Saving Energy in the Kitchen

There's no better place to start saving energy than in the kitchen. Even if you're not ready to replace your major appliances, there's plenty you can do to make your kitchen more energy efficient.

Start with the refrigerator; it's the most power hungry appliance in many homes, accounting for 10-15 percent of the average home energy bill each month. Replacing your older refrigerator with a more efficient model is a smart investment. New refrigerators consume 75 percent less energy than those produced in the late 1970s. And today's Energy Star-qualified models use 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001.

Even if you're not ready to replace your fridge, you can save energy (and money) with these simple steps to make your fridge more efficient.

Make your fridge more efficient

• Start by setting the refrigerator thermostat to maintain a temperature between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer thermostat to maintain a temperature between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperatures will protect your food from spoiling while saving electricity. You may need to buy a fridge thermometer to do this, but they're cheap and you can pass it along to friends and family so they can do the same.
• Clean your fridge's condenser coils every few months. Removing dust and dirt from the condenser coils, found either behind or under your fridge, will improve the air circulation and efficiency.
• Make sure there are several inches of space between the back of the refrigerator and the wall.  If the refrigerator is pushed up against the wall, heat gets trapped and causes the refrigerator to work harder.
• Fridges and freezers will use less energy if they're not near anything that heats up the room. If possible, put the refrigerator out of direct sunlight and away from the oven and dishwasher.
• If you're fridge has a power-save switch, use it.
• Be aware that "extra features" drain energy. If you aren't using them regularly, make sure they are turned off so they won't be using energy and raising your bill.
• Fill it up! A well-stocked freezer and fridge uses less electricity. Keep pitchers of water or blocks of ice in your fridge or freezer to prevent warm air from heating things up every time you open the door.
• Defrost your freezer regularly and give it a good scrub. A cleaned-up freezer requires less electricity to maintain a cool temperature.
• If you don't use the automatic ice maker, turn it off, especially if your freezer is on the top or bottom.  It takes energy to pump water to the dispenser.
• And remember what mom used to say about deciding what you want to eat before you open the door.

Purchase a better refrigerator

If it's time to buy a new fridge, compare units carefully. Efficiency is not always related to the price tag. Buy an Energy Star-qualified model, and your new refrigerator will save you an additional 15 percent or more than today's average refrigerator by employing better insulation, more efficient compressors and more precise temperature control and defrost mechanisms. Today's Energy Star refrigerators use 50 percent less energy than a 10-year-old fridge.

• Look for the yellow energy guide label and compare the different units in the store. Consider the long-term savings of buying an Energy Star-qualified fridge.
• Generally, the larger the refrigerator, the greater the energy consumption. But one large refrigerator will use less energy than two smaller ones with the same total volume or a smaller fridge plus a separate freezer.
• Refrigerators with freezers on top use 10 to 15 percent less energy than a side-by-side model of equivalent size.
• Be aware that models with French Doors can use significantly more energy than traditional models. Is it really worth it?

Cook and clean more efficiently

The refrigerator may be the biggest power drain in the kitchen but cooking and dishwashing can be a close second. Once you've checked your fridge, try these other tips for using less energy in the kitchen.

• When using the oven, see with your eyes and not your hands. Opening the door to get a look at your food can release as much as 25% of the heat inside the oven. Reduce the number of times you open the door and make use of those oven windows and lights.
• Use the top rack of the oven, food will cook more quickly.
• Crock pots, toasters and modern microwaves all use much less energy than your oven. Consider using the microwave or toaster oven to cook smaller items. Defrosting food in the microwave or heating it for a minute before putting it in the oven will save you time and money. 
• By replace old faucets with new water-saving designs -- or simply fit your current faucet with a low-flow aerator, you can stop energy from doing down the drain every time you turn on the hot water.
• An aerator with an on/off switch stops the water just before it leaves the faucet, allowing you turn the water on and off while maintaining whatever temperature and pressure you like.
• When hand washing dishes, don't let the hot water run continuously. Using a dishpan or sink stopper to create a bath for washing or rinsing your dishes is a good way to conserve water. Leaving the water running for just seven minutes can use more water than even an older dishwasher model uses to clean a full load of dishes.
• If you have dishwasher, use it.  Running a fully-loaded dishwasher -- without pre-rinsing the dishes -- can use a third less water than washing the dishes by hand. Simply scrape large pieces of food off of your dishes and let the dishwasher handle the rest. Use the "energy saver" and "light wash" options for everyday cleaning. Join the Great Dishwashing Debate for more information on how to wash dishes most efficiently.

If everyone took just a few simple steps to reduce their energy use, we wouldn't need to build more polluting power plants. Inspired to do more? Find energy saving tips for other rooms in your home and track your progress on your monthly electricity bill!

Turn down the temperature in your fridge. Set the fridge between 38 and 42 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit.	Clean the condenser coil at the back of your fridge at least twice a year. Purchase and install a low-flow aerator on your kitchen faucet. Ready to replace your appliances? Look for the Energy Star label and choose a more efficient appliance. Consider long-term operating costs, not just the price on the sticker. Learn more about choosing efficient appliances.	Make your entire home more energy efficient; start with our tips for the living room and laundry room. Then learn more about CFLs and cooling your home efficiently.

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