10 Best Slow Cookers For Any Budget, Any Time

A slow cooker is one of the most useful kitchen gadgets to have around. While it's not as popular as the Instant Pot, it's the easiest way to have dinner ready to go the second you walk in the door after a long day (so long as you've set everything to go in the morning). It's also a pinch-hitter in summer when turning on the stove or the oven makes the whole kitchen way too hot. Best of all, it brings out those deep, complex flavors in your favorite soups, stews, and so much more with the simple push of a button.

But picking out the very best slow cooker for you can be a trickier task. Type "slow cooker" into Amazon and you'll get well over 3,000 results. So to make things a bit easier, we've combed through Amazon to find the 10 highest-rated slow cookers for every budget starting from $35 and going all the way up to almost $250. The only criteria? Each slow cooker needs to have an average of 4 stars or more. Here's to the easiest meals ever.

1. Crock-Pot Programmable 6-Quart Slow Cooker, $44.99

4.7 Stars / 19,400+ reviews

Ah, Crock-Pot, the sovereign of slow cookers. This particular six-quart model gets high marks for its handy features: a digital countdown control that lets you program cook times anywhere from 30 minutes to 20 hours; an easy-to-use locking lid for spill-free travel; and a removable stone insert that's safe for the microwave and the oven (up to 400°F).

2. Instant Pot 6-Quart Multi-Use Programmable Pressure & Slow Cooker, $89

4.7 Stars / 159,000+ reviews

The much-beloved—and absurdly popular—Instant Pot is best known for its pressure-cooking powers, but it's also a wonderful slow cooker. This six-quart Instant Pot is one of the most popular kitchen gadgets on Amazon and possibly in every kitchen we've been in. It's considered the "classic" with seven different features like sauté, pressure cook, and slow cook, but there are other versions should you want to air fry or need a bigger capacity.

3. Cuisinart 3 1/2-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, $59.95

4.6 stars / 1,500+ reviews

This simple and easy-to-use Cuisinart slow cooker is small but mighty—the 3 1/2-quart capacity is the right size for two, and the four functions are the only ones you need for quick and delicious meals.

4. Elite Gourmet 2-Quart Electric Slow Cooker, $19.99

4.5 stars, 4,500+ reviews

This teeny two-quart slow cooker with dishwasher-safe glass lid and stoneware pot is perfect for solo cooking, á la our column, Table for One (or for college students and city dwellers with limited kitchen space). There's a no-frills stainless steel version, as well as purple and red versions that'll add a bright splash of color to your kitchen.

5. Hamilton Beach Programmable Slow Cooker, $39.83

4.7 Stars, 4,800+ Reviews

This budget-friendly slow cooker from Hamilton Beach covers all the basics and more with a programmable menu and travel-friendly strap that keeps the lid—and your meals—in place.

6. Chefman 5-Quart Slow Cooker, $36.05

4.3 Stars / 800+ reviews

The naturally nonstick stoneware base of this five-quart slow cooker comes with a few extra perks that make it super versatile. It can be used on the stovetop or in the oven to sear, sauté, roast, or reheat, and it's dishwasher safe.

7. COMFEE' 5.2-Quart Multicooker, $59.99

4.6 Stars / 4,900+ reviews

This family-size multi-cooker has 12 settings to steam, sauté, and of course, slow cook. There's even a 24-hour cook delay should you want to set it and forget it a whole day in advance—perfect for those Monday blues. What more could a home cook want?

8. All-Clad 6.5-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, $179.99

4.5 Stars / 1,000+ reviews

Think of this stainless steel slow cooker with a removable black ceramic insert as your best buddy for whipping crowd-friendly fare, like pot roasts, stews, big batches of chili, and the like. It even has an automatic feature that keeps food warm for up to six hours or until serving time.

9. Yedi 9-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker, $99

4.7 Stars/ 6,500+ reviews

This digital all-in-one cooker from Yedi comes with a ton of accessories so you can truly use it to the fullest. Not only is it a slow cooker and pressure cooker similar to the Instant Pot, but it also comes with steaming trays, cooking mitts, and even a glass lid for sautéing—genius for searing meat before the slow cooking starts.

10. Breville Fast Slow Pro Multi-Function Cooker, $249.99

4.5 Stars / 700+ reviews

This brushed stainless-steel slow cooker from Breville comes with allllll the bells and whistles, like a color-changing LCD screen that lets you know when it's pressurizing, cooking, or releasing steam. In addition to slow cooking, it also comes with 11 handy pressure-cook settings for risotto, rice, soup, stock, beans, and more. On the price (which is, well, pricy), its features and generous capacity make it a worthwhile investment that'll save time and effort in the kitchen.

This post was updated June 2021 with new top-rated slow cookers on Amazon.

What's your favorite slow cooker? Tell us about it in the comments below!

This post contains products that are independently selected by our editors. As an Amazon Associate, Food52 may earn an affiliate commission on qualifying purchases.