Mid-range sizes can handle most recipes for a small family. Look at models between 4 and 6 quarts, and you’ll get the best of both worlds. Storage Space The safety lid on the multi-cooker ensures all the pressure is released before the lid is lifted, so even if you try to lift the lid before it’s ready, it won’t budge, keeping you and any curious hands safe… Next I made chilli, again using the sauté function to brown mince for eight minutes. There’s the option of low or high for this function, but the recipe didn’t specify which to use so I opted for high. After removing the beef, I added other vegetables and sautéed again for a further few minutes, before placing all the ingredients in the pot and topping with the lid. This was cooked on the Beans/Chilli function for 10 minutes. There’s one button for each programme or cooking function, one each for setting the delay timer (max four hours) and the keep-warm (for up to four hours), and up and down buttons plus buttons for adjusting the pressure or temperature. All of which are clearly marked with a big digital display. To make enough food for everyone in your home, you must have a large enough slow cooker to accommodate the required number of servings.

Sometimes, you know exactly what you want and how to cook it best. The Manual setting allows you to take control and programme the countdown timer to your desired cooking time, as well as choose between High and Low heat settings, so you can get the best results in a way that you already know works. Once your food’s cooked to perfection, it’ll automatically be kept nice and warm until you’re ready to eat, so dinner will always be ready when you are. Still, you’ll need to lift it when washing and storing. So, it makes sense to buy a slow cooker that you can lift and maneuver easily. Finally, I used the Express Multi-Cooker to make a Chocolate Volcano Pudding directly in the pot. This involved greasing it before pouring in the pudding mixture and topping with chocolate sauce.The pot looks great, and its smaller 5.6L size makes it easy to carry around and place on kitchen surfaces even if you don’t have much space. However, if you’re looking for a slow cooker to make large meals in, you may be better off purchasing other larger models for the same price. Imagine the water is soup or chili. If 4 quarts are not enough to feed your family, keep adding a quart at a time until you get to a volume that works. If you use a slow cooker frequently and have a lot of counter space, you can also opt to leave it out as part of your kitchen decor. Are you wondering how many servings you can get out of a 1-quart slow cooker? Will a 3-quart model suffice for a family of four?

My only niggle is that I’d like a pot durable enough to throw in the dishwasher every time without being concerned I might be shortening its lifespan. When cookers are this good and as easy to use, you might find yourself using your hob only at the weekend. Verdict Let’s look at how a few popular slow cookers compare, by weight, in the following chart: Slow CookerI liked the multiple options the cooker has to customise this dish – I could have extended the cooking time, pressure or temperature to customise the recipe, or used the delay timer so it would be ready later on. Again, it took about five minutes for pressure to build and the same to release. The chilli was rich and flavourful, with no burnt chunks of meat or dry beans. The preheat was also handy and is part of all the programmes, turning the display to say Heat before the countdown of actual cooking begins.