We are all looking for ways to save money. With the cost of living rising, seemingly by the day, there is a real struggle across the nation. With some people having to choose between heating and eating. We all want our families to be comfortable, warm and well-fed. However, with the sky-high prices for energy and our standard wages, the numbers just don’t add up. Many people have slow cookers shoved in the cupboard under the sink and these can be a great way to create pots of tasty food, quickly, without having to use the oven. But how much does it cost to run? What impact will it have on your electricity bill? Let’s have a look and try to answer the question of how much energy does a slow cooker use.
What Is A Slow Cooker?
If you aren’t sure which of the kitchen gadgets is a slow cooker, let’s figure it out. It’s sometimes known as a crock pot and is an electrical appliance that simmers food at a low temperature over a long period of time. These are great for setting going in the morning and having an evening meal ready when you get home.
Of course, before we look at how much electricity a slow cooker uses, you’ll need to buy one if you don’t own one already. A small 1.8-litre slow cooker which is good for an individual or couple is available at Argos for £15. A larger 3.7 litre one, ideal for a family is £22. Obviously, there are other places to buy these and you might find them cheaper or more expensive depending on where you shop. Be sure to read the reviews too as you don’t want to get one that is rubbish and end up buying twice.
What Can You Make?
Due to the fact that you are cooking over a long period of time, often eight hours or more, slow cookers are perfect for breaking down and tenderizing big pieces of meat. You can cook anything in a slow cooker, from beef stews to sausage casseroles. Cook a pork shoulder in coke to create tasty pulled pork or infuse plenty of flavour into a chilli-con-Carne. Simply chuck ingredients into the pot and get a great outcome that the whole family will enjoy. A slow cooker is also perfect for batch cooking too.
How Much Energy Does A Slow Cooker Use?
Obviously, we’ve mentioned that you’ll be cooking for eight hours or more. That might seem like a lot of time to have a slow cooker operating. What will it do to your electricity meter? You don’t want to set a chicken stew cooking and then realise the wheel is spinning like a wind turbine. How much energy does a slow cooker use? Well, it’s estimated that the average slow cooker, in action for eight hours, uses around 1.3kWh of energy. The new price cap coming into play in April 2022 prices electricity at 7.37p per kWh. That works out at 9.58p.
You can work out how much it costs you as energy prices go up (& hopefully down!) by looking at how much you are paying per kWh and doing the maths.
When you compare that to an electric oven using about 0.87 kWh an hour, that would work out at over 50p for the eight hours. Gas ovens use around 2.5 kWh per hour, which means with the new unit price of 4.07p per kWh, it would cost you around 80p. You can see how the slow cooker is a great and affordable option.
You can compare slow cooker power consumption with other items around the house too.
Now is the time to get the slow cooker out of the cupboard. We know how much electricity a slow cooker uses and it is a great way to eat well without using lots of energy. Combine some wonky vegetables with some cheap cuts of meat and you’ve got tasty and nutritious meals to fill your tummies. Giving you more time to do other things too.
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- How Much Electricity Does A Treadmill Use UK?
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- How Much Electricity Does A Stair Lift Use?
