The Best Slow Cookers of 2024

• Dimensions: 12 x 19 x 9.5 inches
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Weight: 16 lbs.
• Pot material: Nonstick aluminum
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

The best slow cooker we've tested, Cuisinart 6-quart 3-In-1 multicooker is handsome and multifunctional. In addition to slow cooking, it can brown/sauté, roast, and steam. You can even sear food in the insert before simmering it. An ultra-low simmer slow cook mode can either cook food very slowly or keep it piping hot for serving.

The stainless-steel base features a series of buttons for settings. And there's a small LCD panel displaying the cooking program and time. This was one of the few programmable models that was easy to set without referring to the manual. After cooking, it automatically switches over to the warm setting for eight hours.

During testing, pot roast cooked in the Cuisinart came closest to tasting like it was cooked on the stove. Both the meat and the vegetables were moist, tender, and flavorful. And the roast stayed intact so it could be cut into long, attractive slices.

The breasts and thighs in a butter chicken recipe melded with their spicy sauce, but still kept their shape and texture. My chili finished cooking with a rich sauce, chunky with beef and beans. Since the Cuisinart switches to an effective “keep warm” setting after cooking, your dinner won’t overcook if you come home late.

The only exposed part of this slow cooker that became too hot to touch was the rim of the cooking vessel. The front surface and the handles—the parts you’re most likely to touch—stay cool, leaving minimal chance of burning yourself.

The pot has oversized plastic handles that make it easy to lift out of the base. The cooking insert’s aluminum and nonstick finishes are easy to clean compared to the heavy ceramic crocks most models use. Cuisinart also supplies a very thorough manual with attractive slow cooker recipes.

• Dimensions: 19 x 13.5 x 11 inches
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Weight: 13 lbs.
• Pot material: Aluminum with ceramic nonstick coating
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

Yes, it’s expensive, but the GreenPan’s excellent cooking performance, versatility, and good looks are worth the price. Our testing model had a glossy black exterior with beautiful stainless-steel handles, but it comes in several colors. It also comes in a Premiere stainless-steel model.

On the bottom are small buttons for programming the various heat settings and an LCD display. The slow cook mode includes low, high, and warm settings, as well as a simmer for keeping food hot. It also includes a “reheat” setting, which is fairly unique for a slow cooker.

The brown/sauté and steam functions let you brown stew meat or a roast right in the unit before slow cooking, to avoid getting a skillet dirty. After cooking, the GreenPan automatically switches to a keep warm mode for eight hours.

During testing, a slow-cooked pot roast emerged perfectly. The meat was moist and flavorful and could be carved into beautiful thin slices. And the vegetables were fork-tender, but still held their shape.

The butter chicken thighs and breasts were exceptionally tender and didn’t shred. The ground beef and beans in a chili recipe kept their texture, while the sauce stayed a rich red color with a complex flavor. When kept warm for two hours, the chili remained at a serving temperature—not a cooking temperature.

While cooking, the outside of the unit and the outer and inner handles stayed cool to the touch. However, you’ll need a potholder to lift the glass lid. The insert can also be used on the stovetop or in the oven.

While the pot is dishwasher safe, it’s also easy to wash by hand. On top of its durable nonstick coating, its light aluminum construction makes it easy to maneuver in the sink.

• Dimensions: 9.25"D x 12.5"W x 9.5"H
• Capacity: 5 quarts
• Weight: 6.6 lbs
• Pot material: Nonstick interior
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

The West Bend 5-quart Slow Cooker is a no-frills appliance that's great for anyone in the market for a simple slow cooker with a reasonable price tag. With its generous 5-quart capacity, it's perfectly suited for family dinners or meal prepping for the week.

The cooker features adjustable temperature control, which allows for different heat settings. Its removable, dishwasher-safe pot makes clean-up a breeze, and the sleek stainless steel design looks nice on the countertop. The cooking vessel is oven-safe, allowing for braising and other cooking methods. And the base doubles as a griddle, too.

Most dishes we made in this slow cooker resulted in delicious and evenly-cooked meals. Unfortunately, the pot roast with potatoes, carrots, and other veggies didn’t result in a thoroughly cooked dish, as the vegetables were not soft after 8 hours of cooking.

However, the chili and chicken dish were both well cooked and full of flavor. We also appreciate how easy this slow cooker is to clean, thanks to its dishwasher-safe accessories.

• Dimensions: 12.8 x 8.19 x 14.06 inches
• Capacity: 6.5 quarts
• Weight: 10 lbs.
• Pot material: Nonstick
• Dishwasher safe: Yes

The Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker can do more than make a batch of slow-cooked chili (although it excels at that, too). It boasts a variety of pre-programmed cooking functions to help you get dinner on the table fast.

In addition to slow cooking and searing/sauteing—which are common in most modern slow cookers—this appliance also boasts functions for cooking grains like pasta, oats, and rice. And we found during testing that these work excellently, eliminating the need for a separate rice cooker.

We also found that this appliance excels at slow cooking, searing, and keeping foods warm afterwards. We were able to achieve ultra tender butter chicken and pot roast, all in one dishwasher-safe pot.

The only function that fell short during testing was making oats. We found that there was a lot of leftover liquid once cooking was complete. Though the oats were tender and good to eat; they just needed to be drained.

Read the full Ninja Foodi Possible Cooker review