Smart and Smarter
Today’s appliances are as efficient as they are connected
G“Today’s smart appliances can ease the chores and save energy.”
oing to be cooking a lot this holiday season? Of course you are. Traditional holiday family gatherings are heavy on cook times. A Thanksgiving turkey takes four to six hours of oven heat. Don’t forget baking the cakes, candied yams and pies. There’s pans of vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy on the burners. When it’s over, it’s the dishwasher’s turn, and it takes two or three loads to clean all the dishes, pots and pans.
Luckily, today’s smarter kitchen appliances can ease the chores and save energy at the same time.
Induction stovetops
The “hottest” new cooking trend is the induction cooktop. It comes as an independent cooking element, or as the top of a gas or electric range. The surface looks like the standard glass smooth top, but it works differently. Turning a numbered dial to the desired temperature activates an electromagnetic energy coil beneath the glass surface, which heats the pan in order to cook the food. The pot and food get hot; the cooktop surface remains cool to the touch.
Boiling water? An induction cooktop can get it done, quickly and efficiently, in around three minutes. Think about how long it takes on your current gas or electric burner. Induction cooking does require cookware made of iron or steel, and the pans must be flat-bottomed and the size of the cooking coils, so it’s not ideal for specialty pots and pans.
Convection ovens
Many new electric and gas ranges have a convection option. This style of oven uses a fan to continuously circulate heated air, keeping the temperature around the food the same. Convection cuts oven cooking time by 20%, and in doing so saves energy. One thing to keep in mind: Most recipes base baking time on the conventional method, so keep that meat thermometer handy to avoid overcooking the bird.
App-based cuisine
Smartphone apps can allow you to remotely operate kitchen appliances. At the store? With some models of refrigerator, you can check what’s inside, so you’ll know what you need to purchase – it will even help generate a shopping list. Need to get dinner started right when you get home? Use another app to turn on the oven for pre-heating while you’re battling traffic on the 405.
Cold zones
Some new refrigerators have compartments with preset temperature zones for optimal food storage, so you can keep your food safe without getting icy items or over-hard dairy. Some have a cooling zone that allows frozen food to defrost safely, so there’s no chance of pathogens developing from defrosting on the counter, and no chance of ruining a good piece of meat trying to defrost in a microwave.
Gas vs. electric
Between gas stoves and electric ones, there are different opinions as to which uses less energy. Gas ranges with electric ignition are good because they don’t need a constant pilot light, and burner settings respond quickly to changes, say, from high to medium-low. Electric ovens are becoming more efficient than they were several years ago, but the cooktop burners still take time to warm up and cool down.
Still unsure? Take stock in how much you use the cooking devices in your home, and for what.