If you have the pleasure of owning an induction hob, then you will know that they cost a little more to buy compared to an electric or gas hob.
The initial investment is worth this as they are efficient to run; if you know how to use them, that is!
With the rising cost of electricity, we should be mindful of small adjustments that you can make to reduce our energy consumption.
Kitchen appliances can be very expensive to run, so knowing how to operate your appliances correctly can help reduce your costs, leaving more money for cooking ingredients and less spent on energy.
Do induction hobs use a lot of energy?
This would depend on the amount of time that the hob used and the heat settings required for the cooking instructions of the dishes.
Comparing the ceramic hob to the induction, the power consumption is less, making the cooking time more.
This results in the costs being higher when using a ceramic hob, compared to an induction hob.
Confused? Let’s do the workings based on boiling water.
The induction hope takes 4 minutes to boil water, whilst the ceramic electric hob takes 7 minutes.
The current capped cost of electricity from 01.10.22 is £0.34 per kWh.
The power usage for an induction hob is 1.95kWh, whilst the ceramic electric hob is 1.65kWh.
| Appliance | Electricity cost Per kWh | Power consumption per kWh | Cost to boil water |
| Induction Hob | £0.34 | 1.95 | 4p |
| Electric Hob | £0.34 | 1.65 | 7p |
(Figures are rounded to the nearest penny)
- 0.34 x 1.95 = 0.66p per hour/60mins x 4 mins for an induction hob = 0.0442p
- 0.34 x 1.65 = 0.56p per hour/60 mins x 7 mins for a ceramic hob = 0.0654p
Based on the calculations, the induction hob uses less energy and is cheaper to operate compared to a ceramic electric hob.
Cost per hour’s use:
| Appliance | Electricity cost Per kWh | Power consumption per kWh | Cost per hour to use |
| Induction Hob | £0.34 | 1.95 | 66p |
| Electric Hob | £0.34 | 1.65 | 56p |
Using the above calculations for an hour’s use, you would suspect that the ceramic electric hob would be cheaper, therefore more efficient to use.
The calculation, however, is not taking into consideration that the induction hob will cook quicker than the ceramic hob, and is just providing information on an hour’s usage.
Boiling water using an induction hob takes less time; if you boiled the water for the same time as the ceramic hob, the cost would be significantly higher, as the power consumption of an induction hob is higher.
Using timers on your appliances will help to save energy consumption, and following suggested timing instructions could save your dish and also a few pennies!
Bulk cooking is a fantastic way to save energy. If it’s costing you, an estimated, 66p to make one dish, then cooking in larger volumes will be a great energy saver and also save plenty of time and money.
Are there any energy-efficient induction hobs available?
Whilst most induction hobs are rated energy efficient, there are a variety of different hobs on the market, all with intelligent induction technology to reduce energy wastage.
The Smeg HOBD482D venting induction hob is rated A++. This hob has impressive functionalities to make cooking a breeze whilst reducing energy wastage.
This hob has impressive functionalities to make cooking a breeze whilst reducing energy wastage.
With its special electromagnets and induction technology, it simply heats the contents of your pan, leaving very little residual heat, making this extremely safe to use.
The built-in downdraft eliminates odours and is a fantastic space saver as there is no requirement for a cooker hood.
Energy saving tips for using induction hobs
- Using the correct size lids for each pans will reduce energy costs. Cooking without a lid will use a considerable amount of energy. Using glass lids will provide more visibility, avoiding lifting the pan lid to check on food.
- Use smaller pans for smaller dishes. A large pan that is not full will use more energy.
- Use very little water whilst cooking. This also preserves the vitamins in your food and will also take less time to cook, saving energy consumption.
- Select a low power level whilst cooking. If the power level is too high, energy is wasted.
- Use pans with flat bases. Bases that are curved and are not flat use more energy. Ensure the base of your pan is clean and burn mark free.
- Use the correct size diameter pan to match your hotplate. Using a smaller pan on a larger zone will waste more energy.
- Cook in bulk – this reduces energy usage and can also save plenty of time.
What other kitchen appliances use a lot of energy?
There are so many electrical appliances we require in our kitchen to make life easy and more convenient; blenders, electric choppers, coffee machines and many more.
These could be classed as luxury kitchen appliances and depending on use, have very little impact on our energy consumption when these are only frequently used.
A fridge freezer on the other hand is different, as this is plugged in 24/7 and is a necessity in everyday life.
Buying an energy-efficient fridge-freezer could save you £20.20 per year in electricity costs, based on workings from calculating carbon footprint.
A Fridge-Freezer A++ rating plugged in for 24 hours a day would cost £20.60 a year to run, whilst a A rating fridge-freezer would cost £40.80 a year to run – this is a £20.20 saving just by buying an energy-efficient fridge-freezer A++.
A kettle can consume more energy than you would actually believe. Using a kettle 1542 times per year could cost a massive £16.90. This would actually only calculate to be 4 hot beverages per day.
For a larger family, this figure could be more than doubled, equating to £33.80 for an estimate of 8 hot drinks a day.
Being conscious of your energy consumption and making small adjustments can really save you money.
Check out our guide to Induction Kettles for more money saving induction tips
