Kitchens

Dishwasher

1. Turn off the dishwasher after the final rinse. Then dry the clean dishes with a cloth,
2. Remember partial loads waste electricity and water,
3. Use short wash cycles, rinse-only cycles, and other features for energy conservation,
4. Connect your dishwasher to COLD water supply unless otherwise directed. Normally only one wash and one final rinse cycle requires hot water which is heated by the element of the dishwasher,
5. Keep filters clean. Blocked filters reduce efficiency and wastes energy,
6. Proper loading is important for the dishwasher to work efficiently (refer manufacturers instructions).

Refrigerator

1. Choose your refrigerator size based on the needs of your family - a refrigerator operates at peak efficiency when filled,
2. Do not overload – excessive products in your fridge will lower the quality of the food stored and use more electricity,
3. Do not set temperatures lower than necessary; it wastes as much electricity as excessive heat,
4. Thick frost on chilling panels reduces cooling ability – defrost regularly,
5. Do not open your refrigerator door needlessly. Get into the habit of removing and replacing several articles at once, you will reduce the loss of cold air,
6. Let hot foods cool down totally before placing them in the refrigerator,
7. Be sure the seal around your refrigerator door is intact. (Close the door on a piece of paper: if you can pull the paper out easily, the seal should be replaced),
8. Remove heavy wrapping from food before storing it,
9. Cover all liquids stored in the refrigerator,
10. Foods should be placed slightly apart on refrigerator shelves to allow the cooling air to circulate,
11. Exposed condenser coils / panels (usually at the back of the unit) MUST be kept clean and dust free for optimal efficiency. Please be careful not to damage these panels,
12. Do not place the refrigerator near the stove or against an uninsulated wall that faces the sun (an inside wall away from heat sources such as the stove is the best choice),
13. Allow adequate space around the refrigerator for free air circulation. The air carries heat away from the fridge - if air cannot circulate, the fridge can not work properly,
14. Switch on the energy saving switch, if one is fitted to the refrigerator,
15. Switch off, empty or clean your fridge, when taking an extended holiday.

Freezer

1. Freezers and refrigerators operate most efficiently when filled to the capacity recommended by the manufacturers,
2. Never forget that only one-tenth of a freezer's capacity should be used for freezing of fresh food at any one time. The freezer must work harder to remove heat, and uses more power. Example, 28 litres (one cubic foot) will store 12,5 to 15 kg (25-30 lbs.) of frozen food and will freeze about 1,5 kg (3 lbs.) of fresh food at a time,
3. It is best to place the food to be frozen in contact with those parts of the freezer that contain the refrigerant tubes, usually the sides of chest models,
4. Defrosting of chest type freezers should be done once or twice a year. For upright models, defrosting should be done two or three times a year. NEVER allow frost build up to exceed 0,6 to 1,3 cm otherwise efficiency will be less than optimal,
5. On all models keep condenser panels at the rear of the freezer clean and dust free for maximum efficiency and conservation of energy. Please be careful not to damage these panels,
6. A second freezer should only be operated when necessary,
7. In a single door unit, it is essential that the separate freezer compartment has its own door intact. Otherwise the unit will tend to operate the whole of the refrigerator as a freezer – this can be quite expensive.

Electric Stove

1. Use cooking utensils with flat bottoms and tight fittings covers,
2. Be sure pots and pans completely cover the stove plates,
3. Take advantage of the heat sensing control for stove plates. It allows the stove plate to cut of the electricity supply occasionally while still cooking. It does not affect the food, only your bill,
4. Use a pressure cooker to conserve energy when cooking foods that take a long time, such as pot roasts, stews and steamed puddings,
5. Do not overcook foods, especially vegetables. Overcooking destroys essential nutrients and wastes unnecessary energy,
6. For full efficiency from radiant stove plates the stove plate reflectors (underneath the stove plates) should always be kept clean,
7. Bring foods to the boil quickly on the "high" setting, and then turn the heat down to simmer to finish cooking,
8. Do not use the grilling compartment to make toast - it is very expensive,
9. Do not use the oven to heat the kitchen - it is very expensive and far less efficient than a heater,
10. Keep oven doors completely closed until food is cooked. Every time the door is opened, the oven temperature drops, and the heat must be replaced. Ensure that the glass of the oven door is properly clean and use the oven’s light to check on food,
11. Use the oven to prepare an entire meal – main course, vegetables and dessert. Remember to plan meals that cook in the oven at the same temperature,
12. Allow free circulation of heat within the oven. Place pans and containers so that they do not touch each other, or the sides of the oven,
13. When buying a new stove, choose one with a convection oven. This type of oven uses less energy than conventional ovens and cooking time is also substantially reduced.

Microwave oven

1. Plan your meals so that you can defrost your food in the refrigerator instead of in the microwave oven: It is much more economical,
2. Use your microwave oven to cook small to medium quantities of food. To cook larger portions of meat, it is better to use a conventional oven,
3. Some microwaves do not heat up foods evenly. Wrap foods in plastic to hold in the steam, this will help to give even heating. Be very careful not to cover the foods too well, steam can burn you badly when you open the packet, so leave an opening for the steam to escape,
4. Cooking time is an important factor when determining energy efficiency levels. Compare cooking times when you cook the same food in the microwave, in the standard oven, on stovetop elements or in a pressure cooker. You will easily see which method of cooking is more efficient depending on quantity, volume and food types,
5. Follow the Manufacturers instructions to ensure that food is cooked correctly. Keep in mind that microwave recipe books give the cooking times required by the appliance used by the authors. Adjust cooking times to suit your microwave rating,
6. Never turn your microwave on when it is empty, you could damage it,
7. Keep the edges of your microwave door and its hinges clean. To wash the inside of your oven, boil a cup of water in it and then wipe the sides with a damp cloth.

Small Appliances

1. Using small kitchen appliances instead of the stove can save energy. Toasters, electric grills and skillets, slow cookers, electric coffee pots and bottle warmers usually require less energy than the stove when used correctly,
2. Use an electric kettle to boil water, not a sauce pan or a microwave,
3. Only boil the amount of water you need in the electric kettle – it wastes energy if you always fill the kettle,
4. When vacuuming, empty or replace the dust bag frequently,
5. A faulty appliance will not work efficiently and can waste energy. Repair or replace them promptly. It can also be a fire / shock hazard.