These days, saving money is a big concern for a lot of us. After all, the economy is not as good as it used to be in many parts of the world. The costs of running a household can become astronomically high, if you let it to be. Not only that, but inefficient appliances can take a toll on the environment. You do have some options for controlling that, though. One of those options is to use eco friendly kitchen appliances in your home.
Efficient Kitchen Appliances Save Money And Energy
Advantages Of Modern Kitchen Appliances:
- More Compact
- More Energy Efficient
- Less Expensive To Maintain
- Better For The Environment
- Top Energy And Water-Saving Technology
Basically, anyone with old appliances in their kitchen is not doing themselves or their environment any good. Nor are they doing their bank account any good. All of the great features of new appliances aren’t just useless “bells and whistles”. So, let’s take a quick look at some of the best eco-friendly appliance choices.
Refrigerators:
For example, the biggest energy sucker in your kitchen is probably your refrigerator. One of the biggest reasons for that is the fridge is always on. Cook tops, ovens, microwaves and other small appliances are not.
Another big energy problem, when it comes to refrigerators, is their age. A lot of people have fridges that are several years old. Older models simply don’t have new energy-efficient technology. They drain energy far too quickly. Newer models, on the other hand, are much more able to conserve energy. In fact, many of them have Energy Star ratings, which show that they conserve energy up to 50 percent better than other models.
A lot also has to do with the size and type of refrigerator that you have. Try not to buy a refrigerator that is bigger than what you need. Empty space in your fridge is just more space that needs to be kept cold for no reason. It’s a waste of energy. Also, ice and water dispensers built into the fridge or fridges with freezers on the bottom, rather than the top, tend to be real energy hogs.
So, if you’re going to pick a fridge, keep these things in mind:
- Size
- Energy Star rating
- Layout
- Extra Features (Like Water And Ice Dispensing)
Gas And Electric Stoves And Ovens:
There’s some debate over what is better, gas or electric. They really both have good and bad points. Gas stoves produce unwanted gases, like carbon monoxide, though. So, if you’re concerned about both saving money and saving the environment, you’re much better off with a newer electric model. In fact, there are electric stove models now that instantly cool down the burners as soon as they are shut off. That saves energy and it’s also a wonderful safety feature, especially if you happen to have children.
Of course, each stove also usually comes with an oven. Gas and electric models, again, are going to cost about the same, usually. From a energy standpoint they use about the same, it’s really how to use them efficiently. For example, don’t use a huge oven to cook one piece of meat. If you’re planning to cook or bake with your oven, especially in the summer, make sure that you cook or bake enough items at a time to make it worthwhile.
Toaster Ovens:
That brings us to the next great eco-friendly appliance that could save you money, the toaster oven. Toaster ovens are much smaller than standard ovens, of course. That means that they use a lot less energy. So, it’s not just about the amount of energy the toaster oven uses, but also the energy saved by not using the bigger oven.
Toaster oven technology has really improved in recent years. So, these days, a newer toaster oven uses even less energy than an older model. Also, toaster ovens don’t just save money and energy. They save time, too. You don’t have to spend as much time cleaning them and you don’t have to spend as much time waiting for them to preheat as you might spend with a big oven.
If you live alone or find yourself eating alone a lot, especially in the warm weather when you don’t want to heat up your house, those are all great reasons to use a toaster oven. They’re cheap, convenient and easy to use. They’re also much better for the environment than larger gas stoves.
So, when you think about a toaster oven, don’t just think of making toast. Some of the best toaster ovens can:
- Heat Large Items (Pizzas, Chicken Breasts Etc.)
- Save Space
- Save Electricity
- Reduce Unnecessary Heat
- Adjust To Any Setting You Want
Basically, that means that it can pretty much replace a regular oven and save you a lot of money and energy.
Dishwashers:
Finally, consider the dishwasher that you have. Most people don’t want to live without their dishwasher, these days. After all, it’s much easier to just pop your dishes into a dishwasher than to be up to your elbows in dirty dish water and wash everything by hand.
Unfortunately, older dishwashers, like other older kitchen appliances, eat up a lot of energy. They also waste a lot of water. Newer dishwashers, on the other hand, are equipped with the latest and greatest in water control systems. Many of them have sensors that tell them exactly how much water they have to dispense per load. So, they can adapt for the changing load size.
Using the appliances:
To save money and the environment you need to consider your own appliance use, too. A fridge that is larger than you need, an oven that is only being used to cook one thing or a dishwasher that is running with only a partial load is going to waste time, energy and money. So, if you want the best possible outcome, you need to invest in newer energy saving appliances and remember to use them wisely.
