Refrigeration & Cooking

The easiest way to save electricity in the kitchen is to use specialised appliances for the appropriate tasks. So, for example, always make toast in a toaster instead of using the oven.

Category 1 Savings

1. When you cook in the oven, keep the oven door closed as much as possible. Constantly opening and closing the oven door dissipate heat and energy is wasted in reheating the oven.
2. Make sure that all the plates and reflectors on your stove are clean and that the pot or pan you’re using completely covers the stove plate. That way all the energy is being used to cook the food. Hot plates retain heat, so you can turn off the stove before you’ve finished cooking to save electricity.
3. Get the most out of your microwave oven by defrosting food in the fridge before cooking it in the microwave. Use the microwave for small to medium amounts of food and leave the large meals to a conventional oven.
4. A pressure cooker is an underrated energy saver. Use one if you want to conserve energy when cooking foods that take a long time, such as pot roasts, stews and steamed puddings.
5. When you use the kettle, remember to boil only as much water as you need.
6. Getting value for money from your fridge is even easier, don’t open the door unnecessarily and you won’t use extra energy keeping the fridge cool.
7. A full fridge retains stores coolness more so than an empty one as there is more thermal mass

Category 2 Savings

Replace the seals in your fridge to keep the cold air in