There is absolutely no doubt that energy saving is going top of the agenda this winter so aside from repeatedly telling family members to switch lights off, what can we do to keep the bills down when in the kitchen? Here is the Saute&Soak rundown of top tips…
Choose the right cookware
If you are looking to not only replace your kitchen but also the contents of it then make sure you invest in the right pots and pans that offer the most efficient method of cooking.
Glass and ceramic dishes are best for use in the oven, while copper-bottomed pans heat up much quicker than stainless steel ones if you are using a traditional electric or gas hob. Cast-iron pans are also excellent for retaining heat so you won’t need the temperature turned up so high, but they are seriously heavy, so if you don’t want a workout when flipping pancakes steer clear!
If you decide to incorporate an induction hob in your new kitchen design, this is definitely the best choice for energy efficiency. Induction hobs heat up at lightening speed, which means you don’t have to spend as much energy to get food to a high temperature and cooking time is reduced which in turn equals reduced bills. According to the Star Energy Partners, “induction cookware commonly tests at about a 90% energy efficiency compared to 50-55% energy efficiency on conventional models” so it clearly is the best investment to make if you are looking to replace your hob. As always these things do come with a price tag but it is likely to pay off in the long term.
Plateau ceiling fitting in antiqued brass…
Use energy-efficient appliances
When choosing appliances for your new kitchen, it is easy to get a bit bamboozled by all of the different ratings and cost/versus efficiency is always a tricky balance as its no surprise that the most energy effect appliances tend to be the most expensive! In a nutshell, the grades run from A for super efficient, down to G, for… basically awful! You may have previously seen ratings with a ‘+’ on but the rating system was streamlined last year to make it simpler…phew! Most appliances now also have a QR code on the energy label which allows consumers, to access useful, up to date information which is really helpful when comparing one with another.
As a starting point it makes sense to spend money on the appliance that operates round the clock which is your fridge/freezer. Before you even look at the energy rating first decide what size you need – its so tempting to go for a super sized appliance but ask yourself if this is really necessary? The bigger the fridge the bigger the bill…
Put appliances on standby
According to the Energy Saving Trust the average UK household spends £65 a year powering appliances left on standby – its not a life changing amount but you certainly wouldn’t willingly throw it away if it was in your hand. Switching off applicants at the plug at the end of the day is a quick fix for this with items such as toasters, microwaves, kettles etc but its out of the kitchen where you can make the main difference with games consoles, TV’s and chargers – once its at 100% unplug and switch off!
Oven, microwave or slow cooker?
The Centre for Sustainable Energy estimates that average electricity use of an electric oven is between 2-2.2kWh, a microwave uses between 0.6-1.5kWh but the winner of the energy effect race here is the the slow cooker which only uses around 0.7kWh for eight hours of usage. It’s not something you want to do every night but avoiding an oven dinner or two will save you money and its worth making sure that you maximise the oven when its on and get super organised with some batch cooking. Is there anything better than coming home after a day of work to a home cooked meal that is done in minutes with minimal washing up?!
Be measured with your brew making!
As you know at Saute&Soak we are huge fans out the Quooker Tap, as are our clients. This is an easy way to get more efficient when boiling water, but it is a decent sized investment so its not for everyone. So, if you are sticking with the traditional kettle, the Energy Saving Trust recommend boiling only the water that we need when making your cuppa, it won’t save you thousands but as the saying goes, every little helps 🙂 Also, whilst we are on the subject of boiling liquids, there is one simple trick to save energy – put a lid on it! Have your pan lids to hand when cooking and you will quickly wonder why you haven’t done it before.
Let the dishwasher do the washing up
You will be pleased to hear that using a dishwasher is more economical than washing by hand (whoop!). A study conducted by reviewed.com revealed that washing 4 full place settings by hand used 12 gallons of water – 3.5 times more water than the average dishwasher used. But, this is only the case if you use your dishwasher efficiently, and U-Switch has some good advice to offer on this:
1. Use the economy or eco programme – Every modern dishwasher has a special energy-efficiency setting that can save up to 20% of energy by using less power to heat the water (by heating the water more slowly over a longer cycle).
2. Wait until your dishwasher is full before putting it on – Washing a half load of dishes simply wastes half the energy produced by your dishwasher.
3. Don’t pre-wash – It isn’t necessary and wastes water, just scrape food into the bin and you are good to go!
Speak to one of our designers about how we could take your kitchen design to the next level, making efficient and mind blowing, please call us on 01909 261 061 or ni********@**********ak.com
