Choosing a slow cooker: sizes, tips and recipes

A slow cooker is an electric cooking pot that uses low, steady heat to cook food over several hours. The slow, gentle heat helps flavours develop and can make some ingredients softer and more tender. Just add your ingredients, choose your setting and let it gently cook away while you get on with your day.

Slow cookers are great for stews, curries, soups, casseroles, pulled meats and many one-pot family meals. They are also handy for batch cooking, meal prep and making tougher cuts of meat more tender. Most have a heated base, a removable cooking pot and a fitted lid that helps keep moisture inside while your food cooks.

Slow cookers are popular as they make everyday cooking feel easier. They are useful if you like the idea of prepping a meal earlier in the day and coming back to something warm and ready to serve.

Choosing a slow cooker is great for:

• Less hands-on cooking: The appliance does most of the work, once your ingredients are prepared and added.
• Batch cooking: You can make bigger portions and freeze leftovers or have them for lunch the next day.
• Tender meat and veg: Slower cooking works well for tougher cuts of meat and hearty vegetables.
• Flexible mealtimes: Some models can switch to keep food warm once cooking has finished.
• One-pot meals: Many recipes can be cooked in the same pot, meaning there’s less washing up needed.

The best slow cooker size depends on how many people you'll be cooking for, how much space you have and whether you want to save leftovers.

Tip: Slow cookers often work best when they are around half to three-quarters full, so a larger model may not be ideal if you mostly cook small meals.

Additional slow cooker modes and functions can make cooking and cleaning quicker. Here are some features to consider when buying a slow cooker:

• Capacity: Go for a size that suits your household and usual portion sizes. 
• Low and high settings: Adjust cooking time depending on your recipe. 
• Keep warm setting: Keep food warm after cooking has finished. 
• Timer: You can set a cooking time, often with an automatic switch to keep warm. 
• Removable bowl: This makes serving and cleaning easy. 
• Dishwasher-safe parts: Remember to always check the product details to be sure. 
• Glass lid: Check on your meal without lifting the lid. 
• Sear or sauté function: Brown ingredients like meat before slow cooking to enhance flavour. 
• Hob-safe or oven-safe pot: While suitable for some recipes, all removable bowls may not be suitable for hob or oven use. Check the instructions of your individual model before using.

A slow cooker with a sear function can be useful for browning meat or softening onions before slow cooking. Browning ingredients first can add extra depth of flavour, especially to stews, casseroles and chilli. Some slow cooker models allow you to sear ingredients in the removable pot before placing it back into the base, so you don't need to use a separate frying pan.

Still, plenty of slow cooker recipes are designed for you to add the ingredients straight into the bowl and let them cook. If you want the simplest option, a standard slow cooker with low, high and keep warm settings may be enough for regular use. 

Follow the below steps when cooking with a slow cooker for best results:

Here are some top tips to keep in mind:

• Don't overfill the bowl: Aim to leave enough room for heat and liquid to move around. 
• Cut dense vegetables smaller: Potatoes and carrots can take longer than softer veg. 
• Use less liquid when adapting recipes: Slow cookers do not reduce sauces in the same way as hob cooking. 
• Add dairy towards the end: Milk, cream and some cheeses can split if cooked for too long. 
• Add delicate ingredients later: Pasta, rice, seafood and leafy greens turn too soft if cooked for hours. 
• Thicken sauces after cooking: If your sauce is too thin, reduce it separately or use a thickening method from your recipe. 
• Season gradually: Take it slow. Flavours can get more concentrated over time, so taste and adjust closer to the end if needed. 

Cleaning a slow cooker is usually simple and can be quite easy if your model has a removable bowl. Here are our top cleaning tips to keep your appliance in good condition: 

• Always switch off and unplug your slow cooker before cleaning.
• Let it cool before washing the bowl or lid, as sudden temperature changes could damage some materials.
• Check the appliance's instructions before putting anything in the dishwasher. Some bowls and lids are dishwasher-safe, while others may need hand washing.
• Wipe the outer part with a damp cloth, but do not immerse the electrical base in water.
• If food has stuck to the bowl, soak it in warm soapy water before cleaning.
• Avoid abrasive cleaners unless mentioned otherwise in the product’s care instructions.