Notorious for its soup and stew-making abilities, the humble slow cooker is actually capable of much more than you might think. Like an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, these nifty pieces of kit not only take the hard work out of cooking but can also be used to create stocks, tenderise cheaper cuts of meat, and even whip up preserves, desserts and breads that essentially make themselves. So dust off that slow cooker and discover its full potential with these 5 cookbooks.

Slow Cooked
Slow-cookers often get an unfair rep for creating tasteless brown food, but in Slow Cooked, Miss South has created 200 recipes for adventurous, affordable dishes that are low on effort and big on flavour. With recipes for Sweet Potato and Paneer Curry, Jerk Chicken and Cherry Bakewell Pudding, she shows how versatile the slow cooker can be with hearty main courses, creative ways with leftovers and low-effort puddings, too.

Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes
The trusted experts at Good Food magazine have put together Good Food Eat Well: Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes; an essential guide to making healthy meals in your slow cooker. Think flavourful curries, warming stews and enticing puds that are all nutritionally balanced without compromising on flavour.

Try It! Slow Cooking
In Try It! Slow Cooking, the emphasis is on comforting slow cooker classics the whole family will love, from pot roasts and casseroles to steamed puddings.

Simply Nigella
While not exclusively a slow cooker cookbook, Simply Nigella includes a noteworthy handful of slow cooker recipes to inspire calm and flavour-packed cooking. Our pick? Beef chilli with Bourbon.

The Complete Slow Cooker Cookbook
The Complete Slow Cooker Cookbook features a wide range of over 200 tried-and-tested slow cooker favourites.