Nine ways to save energy in the kitchen
The biggest rise in household energy bills in living memory has come into effect. Here are some energy-saving kitchen hacks that could help reduce your fuel bills...
1. ONLY BOIL THE WATER YOU NEED Whether it’s in the kettle for a cuppa or on the stove, only boil the amount of water that you actually need, otherwise it will take longer and use more power.
2. USE THE RIGHT RING
Make sure the pan completely covers the hob ring you’re using, to prevent heat escaping, and turn the power down once it’s reached the right temperature.
3. PUT A LID ON PANS
It’s easy to whack a pan full of water on the hob and forget to pop the lid on. Heat will escape and it will take longer to boil.
4. BATCH COOK
By batch-cooking things like curry, soup, veg and grains ahead of time, you only need to quickly heat up dishes before serving.
5. USE THE MICROWAVE MORE
As it’s smaller and faster, the microwave is generally the most energy efficient way to cook and reheat food.
6. DON’T PREHEAT FOR TOO LONG “Try to pre-heat your oven for just a few minutes,” says British Gas engineer Sunny Solanky. “And switch it off five minutes before your food is done.”
7. COOK SEVERAL THINGS AT ONCE Loading up the oven with, say, a chicken, potatoes and pudding, won’t affect the cooking process, and you’ll save energy compared to cooking them separately.
8. USE THE FAN SETTING
Sunny says: “Circulated air transfers heat faster than air that’s not moving, which means fan ovens are more energy efficient.”
9. USE YOUR FREEZER EFFICIENTLY “Cool your batch-cooked meals thoroughly before freezing,” says David Palmer, senior home appliances product specialist at LG. “Putting hot food into a freezer will cause a temperature increase, resulting in other foods defrosting and higher energy costs.”
Debbie metal bed frame, dreams.co.uk, was £299, now
£249 SAVE: £50
Silver antique French style chest of drawers, homesdirect365.co.uk, was £364.99, now £214.99
SAVE: £150
Belvedere velvet piped cushion, The Range, was £7.99, now £6.39
SAVE: £1.60
H&D Hyaline & Dora crystal vintage perfume bottle, amazon.co.uk, was £23.99, now £21.59 SAVE: £2.40
Earl double-ended roll top slipper bath, victorianplumbing. co.uk, was £469.95, now
£399.95 SAVE: £70
Flora jewellery box, Oliver Bonas, was £25, now £20 SAVE: £5
Deco heron tape pencil
pleat curtains, wayfair.
co.uk, RRP 104.99, now £62.99 SAVE:
£42
Yinfung jacquard damask duvet cover, amazon. co.uk, was £29.99, now £23.99 SAVE: £6
Safina end-of-bed Ottoman storage bench, furniture123. co.uk, was £219.97, now £129.97
SAVE: £90
Ariana mirrored bedside table, B&M, was £100, now £80 SAVE: £20
Teas & C’s Kasbah porcelain teapot, wayfair.co.uk, RRP £21.99,
now £16.04 SAVE: £5.95
Seoni velvet lampshade (27x40cm), John Lewis, was
£50, now £25 SAVE: £25
Montgomery three-seater velvet sofa, oakfurnitureland. co.uk, was £1,149.99, now £999.99 SAVE: £150
Gold cup and saucer, Dunelm, was £5, now £3.50 SAVE: £1.50
Matilda velvet swivel chair, Dunelm, was £179, now £143.20 SAVE: £35.80
Arthur Price Monsoon Mirage cake server, Robert Dyas, was £39.99, now £20 SAVE: £19.99