Clever cookers

The UK’s cost of living crisis has seen the average household’s energy bill increase to around £3,500, as we experience the highest inflation rates in 40 years, so is it time to turn away from the oven and invest in one of these more energy-efficient cooking appliances?

With up to 10% of your energy bill spent on kitchen appliances, it follows that cooking with more energyefficient appliances could save you hundreds of pounds a year. Here we explore the most efficient alternatives, from the ubiquitous microwave to the humble slow cooker.

Hobs

When it comes to hobs, much like your oven, gas is cheaper, but electric is more effective.

A lot of heat is lost into the room with gas, but the difference in cost makes the result negligible.

However, an induction hob is incredibly efficient because there is no energy lost around the pan (even electric ceramic plates waste heat), so if induction is an option, go for it.

Microwaves

Microwaves use up to 80% less energy than a conventional oven and cost as little as 8p a day to run. The downside of course is what you gain in speed and convenience, you lose in versatility.

However, it may be worth switching to your microwave when cooking vegetables, pasta and poached eggs, over boiling big pots of water on the hob.

Slow cookers

It’s official, slow cookers are back in fashion, and with good reason. Not only have they been found to run on as little energy as a lightbulb, they are also great for feeding a family and can make tough cuts of meat such as beef shin and brisket tender and delicious.

They are also very hands off, meaning you can throw the ingredients in and leave it f or hours!

Air Fryers

A relatively new invention, air fryers are essentially small convection ovens, making them ideal for small jobs such as cooking frozen fish fingers for your child’s tea or heating up a small pie for lunch.

Also, as the name suggests, the air fryer makes superbly crispy chips with a lot less energy than the oven… and a lot less oil than a traditional fryer.

Pressure cookers

Pressure cookers can save a huge amount of energy compared to traditional cooking methods, simply because they get the job done so much quicker.

They also make cheap ingredients – low-quality cuts of meat, dried beans and pulses etc. – into meals fit for a king.

The one downside of the pressure cooker is that they take a bit of getting used to, especially as the pressure releasing process can be rather scary!

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