Energy Efficient Kitchen Appliances

Kitchen appliances serve many important purposes in the home. Energy efficient devices can save you money on power bills while simultaneously decreasing fossil fuel use in their production.

When cooking, select energy-saving appliances whenever possible and ensure all appliances are turned off when not in use to avoid vampire electricity usage.

Oven

Ovens are among the many kitchen appliances that consume a significant amount of electricity produced using fossil fuels – contributing greatly to climate change.

Selecting the ideal oven model for both your needs and space can be challenging, so taking time to consider your cooking preferences and kitchen layout is paramount to choosing an electric oven that meets both. Look out for features offering temperature precision as well as self-cleaning features to find one that best meets them both.

Try switching off your oven just a minute or two before the food needs to be cooked – this will save on vampire electricity (the silent, slow draw when devices remain connected and standby mode). This may reduce energy use.

Stove

Stoves provide direct heat for boiling, frying and simmering and can be powered by either wood or gas fuel. Modern stoves have become much more energy-efficient than their iron predecessors by completely burning their fuel to reduce harmful smoke emissions as well as risk of fires.

Gas stoves heat quickly, shortening the cooking time. Furthermore, they require less electricity compared to electric cooktops for energy savings.

Cleaning your burners and oven regularly can help save electricity. A dirty stove takes longer to warm up, producing additional waste heat. In order to further lower electricity usage, unplug devices when not being used as this helps avoid vampire electricity use which accounts for 20% of household electricity usage!

Microwave

Microwaves (radio waves in the microwave frequency range) can quickly heat foods. Their short waves emit energy that causes food molecules to vibrate and rotate, creating heat to cook it quickly. Metal can reflect off these waves while glass and plastic pass them through before being absorbed by food molecules and heat is generated.

Microwaving food does not appear to cause any negative side effects if cooking instructions for your appliance are followed (BgVV-Heft 11/1997: Mikrowellengerate im Haushalt – Verbraucherinformation). However, it is still important to abide by any precautions or instructions contained within your microwave oven manual regarding heating times and safety procedures.

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration imposes standards of performance for electronic products to ensure they don’t emit radiation that may threaten human health.

Grill

Outdoor cooking has many homeowners opting for it during the heat of the summer for good reason. Indoor ovens and stoves use energy while adding heat to your home, forcing your air conditioning system to work harder to keep things comfortable. Grills on the other hand use no home electricity (if they use gas), or very little energy (electric), without adding heat.

When purchasing grilling fuel, opt for lump charcoal from natural hardwoods with no additives or chemicals added, such as lump charcoal made from lump hardwood. If using an electric grill instead, make sure the energy used comes from renewable sources; when purchasing meat and produce from local organic farmers to reduce transportation emissions. When cooking the food at an electric grill, ensure the temperature gauge shows cooking times accurately to avoid overcooking which wastes energy.

Dishwasher

Make the investment in a dishwasher that will meet all of your family’s mealtime needs, from compact models for small spaces to larger models that can hold full loads. Look for one with adjustable racks so as to maximize space usage; some new dishwashers feature additional racks specifically dedicated to flat cutlery or shallow oven trays.

Choose an energy-efficient model equipped with smart technology to lower your electricity bill. Look for dishwashers equipped with soil sensors to detect how dirty your dishes are and adjust time and water consumption accordingly.

Consider purchasing a quiet model with low decibel levels to prevent noise pollution, particularly important if your kitchen opens into the living area. In addition, take advantage of off-peak hours when utility companies charge less for electricity usage by running the dishwasher during these periods.