Slow cooker season is honestly one of my favourite times of the year, as I wheel out my trusty CrockPot to prep countless healthy, nourishing meals to get me through winter. But if you’re late to this party, don’t worry, as Lidl is selling a 6.5L CrockPot for under £30 - and it’s on sale now.
I’m a firm believer that the best slow cookers deserve a spot in every kitchen. Absolutely ideal for batch cooking (which saves you time and money), slow cookers are also energy-efficient and lock in loads of flavour in your meals.
If you’re new to the world of slow cookers, this CrockPot offering at Lidl is a great choice. I’ve owned mine for the past six years and happily wheel it out every weekend for some more batch cooking. Here’s everything you need to know.
I’ll start by saying that this CrockPot model is quite basic, making it a great starter slow cooker, or for anyone that doesn’t need the extra bells and whistles that come with many-function slow cookers such as the Ninja 8-in-1 Foodi PossibleCooker (£119 at Amazon).
But I will say it cooks like a dream. My mum gifted me my CrockPot slow cooker when I was 19, and six years later, it remains my favourite kitchen appliance. I’d even go as far to say that I like it more than my air fryer.
It is the perfect size for meal prepping or large families with a capacity of 6.5L, making at least six portions. This CrockPot also has two cooking modes - low or high, as well as a keep warm function. It has a removable ceramic bowl, which makes clean up easy and is dishwasher safe. However, you should avoid using it on the hob. I have also found this model to be lightweight and easy to store.
The low function is great for slow-cooking over eight hours, while the high function needs just four hours. I have found this slow cooker to be great for casseroles, pulled pork, pie fillings, chilli, bolognaise, curries, and noodle dishes. And if you’re ever short of recipes, the Bored of Lunch 6 Ingredient Slow Cooker recipe book (£10 at Amazon) is great for inspiration.
For me, slow cooking saves me loads of time. Call it slow cooker maths - by dumping my ingredients in the pot and letting the CrockPot do all the work while I go about my day, I spend less time slaving over the stove every night.
And if you want to save any more time, Jamie Oliver has revealed a great slow cooker tip, whereby you simply stop lifting the lid as your food cooks. And by investing in a slow cooker, you won’t have to worry about checking your food every half hour.
Now, I love my CrockPot and won’t be replacing it until it dies on me (which I doubt will happen anytime soon). However, if I were looking for an upgrade, these are the models I would consider.
As I already know and love CrockPot, I would be tempted to go for another CrockPot slow cooker. This one is in our best slow cookers guide due to its large capacity and how easy it is to use.
This is Ideal Home's best-rated slow cooker. Not only is it an excellent slow cooker, but it also doubles up as a rice cooker and can cook delicious pasta, too.
This clever slow cooker is excellent at cooking meat, with multiple cooking functions including braising and searing. It also has a proving and baking setting for bakers, too.
Slow cookers don’t need to be bulky or expensive. A simple model that gets the job done well can also be a kitchen hero.
