The 5 Best Slow Cookers
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Slow cookers are simple to use, yet are capable of producing an incredibly versatile range of dishes. Just set it up in the morning and you can head off to work knowing that when you get home, you will be met by mouthwatering smells and a perfectly cooked meal.
They used to be seen as only useful for stews or soups, but now you can make them work hard with thousands of creative possibilities including glazed ham, pulled pork, baked potatoes and even roast chicken.
While they remain one of the most straightforward kitchen gadgets, there are now offer a growing number of features and programs. Unfortunately, this can also mean that they can be more expensive.
I’ve looked carefully at the market and selected those that I think perfectly balance their functionality with value for money.
Best Slow Cookers
CROCK-POT SCV400RD
currys.co.uk
MORPHY RICHARDS 48705
ao.com
CROCK-POT CSC031
ao.com
CROCK-POT SCCPRC507B-060
amazon.co.uk
MORPHY RICHARDS Evoke 461016
currys.co.uk
The highlight of this slow cooker is its ability to program mealtimes. Set the digital timer anywhere from 30 minutes to 20 hours using one of two heat settings, high or low. It would be nice to see more heat settings, but honestly, the existing temperatures work fine. This is especially true since you can more carefully monitor cook time with this slow cooker. When your meal is finished, you have the option to select the ‘keep warm after cooking’ function which keeps everything at a comfortable temperature until you’re ready to eat. With a 4.7 litre capacity, the CROCK-POT SCCPRC507B-060 is certainly not the largest slow cooker on the market but is still large enough to serve the average four-person family. A smaller capacity also means that even though this slow cooker is quite heavy, it’s compact enough to store easily in most cupboards. Equipped with a digital interface, built-in timer, warming function and rugged parts that will surely last the test of time this is the best slow cooker available today. The only downside is the higher price tag. Despite having to spend a little more, it would be a welcome addition to any kitchen.
CROCK-POT SCCPRC507B-060
If you want the best slow cooker money can buy, look no further than the CROCK-POT SCCPRC507B-060. This elegant device looks great in both traditional and modern kitchens thanks to its digital interface and classic design. Made with a ceramic cookpot, it’s quite heavy at 5.3kg, giving it a reassuring heft. Both pot and lid are dishwasher-safe for low-maintenance care.
CROCK-POT SCCPRC507B-060
The three distinct heat settings, high, medium, and low, give you more control over the temperature than those with just two settings. This spacious slow cooker also features an extra-large 6.5 litre cookpot – plenty of room for large, hungry families. The MORPHY RICHARDS Evoke presents few downsides, but the most glaring is the lack of a timer. At this price, a timer and digital settings are all but expected. However, the Evoke’s simple control scheme makes it easy to use, and there are plenty of other great features that earn it its place on this list.
MORPHY RICHARDS Evoke 461016
The MORPHY RICHARDS Evoke features a gorgeous stainless-steel exterior with rose gold trim. It’s also surprisingly light at just under 3kg. This is in part due to the light, yet durable, dishwasher-safe aluminium cooking pot. Like the other Morphy Richards on this list, the Evoke’s pot is hob and oven safe. This allows you to bake or sear your meats before slow cooking, all in the same dish.
MORPHY RICHARDS Evoke 461016
Choose from three cooking temperatures, set by the manual switch on the front. The settings are curiously listed in the order “high”, “low”, and “medium”, which is counter-intuitive. It may take some time to get used to this odd sequence of temperature settings, but it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. All parts of the MORPHY RICHARDS 48705 are low-maintenance and easy to clean. The glass lid is dishwasher safe, the stainless-steel exterior wipes clean with a damp cloth and the non-stick cooking pot is a breeze to clean. One thing to note is that the non-stick surface is prone to scratching when you use metal utensils. For that reason, I recommend using only plastic or wooden utensils with this slow cooker.
MORPHY RICHARDS 48705
The MORPHY RICHARDS 48705’s cook pot is burner-safe, meaning you can heat it on the stovetop to achieve a quick and easy sear on meat before cooking it in the same pot. What could be easier than that? With a 6 litre capacity, this spacious slow cooker is large enough to serve four or more people. Cook whole joints of meat to fall-off-the-bone perfection.
MORPHY RICHARDS 48705
By far, users are most pleased with this slow cooker’s hinged lid. I must agree that this little feature is pretty ingenious. Other slow cookers require you to lift the hot, heavy, dripping glass lid off by hand, causing a huge mess and potentially burning your fingers. Smartly, the CROCK-POT CSC031’s lid flips securely back on a hinge instead. This makes checking on and serving your food a breeze. It also heats up very quickly, which is rare to find in this price range. The strong, consistent heating element ensures that your dishes are done on time. Nothing’s worse than coming home after a long day to find that the vegetables in your stew haven’t softened yet. It’s difficult to find fault with this slow cooker, but if I had to choose one thing, it’d be the lack of a timer. Since this is common with even the best budget slow cookers, I’m willing to overlook it for the CROCK-POT CSC031.
CROCK-POT CSC031
The CROCK-POT CS031 offers a large 5.7 litre capacity and some added features that make it unbeatable value on almost any budget.
CROCK-POT CSC031
At just 3.5 litres, this slow cooker is suitable for 2-3 people and is ideal for small families or small kitchens. It’s light and portable, as well as easy to store in kitchen cupboards. Of course, the pot is both oven and dishwasher safe for added versatility and convenience. Although lacking in some advanced features, this is one crockpot that certainly does its job. Choose from high and low heating settings as well as a warming mode. The warming mode is especially handy after your meal is finished cooking but you aren’t eating right away. So, what doesn’t this slow cooker have? First and most obvious, the CROCK-POT SCV400RD is on the small side. It may not be the best choice for families of four or more. This slow cooker also lacks a timer, so be sure to set your alarm when starting a meal. Beyond those issues, this is an attractive, affordable and reliable budget slow cooker.
Best Budget Slow Cooker – CROCK-POT SCV400RD
Simple and cheap, the CROCK-POT SCV400RD is a dependable, no-frills slow cooker fit for every budget. This may be the most affordable slow cooker, but it’s still well-built and cooks effectively. Also, it comes with a 2-year warranty for added peace of mind.
CROCK-POT SCV400RD
Conclusion
All of these slow cookers deliver consistent heating and some other useful features. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll likely find a model here that’ll perfectly suit your kitchen. Each model offers some of the best value your likely to find in the UK market.
Hopefully, you’ve found this list useful and it’s given you a place to start on your hunt for a new slow cooker. If you have had any experience with any of those mentioned, we would love to hear about them – so drop me a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.
