Slow cookers are an invaluable kitchen gadget when it comes to saving money and time in a busy family schedule. Meals take longer to cook in a slow cooker than an oven, but cost significantly less per hour; using just a tenth of the energy of a conventional oven, they can make a big difference to your household energy bills when used regularly. Simply put all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a tasty family meal at the end of the day. They have gone in and out of fashion over the years, having first appeared in the 1940s, but slow cookers are having a new surge in popularity due to the recent rises in household bills and food prices. Adding one of these energy-efficient appliances to your kitchen will transform the way you plan your weekly meals. They are great for batch cooking so you'll always have something delicious to eat at the end of a long day and will help to impart maximum flavor to basic ingredients through the slow cooking process, so are perfect for using with cheaper cuts of meat to save on the weekly budget. The Slow Cooker Cookbook has over 65 recipes to suit all your family's needs. From hearty soups, such as Italian Pasta and Bean Soup; light bites, such as Spinach and Ricotta Timbales; succulent meat dishes, such as Vietnamese Beef and Chicken and Lentil Curry; not forgetting irresistible vegetarian dishes, such as Winter Vegetable Tagine and Smoky Bean Hotpot.

Slow cookers can be used day or night, and you don't even have to stay in to keep an eye on the pot while you produce deliciously flavorful food for all the family.