Good advice on cookers
Get good advice on cookers and how to use them energy efficiently.
Cooker types
There are 3 types of cookers:
Bring food to boil at the highest setting. Continue cooking food at the lowest setting without it going off the boil. How you achieve this depends on the hob type, which can broadly be divided into 2 groups:
If the bottom of the pot or pan is warped or dented, you can end up using up to 50% more electricity. Pots and pans should match the size of the hob. A bigger pan is better than a smaller one. You use about 15% more energy if you place a 16cm pot on an 18 cm hob at the highest setting.
Less water
Pasta, rice, potatoes, vegetables and eggs can be cooked in much less water than most people think. You can, for example, save 30% of the power by cooking potatoes with a little water instead of by the traditional method, where potatoes are completely submerged.
Use latent heat
An ordinary hob stays hot long after it is switched off. You can use this heat by switching it off a few minutes before the food is completely cooked.
Use pots instead of the oven
Where possible, pre-cook the food on a hob or in a microwave oven instead of in the oven. You can save up to 70% on your electricity bill.
Thaw food
Most frozen foods need to be defrosted before you cook them. For example, you will use 50% more energy if the cutlets are not defrosted before you fry them.
Pressure cookers
Pressure cookers are suitable for preparing meals that normally require cooking times of at least 1 hour. In such cases, pressure cookers can save 40% of the energy otherwise used because the meal is cooked in 1/3 of the time.
There are 3 types of cookers:
- Solid: Cookers with solid hobs
- Ceramic: Cookers with ceramic hobs
- Induction: Cookers with induction hobs
Bring food to boil at the highest setting. Continue cooking food at the lowest setting without it going off the boil. How you achieve this depends on the hob type, which can broadly be divided into 2 groups:
- Manual hobs.
Start at the highest setting then reduce heat as much as possible as the food cooks. - Automatic hobs with stop and temperature limiter.
There are different types of automatic hobs available; these include thermostatically controlled hobs, hobs with automatic cooking and hobs with cooking sensors. If you are using one of these, you should choose the right initial setting for further cooking. The hob then takes care of turning the heat down. The right setting is shown in the user manual.
If the bottom of the pot or pan is warped or dented, you can end up using up to 50% more electricity. Pots and pans should match the size of the hob. A bigger pan is better than a smaller one. You use about 15% more energy if you place a 16cm pot on an 18 cm hob at the highest setting.
Less water
Pasta, rice, potatoes, vegetables and eggs can be cooked in much less water than most people think. You can, for example, save 30% of the power by cooking potatoes with a little water instead of by the traditional method, where potatoes are completely submerged.
Use latent heat
An ordinary hob stays hot long after it is switched off. You can use this heat by switching it off a few minutes before the food is completely cooked.
Use pots instead of the oven
Where possible, pre-cook the food on a hob or in a microwave oven instead of in the oven. You can save up to 70% on your electricity bill.
Thaw food
Most frozen foods need to be defrosted before you cook them. For example, you will use 50% more energy if the cutlets are not defrosted before you fry them.
Pressure cookers
Pressure cookers are suitable for preparing meals that normally require cooking times of at least 1 hour. In such cases, pressure cookers can save 40% of the energy otherwise used because the meal is cooked in 1/3 of the time.
Page last updated 06.10.2008