You’ll want to look for cooking appliances that use less energy. This can cut down your electric bill and help the environment.
No kitchen is complete without a cooker, and you can’t enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning without a kettle. Whether you’re shopping for one or both, these American brands are worth considering.
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a kitchen appliance where food is kept at a cool temperature to prevent spoilage. It can range from the small cube refrigerator found in college dorm rooms to large walk-in units used by restaurants. The term is sometimes shortened to fridge, although this is incorrect.
Home refrigerators started out as separate mechanical appliances with a cold box, water-cooled compressor and an ice tray. The first self-contained refrigerators, like the Kelvinator produced in 1922, came with a separate freezer compartment where bulkier foods could be stored.
Check that gaskets around refrigerator and freezer doors are intact to keep cold air in and warm air out. Avoid opening the door too often, as this allows heat to escape and makes your refrigerator work harder (and boosts your electric bill). Make sure there’s enough room for delivery men to get the fridge into place without rubbing against cabinets or your island.
Dishwasher
Unlike a portable dishwasher, built-in models connect to your home’s plumbing. They’re installed under your counters and typically integrate seamlessly with your kitchen design.
Most full-size dishwashers can fit 12 to 16 “place settings.” A place setting includes a large dinner plate, small snack or breakfast plate, bowl and cup.
Dishwasher manufacturers use either physical buttons or digital touch controls. Look for a panel that’s easy to read and navigate. You may also want to consider a dishwasher with a time display that estimates completion as you select cycles and options.
Lastly, hooking up your dishwasher involves connecting one end of the supply tube to the water inlet valve on the appliance and the other to a shut-off valve on your hot-water pipe. Depending on your model, this process can be as simple as removing an access panel on the bottom of the dishwasher.
Kettle
If you’re a fan of hot beverages, then you need a kettle in your kitchen. A kettle boils water for tea, coffee, and other drinks. You can find smart kettles that have thermostat technology, which allows them to detect when the water reaches your desired temperature.
Inside each kettle is a metal coil that converts electrical energy into heat and warms up the cold water. When you switch on the power, the current runs through the coil until the water reaches boiling point.
Some models have a sensor that lets you know the exact temperature of the water, while others whistle when the water reaches a full boil. These features make it easier to remove the kettle from the heat at the right time.
Oven
The oven is an appliance that can bake, roast or heat things up. It is also referred to as a stove or range in some homes. However, these three words have different meanings within the appliance industry. Rosedale Service, a home appliance specialist in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania explains that a range has burners and can be used for cooking while an oven is a heated chamber that bakes or roasts things.
There are two main varieties of household ovens – gas and electric – with some hybrid options available. Both of these types are fairly energy-intensive appliances and use a lot of electricity in terms of kilowatt-hours (kWh). So, it’s worth keeping track of their consumption when you have an electric bill. They also need a 240-volt electrical outlet to operate.