Currys head of commercial, Jaimie Cantwell explains how energy efficient and eco-friendly products could be a game changer in the kitchen
Investing in kitchen appliances can be a little daunting, but given the enormous increases in our energy bills, there has never been a better time to assess how an upgrade to the range of energy-efficient and eco-friendly options available could significantly benefit your household. Also, there are common practices we can certainly ditch to become more energy efficient, such as pre-rinsing your dishes before loading the dishwasher, which is only adding needless energy and water consumption.
Jaimie Cantwell is head of commercial at Currys Ireland. Her experience in Currys has given her invaluable insight into how product technology has evolved tremendously to work more positively for us, for the environment and to reduce our bills.
She understands that while it might seem counter-intuitive during a cost-of-living crisis to invest in something new, modern appliances have state of the art technology that can give fantastic long-term savings, as well as helping the environment.
“Greener appliances are definitely much more of a consideration for people shopping with us, and for some people, non-negotiable. Eco functions can take a little longer but use far less energy. Often, the longer the cycle the more efficient it is. The savings you will get will more than compensate what you have spent in upgrading,” she said.
Eco-friendly and green initiatives are at the core of Currys ethos for appliances. For example, you can recycle your old or unwanted electrical goods for free at any Currys store with no purchase necessary. They will also take away your old appliance when delivering to your home.
Their priority is low energy consumption which is highlighted by their Go Greener campaigns run at different times throughout the year.
Capacity, she advises, is a key consideration when it comes to purchasing a kitchen appliance.
“We can now get more capacity inside an appliance that is the same size. So, you could have a dishwasher for 10 years, and upgrade to a newer model with a much bigger capacity for a family, but that would fit into the same space,” said Cantwell.
New EU energy labels were introduced in 2021 which Cantwell said have helped customers understand energy ratings and how they can reduce their bills.
“We’ve brought in energy comparison tool Youreko to break down some of these energy savings into plain English, or cold hard cash. We normally judge it over a 10-year cycle because that is traditionally how long you would get out of a good appliance. Running an A-rated appliance would cost you about 50 per cent less than running a G-rated appliance.”
When it comes to categories of kitchen appliance, Cantwell shares some do’s and don’ts for choosing the most eco, energy and pocket-friendly options.
Decoding dishwashers
Forget about pre-rinsing your dishes before loading the dishwasher. It wastes hot water, and a good scrape is all that is needed. Modern dishwasher technology can detect how dirty the dishes are which means less water consumption. Cantwell also advises waiting until you’ve got a full load before using the dishwasher and turning it to the eco setting to use less water and energy.
And with new wi-fi enabled dishwashers, you can even put the dishwasher on from the comfort of your bedroom, she explains.
“My Bosch series 4 dishwasher is probably one of my favourite appliances. It’s wi-fi enabled so it means I can turn it on whenever I want. If you’re living somewhere with different energy ratings, you could turn on your dishwasher from your phone in bed so you’re taking advantage of your nighttime rate. There’s a belief that dishwashers aren’t good for the environment when they use far less water than if you’re washing up.”
Fridge functionality
Many perceive the fridge to be one of the worst offenders when it comes to energy consumption but advances in interior volume and insulation have made dramatic improvements to energy reduction.
“The great thing about some of the newer fridges is that they’ve got smart features to keep the fridges cool. Therefore, they use less energy. For example, the LG Instaview’s features include being able to see what’s in your fridge without opening the door so you’re not letting all that lovely cool air out and making the fridge have to cool down. Keeping an eye on the temperature in your fridge is important. If your fridge is too cold, it doesn’t improve the quality of your food, but increases the amount of the energy you’re using.”
The greatest kitchen appliance– the air fryer
Air fryers are popular for a reason, Cantwell says. “I would say they are easily up there within our top five selling products in the whole business.”
Air fryers use less time and energy than ovens and require less pre-heating. One important consideration, like every kitchen appliance, is what you need it for. For example, if you have a big family, you’ll need a bigger capacity.
“A lot of models, particularly the Ninja range, do many things at once, so you might have ten functions in one. That’s brilliant for using one appliance that’s heating up quickly to do a multitude of things. Also, the knock-on effect is that you don’t use multiple pots and pans which will reduce water consumption.”
A clean oven is more efficient
For cookers and ovens, Cantwell recommends prioritising your cooking needs, budget and its cleaning requirements. A clean oven heats up more quickly and moves heat more efficiently, using less energy. Also, they get dirty and can require lots of cleaning using chemicals which are bad for the environment.
“Ovens are definitely still in demand. They have become more efficient in the design of liners inside the oven which can be cleaned more efficiently. Best in class is your pyrolytic oven. They heat up to over 400 degrees, turn all the grease and dirt into ash, and is wiped away. Essentially self-cleaning.”
Cantwell recommends thinking about kitchen appliances in the same way you would do a health check on yourself or your car, and what is working best for you and what to change.
“If you are replacing something, start with what you love about your appliance and what you don’t. Think about your lifestyle, your budget, and it will help our staff guide you. The majority of our customers want to make their lives a little bit easier and we want to do that and help you save a little bit of money.”
To find out more about Currys Go Greener campaign and to read about its full range of eco-friendly kitchen appliances visit currys.ie
Content created by Irish Times Content Studio
