Easy Energy Saving Tips for your Kitchen

Ahh! Kitchen. You may love it or you may hate it, but you can’t ever ignore it. We give it our time and our energy - sometimes willingly, sometimes not so much. Since we do end up spending so much time there, taking care of it should necessarily become second nature. Beautifying and decluttering it is the first step (read how), but don’t just stop there. You can also ensure that you save costs and energy while running your kitchen.

Here, we bring you a list of doable tips that you can implement right from the get go!

1. The Cooking Process:

a)  The first things to do is use the correct-sized burner for your pots and pans. Large-sized burners with small-sized pans and vice-versa will waste heat. So, match the burners to your cookware

b)  Ensure that you adjust the flame of your gas stove. One way to check this is to see that the flames do not lick the sides of the utensil

c)  While boiling, use only the minimum amount of water required. Since more water means more energy. Also, make sure to use lids on your pots and pans to boil things faster

d)  Use a pressure cooker to cook food in, as it makes the entire process faster than open pots and pans

2. The Appliances:

a)  While buying appliances for your kitchen, ensure that you purchase energy-efficient refrigerators, microwaves and more. Choose high STAR rated products only

b)  Never leave your kitchen appliances like microwave, dishwasher etc. on standby. Research shows that around 10% of your energy consumption comes from this. Turn the switch off when not in use. If they are hot to the touch, then it means that they are using power even though they are completely dormant. Ensure that you unplug them

3. The Refrigerator:

a)  Instead of opening the refrigerator and then figuring out what you want, do the opposite. First figure out what you want then open the fridge. This will definitely save energy

b)  Keep food and liquids covered in the refrigerator, as moisture from them can make the compressor work even harder

c)  Do not put any hot food or liquid inside, cool them first

d)  Keep a 10 cm gap between your fridge and the wall, so that there is sufficient airflow

e)  Regularly defrost your refrigerator, as excess ice buildup also increases energy usage

f)  Ideal temperature should be between 0 and 5°C

g)  Don’t use the ice maker, in case your fridge has one. Instead just use an ice tray. You may be able to reduce your refrigerator’s energy consumption by more than 10%

4. Additional Pointers:

a)  Fix that leaky tap. Dripping taps can waste as much as 1 L per hour

b)  Use smaller appliances for smaller jobs. For example don’t use a food processor when you can make do with a hand blender. You can choose some quality hand blenders from here

c)  Use natural light during daytime and always turn off any unnecessary lights. One of the easiest and most affordable way to save energy is to use LED lights instead of CFL. That itself will save your electricity. You can choose some quality LED lights from Bajaj

d)  Keep the ceiling fan off while the gas stove is on, as this will ensure faster cooking time 

Use these tips to reduce the energy consumption of your kitchen without sacrificing your convenience. This will not only save your money but be good for our earth as well.