The slow cooker brands our senior food editor swears by

Best for: searing before slow cooking

This option from Russell Hobbs gives you high-quality slow cooking at a reasonable price. With your usual slow cooker features, you’ve also got the option of auto-mode, that allows you to switch it on, put in your ingredients, and then leave it to do its thing! It will even turn off itself after the cooking is complete.

This slow cooker is a top pick for our food editor Sarah Murphy, who says: “The removable bowl is stovetop safe which means less washing up! Remove the bowl to sear your meat in the bowl on the stovetop for delish flavour, then transfer the bowl back into the slow cooker, add your remaining ingredients, and simmer away.”

Key features:

• Auto Mode: Operates on high until the slow cooker reaches temperature, then switches to low until manually turned off
• Cool touch handles
• Double heating element
• Tempered glass lid

Also available at:

• $89 at The Good Guys

Best for: no-fuss cooking

Not as costly as other slow cookers, this unit from Sunbeam offers generous bang for your buck. Featuring high to low cooking functions, get on with your day as dinner brews away.

Sarah Murphy says it’s “perfect if you need a simple, no-fuss cooker. It has a simple dial with low, high, and keep warm settings make cooking easy. It features a wrap-around element, which means no more overcooked bases!”

Key features:

• Capacity 5.5L
• Low, high and keep-warm settings
• Dishwasher-safe pan and lid

Best for: having the perfect timing

The best feature of this one is, of course, the digital element! As our food editor, Sarah Murphy, explains: 

“The digital control panel is simple and easy to navigate, plus features a countdown timer, so you know exactly how long is left for your dish. The clever hinged lid makes it simple to add extra ingredients without needing to find bench space to rest the lid!” 

Key features:

• Capacity 4.7L 
• 3 Heat Settings: Low, High and Keep-Warm
• Digital Timer: Set your cooking time from 30 minutes to 20 hours for total versatility

Also available at:

• $89 at The Good Guys

Best for: speedy slow cooking

Who knew a slow cooker could be so fast? Automatically adjusting temperature, pressure and time, the fast slow cooker delivers flavourful meals just as you like.

“I’ve cooked with it most days since purchasing and I’ve never loved an appliance more! Its easy to have a one pot meal ready in 20 mins with the saute function followed by the pressure cooker or leave it to slow cook while I’m out for the day,” one Australian customer said in a 5-star review on Amazon, where it has a 4.4-star average from over 66 global reviews.

Key features:

• Capacity 6L
• Automatic cooking functions
• Select low, medium and high setting
• Three-way safety lock

Also available at:

• $189 at Betta (clearance)

Best for: multi-functional cooking

Slow cook, pressure cook, sauté, sear, steam and bake all your comfort food favourites with this popular product. The all-in-one multi cooker cuts preheating time by 25 per cent, putting dinner on the table a whole lot faster.

“Highly recommended! A fabulous piece of equipment and every kitchen should have one. I love it,” one Australian customer shared in a 5-star review on Amazon, where it has a 4.4-star average from over 665 global ratings. It was also the number one best-seller for slow cookers on Amazon when we checked. 

Key features:

• Capacity 6L
• Features nine safety protection systems 
• Seven pressure cooking modes
• Automatic keep warm and reheat function up to 12 hours

Also available at:

• $149 at The Good Guys
• $149 at Bing Lee
• From $159.20 (usually $199) at Myer
• $199 at David Jones

Best for: single-person households

Affordability is the top feature of this slow cooker from Kambrook. With an included measuring scoop and serving spoon, your small kitchen will rejoice at the mini size of this option! Works perfectly for couples, small families or dishes that only need one element slow-cooked.

“Wish I’d found it years ago,” one customer said in a 5-star review on The Good Guys, where it has a 4.4-star average from over 80 reviews. “It is small but so easy to cook with. Meals can be quick and easy without having tons of washing up. Good recipe book. Ideal for singles or two together.”

Key features:

• Makes 1.5 cups of rice
• Simple one-touch cooking operation
• Auto Keep Warm Function
• Non-stock removable cooking bowl
• Measuring scoop and serving spoon included

Best for: smart cooking features

Instant satisfaction is a guarantee with the Instant Pot Duo multicooker. Featuring simple built-in settings, and an adjustable pressure scale, you can easily cook your winter favourites as you like.

“I love this multi cooker, it is so handy because there’s so many settings. I love the pressure cook and slow cook functions especially for winter,” one Australian customer shared in a 5-star review on Amazon, describing it as “great value for money and great quality.”

Key features:

• Capacity 5.7L
• 13 one-touch smart programs
• Cooks 70 per cent faster than traditional methods

Best for: family dinner

Our favourite feature of this slow cooker is the 4-hours long keep warm mode. If you’ve prepped your dinner in the morning, and it’s finished up before dinner time, then simply press a button and keep your stew, or soup, or stroganoff warm and ready to go! With 8L capacity, this choice is perfect for large dinners or meal prepping on a Sunday afternoon.

“Sleek and stylish and does exactly what you want it to,” one customer shared in a 5-star review on the Myer website. Another added: “Great slow cooker. Big enough for large family meals or batch cooking. The oval shape is good especially for cooking lamb shanks.”

Key features:

• Single control knob to adjust low or high heat settings, and a 4 hours-long keep warm mode.
• Large capacity 8L inner ceramic cooking pot with tempered glass lids.
• Comes with a serving spoon, and three lid holders.