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Cutting back on electricity costs without compromising on taste!
Wafts of cooking come from the oven while the refrigerator keeps the desserts cool. The dishwasher is used to clean the dirty plates. Winter is a time when many of these kitchen appliances are used all the more often. If the freezer and similar appliances were bought a while ago and have since become out-dated, the electricity bill can really add up fast. Now, before the Christmas rush begins, is a good chance to put your electric kitchen appliances to the test and to take a look at how you use them. This could lead to lower electricity costs and more money for delicious ingredients.
Identifying energy-efficient appliances
New appliances use significantly less electricity than older models, which makes the investment pay off very quickly. Let's look at an example: a fridge-freezer with 270 litres of capacity that is used for twelve years uses 400 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity a year. The electricity costs add up to about €120 per year. A modern appliance of the same size only uses about 150 kWh over the same period. The annual electricity costs therefore drop significantly, falling by a sizable €75 to around €45.
By setting the temperature inside of the refrigerator to a maximum of 7 degrees and correctly sorting the food, electricity consumption can be reduced even further.
Not just one, not two, but three electric appliances are in use while cooking and baking
While cooking and baking, a total of three electric kitchen appliances are used: the oven, stove and the extraction hood. If one of these needs to be replaced, you can consult the EU Energy Label (find out more here). The Label, however, is only a requirement for extraction hoods and electric or gas ovens. It is not required for stoves, for which this purchasing aid is really lacking. Gas stoves are the most energy efficient, followed by induction stoves. A few simple tips can help you cook energy efficiently regardless of what type of stove you are using. In general, about three times as much energy is consumed when the pot on the stove does not have a lid on it. You can save up to 30 per cent of the energy you use by making sure that the size of the pan base matches that of the stove.
Paying attention to size and water consumption of a new dishwasher
Less electricity is needed for dishwashers that have a lower water consumption, as the electricity is used to heat the water. When buying a new dishwasher, it is important to pay attention to its size, as smaller households do not produce as many dirty dishes. If the machine is only half full, it uses more electricity and water than is actually necessary.
The considerable savings potential that can be unlocked through using energy-efficient appliances in the home not only applies to those used in the kitchen. Find out how the Top Runner Initiative is helping here in this article.