Kitchen (EE)

There are lots of different ways to reduce your energy use by cooking in different ways or using different appliances. Air fryers, slow cookers and pressure cookers may help you cook food faster, using less power (though whether you can use them will depend on what you want to cook!) Match your pan size with the food you’re cooking and the size of the hob ring as this will only use as much heat as you need. You can also use a multi-tier steamer to cook several things only using one ring on the hob. Batch cooking (making several portions or meals at once and either freezing them or using them in the week) uses a lot less energy than cooking individual meals every night of the week and can help reduce energy use and save money. It can also cut down the time spent making and cooking meals. Defrosting frozen food in the fridge can also be a good choice; more energy is used when items are cooked from frozen or if you are defrosting food in the microwave (but you will need to check food labels, as some foods may be specifically cooked from frozen). Glass and ceramic dishes are the most efficient to use in the oven, and skewering food such as potatoes or meat, or cutting food into smaller pieces can speed up oven cooking times and so use less power. Use a microwave rather than the oven to reheat meals.

Free Choosing the right pan size, cutting up food or using skewers, and defrosting frozen items are small actions you can take to help save power.

£ Air fryers, slow cookers, pressure cookers, steamers, and glass or ceramic dishes can be found at relatively low cost. Batch cooking will still have power costs, but will help reduce the number of times you need to use your hob or oven.

Find other information on saving energy in the Top tips section.

Cooking is also one of the leading causes of fire in the home. Check out the Good Home Lincs information on Fire safety to find out more about how to keep your home safe from fire.

Take the Online Home Fire Safety Check

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue also have lots of information and advice on Home fire safety

You may also want to make sure you are not overloading your plug sockets with electrical equipment such as kettles, toasters, microwaves and air fryers. Check out the Good Home Lincs pages on Electrical safety and use a socket calculator (found on the GHL pages under the electrical safety drop down).