3 Energy Saving Tips On Turkey Day
With Thanksgiving Day just around the corner here are a few tips from the lab on how to save money and energy in the kitchen this year.
1. Toaster Ovens – Batch, Shut-off and Convection.
We found that the vast majority of a toaster oven’s energy consumption goes towards getting it warm in the first place. Once it’s warm, it doesn’t take a lot of energy (or time) to keep it there. So heat the rolls, then the batch of cookies, then the pumpkin pie. Just do it without letting the toaster oven get cold over and over again. Also, many toaster ovens don’t automatically turn off after use. Make sure to switch them off to minimize energy usage and for safety. Finally, if you have a good convection toaster oven use it. In many cases this feature can save time and potentially energy. In our tests, they made cookies fluffier too – and who doesn’t love fluffy cookies?
2. CoffeeMakers – Go Thermo
One of the biggest drivers of energy usage in a coffeemaker is the heat plate it uses to keep your coffee warm. If you’re in need of a new coffeemaker – consider getting one with a thermo-carafe. It keeps your coffee warm longer without using any additional energy. And besides, those heat plates can destroy flavor.
3. Microwave Ovens – Zap Away
If you need to heat something quickly – zap it. Your microwave is one of the best conservers of energy in your kitchen. Use microwave safe containers and covers.
Strosniders True Value Hardware in Bethesda and Silver Spring has all these appliances and more with Savenia Labs Energy Rating Labels so you can see the energy costs BEFORE you buy!
Have a happy holiday!
Thanks for these great tips. I recently heard about Savenia Labs and was fascinated to discover that the lifetime cost of an appliance can vary by hundreds of dollars. As far as I’m aware there are no companies here in the UK that rate small electrical appliances, so I’ll just have to follow these tips and buy myself a thermal carafe and heat up my food in the microwave!
Thanks for the comments! We agree that UK appliance retailers could really differentiate themselves with Savenia Labs Energy Rating labels in the stores while doing a good deed for the environment. Thanks for helping to spread the word in the UK!