yea - a big one sounds great. We do not have a big freezer though, so may not need the largest, but I will look for one around 6.
And one with a timer sounds good, for the purpose of keeping DH food warm if he ends up working later than me and DS want to eat.

Are there any brands that are a bit shonky that would be good to avoid?

Could something like chickpeas be cooked in one and then other things added, or would you need to do the chickpeas in a pot first?

And how much do you use one in summer? Are there some real good things to make during warmer weather in one?

I saw a slow cooker recipe book at the post shop a few weeks ago for about $10, so I wonder if I should go back and get one...?