This article has been updated to show new running costs based on January's energy price cap. It has also been fact-checked and outdated information has been removed.
With the cost of living crisis and the colder months ahead, we're all making small changes at home to reduce expenses. When it comes to cooking, many of us are experimenting with how to use our air fryer by turning it on more often instead of relying too much on our ovens.
A good place to start saving energy at home is finding the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances. After all, the kitchen and bathroom tend to be the rooms in your home that use the most energy. Boiler, heating and home cover provider Hometree has revealed that slow cookers are the cheapest cooking appliances to run.
It's time to make casseroles, stews, curries…
(Image credit: Morphy Richards)
What are the cheapest kitchen appliances?
The best slow cookers cost around 4p per hour. Slow cookers have a low wattage, so they can be left on all day and still use as much energy as a light bulb.
On average, it consumes approximately 1.2kW in 8 hours. This means that the slow cooker only uses around 162.5 watts per hour, which equates to just over 4p per hour.
It costs as little as 35p to keep a slow cooker on all day (say 8 hours), while an electric oven costs nearly £2.00 for the same period. So, if you want to cook in a more energy-efficient way, it's worth investing in the top-rated slow cooker available on Amazon.
(Image credit: Future PLC / Colin Poole)
- Slow cooker – 4p per hour
- Microwave – 1.75p every 5 minutes (21p per hour)
- Air fryer operating costs – 5p every 10 minutes (30p per hour)
- Stove – 17p every 15 minutes (68p per hour)
- Oven – 34p every 20 minutes (£1.02 per hour)
What cookware has the highest running costs?
Ovens (gas or electric), on the other hand, are the most expensive cooking appliances to run, and that's no surprise. Do not store baking trays inside the oven during cooking, as this can restrict airflow and consume more energy.
(Image credit: Future PLC / Colin Poole)
Knowing how to clean your oven will help you keep it running efficiently. Wet appliances such as washing machines top the list of items that use the most electricity in the entire household.
Updating your kitchen equipment will also help you save energy in the long run. Paul Bailey, Product Management Leader at LIXIL EMENA and GROHE UK, says upgrading kitchen equipment such as taps is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce household usage. says.
Changing to a model with resource-saving functions such as water reduction and cold start functions will lead to a reduction in the amount of energy used.
