If you turn off your dishwasher before the drying cycle and let the dishes dry in the air, you will use around a third less energy.
Don't rinse dishes in hot running water before you put them in the dishwasher " either scrape the dishes or rinse them in cold water.
Load according to the manufacturer's instructions; clean and maintain the dishwasher as recommended (clean the filter regularly for instance).
Use the most economical program that gives you a satisfactory wash result (lowest temperature or shortest running time).
When buying a dishwasher, choose one with both hot and cold water connections. They are cheapest to run.
Ovens
Thawing frozen foods before cooking will save approximately 15 minutes cooking time per 500 grams.
If the door doesn't open and close smoothly, it may be buckled or have damaged hinges. Ask a professional repairer to check it, and make repairs or adjustments. Clean door seals regularly. Check for signs of wear or damage. Replace flat or split door seals.
Place pans or containers so they don't touch each other or the sides of the oven.
Keep the oven door completely closed until the food is cooked. Every time the door is opened, the oven temperature drops by 14- 20C.
A fan forced oven uses less energy than a conventional oven and baking time is substantially reduced.
If you need to purchase a gas oven, look for one with an automatic electric ignition system. An electric ignition saves gas because a pilot light is not burning continuously.
Use microwave ovens whenever it is convenient to do so. They can save energy by significantly reducing cooking time.
Stovetops
Use a covered kettle or pan to boil water; it's faster and it uses less energy.
Be sure pots and pans completely cover the hotplates.
Use only enough water to create steam when cooking vegetables.
Keep lids on pots and simmer gently, rather than boiling rapidly, for more efficient cooking.
In gas appliances, look for blue flames; yellow flames indicate the gas is burning inefficiently and an adjustment may be needed. Consult your manufacturer or your local energy supplier.
If you cook with electricity, turn the stovetop burners off several minutes before the allotted cooking time. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish the cooking without using more electricity. The same principle applies to oven cooking.
Clean gas burners regularly to remove food spill caught in the small holes in the burner rings. This ensures a constant and even gas distribution and flame size for more efficient cooking.
Electric kettles, toasters, grills, coffee makers and baby bottle warmers will usually provide far better value than using the stove.
Tips
