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There are a surprisingly large number of slow cookers available, which vary in size, shape, capacity and price. Prices are surprisingly low in the majority of cases, although as with most things, there is a product to appeal to every consumer and every pocket. As with any kitchen appliance or oven, each brand varies in terms of its heating speed and how evenly it cooks and, as with any oven or appliance, there is an element of getting used to your own model.

Most major brands have a removable inner dish, although some fixed models are available. For flexibility, the removable models are far superior, especially ones that can be used on the hob to sauté – they create less washing up if meat and foods are seared before cooking, and most importantly they retain all the flavours and caramelised loveliness created by sautéing and searing.

Try to buy a model that’s suitable for heating in the oven or under a grill – this will give you increased options in terms of finishing dishes to give them colour after cooking. A machine with an in-built digital timer is also a real advantage in terms of ease and convenience and is definitely worth paying a little extra for.

All recipes in this book have been tested in a 5.7 litre (10 pint) family sized cooker. The capacity of your cooker really depends on who and how many you are cooking for, and whether you want to cook large joints of meat, for example, or cakes and puddings. The former are suited to large oval cookers, while a pudding basin or cake tin will need some depth to contain it. A large 5–6 litre (9–10¹/₂ pint) cooker is a good all-rounder for this, but it’s worth considering its size, especially when it comes to storage. If you are in doubt then go for a larger model than you think you might need as this will serve you well for freezer cooking and entertaining and be more adaptable than one that’s simply too small. As a general guide, 1.5–2.5 litre (3–4 pint) cookers are perfect for one and two people, while 2.5 litres (4 pints) will cater for about four. Upwards of 3.5 litres (6 pints) in capacity is perfect for five to six people, entertaining and cooking large batches of food for the freezer.

All slow cookers can be filled to within 2–3cm (³/₄–1¹/₄in) of the brim, and there is absolutely nothing to worry about when leaving your slow cooker on all day or night without supervision. If you have any worries check your manufacturer’s instructions for guidelines on operation times, particularly in terms of the warming function.