Basic slow cookers won’t get hot enough to sauté meat or vegetables, so you’ll need to do this in a pan before transferring the contents to the bowl. However, more expensive models offer a different one-pot solution. This can either be bowls that you use on your hob or in your oven in place of a pan (some will even be induction compatible). They will need to be moved to the slow cooker base. Machines with a sauté function for high-heat browning can simply be switched to slow cooking. Rice - Again, it’s very easy to get rice wrong in a slow cooker. If you’re planning on adding it at the start, you’ll need extra liquid and a low temperature setting. Most slow cookers have a large claimed capacity, but the usable cooking space is around two-thirds of what is stated – that’s because it’s a safety risk if you overfill your slow cooker.

slow cooker 2023: Enjoy delicious, slow cooked meals Best slow cooker 2023: Enjoy delicious, slow cooked meals

A smaller, round slow cooker is ideal if you’re cooking for one or two people, or aren’t fussed about having lots of leftovers to freeze. Heat retention: how the cooker holds heat for safety on the worktop and whether the food catches or burns While there are plenty of tasty recipes that you can whip up in a slow cooker, there are also a few items that you should think twice about before bunging them in. The Ninja Foodi Multi-Cooker is certainly mighty, but if you like your gadgets it could be a great investment. You can of course just use this multi-cooker as a slow cooker, for which it has a generous 6 litre capacity, but you can also take advantage of the sear setting to brown meat and veggies before slow cooking for a more rich flavour.Don’t rely on what the box says about the size of your slow cooker, and don’t be swayed by the marketing blurb promising litres of capacity.

Crock-Pot Chrome Slow Cooker, 6.5 Litre, Brushed Chrome

It might promise 6 litres on the box, but you won't get 6 litres’ worth of your favourite recipe in the cooking bowl. No liquid escapes from a slow cooker, so when adapting a recipe not specifically written for a slow cooker, reduce any added liquid by a third. Don’t have time to slow cook? Head to our best pressure cookers instead. How much do I need to pay get a decent slow cooker? 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.

Enjoy one-pot suppers and family favourite dishes such as pulled pork and chilli with these easy-to-use cookers

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. The range of settings on your slow cooker will depend on how much you spend. The most basic slow cookers will have high, low and possibly a warm setting, which you’ll need to select manually. So if you’re not too bothered by anything more fancy, then save yourself some money and opt for a basic model. Most slow cookers will have similar standard controls – high heat for meals cooked in less than a few hours, low heat for all-day cooking. A 'keep warm' mode should hold food at a serveable temperature without actually cooking it. Some cookers will switch to 'keep warm' automatically after an elapsed cooking time, while more basic models need this altered manually. Cooking on auto means the machine starts on high, then drops down to low power for the rest of the cooking time. Some will even switch over to ‘keep warm’ for you automatically, at the end of cooking. Auto cook settings can be found on mid-range slow cookers, so you don’t need to spend too much more to get this useful addition. Timer If you’re cooking for one or two and have no plans to freeze leftovers, choose a smaller 3.5-litre slow cooker (usable volume of around 2 litres).