Best Slow Cooker with Sear Function UK (2026): Top 5

Slow cookers with a hob-safe pot, such as the Morphy Richards and Tower Sear & Stew ranges, sear on your hob. Multi-cookers such as the Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker have a sear setting built in. A normal ceramic slow cooker pot should never go on the hob.

Browning meat first adds flavour and colour to stews and casseroles. A searing slow cooker saves you washing a frying pan. The Morphy Richards Sear & Stew range has thousands of strong reviews on Amazon UK, though we have not cooked with them ourselves.

No, it is optional. Meat will cook without it. Searing mainly adds a richer, browned flavour and better colour, which many people prefer for beef stews and casseroles.

The Morphy Richards and Tower aluminium pots in this guide do not work on induction hobs. If you cook on induction, pick a cooker that sears in its own base, like the Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker.

A 3.5L pot suits one to four people. A 6.5L pot suits families of four or more and batch cooking. If you cook for one or two only, look at our small slow cooker guide, which compares 1.5L to 2.4L pots.

It is worth it if you have an induction hob or want to steam, bake and prove dough too. If you only want to brown meat and slow cook on a gas or electric hob, a Morphy Richards Sear & Stew does the same main job for much less.

The aluminium pots here have a non-stick coating. Use wooden or silicone utensils so you do not scratch it, and replace a pot if the coating is badly damaged. Follow the maker’s care instructions.

The slow cook part uses little power. The Morphy Richards and Tower models list roughly 150 to 240 watts. Searing on the hob uses your hob as normal. The Ninja is 1200W at full power, but it cycles once it is up to temperature.

Yes. Morphy Richards and Tower both say their Sear & Stew pots are dishwasher safe. Ninja says its PossibleCooker pot and lid are dishwasher safe too.