to make cleanup even faster, you can also use slow cooker liners, which can simply be tossed when you’re done cooking. Here are some other things to consider before purchasing one.

Type

There are two main styles of slow cookers: programmable and manual models. With a programmable appliance, you’re able to set a digital timer that tells it exactly how long to cook, and when the timer ends, the slow cooker automatically switches to its warming setting. Manual slow cookers, on the other hand, can’t make this change on their own—you’ll have to set a timer and be sure to change the setting when the cooking time is over. 

Size

Slow cookers come in a wide range of sizes, from as small as 1.5 quarts to 8 quarts or more. The best size for your home will depend on how you plan to use the appliance—if you’re cooking everyday meals for a family, I recommend looking for a 6-quart slow cooker. However, smaller Crock Pots can come in handy for certain recipes: For instance, I like to make dips in a small 2-quart model and appetizers in a 4.5-quart slow cooker. 

Portability

Slow cookers are great if you’re bringing a dish for a cookout, holiday dinner, or potluck, but some models are more portable than others. If you’re planning to travel with your Crock Pot, look for an appliance that includes lid latches to prevent spills. Large handles will also make the unit easier to carry. 

Features

There are lots of different slow cookers out there today, and you can find one that’s as basic or high-tech as you want. More advanced models often have additional cooking modes, including settings for searing meat, cooking rice, and steaming, which can make them more versatile. 

How Much Does a Slow Cooker Cost?

On average, you can expect to pay between $50 and $100 for a basic 6-quart slow cooker from a well-known brand like Hamilton Beach or Crock Pot. If you’re looking for a larger model or one with more advanced features, this price may increase to over $200, but if you only need a small, simple slow cooker, there are options available for as low as $20. 

Is a Multi-Cooker the Same as a Slow Cooker?

A multi-cooker is an appliance that offers several cooking functions, usually including slow cooking, pressure cooking, rice cooking, and more. Brands like Ninja and Instant Pot are known for making these compact kitchen appliances. However, some slow cookers may have these additional functions (like my go-to slow cooker from Hamilton Beach), but there are other basic slow cookers that only have one function. 

What’s the Best Temperature for Slow Cooking?

Most slow cookers have three temperature settings: low, high, and warm. The low setting, which is used most frequently, cooks food at a temperature between 170 and 280 degrees, while the high setting is generally 300 degrees or more. Naturally, food will cook faster on the high setting, so it’s a good option if you’re crunched for time. When your food is fully cooked, you can switch the slow cooker over to the warming setting, which will generally maintain a temperature around 165 degrees until you’re ready to serve.

How Do Slow Cookers Work?

Slow cookers are fairly simple in their design. The base of a slow cooker contains low-wattage heating coils, which heat up the inner crock. The appliance maintains a low temperature for several hours, cooking food slowly, and the lid traps steam and moisture so your ingredients don’t dry out. 

Some of My Favorite Slow Cooker Recipes 

If you’re ready to start using your new slow cooker, the following are several of my top-rated Crock Pot recipes to try out: 

• Lazy Day Crock Pot Lasagna
• Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew   
• Easy Crock Pot Spiral Ham
• Best Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie 
• Best Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

Prices were accurate at the time of publication.