These slow cookers make dinners so easy, they could earn a permanent place on your bench

Standout features: Sear function, multiple heat settings, large capacity, stainless steel finish

This slow cooker from Breville goes beyond the basics. It lets you sear your meat directly in the pot before slow cooking, giving you that restaurant-quality browned goodness typically lacking in regular slow cookers. It also features a range of temperature settings for ultimate control over your meals.

In fact, it’s a favourite in this author’s very-own kitchen, regularly used for everything from soups to slow-cooked roasts thanks to its versatility and generous capacity.

As one reviewer put it on the Breville website: “We already had a Breville slow cooker which we used a lot, but we needed another one. Having bought this recently, I’d say this one is even better than our other Breville with being able to sauté vegetables or cook meat before adding the other ingredients. It’s permanently on our kitchen workbench as we use it a lot for slow cooker meals. We love it.”

Capacity: 6L

Materials: Toughened glass lid with steam vent, large stainless steel steaming trivet and aluminium non-stick bowl

Key features:

• Sear function for restaurant-quality flavour
• Multiple cooking settings
• Sleek stainless steel design
• Large capacity for feeding the family
• Easy-to-use control panel
• Removable non-stick bowl for easy cleaning

Also available:

• $219 at The Good Guys
• $219 at Bing Lee
• $279 $223.20 at Myer
• $229 at Betta
• $279 $243 at Appliances Online
• $249 at Breville

Standout features: Large capacity, dishwasher-safe ceramic pot, three heat settings, modern matte black

Spacious and easy on the eyes, this 7L slow cooker is a solid pick for feeding a crowd. The matte black finish gives it a modern edge, so it won’t stick out on your benchtop in the wrong way.

Plus, the positive reviews speak for themselves – this is a reliable and affordable option. Customers appreciate its value, size and performance, noting that it cooks well and is simple to use. Some do mention it doesn’t have a light indicator, so if that’s a deal breaker for you, you might want to keep that in mind.

“I found it incredibly easy to use and it cooks much more evenly than our last cheap model,” shared one Amazon reviewer. “If you’re looking for a no-fuss appliance that provides consistent results without breaking the bank, the Russell Hobbs 7L is a fantastic choice.”

Capacity: 7L

Material: Ceramic

Key features:

• Cooks up to eight servings
• Dishwasher-safe pot and tempered glass lid
• Three heat settings: Low, high and keep warm
• Premium matte black finish with cool-touch handles
• Built-in lid holder for convenience
• Wrap-around heating elements for even heat distribution

Also available:

• $80 $64 for VIPs at Spotlight
• $79 $64 at Betta
• $79 $64 at Billy Guyatts
• $79 at The Good Guys

Standout features: Intelligent temperature sensor, programmable settings, even heat distribution, stainless steel

Another great option from Breville, this appliance eliminates the guesswork with its savvy temperature sensor, which automatically adjusts the heat for perfect cooking every time. This means less time babysitting the food and more time enjoying your day or indulging in some well-deserved relaxation.

It’s also used at home by Women’s Weekly Food‘s managing editor Sarah McInerney, who rates it for its straightforward push-button display, reliable cooking across low, medium and high settings and easy clean-up. The removable crockery bowl is dishwasher-safe, and the 6L capacity makes it a solid choice for batch cooking. While it doesn’t sear meat, Sarah says that step can easily be done on the stovetop before everything goes in.

Shoppers echo similar sentiments. One five-star reviewer noted the digital controls and automatic timing make cooking feel effortless, while another praised its even results, handy keep-warm function and streamlined design that looks good on the kitchen bench.

Capacity: 6L

Material: Stainless steel

Key features:

• IQ temperature sensor prevents overcooked meals
• Programmable low, medium and high settings
• Wrap-around heating element ensures constant even temperatures
• 230/240 V

Also available:

• $179.95 at Amazon
• $149 at Betta
• $159.95 at Breville
• $189 at Appliances Online
• $189 at Woolworths
• $189 at Big W

Standout features: Wrap-around heating, keep warm function, dishwasher safe, mid-size

This Sunbeam option is a solid all-rounder with a decent capacity and user-friendly controls. While it might not have all the bells and whistles of some others on this list, it excels at delivering tender, flavourful meals with very little effort. The wrap-around heating element promises even cooking and prevents sticking, while the keep-warm setting keeps your meal ready until you are.

It has almost 200 five-star reviews at Myer, where shoppers call out its great performance, ease of use and convenience. They say it’s easy to cook food evenly and efficiently, with the large size being great for meal prep.

“This is my first slow cooker and I haven’t stopped using it! There’s no room left in my freezer for all the delicious meals I have made,” said one reviewer. “The appliance is surprisingly small with a large capacity bowl that is easy to clean. Cooks fantastically. Highly recommend.”

Capacity: 5.5L

Materials: Metal wrap construction with a stainless steel finish

Key features:

• Wrap-around heating element for even cooking
• Keep warm setting to prevent overcooking
• Dishwasher-safe pan and lid for easy cleaning
• 12-month replacement warranty

Also available:

• $45 at Bing Lee
• $59 $46 at Billy Guyatts
• $59 $49 at Betta
• $49 at The Good Guys
• $69 $49 at JB Hi-Fi
• $59 $49 at Betta

Standout features: Multi-functional, easy to use and sturdy

As the name suggests, the Instant Pot Duo Plus Multi-Cooker does a lot more than just slow cooking – including pressure cooking, sautéing, making yoghurt, cooking rice and it can even be used to sous vide.

When Women’s Weekly Food‘s very own Food Director Fran Abdallaoui and Digital Managing Editor Sarah McInerney, used it to make our reader-favourite massaman beef curry, the results were “a flavoursome curry with tender meat”.

While they noted that the sauté function and design meant they had to cook the beef for the curry in batches, after also testing out the pressure cooker function, they said it was a good choice for “a family of four to six wanting an appliance with multiple functions. It’s versatile and saves you time in the kitchen. Less hands-on cooking and less washing up!”

“The fact that you can both slow cook and pressure cook, plus all the other functions, makes this a very handy space-saving appliance.”

Food Director Fran Abdallaoui and Digital Managing Editor Sarah McInerney, Instant Pot Duo Plus Multi-Cooker Review

Capacity: 5.7L

Materials: Metal wrap construction with a stainless steel finish

Key features:

• 13 pre-set functions: slow cook, pressure cook, soup/broth, cake, egg, sauté, rice, bean/grain, porridge/oatmeal, sterilise, yogurt, sous vide and keep warm
• Up to 24 hour delay start and 10 hour keep warm settings
• Easy-to-use interface
• Dishwasher-safe stainless steel inner pot

Also available:

• $209 $159 at Myer
• $199.95 at Kitchen Warehouse

Standout features: Large capacity, multi-function (slow cook, pressure cook, steam, sauté), 20 presets, fast cooking

Looking to save time without sacrificing flavour? The Philips All-In-One makes it easy. With a generous eight-litre pot, it’s built for big batches and busy weeknights. It cooks up to 35 per cent faster and comes with 20 pre-set programs, so you can go from stew to steamed veg at the push of a button. The non-stick pot and removable lid keep cleanup hassle-free, and built-in safety features help take the pressure off (literally!).

“This is a dream come true to be able to do all the functions of three appliances in the same pot,” shared a recent reviewer on the Myer website, where this cooker holds an impressive 4.9-star rating from over 220 reviews. “I wasn’t convinced but after using it, it really does need only one pot, from browning the ingredients and then cooking risotto or pressure cooking the chicken and then cooking the chicken and vege soup. It cooks fast or slow, you are in control. It is really good.”

Capacity: 8L

Materials: Aluminium alloy inner pot with a ProCeramic+ non-stick coating

Key features:

• 1500 watts of heating power speeds up cooking time by around a third
• Large eight-litre capacity cooks up to 14 servings
• 20 pre-set cooking programs
• Multi-function: slow cook, pressure cook, steam, sauté and more
• Detachable inner lid for easy cleaning
• Includes steaming tray, scoop and measuring cup
• Nine built-in safety protection systems

Also available:

• $299 at Amazon
• $299 $267 at Appliances Online
• $278 at Bing Lee
• $299 at The Good Guys
• $299 at David Jones

Standout features: Multi-function (slow cook, pressure cook, steam, sauté), 13 one-touch programs, delay start, dishwasher safe

The Crock-Pot Express Easy Release doesn’t mess around. It pressure cooks, steams, sautés and slow cooks dinner without asking for much in return (besides a spot on the bench, of course). The 5.7L pot easily feeds a family, and with 13 built-in programs and a delay start, you can set it and forget it. Once you’re done, the pot goes straight in the dishwasher.

It has a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 290 reviews at Amazon, with most people sharing positive feedback. Many say it’s easy to use and makes dinner quicker and less stressful. Some love that they can throw in ingredients before work and come home to a finished meal, while others say it makes great soups, stews and even lentil dishes. One person mentioned using it daily for things like ribs, roasts and tagines.

“This is a great product,” a reviewer confirmed. “I don’t know why I didn’t try this sooner. Life is busy and I hate finding time to spend in the kitchen but this makes my life so much better. The only thing that could make this better is the buttons need backlighting as I can’t read them with my old eyes.”

Capacity: 5.7L

Materials: Stainless steel, non-stick aluminium, heat-resistant plastic

Key features:

• 5.7L capacity serves up to six people
• 13 one-touch programs for a variety of meals
• Pressure cooks up to 70 per cent faster than conventional methods
• Steam release dial keeps hands safely away
• Delay start function for flexible meal planning
• Removable non-stick cooking pot is dishwasher safe
• Replaces eight appliances in one
• Includes steaming rack, serving spoon and recipe book