The festive period is here and many people will be cooking more than usual, which means using more energy.
If you’re unsure about how much energy your kitchen appliances use, or which is most cost-effective when cooking certain meals, the Energy Saving Trust has researched cooking appliance costs and usage times.
Joanna O’Loan, knowledge manager at Energy Saving Trust, said: “The best way to save energy when cooking over the festive period is to use the most suitable appliance for the meal and the number of guests.
“Simple changes, like keeping the oven door shut while cooking and using the microwave for reheating leftovers, can significantly cut down on energy use, lower carbon emissions and save you money on your energy bills this Christmas.”
Best for batch cooking and hosting
Electric oven: Typical cost per use for a family meal: £0.43
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If you’re hosting over the festive period, your electric oven will usually be the best value for money. Ovens are generally bigger than other cooking appliances, meaning they require more energy to heat up.
This means a typical electric oven can be the most expensive cooking appliance to run. However, their larger size means you can fit a lot of food in at once.
The Energy Saving Trust advises people to avoid opening the door any more than necessary while the oven is on to keep in hot air and reduce wasted energy.
Best for quick meals
Gas or electric hob: Typical cost per use: £0.20-0.22
Using the hob is usually quite economical, as you typically won’t need it on for long to prepare meals.
A gas hob produces more direct carbon emissions than an electric one. So if you’re just reheating a meal, consider using a microwave instead to reduce your carbon footprint.
You can save money by covering your saucepan with a lid to keep heat in and reduce wasted energy.
Best for busy schedules
Slow cooker: Typical cost per use: £0.34
Designed to cook food gradually over a long period of time, slow cookers can be a convenient way to cook. Using a slow cooker could be a good option for preparing meals for larger groups of people.
Whether on the low or high setting, slow cookers use the same energy to cook a meal, but cooking on low is ideal if you need to leave it longer, saving energy compared to the high setting.
Best for one or two people
Air fryer: Typical cost per use: £0.14-0.17
An air fryer works like a small conventional fan oven. Because of its small size, using an air fryer can often be cheaper than using your oven to cook the same meal. This makes it ideal for preparing smaller quantities of food for one or two people.
As with using a regular oven, avoid opening the compartment any more than necessary to avoid letting out heat and wasting energy.
Best for reheating and quick cooking
Microwave: Typical cost per use: £0.04
Instead of heating the surrounding air, a microwave directly heats the food. This means your microwave will cook and reheat food very quickly and its cost per use is likely to be lower than many other cooking appliances.
If you’re preparing a large meal, batch cooking in a full oven and then reheating portions as you need them in the microwave can be a good way to keep your energy bills down.
