Kitchen Party, Anyone? 8 Quick & Easy Tips to Save Energy in the Kitchen

You’ve probably heard this cliche a thousand times: Canadians spend half their lives in the

kitchen! There’s no doubt that the kitchen is one of the most popular places in any Canadian’s home.

So have you ever thought that the kitchen is one room of the house where we use a lot of energy? It’s true – and

it’s also true that there are many easy ways to save energy there!

Don’t use a small pot on a big burner. A mis-match between pot and burner can waste 40% of the burner’s heat.
Also consider keeping your pots covered to reduce cooking time.
Keep the door shut! Opening the oven door to look at the food lowers the oven temperature by 25°F to 75°F.
Use the microwave! Microwave ovens are about 66% more efficient than conventional ovens, and they produce less

heat. Also consider using your toaster oven.
Time-shift your dishwaser. Run your dishwasher later in the evening (when demand is lower), and only run your
dishwasher when it’s full. Use the air-dry instead of heat-dry setting to cut your dishwasher’s energy use by

15-20%.
Scoop up those appliance rebates! Many utilities offer rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators or

dishwashers.
Don’t pre-heat! Contrary to what many people think, it’s not necessary to pre-heat your oven. Save energy by

putting your dish in right away. And turn the oven off 10-15 minutes early. Your dish will continue to cook in the

left-over heat.
Put some pressure on! Using a pressure cooker can reduce cooking time and energy use by 70 percent. Pressure

cookers also help food retain natural juices and vitamins.
Check your fridge seal. Try this test: slam a dollar bill in the fridge door. If it slides out easily, it may be

time to replace your seal.

There you go – 8 easy ways to reduce energy use (and save money) in the kitchen!