How to save energy and cut cooking costs at home

An LED lightbulb leaning against a wall. the surface and wall are both duck egg blue but the wall is a darker tone. Getty Images
Sue Quinn

A jacket potato cooked in the oven can use more than 40 times as much energy as one cooked in a microwave. Meanwhile, switching your dishwasher to its eco setting could cut energy and water use by around 30%.

If you're looking for simple ways to reduce household bills, experts say a few small changes in the kitchen can make a surprisingly big difference.

Use your oven less

The cost of cooking involves more than just the price of the ingredients. Things like your hob, kettle and fridge all add to your energy bills.

Ditching the oven is a great place to start because you're not only heating your food, you're also heating a big metal box, says Prof Sarah Bridle from York University.

"Using the oven only on special occasions is the single most impactful thing an individual can do [to reduce cooking-related energy use]."

Low-energy appliances that save money

Microwaves, slow cookers, electric pressure cookers and air fryers all consume significantly less energy than ovens. But each one has its own strengths.

Microwaves

These are great for defrosting and reheating food and drink, as well as cooking vegetables.

Slow cookers

Ideal for cooking curries, stews and soups, slow cookers use about the same energy as a traditional (non-LED) lightbulb, says Dr Christian Reynolds from the Centre for Food Policy at City University, London.

Electric pressure cookers

These considerably shorten cooking time – perfect for dried beans or making tough cuts of meat like brisket soft and tender in under an hour.

Air fryers

Cooking in an electric oven costs more than double what it costs to cook in an air fryer. But remember they're also smaller, so you might have to run it multiple times depending on how much you need to cook.

Make your oven work smarter

If you do use the oven, try:

  • Cooking in bulk, as opposed to a single item at a time, will maximise the value you get for the energy spend

  • Hunker down in the kitchen where it's already warm rather than heating other rooms in the house

Mix and match your appliances

You can save money by making your other appliances work harder, too.

  • Microwave then crisp: Part-cook potatoes or veg in the microwave, then finish in an oven or air fryer to crisp up

  • Hob then slow cooker: Brown meat first for flavour, then transfer to the slow cooker

  • Bulk-bake potatoes: Jab, salt and bake once, then microwave to reheat later

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Put a lid on it

Cooking on the hob? Put a lid on to trap heat – it can cut energy use by about 30%, says Dr Reynolds.

His other quick wins:

  • Always use the right size pan. "Filling up a 20-litre pan to cook pasta for one is a waste of money," he says

  • Boil water in an electric kettle. These are more energy efficient than a pan on an conventional electric hob. Extra points for boiling enough to make several cups of tea then pouring the rest in a vacuum flask to keep hot for later

Look after your fridge-freezer

Fridge-freezers account for 13% of household energy bills, says the Energy Saving Trust. Keep it running efficiently by:

  • Letting hot food cool before refrigerating

  • Defrosting food in the fridge (it helps keep the temperature down)

  • Not leaving the door open

  • Keeping the temperature between 3C and 5C (37-41F). You can check this by leaving a thermometer in a glass of water on the middle shelf for 12 hours or overnight

  • Defrosting your fridge-freezer regularly – it has to work harder when covered in ice

Use your dishwasher

Dishwashers use energy to heat water and run cleaning cycles, but there are several ways to reduce those costs. Try...

  • Running one fewer load a week: It could save £14 a year, says the Energy Saving Trust

  • Wait until it's full to run it

  • Use the eco setting even though it takes longer: Consumer group Which? says it uses 30% less energy and water compared to the main programme

What to look for in a new appliance

If something breaks or you need to upgrade, check the energy label and choose the best-rated model for your budget and requirements. Consider:

  • Induction hobs: They're typically the most energy efficient, says the Energy Saving Trust

  • Slow cookers: These start at about £20 which you can make back quite quickly in savings

How different cooking methods compare

Baked potato

  • Oven (120 minutes) = 6.07kWh

  • Microwave (10 minutes) = 0.14 kWh

  • Half microwave (five minutes), half oven (30 minutes plus 15 minutes warm-up) = 2.34kWh

Boiling water for one cup of tea

  • Electric kettle (2 minutes) = 0.07kWh

  • Pan on electric hob (5 minutes) = 0.18kWh

  • Microwave (4 minutes) = 0.05kWh

  • Induction hob kettle/pan (2 minutes) = 0.14kWh

Reheating stew

  • Electric hob (12 minutes) = 0.43kWh

  • Oven (45 minutes) = 2.27kWh

  • Microwave (8 minutes) = 0.11kWh

  • Induction hob (5 minutes) = 0.35 kWh

Porridge

  • Microwave (5 minutes) = 0.07kWh

  • Electric hob (10 minutes) = 0.36kWh

  • Induction hob (5 minutes) = 0.35 kWh

Source: Based on data from Prof Bridle and on Wattage numbers from Supplementary Data of supplementary table of Frankowska et al.

Final takeaway

If you want to save money, try using your oven less, be smart with your fridge-freezer and switch up how you cook.

You won't notice a significant drop in your costs right away, but being savvy long term could make a real difference.

Originally published March 2022. Updated October 2026.

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