Slow cookers are increasingly becoming more popular among home cooks for their convenience and ease of use. Perfect for preparing mouth-watering dishes such as fall-off-the-bone barbecue ribs and sticky date pudding.

It is not surprising that a number of retailers have picked up on the hype, offering their own versions of the handy kitchen gadget at various price ranges.

Budget retailer Kmart is no exception to this, releasing a range of Anko slow cooker models at affordable prices.

So, if you're looking for a comprehensive review of how Kmart's budget-friendly slow cooker models compare to others on the market, then read on!

Comparison website Canstar Blue reviewed models from Kmart and compared them with other affordable brands, including Crock-Pot, Big W, and Russell Hobbs.

1. Kmart slow cookers

The models from Kmart come with a stainless steel housing, a removable ceramic pot, and a glass lid. The experts from Canstar emphasised that the stainless steel housing is ideal for slow cookers as the material is designed to conduct heat evenly.

It should also be noted, however, that the 3L slow cooker model has an iron housing instead of stainless steel. Aside from this, all models share the same features.

Below are the items in Kmart's slow cookers range:

Credit: Kmart​

a. Kmart 5L Slow Cooker: $22 RRP*

The affordable slow cooker model features adjustable low, high and warm settings, a ceramic pot, and a stainless steel housing. The gadget can slow cook for up to eight hours on low heat and up to six hours on high setting.

The handy model comes with 26cm x 41cm x 30cm dimensions, making it the most compact in the range. While this model can be deemed portable, it can only cook an amount that is suitable to feed up to three people and would be too small for larger households.

Credit: Kmart​

b. Kmart 3L Slow Cooker: $25 RRP*

This model is suitable for single or two-person households. It features a manually adjustable low, high and warm settings, a ceramic pot, and a tempered glass lid.

What sets this unit apart from other Kmart models is its iron housing with a chalkboard coating.

The dimensions of this Anko slow cooker are 25cm x 27cm x 26.5cm.

Credit: Kmart​

c. Kmart 6.5L Slow Cooker: $39 RRP*

This model, which measures 42cm x 30cm x 25.6cm, is the most family-friend size model in the range.

While the 6.5 L unit also includes the same features as the other models in the range — multiple heat settings, a removable ceramic pot, and a glass lid — the model distinguishes itself by featuring an LED display, an adjustable timer and an automatic warm setting.

Canstar's verdict:

Canstar Blue's Home & Lifestyle Editor Megan Birot said: “The Anko slow cooker range offers the basic functionally and budget price tag we expect to see from any standard Kmart appliance.”

“Most models in the range come with multiple heat settings and an adjustable timer, although only the 6.5L model offers an automatic keep-warm setting and digital timer. This means you will need to check on the progress of your cooking occasionally and manually turn the slow cooker off, or switch to warm mode, once the food has finished cooking."

“But aside from not having oven or stove-top compatibility in certain models, or extended timer settings, there isn’t an overwhelming difference in specs between a Kmart slow cooker and a unit from another pricier brand."

“And as far as online reviews from Kmart’s website go, consumers seem fairly impressed with the quality and performance of its slow cookers, especially given their cheap price.”

Credit: Crock-Pot​

2. Kmart slow cookers vs Crock-Pot slow cookers

One of the leading brands of cookware, Crock-Pot has built a reputation for its slow cookers, pressure cookers, and multi-cookers.

The brand's slow cooker models offer a range of cooking capacities and styles that Kmart do not.

Crock-Pot slow cookers feature a mix of manual and automatic functions, one-touch digital controls, a programmable timer that lets you input cook times between 30 minutes and 20 hours, a locking lid and a lid gasket for extra seal, cord-management, stoneware, and oversized carry handles.

The design of the models also allows its users to bring it to potlucks or other parties, as it is compact and portable.

While slow cookers from Crock-Pot seem to be the better choice between the two brands, these models come with a few caveats.

The warranty for the units only lasts for one year, compared to Kmart's two-year warranty period on certain products.

Additionally, some pots that come with the slow cookers are non-dishwasher-safe, meaning handwashing is necessary for cleaning these pots, which may not be suitable for some households.

Below is a table comparing Kmart's 3L Slow Cooker with Crock-Pot 3.5L Traditional Slow Cooker:

Features​	Kmart's 3L Slow Cooker​	Crock-Pot 3.5L Traditional Slow Cooker​
Heat Settings​	Low, high, keep-warm​	Low, high, keep-warm​
Capacity​	3L​	3.5L​
Timer range​	Not stated​	Up to 8 hours​
Price*​	$25​	$49.95​

Credit: Big W​

3. Kmart slow cookers vs Big W slow cookers

Big W is also known for its budget-friendly appliances.

The retailer's slow cooker model is the only stand-alone unit in its kitchenware range.

The affordable slow cooker features similar characteristics to Kmart, including three heat settings, a stainless steel housing, an internal wrap-around heating element, and a glass lid.

Below is a table showing the comparison between Kmart's 5L Slow Cooker and Big W's Contempo 5.5L Slow Cooker:

Features​	Kmart's 5L Slow Cooker​	Big W Contempo 5.5L Slow Cooker​
Heat Settings​	Low, high, keep-warm​	Low, high, keep-warm​
Capacity​	5L​	5.5L​
Timer range​	Up to 8 hours​	Up to 8 hours (12 hours for warm function)​
Price*​	$22​	$25​

Credit: Russell Hobbs​

4. Kmart slow cookers vs Russell Hobbs slow cookers

Russell Hobbs offers a collection of affordable slow cookers, with prices ranging from $49.95 to $99.95 and capacities from 3.5L to 7L.

Some of the features that make the slow cooker models from Russell Hobbs include sous vide and stove-top searing functionality, a built-in lid holder, and dishwasher-safe parts.

Additionally, the gadget allows its users to prepare four to eight servings of food, depending on the slow cooker model they are using.

Below is a table showing the comparison between Kmart's 6.5 L Slow Cooker and Russell Hobbs 7 L Slow Cooker:

Features​	Kmart's 6.5L Slow Cooker​	Russell Hobbs 7L Slow Cooker​
Heat Settings​	Low, high, keep-warm​	Low, high, keep-warm​
Capacity​	6.5L​	7L​
Timer range​	Up to 12 hours​	Up to 10 hours​
Price*​	$39​	$69.95​

The general consensus seems to be that Kmart has done a fantastic job offering slow cookers in a price range that is much more accessible. While the other brands may have better features, you get a great bang for your buck with the Kmart range.

Are you looking to get a Kmart slow cooker, or do you already own one? Let us know what it’s like in the comments below!

 

[Riverlandlass]

I've used KMart slow cookers for years. I dropped the inner pot on the first one which I'd used two or three times a week for over two years, with no hassle. I bought another 5L model and it is still working fine nearly two years on.

 

[Ricci]

I have a kmart slow cooker, the small one as there's only me to cater for. I also, last year, bought an all in one crockpot from Aldi but so far that has stayed in the cupboard as it is far more complicated to set up and use. I'm sure I'll get into it but for now the slow cooker rules In fact I've got some vegetable soup slowly making itself as we speak!!

 

[Gaena]

Have to admit that the sole reason for my purchasing a more expensive Slow cooker was the ability to sear the meat in the same pot, eliminating the need to use more than one pot/frying pan to start the meal, I am averse to having too much effort and pots and pans to clean, slow cooking is an ideal way to keep me happy in that regard.

 

[Topsy]

Have to admit that the sole reason for my purchasing a more expensive Slow cooker was the ability to sear the meat in the same pot, eliminating the need to use more than one pot/frying pan to start the meal, I am averse to having too much effort and pots and pans to clean, slow cooking is an ideal way to keep me happy in that regard.