Cheapest method of cooking

Skint_yet_Again

Sorry if this has been asked before or if I am in the wrong place..... Can anyone tell me what is the cheapest method of cooking.or if its a stupid question !!

I have a 1000kw Jet convection Microwave/oven/grill, a main electric oven and a gas hob, a pressure cooker and a steamer.

When cooking meals in my combi MW/convection oven it more or less halves the cooking time of my normal electric oven.

When I cook veg I tend to use my steamer, but wonder if it would be cheaper to steam veg using the microwave, or whether it would be cheaper it boil veg in a little water on my gas hob.

Would I need to get some sort of energy monitor to see what each appliance is used to compare them ?

Cardew

An energy monitor might tell you how much electricity, but not how much gas, so you would be none the wiser.

Cooking purely with Microwave is probably cheaper than gas - although a 1,000watt microwave uses more than 1,000watts(your 1000kW microwave would need its own power station;))

Gas is approx one third of the price of electricity, but of course much of the heat 'escapes'; albeit it warms the kitchen.

Quite honestly there is very little in as regards costs with the gas hob.

Where suitable the Combi Microwave will be a lot cheapr than the electric oven.

Skint_yet_Again

Thanks ! I have started to use my MW more than my normal elec oven & I am using my new trusty pressure cooker on the gas hob for stew etc which can be cooked in 20 min instead of 1 - 2 hours in elec oven. I have sold my chest freezer which was only ever half full and am using the 3 drawer freezer below my fridge only. So hope to see some small reduction in electricity usage/bills soon !

Ben84

If you have a microwave this is normally the most efficient way to cook/heat something as there's no need to preheat it and the majority of the energy goes directly in to the food. It's also typically one of the quickest ways to cook and heat things.

Cooking however is a fairly small energy consumer in the average household, so I tend to cook based on time, effort and the results more than energy consumption. Microwaves are usually the most efficient, but not always the best results.

waqasahmed

Ben84 wrote: »

If you have a microwave this is normally the most efficient way to cook/heat something as there's no need to preheat it and the majority of the energy goes directly in to the food. It's also typically one of the quickest ways to cook and heat things.

Cooking however is a fairly small energy consumer in the average household, so I tend to cook based on time, effort and the results more than energy consumption. Microwaves are usually the most efficient, but not always the best results.

Yes, but it depends on how long you want to wait ie: I got a pizza and shoved it in to the microwave. Took around 10 minutes. If I put it in the oven, it'd take around 40.

I want my pizza and I want it now! Lol at the 1000kW microwave

Skint_yet_Again

Yes ok .... I admit the mistake about the 1000kw

Thanks for all your replies.

I have already tried other ways to reduce my energy bills... loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, draught excluder, sitting in the dark ! I am sure most of my electric consumption is my washing machine and dishwasher but have decided they are luxuries I don't want to be without and so am trying to cut down in other ways.

My son is always moaning its cold in the house, so I tell him to put another jumper on to save on gas heating

waqasahmed

Are you sure you can't live without your dishwasher? I mean washing dishes don't take too long to do, but clothes can take an absolute age. I always thought that handwashing gave better results any way?

Cardew

waqasahmed wrote: »

Are you sure you can't live without your dishwasher? I mean washing dishes don't take too long to do, but clothes can take an absolute age. I always thought that handwashing gave better results any way?

There have been many studies that state a full dishwasher is more economical than 'washing up by hand'.*

So 'skint yet again' has no need to beat herself up about dishwasher use -and it would be worth it alone to have sparkling glasses! Far far better than handwashing.

* I doubt the savings would pay for the purchase of a dishwasher - but if you have one - use it!

Skint_yet_Again

Cardew wrote: »

There have been many studies that state a full dishwasher is more economical than 'washing up by hand'.*
So 'skint yet again' has no need to beat herself up about dishwasher use -and it would be worth it alone to have sparkling glasses! Far far better than handwashing.
* I doubt the savings would pay for the purchase of a dishwasher - but if you have one - use it!

In that case I will stop feeling guilty every time I put the dishwasher on ! I try economise by washing clothes on the rapid 29 minute 40 degree setting on my washing machine wherever possible for most lightly worn clothes this is enough.. I use a 60 minute full wash for bedding, towels, jeans and underwear. I don't think my clothes are ever dirty enough to warrant a full 90 minute wash. I only have my heating on when I am still cold and already have 2 jumpers on and a fleecy blanket wrapped round me! Hopefully more use of the MW will reduce cooking energy costs. I got rid of my old D rated chest freezer which was only ever half full. I am not sure how else I can reduce energy bills. One good bit of news is that I am with British Gas so look forward to price cut of 5% :j

blossomhill_2

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

Sorry if this has been asked before or if I am in the wrong place..... Can anyone tell me what is the cheapest method of cooking.or if its a stupid question !!

I have a 1000kw Jet convection Microwave/oven/grill, a main electric oven and a gas hob, a pressure cooker and a steamer

Surely it has got to be the pressure cooker on a gas hob - you can cook a small ham in there with baskets for the veg which makes one meal then use the leftovers for soup, would take hours to get that tender in an oven

Skint_yet_Again

blossomhill wrote: »

Surely it has got to be the pressure cooker on a gas hob - you can cook a small ham in there with baskets for the veg which makes one meal then use the leftovers for soup, would take hours to get that tender in an oven

I think you may be right in this case blossomhill. My MW book states 15-16 minutes per 1lb on medium high for gammon/ham but my pressure cooker is 8 min per 1lb once up to pressure (takes about 5 mins to get to pressure I think)

However there are some things you cannot cook in pressure cooker ...I cooked minced beef cannelloni in MW/combi oven last week and this took 20 mins but in normal fan oven would be 45min.