Good to Know: Hot Times

By Chelsea Brown

Because there’s currently no Energy Star rating for cooking appliances, choosing a new stove can be confusing, and the debate over electric versus gas has resulted in a lot of contradictory information. The best approach when selecting a stove is to consider your personal cooking style. A Danish EPA study estimates that being conscious of how you cook could save up to 50 percent of the stove’s energy consumption. Here’s how to shop and cook with energy savings in mind.

Energy Miser Cooking Tips

• Match your pot size to the burner. If the pot is too large, more energy is required to heat it. If the pot is too small, energy is wasted.
• Keep pot lids on tightly while cooking; trapping the heat lets you lower burner temperature.
• When using an electric unit, turn off the heat two or three minutes early. The element will stay hot long enough for food to cook.

Where to buy:

AltEnergyStore.com
PremierRange.com
BackWoodsSolar.com