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. Some of these reviewers conducted experiments of filling the cooking bowl with measured amounts of water and found that the capacity given by the manufacturers fills the bowl right up to the lip. That’s not how you use slow cookers. So, for practical use, they suggest taking 0.25L – 0.5L or so off the stated volume to arrive at what you can use in the slow cooker. Rice and pasta dishes work best cooked on high for the shortest time possible. Always use easy-cook rice, rinsed well first – the more starch you rinse from the rice, the better the finished result. The first thing you need to consider with any slow cooker is its capacity – each will list its bowl size in litres. Bear in mind that this won’t translate to the same amount of food, as you shouldn’t fill slow cookers to the brim. This gap allows your food to bubble and simmer properly. The usable cooking space will be around three-quarters of its bowl size, for example, a five-litre cooker can accommodate around four litres of food. One plus point of this is that there is no mess from the condensation from the lid on your worktop that you have to clean up. However, some online reviewers report that, in the lifted position, the condensation from the lid does run down between the bowl and the outer unit.

Functions: additional functions on the slow cooker including browning, reheating, reducing and whether it is hob or oven-safe 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.As you can see, there’s no Start Time on this model, you just need to know when you want the meal to be ready and the slow cooker works out the rest. But you can also use this as a manual slow cooker. Pros Removing the need to sauté in a pan before transferring to the pot, the Sage Fast Slow Go is as useful for slow cooking converts as it is to experienced cooks. Functioning as both a slow cooker and a pressure cooker, it includes sensors at the top and bottom to monitor temperature. This makes inconsistently cooked stews a thing of the past. This function can be found on the majority of slow cookers, helping to retain the temperature of your food without cooking it further – handy when you’re struggling to round up the family!

Sear and sauté feature available by putting the cooking pot directly on your stove burner and heating it up. This is a classic recipe, and whilst you might only make it once a year, it's something everyone looks forward to! Use our traditional recipe as a starting point, but feel free to put your own seasonal spin on this classic.Heat retention: how the cooker holds heat for safety on the worktop and whether the food catches or burns They aren’t just for stews and casseroles either. In fact, they're real multi-taskers, even up to the challenge of cooking a whole cut of meat – including sweet and salty coca cola ham or a tender beef joint. Vegetarian family favourites such as macaroni cheese are also a go-to. Take a look at our collection of must-cook slow cooker recipes for more inspiration. Your first decision is whether you want a slow cooker that is programmable or not. While the level of technology can vary, at the very least a programmable slow cooker allows you to set the length of time of the cooking period. Some of these cookers also have a delay function, so cooking won’t start for the number of hours you specify. The Prestige Digital Slow Cooker does everything you require of a programmable slow cooker for the family. With a choice of heat settings and a delay feature, as well as the automatic, keep warm function, this slow cooker makes it easy to have a hot, homemade meal ready when everyone arrives home.