We were toasting bagels one morning when my sister was in town. As we all sat around the table to enjoy our breakfast, she mentioned to me that I should unplug my toaster oven since we weren’t using it anymore. My response was, “I turned it off, it’s OK.”
No, it isn’t OK. What I didn’t understand then that I know now is that small appliances and electronics still draw electricity when they’re plugged in – even if the power button is turned off. Common sense says if these items are drawing power when we’re not using them, why keep them plugged in?
Exactly.
The biggest energy-drainers even when they are turned off are microwave ovens, televisions, DVD players, computers, game systems, and cable and satellite TV boxes. A good solution for these items is to plug several devices into a power strip that has an on/off switch. When you flick the switch off, the power strip no longer draws electricity from the outlet.
There are many reasons to keep your appliances and electronics unplugged when you’re not using them. First and foremost, it is the responsible thing to do for the environment. Just think how good it will feel as you’re unplugging your cell phone charger that you’re doing something good for the environment today! It’s a very simple and easy thing that EVERYONE can do. Imagine if everyone in your city decided to do this one small thing how much energy we could save? How about your state? The world?
Another main reason is the reduction in your electric bill. When my sister told me that she was saving $15 – $20 each month by unplugging her microwave, cell phone charger, and her TV my first thought was “yeah right – it can’t be that much”. Others might say that’s not enough of a savings to even bother with. Oh really? Twenty dollars per month is $240 per year in savings. I can think of plenty of things I’d rather do with $240 than give it to the electric company for something I didn’t use anyway.
The truth is that if you have 10 items in your home that are plugged in and not in use, you could be wasting as much as 450,000 watts (or 4,500 kilowatts) of electricity per year! Depending on your usage and local electricity rates, that could cost you anywhere between $200 and $600 each year! Also, most utility companies charge a higher rate when you use more than a certain amount of energy, and they also charge more during summer months when electric use is higher, so that becomes an even bigger savings when you keep your electronics unplugged.
So now I understand what my sister was talking about when she told me to unplug my toaster oven. Everything stays unplugged in my house now unless it’s being used. I am happy to say that my electric bill has been reduced by a little more than $20 each month, but even prouder to say that I am doing something good for the environment today.
By: Lori Robinson
Posts Tagged ‘Toaster Oven’
Small Appliances No Kitchen Should Be Without
December 15th, 2009
The world of technology is ever expanding, and thankfully these technological advances have spilled over into the culinary world in the form of appliances. The availability and variety of appliances are vast, with new inventions and improvements popping up every day! In this article, we’re going to talk about a few appliances that aren’t new inventions by any means, but have been improved nearly beyond recognition!
Slow Cooker
The slow cooker is a pretty basic appliance. It consists of an electric housing unit (usually metal) in which a large ceramic pot is inserted, complete with lid. Slow cookers are called such because they do genuinely cook slowly compared to a microwave or toaster oven. Slow cookers are ideal for recipes that allow you to simply chuck in all of the ingredients and leave it to cook. Stew, soup, chilli, nacho cheese, and pot roast are excellent examples of dishes that cook well in a slow cooker. Over the years, here hasn’t been much advancement with slow cookers, save for the fact that many brands have now gone digital – which means you can program it to shut off at a certain time. Is that handy, or what? This “set it and leave it” approach to cooking is brilliant for those who lead a busy lifestyle but want to enjoy a warm, cooked meal at the end of the day.
Bread Machine
Bread machines, as the small household appliance that we know today, can be traced back to 1986, although they didn’t really catch on until the mid-nineties. Bread machines take all the work out of bread making – and you bakers out there understand how laborious the task can be! With a bread machine, you load up the necessary ingredients, shut the lid, and press the button for the appropriate setting. The machine uses a dough hook to mix and knead the dough, then it heats up slightly to allow the dough to rise. After it has risen, the hook resumes kneading for a few minutes, and then the machine heats up and cooks the bread. Voila – homemade bread!
Toaster Oven
Heat, toast, bake, and broil – toaster ovens can do it all! While a toaster oven might be a miracle to some kitchens, it may not get nearly as much use in others. Toasted sandwiches, crispy French fries, pizza, cookies, Cornish hens – virtually any small dishes you bake in your oven can be cooked in a countertop oven.
Food Processor
Food processors have been used in a domestic fashion since the early 70’s, and it’s no wonder why they’re still widely used today. Chopping, dicing, and slicing by hand takes ages of time, but a food processor does all of that in seconds! Fruit and vegetables can easily be prepared for salads, sauces, or pureed for homemade baby food. While there are digital food processors on the market, it simply hasn’t caught on quite yet as food processing doesn’t really utilize a digital display to the full advantage.
Electric Steamer
This is likely to be one of the most health-promoting appliances you can own! When vegetables are boiled or baked, most of the nutrients flow out with the juices, leaving the veggies low in both nutrients AND flavour. However, steaming food allows it to be thoroughly cooked and still remain healthful. And steamers aren’t just for cooking vegetables, either! You can steam chicken, fish, and even rice. Most steamers come with “tiers” or trays, so you can steam all of your food at once. The digital feature really did kick off with steamers, as programmable features and an automatic shut-off function add to the convenience of this appliance.
You might own some of these appliances, and you might not own a single one. Not all kitchens have the space or the need for these terrific items, but some people truly can reap the benefits that these machines have to offer. Ask yourself this: could YOU benefit from one – or a few – of these machines?
By: Patrick Carpen