The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

euronorris

I've considered making one pineapple, but not sure how much I would use it in reality. I am, however, going to start focusing more on making slow cooker meals. I always knew it was low energy, but hadn't really considered the comparison of 8 hours (max time) in the slow cooker, with 1 hour in the oven. Literally half the cost. And with a big batch, you can freeze portions and then reheat quickly in microwave. Saving even more on energy (again checked energy cost of the 900w microwave to reheat something (only a few pennies).

My other thing is trying to cut out my bad energy wasting habits. So am making sure lights in rooms are turned off when not in use/not needed. Turning things off at plugs when not in use. Using lowest temp wash setting on washing machine, going to use the 'quick' wash cycle on dishwasher for loads that aren't too dirty (as, whilst slightly higher temp, it's 2.5 hours faster than the 'eco' wash).

Open to other ideas. House is new build and well insulated, so no heating needed for a while yet and even then should only be short bursts required.

pollyanna_26

pineapple said:

Hello folks

Does anyone use a thermal cooker? I know you can make a diy version but I don't want all that faffing around. Just looking at cutting energy costs. Also - as a sidespin to that - I think now might be a good time to invest in big budget items as I think we are entering a perfect storm and can't see how prices aren't going to increase.

I've never used a thermal cooker but a few days ago I remembered the Thermal Cooking Bags quite a few of us on the forums used to make Elaine Colliar (Memory Girl on MFIT was one) Mooloo later Savvy Sewing and myself did as did a number of others.Once a casserole or whatever was up to full heat the bags would continue the cooking saving gas or electricity rather like a slow cooker but without requiring any power.

pollyx

tboo

pineapple said:

Hello folks

Does anyone use a thermal cooker? I know you can make a diy version but I don't want all that faffing around. Just looking at cutting energy costs. Also - as a sidespin to that - I think now might be a good time to invest in big budget items as I think we are entering a perfect storm and can't see how prices aren't going to increase.

I made one - with the help of my more creative daughter - a few years ago. using the poly beans from an old bean bag chair of the DD's

It was used at most about 4 or 5 times.

I shall now consider using it if I don't utilise the slow cooker 1st, which is now coming out of hibernation.

Off now to hunt down some thermal bag or wonder bag recipes.

pollyanna_26

tboo said:

pineapple said:

Hello folks

Does anyone use a thermal cooker? I know you can make a diy version but I don't want all that faffing around. Just looking at cutting energy costs. Also - as a sidespin to that - I think now might be a good time to invest in big budget items as I think we are entering a perfect storm and can't see how prices aren't going to increase.

I made one - with the help of my more creative daughter - a few years ago. using the poly beans from an old bean bag chair of the DD's

It was used at most about 4 or 5 times.

I shall now consider using it if I don't utilise the slow cooker 1st, which is now coming out of hibernation.

Off now to hunt down some thermal bag or wonder bag recipes.

Elaine Coliar had lots of wonderbag /thermal bag recipies on her mortgage free in three blog. She did have a number of bad gateway issues with her blog but I think she's on facebook and possibly pinterest.

polly

kacie

Does anyone know what the energy consumption of an airfryer is in comparison to the oven or slow cooker? I'm definitely going to be using the slow cooker more, but I have been given an airfryer and would like to use it more if it's a lot cheaper than putting the oven on. 

euronorris

kacie said:

Does anyone know what the energy consumption of an airfryer is in comparison to the oven or slow cooker? I'm definitely going to be using the slow cooker more, but I have been given an airfryer and would like to use it more if it's a lot cheaper than putting the oven on. 

Using the calculators on this page will give you a rough idea: Calculate the power consumption of your electrical appliances - Electrical Usage Calculator (energyusecalculator.com) You need to know the wattage of the product and how long you would use it for. It will only be a rough idea mind, not exact.

My gut would be that it is fairly high energy as it is using electricity to make high heat.

tboo

kacie said:

Does anyone know what the energy consumption of an airfryer is in comparison to the oven or slow cooker? I'm definitely going to be using the slow cooker more, but I have been given an airfryer and would like to use it more if it's a lot cheaper than putting the oven on. 

Found this

https://www.techradar.com/uk/news/do-air-fryers-use-a-lot-of-electricity

The amount of energy each air fryer uses completely depends on the model itself but there are ways of working out how much energy each model uses. To calculate the energy use of an appliance, you can take the wattage and multiply it by the number of hours you use it in a day. Once you’ve done that, divide the total by 1,000 and you’ll be left with the daily kilowatt-hour (kWh).

If we take the NuWave Brio 6-Quart Air Fryer as an example, this machine has a wattage of 1,500. If we multiply this wattage by 30 minutes of usage and divide it by 1,000, we have a total of 0.75 kWh. An oven that has a wattage of 3000 will use 1.5 kWh during the same 30 minute period. Exactly how much this will cost you to power will depend on the energy rates where you live, but as with most small appliances, air fryers don’t tend to use enormous amounts of energy.

Slow cookers - possibly a US site

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/are-slow-cookers-energy-efficient.php

Slow cookers use little electricity, making them energy efficient. Slow cookers, like those from Crock-Pot, use between 75 and 150 watts of electricity on low and between 150 and 210 watts on high. The appliance can cook all day, but it will use the same amount of energy as a standard light bulb.

Depending on the size of the slow cooker, their wattage runs anywhere between 50 and 300 watts. That is not a lot of power, and even when you consider that you leave one cooking 3 quarts of food for 8 hours a day, a 200-watt slow cooker will use only 1.6 kWh.

Let us do some mathematics, shall we? If you have a small slow cooker with a low range that uses a 70-watt element, cooking for 8 hours will use 560-watt hours of electricity. On the flip side, if you have a 100-watt light bulb in your kitchen and you leave it on while your slow cooker is cooking, you will use (8 hours X 100) 800-watt hours of electricity. Which is of the two uses more electricity?

pineapple

Years ago I made one of my best investments. They were selling off the cookware from one of those solid fuel stove shops and I got a very heavy iron saucepan. I use it for everything - simmering, frying and even as a mini oven! Sure beats switching on an entire oven for one person.  

On the subject of thermal cookers, I've experimented by wrapping up my cookpot in a carrymat and duvets. But it took up too much space and my bedding smelt of stew

greenbee

I have a thermal bag. If I'm being organised in the winter, I make soup in the morning in a cast iron pan, then shove it in the thermal bag which means it is properly cooked AND hot whenever I finally get a chance to have a break for lunch. 

Thriftygifty

We don't actually have a slow cooker - any recommendations? Or pitfalls that I should look out for?