We’ve tested a range of models, including some multi-cookers which can also pressure cook.
Lifetime score
Our overall score combines test performance (how well the appliance works) and ease of use, with predicted reliability (how likely models from the brand are to remain free of faults) and owner satisfaction (how likely owners of the brand are to be very satisfied).
We’ll only recommend appliances you’ll love to own, that work well and will keep working well for a long time.
Cooking performance
Slow cookers
Performance is based on cooking corned beef on a “low” setting and chilli beef and beans on a “high” setting.
Multi-cookers
Performance is based on slow cooking lamb shanks and pressure cooking
chilli beef and beans.
We also cook brown rice and jasmine rice to see how well each
multi-cooker maintains the desired level of heat at a lower
temperature for the duration of cooking.
Models tested in previous years may include additional cooking tests.
Ease of use
Assesses how easy it is to assemble, clean and store the cooker and use its controls.
Predicted reliability
It’s reasonable to expect a new appliance to remain fault-free for at least the first five years. Our predicted reliability won’t tell you whether your slow cooker or multi-cooker will stop working tomorrow, but it does show which brands make models that are less likely to fail.
Owner satisfaction
Satisfaction is important – no appliance should be a source of buyer-regret. Appliances with very satisfied owners are more likely to get cleaned regularly and maintained well. Their owners are more likely to seek repair for faults than look for a quick replacement.
Survey data 101
In our annual reliability and satisfaction survey, consumers tell us about faults that have left an appliance they own unusable or mean they’ve had to change how they use it. We also ask them how satisfied they are with the appliance. We use their data to produce our predicted reliability and owner satisfaction scores.
We use a statistical test to rate the relative performance of each brand. Compared to data we have for all products (of the same type) in the survey, we rate each brand with highest, high,average, low or lowest for predicted reliability and brand satisfaction respectively.
We analyse brands that get at least 30 responses in our survey. That means there are some brands we can’t analyse because we don’t have enough data. For those brands, we assume they have average predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.
Our data is based on response for 1,080 small cookers in our 2025 survey.
