Five of the best slow cookers

1. Crockpot TimeSelect

Simple to use, this 5.6-litre family-sized slow cooker has a “schedule meal” function that automatically adjusts the heat as necessary. The removable ceramic bowl is heavy, but dishwasher safe.

£70; amazon.co.uk

2. Greenpan Slow Cooker

This 6-litre beast of a slow cooker would be good for a large family. The big LCD display and simple control panel make the eight cooking functions easy to use, and the ceramic inner pan is non-stick and dishwasher safe.

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£200; greenpan.co.uk

3. Morphy Richards Sear and Stew

The lightweight aluminium cooking pot in this 3.5-litre cooker can also be used on a gas hob, so you can fry or sear in the same pot you slow cook in. Simple to use, it has just one dial, and three cooking functions.

£45; morphyrichards.com

4. Magimix Cook Expert

This is a very precise 3.5-litre slow cooker, and an “all-encompassing cooking food processor” that can mix, chop, emulsify, slice and grate. It has a clear digital display and simple control panel to access the numerous settings.

£999; magimix.co.uk

5. Wahl ZX929 James Martin Digital Slow Cooker

This entry-level 4.7-litre slow cooker couldn’t be easier to use, with three cooking settings (low, high and keep warm), a digital timer and a delay function. It comes with a recipe booklet and the removable pot is dishwasher safe.

£50; corbettselectrical.co.uk