Modern kitchens aren’t just simply about utility, but also offer an enriching and enjoyable cooking and dining experience. This is achieved through perfectly executed kitchen layouts, designed to bring out a specific atmosphere, complemented with efficient and presentable appliances. You can easily enlist the services of a kitchen installation company to design modern kitchens. However, selecting the right appliances would require some extra work on your part.
Here are two important considerations to make when selecting the best appliances for modern kitchens:
Cooktop – A kitchen is never complete without the right cooktop. Here, you have the choice between electric, gas and induction cooktops. Although you may be inclined to believe that electric stoves are more efficient than gas stoves, the Consumer Energy Center indicates that modern gas stoves with electric ignitions would have much lower operational costs compared to standard electric stoves. This is because the electronic ignition feature reduces gas use by about 30%.
However, induction elements take the top prize in energy efficiency. These appliances utilize 90% of produced energy for cooking. This is a much higher energy efficiency compared to normal gas burners that utilize merely 55% of produced energy for cooking, whereas standard electric ranges use 65% of produced energy for cooking (based on data from the Consumer Energy Center). Therefore, induction cooktops would be the best option, since they have the potential of boiling water 50% faster than regular stoves.
Although induction tops are the most energy efficient, buying such an expensive appliance wouldn’t be cost effective if you have very little cooking to do. An electric stove might present the second best option.
Ovens – Ovens are another necessity in every kitchen, apart from cooktops. They are also found in gas and electric varieties, just as with the cooktops. However, you have a further option between self-cleaning and convection ovens, both of which have a lifetime spanning two decades.
Although self-cleaning ovens cost more than ordinary ones, the self-cleaning aspect is a major advantage. The cleaning operation involves a 900 degree Fahrenheit internal heating process, at which point the oven doors are completely locked. All food particles and spills within it are burned off and the resulting ash is then wiped out. Moreover, these ovens are much more efficient compared to ordinary ovens, since they have more insulation.
Frequent use of the self-cleaning feature would also be counterproductive to energy saving, since it utilizes huge amounts of energy. To reduce on the overall energy used in self-cleaning, you can utilize this feature immediately after cooking, which takes advantage of the residual heat.
Convection ovens have the potential of cutting energy use by more than 30% (based on data from the Consumer Energy Center). This is because such ovens utilize fans for circulating air within the interior, hence reducing cooking temperatures and cooking time. Such a mechanism eliminates hot and cool spots, which produces more even cooking. This is quite useful in even browning of foods.
When buying ovens, you should also consider the amount of cooking you will do. If you will use it only occasionally, you should select smaller ovens, rather than buying large and costly appliances.