Slow cookers generally have two or three settings: low heat, medium heat or high heat. Crockpots feature many more temperature settings allowing for greater flexibility when adjusting the cooking temperatures for certain recipes.

Slow cookers typically cost less to run than an oven. They won't necessarily save you money compared with using an induction hob, or even a gas hob.

We spoke to the experts to ask for their top tips and find out which meals you should avoid making in your slow cooker.

1. Lean cuts of meat. (Image credit: Getty Images)
2. Expensive meats.
3. Meat with skin on.
4. Shellfish and fish.
5. Dairy or anything cream based.
6. Fresh herbs.
7. Most baked goods.
8. Certain vegetables.

Cooking with a crock [can be] also very inexpensive when compared to the costs of running an oven. Using my Kill A Watt power meter, I've found that a crock pot consumes around 250 watts of power while an [electric] oven can draw up to 4000 watts – depending on how you're cooking.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a slow cooker is one of the most energy efficient kitchen appliances. On average, a slow cooker draws about the same amount of energy as a standard electric light bulb. This means that despite being on for a longer period of time, a slow cooker actually uses very little energy.

The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender and shrink less. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.

Yes, you can turn almost any recipe into a slow cooker meal! Find a similar recipe that's written as a slow cooker recipe and use those instructions, or follow these steps. Slow cookers are a meal prepper's best friend.

Generally, TVs use between 50 to 200 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model. Most TVs use less than one amp and connect to a 120-volt outlet. Older TVs that use technology such as Plasma and CRT are much less efficient compared to newer LED and LCD TVs.

A typical slow-cooker uses 108 watts of power on the low setting. Let's say that it is on for 8-9 hours that would mean it will generally use around 1.5kWh. An electric oven usually costs about $0.30 to $0.60 to run for an hour.

Generally, TVs use between 50 to 200 watts (W) of electricity, depending on the model. Most TVs use less than one amp and connect to a 120-volt outlet. Older TVs that use technology such as Plasma and CRT are much less efficient compared to newer LED and LCD TVs.

Slow cookers use little electricity, making them energy efficient. Precisely, slow cookers, like those from Crock-Pot, use between 75 and 150 watts of electricity on low and between 150 and 210 watts on high settings.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a slow cooker is one of the most energy efficient kitchen appliances. On average, a slow cooker draws about the same amount of energy as a standard electric light bulb. This means that despite being on for a longer period of time, a slow cooker actually uses very little energy.