The Electrification of the Kitchen: On the Energy Consumption of Common Electric Cooking Appliances

In developed countries, electricity has been gaining popularity as a source of energy for meal preparation. Utilizing electricity produced from renewable resources along with efficient electrical cooking appliances could result in sustainable clean cooking. The first objective of this research was to study the efficiency of common electrical cooking appliances—namely induction, resistance plate, resistance coil, infrared, and electric pot— by the water boiling test and the simmering test. The induction and electric pot were observed as the most efficient devices for the water boiling test. For simmering, which mimics many cooking processes, the electric pot and resistance coil were the most efficient ones. The second objective was a comparison of the energy consumption of an atmospheric canner when operated in steam vs. boiling water mode. Atmospheric canners play an essential role in the home preservation of acid/acidified food products. Few studies compared both canning modes regarding products’ safety; but, they have not addressed energy consumption. Thus, this study compared the energy efficiency of pasteurization using a canner in boiling water and steam modes. Products were chosen depending on the heat transfer mechanisms: apple juice for convection, apple pie filling for conduction, and pickled beets for a combination of conduction and convection. It was concluded that the steam mode was much more efficient in terms of energy consumption, time, and quantity of water, and at the same time provided with a sufficient lethality to deactivate pathogens and spoilage microorganisms