Cook Up Some Energy Savings

(HIT) - Your kitchen can be a great place to cook up some energy savings! Today’s electric ovens offer many new features that reduce cooking time, according to the Edison Electric Institute. These same features that speed up the cooking process also mean you’ll be using less energy to do the job. And as a bonus, you’ll be helping to keep your kitchen and home cooler too.

Of course, the fastest way to cook is with your microwave oven. It’s also the most energy efficient way to heat food. Each time you use your microwave oven instead of your conventional oven, you’ll be using up to 80 percent less energy.

If you’re shopping for a new range, consider one with a convection oven. These use a small fan to circulate the hot air inside the oven. Circulating the air speeds up the cooking time by about 30 percent. And because it cooks in less time, the oven uses less electricity. You can also cook multiple racks of food because the fan ensures that the air at the top and the bottom of the oven are the same temperature.

The newest ovens combine a microwave and halogen lamps. These can cut cooking time and energy use by 66 to 75 percent. But they also cook food more evenly than a microwave oven, and they can brown and crisp as well.

For more energy-efficiency tips on cooking, as well as a free booklet, "More than 100 Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill", please visit www.getenergyactive.org.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center