How to Choose an Integrated Dishwasher in the UK
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Compare the best integrated dishwasher options for UK kitchens, including 60cm and 45cm models, prices, capacity, features and installation advice.
The best slow cooker depends on how much you cook, whether you want to sear ingredients in the same pot and whether you need a wider range of programmes. For straightforward, low-cost cooking, the Cookworks 6.5L is an affordable choice. For a larger multifunction machine, the Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 8L offers more cooking functions and is listed for up to eight portions. Mumsnet’s 2026 editor’s picks include the Crockpot Lift and Serve Digital, Cookworks 6.5L, Russell Hobbs Good-to-Go Multicooker, Morphy Richards Sear and Stew and Swan Retro Slow Cooker.
Prices below are retailer listings and can change, so check the linked product page before buying.
| Model | Listed price | Capacity | Best suited to | Useful features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cookworks 6.5L Slow Cooker | £33.00 | 6.5 litres | Low-cost slow cooking | Simple slow-cooker format |
| Crockpot 6.5L Slow Cooker | £43.00 | 6.5 litres | A conventional Crockpot | Large-capacity slow cooking |
| Morphy Richards 6.5L Easy Time | £65.00 | 6.5 litres | Timed cooking with hob use | Timer, keep-warm and hob-safe removable pot |
| Morphy Richards 6.5L Hinged Lid | £70.00 | 6.5 litres | Cooking with easier lid handling | Three heat settings, auto shut-off, dishwasher-safe pot and lid |
| Crockpot Sizzle & Stew 6.5L | £69.99 | 6.5 litres | Searing before slow cooking | Induction slow cooker |
| Morphy Richards 6.5L Multifunction 10-in-1 | £130.00 | 6.5 litres | Several cooking methods in one appliance | Rice cooking, searing, frying, sautéing, steaming, roasting and keep-warm |
| Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker MC1101UK | £114.99 | 6 litres | Multifunction cooking in a moderate capacity | Eight presets, keep-warm, auto shut-off, dishwasher-safe accessories and two-year guarantee |
| Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker MC1001UKWH | £129.99 | 8 litres | Up to eight portions | Eight-in-one cooking in a larger capacity |
Mumsnet says it tested five popular slow cookers in home kitchens, assessing ease of use, cleaning, cooking performance, features, capacity and value for money. Its editor’s picks include the Crockpot Lift and Serve Digital at £69, the Cookworks 6.5L at £33, the Russell Hobbs Good-to-Go Multicooker at £90, the Morphy Richards Sear and Stew at £70 and the Swan Retro Slow Cooker at £32. Mumsnet describes the Russell Hobbs model as an eight-in-one, 6.5-litre appliance suitable for batch cooking, stews, curries, chilli and casseroles.
Choose capacity according to the amount of food you usually cook, rather than automatically buying the largest appliance available. The models in this comparison range from 6 litres to 8 litres, with 6.5 litres the dominant format among the conventional cookers. The Ninja MC1001UKWH is listed for up to eight portions, while the Morphy Richards Easy Time and Hinged Lid models are each marketed for five to six portions.
Whatever the nominal capacity, fill the crock roughly half to two-thirds full and never beyond three-quarters full. This gives the food and liquid enough room to cook properly.
A traditional slow cooker is the better choice if your main aim is long, unattended cooking of stews, curries, soups and casseroles. It has fewer controls to learn, and the lower-priced models in this comparison cost less than the multifunction appliances. A multicooker is worth considering when you want several cooking methods from one appliance.
The Morphy Richards 6.5L Multifunction 10-in-1 costs £130 at Argos and offers rice cooking, searing, frying, sautéing, steaming, slow cooking, roasting and keep-warm functions. The Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker MC1101UK costs £114.99 at Currys and has eight preset functions, keep-warm and auto shut-off. Its accessories are dishwasher-safe and it carries a two-year guarantee.
There is a practical difference between a slow cooker with a hob-safe pot and a full multicooker. The Morphy Richards Easy Time has a removable pot marketed for electric, halogen, ceramic and gas hobs, so it can be used for hob cooking before the slow-cooking stage. The Crockpot Sizzle & Stew is an alternative for shoppers interested in searing before a long cook.
Pay for the feature that removes a real obstacle in your routine. A timer is useful when you want the appliance to move into keep-warm mode after cooking. Auto shut-off gives a different type of convenience by ending the heating cycle automatically. A dishwasher-safe pot or lid reduces cleaning effort, while searing lets you brown ingredients without transferring them to a separate pan.
A feature list is not automatically a reason to spend more. If you mainly load ingredients and serve a stew later, a basic 6.5-litre slow cooker may cover the job. If you regularly brown meat, cook rice or steam food, the extra controls can replace separate stages or appliances.
Slow cookers are best for sauce-based dishes and recipes that benefit from several hours of gentle cooking. Suitable examples include stews, curries, soups, casseroles, chilli, chicken dishes, beans and some desserts. Cheaper, more sinewy cuts also work well because long cooking helps them become tender.
For chicken recipes, chicken thighs are among the cuts suited to slow cooking. Jamie Oliver’s slow-cooker chicken serves four, takes 4 hours 15 minutes and is labelled gluten-free and dairy-free. It uses 1kg of mixed chicken thighs and drumsticks, 750g of baby potatoes, carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, garlic and fresh herbs, and was tested in a 6.5-litre slow cooker. See Jamie Oliver’s slow-cooker chicken recipe for the ingredients and method.
For healthy vegetarian and vegan recipes, BBC Good Food’s collection contains 32 recipes, including chickpea stew, vegan chilli, vegetable curry, vegetable lasagne, breakfast beans, chicken curry and shepherd’s pie. Its slow-cooker chickpea stew is labelled vegan, healthy and easy, with a stated cooking time of 5 hours 40 minutes. The collection also includes a gluten-free whole chicken with a cooking time of 5 hours 15 minutes. See BBC Good Food’s healthy slow-cooker recipes for the complete ingredients and methods.
For stew recipes, choose beef brisket, pork shoulder, lamb shoulder or chicken thighs. These are among the cheaper cuts identified as suitable for slow cooking and suit the long, moist cooking environment better than delicate cuts.
A slow cooker is not suitable for every ingredient or every stage of a recipe. Frozen meat or poultry should not be put straight into the appliance because it may spend too long thawing at an unsafe temperature. Defrost meat first.
Lean cuts such as fillet steak and pork fillet are poor choices for long cooking because they can become tough. Sinewy joints are more suitable. Delicate vegetables such as peas and courgettes can also become mushy if cooked for the full period, so they may be better added near the end.
Dairy can separate during prolonged cooking and is best added towards the end, approximately 15 minutes before the dish is finished. Pasta, rice and fresh herbs should generally be added towards the end rather than at the beginning, unless the recipe has been specifically designed for them.
When converting a conventional recipe, reduce the liquid by roughly one-third because very little liquid evaporates in a slow cooker. Keep the food within the recommended fill range and avoid lifting the lid unnecessarily during cooking.
Use the following approximate conversion guide:
| Conventional cooking time | High setting | Low setting |
|---|---|---|
| 15–30 minutes | 1–2 hours | 4–6 hours |
| 30–60 minutes | 2–3 hours | 5–7 hours |
| 1–2 hours | 3–4 hours | 6–8 hours |
| 2–4 hours | 4–6 hours | 8–12 hours |
Add pasta, rice and fresh herbs towards the end rather than at the beginning. Use the recipe’s timing for delicate ingredients so that they retain their texture, and add dairy near the end to reduce the risk of splitting.
Yes, a slow cooker is worth having if you want hands-off cooking over several hours, regularly prepare stews or curries, use cheaper cuts of meat or cook larger batches. It is particularly useful for preparing meals that benefit from gentle cooking over time, including casseroles, soups, chicken dishes and pulled meat.
BBC Good Food describes slow cookers as economical to use. The actual running cost depends on the appliance, cooking time and electricity tariff. The purchase cost is broad: BBC Good Food says basic slow cookers can be bought for as little as £15, while premium models can cost several hundred pounds, and that a higher price does not necessarily mean higher quality.
For most buyers, the sensible decision is to choose the capacity and cooking style first, then compare features. A basic 6.5-litre appliance is enough for conventional long-cooking meals; searing, timers, keep-warm and multicooker programmes justify a higher price when they match the way you cook.
There is no single best model for every kitchen. Mumsnet lists the Crockpot Lift and Serve Digital, Cookworks 6.5L, Russell Hobbs Good-to-Go Multicooker, Morphy Richards Sear and Stew and Swan Retro Slow Cooker among its 2026 editor’s picks. Choose the Cookworks for the lowest listed price in this guide, the Morphy Richards Easy Time for a timer and hob-safe pot, or the Ninja 8L for a larger capacity and eight-in-one cooking.
They are best for stews, curries, soups, casseroles, chilli, chicken dishes, beans and other sauce-based meals that benefit from several hours of cooking. They are also well suited to beef brisket, pork shoulder, lamb shoulder and chicken thighs.
Fill it roughly half to two-thirds full and never beyond three-quarters full. This leaves room for the food and liquid to cook properly without overfilling the vessel.
Dairy can separate during long slow cooking, so add cream and other dairy towards the end, approximately 15 minutes before the dish is finished. This also applies to recipes described as creamy: use the slow cooker for the main cooking stage and add the dairy at the finishing stage.
