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Homes: Buying an Energy-Efficient Stove

Here are some tips for saving energy in using your stove, or buying a new one:

• Match the burner you use to closely match to pot size. Energy is wasted if burner wider than the pot
• Using lids on pots and pans lets you cook at lower settings.
• Keep drip pans under conventional coil burners clean. Aluminum foil liners reflect too much heat and can damage the elements.
• Only preheat the oven when baking.
• Check your oven temperature with a separate oven thermometer to ensure your oven control is accurate.
• Check that the oven door seal is tight, and avoid unnecessarily opening the oven door while baking. Each time the door is opened, about 20% of the inside heat is lost.
• Turn oven off a few minutes before food is ready, and let radiant oven heat finish the job.
• With gas stoves: electronic ignition (piezo) uses 40% less gas than an always-on pilot light.
• Pilot light and burner flames on gas stoves should be blue. Yellow flames indicate that the ports need to be unclogged or adjusted. Do this with pipe cleaners.
• A microwave uses only 1/3 to 1/2 as much energy as conventional stoves to heat food.
• 'Self-cleaning' ovens are more efficient because they are better insulated.
• Induction cooktops use 90% of the energy produced compared to only 55% for a gas burner and 65% for traditional electric ranges. More info...
• Solar ovens are the most energy-efficient cooking appliance, using no fuel to cook, while reaching temperatures of 360° - 400°. More info
• Hybrid solar ovens combine and efficient solar oven, with an electric backup for when sun power is not available. Even in 'electric' mode, these units use 75% less energy than conventional electric range. More info..