We Made Gallons of Soup and Stew to Find the Best Slow Cookers
Cozy meals and hands-off cooking? Yes, please.
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A slow cooker makes it easy to get dinner on the table with minimal hands-on cooking, whether you’re making a complete meal or prepping meat for tacos or beans for rice bowls. Trish Clasen Marsanico, our deputy food editor, dusted off her slow cooker when she realized she couldn’t keep ordering in, and she’s never looked back.
Slow cookers cook food at a steady temperature for several hours, similar to braising in a Dutch oven, and they can keep food at a safe temperature after cooking, giving you some wiggle room on a weeknight.
Our top picks:
- Best overall: All-Clad 7-Quart Slow Cooker with Aluminum Insert
- Best value: Black+Decker 7-Quart Digital Slow Cooker
- Best high-end: Lotus Professional Multi-Function Cooker
I’m the deputy editor for the Good Housekeeping Institute, and I’ve been testing slow cookers for the Kitchen & Cooking Lab for five years. If coworkers smell beef first thing in the morning, they know I’m starting a nice, slow beef stew.
Pros
- Allows cooking on high and low or a mix of the two
- Removable aluminum insert can be used for browning on the stovetop or in the oven
Cons
- Liquid may boil rather than simmer
This is our top pick because it's simple and flexible. You can remove the aluminum insert—there are handles on the insert itself as well as on the machine's body—and use it on your stovetop for browning, which helps keep your cooking truly one-pot. You can also leave the finished dish in the insert and serve it from there at the table. The insert is dishwasher- and oven-safe (but note that you cannot brown in the appliance, as it does not offer a sear/sauté function).
The model is 7 quarts, so it's suitable for larger slow cooker recipes. It has uncomplicated digital controls that let you set slow cooking to high (from two to eight hours) or low (from four to 20 hours), and a high/low function that lets you set the duration for each setting. The high/low function is helpful if you want to bring food to a boil and then simmer it. And after each setting, the machine will automatically switch to the warm function for up to six hours.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: This slow cooker produced a rich and tender beef stew, as well as chicken soup and pot roast cooked to a safe internal temperature. That said, there is a slight learning curve, as it tends to run hot: It boiled the broth for chicken soup, which made the meat and vegetables a little overcooked.
| Capacity | 7 qt. |
| Weight | 14.75 lbs |
| Dimensions | 14.2" x 19.9" x 11.3" |
| Accessories | None |
Pros
- Includes a sous vide setting
- Comes with a temperature probe
Cons
- Beef stew meat was drier than that from other models we tested
Black+Decker's 7-quart slow cooker is an affordable choice that includes some high-end functionality: a sous vide setting for gentle cooking and a temperature probe to help prevent overcooking. It also comes with a sous vide rack that lets you slot in up to six sealed bags for cooking.
We like the easy-to-program control panel with settings for slow cook, sous vide, and probe cooking. You can also set either the cook time and temperature or the target temp for the probe.
It has large side handles and a locking lid (for toting, not for cooking!). The lid also has a little arm that lets you prop it on a side handle as a lid holder. Though the stoneware insert does not allow browning, it is removable and dishwasher-safe.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: This model performed nicely in our Lab tests, slow-cooking a beef roast on both low and high settings, as well as a chicken soup on low. The meat in the beef stew was a bit drier than that in other slow-cooker dishes in our tests, but this pick yielded a rich, uniform broth.
| Capacity | 7 qt. |
| Weight | 13 lbs |
| Dimensions | 11.02'’ x 14.96'' x 10.47'' |
| Accessories | Probe and sous vide rack |
Pros
- Includes settings for rice and sous vide
- Can run two temperature settings in one program
- Dishwasher-safe stainless steel insert can be used on the stovetop and in the oven
- Tender stew meat and tender-crisp soup vegetables
Cons
- Notably pricey compared with others on the market
Lotus’s stainless steel insert has a large 6-liter capacity and oversize handles with silicone grips, making it easy to transfer, whether you're filling it at the sink or using it to brown foods on a cooktop. You can also brown directly in this cooker—the sear/sauté setting has a long 45-minute window (some models have shorter time allotments). The insert is also oven- and dishwasher-safe.
Beyond that setting, it offers manual slow cook (with low, medium, and high settings), a meal timer (which targets doneness to the time you select), rice mode, sous vide, and "program" (which lets you set the time and temp for one program or two, meaning it will swap to a different temperature after a set time). It comes with a temperature probe and a sous-vide rack that holds up to four bags.
HOW IT PERFORMED IN OUR TESTS: The good news for the most expensive pick on our list? The meat in our stew was among the most tender we've tasted from any slow cooker. The broth was flavorful, but there was a division among the tasters about whether it was a touch too watery. We were pleased with the texture of the vegetables in the chicken soup—neither crisp nor total mush—and with the clear, flavorful broth. In addition to the slow-cook function, we tried the sous vide function, which was easy to select and program, yielding tender, flaky, flavorful salmon.
Features at a Glance
| Capacity | 7 qt. |
| Weight | 22 lbs |
| Dimensions | 14.5" x 17" x 11" |
| Accessories | Probe and sous vide rack |
Others we tested
- Crock-Pot 3-Quart Round Manual Slow Cooker: Those seeking a smaller unit might want to try Crock-Pot's 3-quart model. It features a simple knob rather than a digital interface, but it's perfect for keeping dips warm or making a small batch of beef stew for two. The insert is dishwasher-safe.
- Hamilton Beach 8-Quart Oval Slow Cooker: Need to feed a big crowd? Consider this Hamilton Beach model with an 8-quart capacity. It doesn't offer a browning function and lacks a digital interface, but it can fit an 8-pound whole chicken or a 6-pound roast. It's affordable and easy to clean. If you're looking for even greater capacity, the brand also offers a 10-quart model (though we have not yet tested it).
- Instant Electric Precision Dutch Oven: The Instant brand, maker of the Instant Pot, has taken a new approach to the slow cooker. Its model uses an enamel-cast-iron Dutch oven as the cooking vessel. The removable pot is oven- and stovetop-safe, like a regular Dutch oven, which makes the unit versatile for the price. We were very impressed with the browning capabilities when making beef stew, but the liquid didn't reduce much, so the broth wasn't as concentrated as we would have liked.
- Kitchen Collection by Hamilton Beach 6-Quart Slow Cooker: Though we have not performed all Lab tests on this model, we did put it through its paces given its extremely affordable price (under $25). The design is stripped down to a single control knob with just three settings: high, low, and keep warm. The exterior gets hot to the touch during cooking, and we found that veggies were undercooked when making soup. But it made a clear chicken stock, and it kept queso warm without scorching. Depending on your needs and budget, it could be a worthwhile choice.
- PowerXL StirMax Digital Multi-Cooker: As the name suggests, this model includes an arm that stirs food during cooking; it can be swapped for an arm that shreds food as well. You can also cook without the arm installed. It was great in theory: It lets you brown in the pot, it stirs the food, and we prepared a tasty mushroom risotto with it. But both experts and home testers noted that it struggled to shred meat, and the arm’s radius and design prevented the mechanism from reaching the corners of the square pot. The meat in our stew was very tender, but the broth was watery.
- Proctor Silex Double Dish Slow Cooker: This unique slow cooker earned a GH Kitchen Gear Award. Like many standard slow cookers, it features one main stoneware crock (this one is 6 quarts), and it also includes two 2.5-quart nonstick inserts that let you cook two dishes simultaneously. It made a good beef stew in our tests, and we appreciated that we could keep black beans and queso warm in the small inserts for four hours without scorching. Cooks who like entertaining might find this option useful—but note that there’s no built-in timer to track cook times.
How we test slow cookers
To test slow cookers, the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen & Cooking Lab experts prepared more than 120 servings of stew and cooked up more than 30 whole chickens.
For both, we check the flavor and texture of the meat and vegetables, and we assess how liquids reduce in volume over time.
If the model was capable of browning, we rated the sear we could achieve on stew meat, noting the cooking surface area (which determines the batch size) and the overall time required. We assessed the high setting and the “keep warm” function, the meat’s tenderness, and the broth’s flavor development.
We inserted thermocouples (temperature sensors) into the breasts and thighs of whole chickens to monitor the internal temperature of the food throughout the cooking process. We also tracked the temperature of the cooking liquid.
We evaluated each slow cooker’s design, safety features, and ease of use without consulting the instruction manual. We also test features such as stirring or inserts. We assess special features like an app, probe, or insert; and we note whether there are other functions, such as sous vide, rice, air fry, or pressure cooking.
What to consider when shopping for a slow cooker
✔️ Capacity and size: Slow cookers range from 1.5 to 10 quarts, so consider your household's needs. A larger capacity generally means a larger footprint and/or taller height, so factor in the space required to store it.
✔️ Functions: If you frequently make dishes that require browning foods before simmering, look for settings like "brown," "sear," "sauté," or "manual." We also recommend an automatic "keep warm" setting, which typically maintains your cooked food at around 165°F, a temperature above the food-safe minimum of 145°F without overcooking. You might also want to consider the extra functions available with modern slow cookers: steam, pressure cook, sous vide, or air fry.
✔️ Accessories: A temperature probe allows you to monitor the internal temperature of foods—or the cooking liquid itself, especially for sous vide—without opening the lid. Another sous vide accessory some models include? A rack for holding multiple sealed bags. We also liked the accessories that come with cookers like the Proctor Silex Double Dish, which includes two small inserts for the crock, letting you cook two items at once.
✔️ Apps and programmable slow cookers: Some slow cookers can be paired with smartphone apps that let you set the time and temperature; some will include recipes with ingredient lists and step-by-step instructions. Some models offer a setting that cooks for one period at one temperature, then switches to a different temperature for the remainder of the cook. Others have a "delay start" feature that allows you to start cooking at a set time. This can be handy, but we don't recommend using it for more than two hours, especially when cooking meat. According to the FDA, when food sits out at room temperature for more than two hours, bacteria can multiply exponentially, putting you at risk of illness.
What’s the difference between a slow cooker and a Crock-Pot?
All Crock-Pots are slow cookers (or multi-cookers!), but not all slow cookers are Crock-Pots. Crock-Pot is the brand name for a line of slow cookers from Sunbeam Products, Inc. Because the products have been so successful, the term Crock-Pot is often used broadly to refer to slow cookers (similar to how Kleenex has become shorthand for facial tissue). But there are many slow-cooker manufacturers.
In addition, Crock-Pots and Crock-Pot-style cookers typically feature a ceramic pot inside a base with a heating element surrounding it. Slow cookers that are not Crock-Pot-style are more likely to have a metal pot and a heating element only at the bottom. These may offer a browning function, whereas Crock-Pots and crockpot-style cookers typically do not.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Sarah Gregory is the deputy editor for the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has led all the recent testing for slow cookers, making countless batches of beef stew. She tests many other products, including waffle makers and portable coffee makers. She is a graduate of the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and has been cooking professionally since 2017.
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