Heat retention: how the cooker holds heat for safety on the worktop and whether the food catches or burns Using a mild washing up liquid, warm water and a soft sponge, getting food residue off was easy and didn't require too much elbow grease. I was pleased that the cream pot hadn't stained from my tomato-based sauce, too.

Size: With sizes starting at 1-litre through to a whopping 6.5-litres, choosing the right size for you is imperative. The smallest sizes are suitable when cooking for one or two. 3-litres to 4.5-litres (one of the most popular sizes on the market) serve four, and the large 6-6.5-litre models are super for families and batch cooking. It's also worth bearing in mind that the capacity stated on the sales blurb is the size of the bowl, not the working capacity, which can sometimes be half that. Slow cookers with digital controls may also have a delay start, which is ideal if you’re out of the house for more than eight hours. This means you can start cooking at a time to suit you – while it’s hard to overcook recipes with a lot of liquid, this gives more freedom with dishes that could potentially start to dry out. A timer is another handy feature – this will either turn the machine off after cooking or put it into a limited time keep warm mode. Some slow cookers will automatically shift to this mode after a programme has ended, while others require switching manually. One of the best things about the Drew and Cole Cleverchef Pro is the app, which comes with a huge range of recipes at the touch of a button. Compared to a lot of multi-cookers the Drew and Cole Cleverchef Pro has an uncomplicated display that's simple to customise. A great choice for those who want a smart multi-cooker.

Cooking in the Swan 3.5L Retro Slow Cooker: how easy is it to use?

The sides of the slow cooker did get quite hot, so you do need to keep it out of reach of little ones, but the cool-touch handles are a nice feature and make it easy to manoeuvre. It's also relatively lightweight for moving about the kitchen. A competent and good-looking slow cooker, but shop around and you can either spend less or get more features for your money. Slow cookers are nifty appliances that do all the cooking for you, so you can whip up scrumptious meals without spending hours working away behind a stove.

If you receive any damaged items on your delivery, please state the full extent of the damage on the driver’s delivery note when signing for the goods. Slow cookers range in size from a compact 1.5 litres to a 6.5-litre bowl, so be sure to choose the right size for the way you intend to cook. As a rough guide, 1.5-3 litres will feed one or two people, 3-5 litres, three or four people and anything over five litres should suit a large family, with six litres or more ideal for batch cooks who like to fill the freezer. Alternatively, a larger cooker is great for those who like to eat what’s leftover for lunch the next day. The controls tend to be similar on most slow cookers with a ‘low’ setting for longer, slower cooking throughout the day and a ‘high’ setting for faster cooking with similar slow-cooked results. The other notable thing was how heavy the pot is. It weighs 2.35kg even before it contains food, so it really is a weighty thing to carry to the table. It seems tough though. It would be tempting to drop the pot just to see how tough it is… But you can’t help thinking it could do serious damage to the floor. Should I buy the Swan 3.5 Litre Slow Cooker? When we tested its slow cooking mode we found that it's almost too good at retaining moisture. Recipes that came out more saucy in some slow cookers were a little less rich because it's also designed to be an airtight pressure cooker. That can be remedied though by adding less liquid or taking into account the liquid that will come out of meat and veggies when you add them.Please allow 3 working days for us to process a return. We will organise a suitable date and time for our couriers to collect the item Slow cookers range in capacity, from a compact 1.5 litres up to 7 litres. As a general guide, a 1.5 to 2.3-litre capacity is great for two people, a larger 4 to 4.5 litres will feed four, and 5.5 to 7 litres is ideal for four to six people. The Russell Hobbs Good to Go Multicooker is a true multi-tasker. Armed with a variety of capabilities, you can make sure that your meat is cooked just right before you cut it open, or fill up a water bath for succulent sous vide fish or veggies. This digital slow cooker comes with a removable control dial on its front control panel, which has pre-set modes for steaming and stewing as well as high and low manual temperature levels. There is also a keep warm mode. They also calculate the energy consumed by each model to see how economical they are, and measure the moisture lost when cooking to ensuring your dinner won't end up dried out.

Cook delicious meals the convenient way with this easy-to-use and stylishly retro 3.5-litre slow cooker. Once you’ve chosen your ingredients, simply pop them in the cooking pot, adjust the timer and choose from either the high or low heat setting. You can then let the appliance do all the work and safely leave it to cook while you go about your day. You can place the cooking pot in the dishwasher or wash by hand fairly easily. The Ninja Foodi Multi-Cooker also has a basket insert and can be used to air fry other treats when not in use as a slow cooker. Is this the future of slow cooking? We think so.By sealing food in pouches, the juices and subtle flavours that could otherwise be lost during conventional cooking are retained.