A slow cooker is an easy way to prepare a hearty meal for the family with minimal effort and cleanup.

With the ability to cook anything from tender roasts to spicy chilies, slow cookers are marvels that continue to amaze. By simply setting your preferred heating option, you can combine a variety of ingredients to slowly cook a flavorful feast. There are also endless slow cooker recipes available online, so you can continue to “wow” with new dishes night after night.

But with so many different slow cooker models to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which one to buy.

Related: The Best Pressure Cookers to Buy in 2024, According to Reviews

The best slow cookers to buy in 2024

To help you out, here are some of the most recommended slow cookers, including models from Cuisineart And Hamilton Beach.

1. Cuisinart 3-in-1 Cook Central 6-Quart Multicooker: “This brilliant stainless steel slow cooker is a true workhorse that you can rely on for years to come. It’s quiet but powerful: not only does it cook slowly, but it also has steam and sauté modes for making rice or vegetables. Three temperature settings (high, low and simmer) provide more precise cooking and the 24-hour digital timer is easy to read. The lid, inner pot and steaming rack are all dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. According to Popular Mechanics.
2. Hamilton Beach Set & Forget 6 Quart Slow Cooker: “With a capacity of 6 liters, this model is about the standard size for a slow cooker, meaning it can feed a fairly large family. We managed to fit a 7 pound piece of roast pork inside, but that’s about the maximum. The lid has a gasket around the edge to create a more airtight seal, which is useful for preventing too much liquid from evaporating during longer cooks or overnight. Combined with the built-in lid latches, this also makes the machine portable. You can throw it in the trunk or backseat to take it to a potluck or family dinner. The Spruce Eats says.
3. Crock-Pot Large 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker: “Many slow cookers can feed a group, but this model can make enough for crowds of more than 10 people. So whether you’re throwing a birthday party or bringing chili to the annual tailgate, this slow cooker can meet your needs. The digital timer makes programming easy and automatically switches to the warm setting when the cooking time is up. Need to cook a recipe for less than 10 people? Don’t worry, this slow cooker did a fantastic job of preparing the same recipe as the smaller cookers with a 6-7 quart capacity. Food Network says.
4. Beautiful 6 liter programmable slow cooker: “The Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker features a tight-fitting lid that ensures all foods stay safely in the pot, even when transported to the neighborhood potluck dinner. This model’s flexible preset options let you slow cook meat, poultry, stew, soup, and chili for busy weeks. And even though it weighs 14.3 pounds, it felt light in our testing carrying it around the lab,” says Southern Living.
5. GreenPan Elite 8-in-1 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker: “We love its sleek, minimalist design, available in a variety of beautiful colors that might make you rethink storing it out of sight. Its conveniently placed handles are coated in silicone and allow you to easily lift the pot without worrying about it being too hot to carry. We also found that its rounded rectangular shape allows you to store a variety of items (like a full rack of ribs or a large pork roast with vegetables) without running out of space, despite its relatively compact size. Food & Wine says.