You Need This Grab-and-Go Crockpot for Summer Cookouts

We updated this story in October 2022 to ensure all products were available and that pricing was accurate. We also added information on what to consider before purchasing a slow cooker as well as new picks from Instant Brands and GreenPan.

The tried-and-true slow cooker is a huge help in the kitchen. This freestanding cooking appliance allows food to be cooked at a low and steady temperature, similar to braising in a Dutch oven, and its set-it-and-forget-it style leaves you free to do other things — and use your stovetop or oven for other things. A good slow cooker produces such flavorful meals that our test kitchen loves using one to create recipes for lunch, dinner and everything in between, whether that’s slow cooker chicken recipes or a pot roast or BBQ jackfruit.

To choose these top-tested slow cookers, the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab cooked chicken soup and beef stew. We assessed the cookers’ ability to maintain temperatures on both high and low settings, checked the doneness and flavor of the recipes, considered how reduced liquids were over time and factored in whether or not you can brown foods right in the slow cooker’s pot. If the machine included an app or probe, we assessed that as well.

Our top picks:

Our picks include both large and small models that allow you to brown foods right in the pot and some that can double as rice cookers. Some can serve as a steamer, and some will allow you to select a pressure cooking mode. You can read more about how we evaluate slow cookers and what to consider before buying one at the end of this guide.