The kettle has a flap at the front which opens up and doubles as a hot water dispenser. When open, the kettle only boils the required amount of water for one cup, and pours it directly into a cup. In practice, the kettle needs work. There’s a dial at the top which lets you change how much water you want, but the kettle definitely has a mind of its own in that department, the volume of water produced is inconsistent. Heat retention: how the cooker holds heat for safety on the worktop and whether the food catches or burns With so many different slow cookers out there, choosing the right one for you can be confusing. Here are a few questions you might want to consider.

Compared to a manual model, the Andrew James Digital Slow Cooker is fitted with a LED display and digital controls. The digital timer has a 12 hour delay so you can time your food to be ready when you need it. If you are delayed, then the ‘Keep Warm’ function ensures that the food retains heat after cooking. 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 inner pot needs to be at room temperature before you start cooking. If you've kept a slow cooker dish in the fridge, you must wait for it to warm up before turning it on. If you are using frozen ingredients, make sure all food is defrosted before adding it to the slow cooker. With two size options, 4.5 litre (4 people) and 6.5 litre (6-8 people), the Andrew James Digital Slow Cooker is perfect whether for cooking a family meal, a feast for entertaining or batch cooking in advance for freezing. Simple Tips When Using A Slow CookerIt did take me some getting used to, as I cook at the wrong temperature a couple of times and found the outside of my food burnt and the inside uncooked, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a complete game changer in the kitchen. I now use it for most meals. Design: Are you looking for a simple, budget-friendly option that just slow-cooks (but does it extremely well) or something more versatile that sous-vides, pressure cooks, bakes and roasts too? Do bear in mind that the more technological the slow cooker, the higher the price. A slow cooker uses a small amount of wattage continuously, so it is best to factor this into your lifestyle. Think about it, with a slow cooker, you save both time and money as you can be doing other things while your next meal is cooking, and throw everything into one pot to cook together and save energy.

A third appliance which could be switched out in favour of a more energy efficient alternative is the kettle. I previously used as old Russell Hobbs kettle that can no longer even be bought online, it was definitely due a new cheaper upgrade. Growing up, my mum’s slow cooker was on overtime in the kitchen. In spite of working full time (sometimes even shift work), my mum would make a point of cooking all our meals from scratch. Both cooking and slow cooking became second nature so she could keep on juggling home, kids and work. I compared Nescafe instant coffee to the new KitchenAid Espresso Machine to see if it's worth the moneyThe Andrew James Slow Cooker is my second recommendation although I wouldn't want to use it all the time With the handy digital display and timer delay function, you can cook food for up to 20 hours on 3 different heat settings, so your meal is perfectly cooked for whenever you need it.