Smart ways to make your kitchen more energy-efficient
These are the appliance upgrades you should make to ensure your kitchen is as energy efficient as it can be
With climate change remaining a mainstay of headline news and increasing awareness around the efficacy of eco-friendly devices, now is a great time make sure your kitchen is running as efficiently as possible.
If you’re looking to lessen your impact then looking at your appliances is a wise place to start. This doesn’t always mean forgoing your favourites but it’s simply about being smarter and making your kitchen work more efficiently. Research from Which? has shown that by switching to energy-efficient appliances you could be set to save up to £3,360 over a 10-year period while drastically reducing your carbon footprint. Here are some of the smartest energy-saving creations out there.
To air fry or not to air fry
How you cook has an impact, and if you want to make the biggest change to your energy output it’s worth considering just what you’re using. Air fryers have received a lot of attention recently but the humble microwave still tops the list of the most energy-efficient items in the kitchen. The Hoover HMW25STB Solo model (£109) has an eco mode to help keep you in check.
That said, air fryers are clever inventions sporting positive health impacts too because of the smaller quantities of oil they require. If you’re looking for a smart option the Ninja dual foodie model (£179) works well with two cooking zones and a sleek design.
The humble slow cooker proves endlessly popular for its easy-to-use and energy-efficient credentials. The Crockpot (£35) with an impressive power rating of 270W knows how to work for you and the 6.5l model will see you creating one-pot sensations for dinner parties galore.
How do you take yours?
Kettles may do the same thing no matter the model but for it to be as energy-efficient as possible you’re going to want a short boil time and a low minimum fill level. The savings are clear: if the kettle only boils the amount of water you need the energy savings can be up to 20%. Get smart with the Zwilling Enfinigy Electric kettle (£129), which boasts a range of impressive settings from six programs designed precisely for coffee, tea, baby food and more.
Keeping it clean
A dishwasher can seem like a big purchase, but top of the range models like Bosch (£869) will show you a return on your investment. Choose an A+++ rating for less water usage and big savings when compared with other rated models.
Keep things spinning smoothly in this corner of the kitchen by lessening the load with your washing machine. The latest models will weigh the items and only consume the precise amount of water and electricity based on this. The experts have done the research and the Samsung (£739) wifi-enabled model, sporting an A energy rating, wins out.
Heating up
Tumble dryers are renowned for hiking up energy output and can cost up to a whopping £140 a year. Invest in a heated airer instead to let your clothes hang freely as they’re warmed by the heated rails. At as little as 5p an hour to operate, they’re a cheaper way to dry your clothes in the winter months. The Easylife XL three-tiered airer (£179.99) even comes with a timer to maximise on your energy savings while helping cut down on drying times.