We compared two 3.5L slow cookers: the Russell Hobbs Chalkboard with a removable ceramic pot and the Morphy Richards Sear & Stew with a hob-proof aluminium pot.
What we looked at
Capacity, pot material and whether it goes on the hob, heat settings, cleaning, wattage, and price. The Russell Hobbs bullets are short, so its copy leans on its title.
The verdict
If you want a classic 3.5L cooker with a removable ceramic pot, a glass lid and a chalkboard front, at £29.00, the Russell Hobbs Chalkboard is the value pick. If you want to sear on the stove and slow cook in the same lightweight, dishwasher-safe, non-stick aluminium pot for about £9 more, the Morphy Richards Sear & Stew is the one-pot option.
A £29 3.5L cooker with a removable ceramic pot, glass lid and chalkboard front, but no hob-proof pot.
A hob-proof, dishwasher-safe aluminium pot that sears and slow cooks in one, for about £9 more.
Russell Hobbs Chalkboard 3.5L Electric Slow Cooker, Cooks 4 Portions, Removable Ceramic Pot (200W) — Best Value
Intended for: Marketed as a 3.5L matt black slow cooker with a chalkboard front, for 4 portions, with 3 heat settings (high, low, keep warm), a removable ceramic pot and a glass lid, at 200W.
What we liked
- Cheaper than the Morphy Richards Sear & Stew on these listings
- 3.5L capacity, described as ideal for 4 portions
- 3 heat settings: high, low and keep warm
- Removable ceramic pot and a glass lid to view food while cooking
- Matt black powder-coated finish
Worth knowing
- The pot is ceramic, so the listing does not say it can go on the hob
- The listing bullets are brief
Best for
- Households that want a simple 3.5L slow cooker for four
- Anyone who likes a ceramic pot and a chalkboard front for labelling
- Buyers who want the lower price
Not ideal for
- Anyone who wants to sear on the hob in the same pot
- Buyers who want a stated dishwasher-safe pot
Morphy Richards 3.5L Sear & Stew Slow Cooker, Shatter Resistant Aluminium Pot, 460012 (Black) — One-Pot Pick
Intended for: Marketed as a 3.5L slow cooker with a shatter-resistant, hob-proof aluminium pot so you can sear and slow cook in one pot, with 3 heat settings at 163W.
What we liked
- Removable pot is hob proof, so you sear and slow cook in one pot
- Lightweight, durable aluminium pot with a non-stick surface
- Pot is stated to be dishwasher safe
- 3 heat settings and a 3.5L capacity
- Shatter-resistant pot, per the title
Worth knowing
- Costs £8.99 more than the Russell Hobbs Chalkboard on these listings
Best for
- Cooks who want to brown meat before slow cooking
- Anyone who wants fewer pans to wash
- Households that want a lightweight pot
Not ideal for
- Budget-conscious buyers
- Anyone who prefers a ceramic pot
