How green is your kitchen?
Making your kitchen more eco-friendly will win you Brownie points in the war against global warming, and could cut your energy bills. Here’s our pick of the top green products around.
Green Toast
The new Ecolectric toaster from Morphy Richards (£34.99;
) well and truly ticks the eco box. It features an innovative auto-close lid, which helps keep the heat close to the bread, reducing toasting time and cutting carbon emissions.
Recycled cutlery
Go for stainless steel products that are made from recycled materials – like this elegant Base Cutlery set (£95;
), that’s made from around 80 per cent recycled metal and reeks of quality.
What a crock!
Put the kitsch into your kitchen composting with the Apple Compost Crock £15.95;
). It has a three-litre capacity and comes with a carbon filter in the lid to neutralise odours.
Dish the dirt
An energy-efficient dishwasher uses just 12 litres of water a wash, compared with up to 40 litres if you do the dishes by hand. Check out the Hotpoint FDW80P Ultima dishwasher (£365;
), which is AAA rated for energy efficiency.
Non-electric coffee maker
Presso is the world’s simplest espresso coffee maker. Made using eco-friendly and recyclable materials, it uses zero electricity – just hot water from the kettle and a bit of elbow grease (£59.95;
).
White goods go green
We love this energy A-rated, retro-styled number from Gorenje (RF6326OC Fridge Freezer, £609.95;
), an award-winning Slovenian manufacturer with a fast-growing reputation for environmental performance.
Eco Kettle
We waste the energy equivalent of 50 light bulbs in boiling kettles every day. By contrast, the Eco Kettle (£29.95;
) uses 30 per cent less energy than standard kettles, and has a measuring button that allows any quantity – from one cup to a full capacity – to be released into a separate chamber for boiling, resulting in the correct amount of hot water every time.
Green Pans
The GreenPan range from Typhoon (from £16-£85;
) contains recycled materials and is manufactured using 50 per cent less energy than traditional non-stick pans. And the non-stick coating is free from chemicals that potentially damage both your health and the environment. Good news all round.
Induction hobs
Induction hobs (we’ve pictured Gorenje EIT795C 75cm Induction Hob, £679;
) are the latest in eco-friendly cooking technology, using around half the energy of either gas or ceramic hobs. They work by creating a powerful electromagnetic field, which causes the pan to heat up – but not the hob itself. They won’t heat copper or aluminium pans, but top chefs who have switched swear by their cookability.
Green book
Acclaimed food writer Richard Ehrlich rides to the rescue of would-be environmentalists with this eco-bible for beginners (The Green Kitchen, £12.99;
). Filled with numerous practical tips and inspired recipes, it gives you all the help you need to do your bit in combating climate change.
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Star watching
Recent years have seen a huge increase in the number of energy saving appliances on the market, and all appliances in the EU are required by law to exhibit their energy rating.
EU Energy Label
Appliances are rated A to G, where A is the most energy efficient. The exception is fridges and freezers, whose ratings can extend to A+ and A++ for the most efficient. Dishwashers and washing machines are rated on a triple scale for energy efficiency, wash efficiency and drying efficiency so come with three ratings – AAA being the highest.
Carbon savings
According to the Energy Saving Trust, you can reduce your energy consumption by around 60 per cent by switching to an energy-efficient fridge/freezer, and 40 per cent in the case of dishwashers. Over three million tons of CO2 would be saved if every UK household swapped just one of their appliances for an energy-efficient one. To find out more, visit
.
Green tips
- Don’t leave taps running any longer than you need to.
- Don’t run a half-full dishwasher.
- Match your pot to the correct burner size to reduce heat wastage.
- Use a composter.
- Avoid pre-packaged foods.
- Avoid chemical cleaning agents.
- Buy local produce to reduce food miles.
- Use your own shopping bags.
- Keep your fridge away from heat sources.
- Choose cookware guaranteed to last.
- Use the microwave instead of the oven to reduce energy usage by up to 80%.