What To Look For When Buying Ovens

How To Save Energy During The Holidays

The holidays are here and I trust we are spending time with family and friends to celebrate and honor what is really important in life. To help with saving money on the cost for the "energy side" of the holidays, this blog posting deals with cooking.

Yes, the very way we cook and the type of appliances we use to cook, can add to the electric and gas bills. So if you are shopping for a new stove and / or oven this season, I am sure you have several questions as to what is the best stove and oven to buy:

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Range Stove

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Should I buy a Range with a stove top & oven?

Wall Oven

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Should I buy a Wall Oven?

Gas Stove Top

Should the stove and oven use Gas?

Electric Oven

Should the stove and oven use Electric?

What is the best type of Oven for Energy Savings? That answer usually gets over-ruled by one's personal taste. Nevertheless, before you decide on what to buy based on personal taste, please consider these basic facts and data:

...if it cost you $1.00 cooking with an electric stove,
the bill would have been as little as 25 cents with gas.

Wall Oven

As a general rule Wall Ovens will use more energy than a well made Range with an oven. We have not seen a Wall Oven with an Energy Star Label. However, more expensive wall ovens coming out in the future with NASA technology may change that.

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Future Range and Wall ovens should be more energy efficient with the use of Intelligent technology and thermal ceramic insulation developed by NASA. This material is non-toxic and improves cooking efficiency by keeping the heat in the oven thus cooking food faster and reducing the self-clean time.

The fuel you use to heat your oven will make a difference in the energy bills. Over-all GAS will be much less than Electricity simply because of the difference in efficiency. How much of a difference? A much as 75% less for a gas stove and oven. So if it cost you $1.00 cooking with an electric stove, the bill would have been as little as 25 cents with gas. So go with gas and range design.

Six Burner Gas Stove and Oven

If you don't have gas available, then you will have to use electric. You can tell the difference by the stove tops shown in the photos.
(Each photo can be clicked on to see a larger view.)

Electric Stove Top and Oven

Three "must have" features for energy savings:

1.) A "Self-Cleaning" oven is more efficient than an oven without this feature, because self-cleaning ovens usually are better insulated.

2.) If you always open your oven door to take a look-see, then buy an oven with a window and light. This will reduce the times you would open the oven door and let heat escape.

At least 25 degrees of heat lost instantly each time you open the oven door!

Small Oven Window

Buy a small oven window.
A window with double glass to hold heat in.

Large Oven Door Window

Do NOT buy an oven with a large window door.
(All photos can be clicked on to see a larger view.)

Oven Light

Have a light inside oven. Much easier to see food cooking inside.

3.) With Gas Stoves: An electronic ignition (piezoelectricity) will use up to 40% less gas than an oven and stove top with pilot lights.

Now if you already have Pilot lights then the burner flame on gas stoves should be BLUE, like in the photo above. If your flames are yellow in color, then clean the ports by following the Manufacturer's Instructions.

Of course if you have any questions, feel free to ask us through our comment box or become a member at EnergyHotwire.com to ask for FREE detail answers for your specific questions.

Bill Lauto, GTG