Whether your slow cooker is a key part of your cooking regime, a recent addition to your kitchen or a forgotten piece of kit lurking at the back of a cupboard, our tried-and-tested tips and tricks will turn the handy gadget into your trusted sous-chef. With tempting recipes to try, from pasta sauces to sliders, you'll find it can be used all year round, with delicious results – and minimal effort.

Love the idea of getting your slow cooker to do the hard work for you? Click or scroll through our gallery to discover 36 tips that will help you get the most out of your machine – counting down to our most useful piece of advice of all.

Slow cooker secrets to make your favourite meals even easier