There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding relating to power ratings. A slow cooker can be rated for 200 watts, where as an oven can be rated for example 2000 watts. This power rating doesn’t indicate efficiency, it indicates the maximum power the appliance can draw. Not what power it draws all the time. Your 100 horsepower car engine doesn’t output 100 horsepower when idling. Once reaching the desired temperature, your oven will switch from consuming 2000 watts to 0 watts, ignoring the light and other electronics. This 2000 watt oven will reach the desired temperature 10 times faster than the 200 watt slow cooker. Yet they’ve used the same energy because despite using 10 times less power the slow cooker had to do so for 10 times longer. In essence, efficiency will simply come down to which appliance is better insulated. Though in practice the oven will probably lose out due to losing more energy through the larger window and any air circulating out the oven if it is such a model. The better insulated the more efficient, not how many watts it can draw at peak consumption.
An additional reason why a slow cooker might be more energy efficient is that it is likely to have less excess mass to heat than the oven. Excess mass here being anything other than the food heated, so the metal linings, the air and parts for both appliances.
@@bertlizada1300they are different . To get max efficiency - cook for 15 mins in the pressure cooker , then when cool transfer to the slow cooker. But the money you save will be more trouble than worth . You can always cook the day before using the timer and when time has elapsed the residual heat will keep on cooking- then give it a further hour before you are ready to eat . Cook enough for 4-5 meals , then freeze .
I love using slow cooker i got mine 4 years ago been using ever since i cooked potatoes cakes brownies ribs chicken plus it doesn't make the kitchen feel hot like an oven does
The 700W slow cooker heats up faster because it's more powerful, but for settings like low, medium, and high, both the 700W and the 240W slow cookers will eventually cook your food at the same temperatures.
Who is running their microwave for an hour??! It would probably be better to give a realistic food example to work with here, rather than just a time. If I were making a vegetable soup, for instance, it might take an hour in the slow cooker or oven, but only 10-15 minutes in the microwave. 15 mins in the microwave would cost me 12.75p by your prices. So it would, in theory, still be a cheaper option to use the slow cooker.
Using your example, even though the microwave may cost less for shorter durations (like 15 minutes at 12.75p), the slow cooker’s ability to cook a larger quantity with low energy consumption over several hours makes it a more cost-effective option for longer cooking times or larger meals. This is particularly relevant when you are considering batch cooking or dishes that benefit from slow, even cooking, like stews or tougher cuts of meat. So while the microwave is faster for some tasks, the slow cooker wins out in efficiency and cost for meals that require longer cooking.
There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding relating to power ratings. A slow cooker can be rated for 200 watts, where as an oven can be rated for example 2000 watts. This power rating doesn’t indicate efficiency, it indicates the maximum power the appliance can draw. Not what power it draws all the time.
Your 100 horsepower car engine doesn’t output 100 horsepower when idling.
Once reaching the desired temperature, your oven will switch from consuming 2000 watts to 0 watts, ignoring the light and other electronics.
This 2000 watt oven will reach the desired temperature 10 times faster than the 200 watt slow cooker. Yet they’ve used the same energy because despite using 10 times less power the slow cooker had to do so for 10 times longer.
In essence, efficiency will simply come down to which appliance is better insulated. Though in practice the oven will probably lose out due to losing more energy through the larger window and any air circulating out the oven if it is such a model. The better insulated the more efficient, not how many watts it can draw at peak consumption.
An additional reason why a slow cooker might be more energy efficient is that it is likely to have less excess mass to heat than the oven. Excess mass here being anything other than the food heated, so the metal linings, the air and parts for both appliances.
is pressure cooker better than slow cooker since it is also insulated and can cook faster?
@@bertlizada1300they are different . To get max efficiency - cook for 15 mins in the pressure cooker , then when cool transfer to the slow cooker. But the money you save will be more trouble than worth .
You can always cook the day before using the timer and when time has elapsed the residual heat will keep on cooking- then give it a further hour before you are ready to eat .
Cook enough for 4-5 meals , then freeze .
I love using slow cooker i got mine 4 years ago been using ever since i cooked potatoes cakes brownies ribs chicken plus it doesn't make the kitchen feel hot like an oven does
I am going to look up some slow cooker brownie recipes now :)
I just ordered a crockpot from Amazon and I now realize it says it is 700w. Wont that overcook things ?
Does it have 'low' setting, if so then don't worry, that is perfect for long and slow cooking.
@@FoodHow well,, does the 700w mean that it gets hotter than a 240w ?
The 700W slow cooker heats up faster because it's more powerful, but for settings like low, medium, and high, both the 700W and the 240W slow cookers will eventually cook your food at the same temperatures.
I actually did not wonder about the cost. Until I saw this thumbnail...
Ohh, ok, 🙂 So, it seems that the thumbnail worked :)
Yeah slow cooker/rice cookers are way more efficient. They are (or should be) insulated, so they trap in the heat instead of wasting it.
I think that is how they are all made or do you mean insulating them more yourself?
@@FoodHow It's how their made
Yes, you are correct.
Yes, slow cookers are insulated. But so are ovens, so this doesn’t give slow cookers a point for efficiency.
@keralius Yes, good point, thank you.
Who is running their microwave for an hour??! It would probably be better to give a realistic food example to work with here, rather than just a time. If I were making a vegetable soup, for instance, it might take an hour in the slow cooker or oven, but only 10-15 minutes in the microwave. 15 mins in the microwave would cost me 12.75p by your prices. So it would, in theory, still be a cheaper option to use the slow cooker.
Using your example, even though the microwave may cost less for shorter durations (like 15 minutes at 12.75p), the slow cooker’s ability to cook a larger quantity with low energy consumption over several hours makes it a more cost-effective option for longer cooking times or larger meals. This is particularly relevant when you are considering batch cooking or dishes that benefit from slow, even cooking, like stews or tougher cuts of meat. So while the microwave is faster for some tasks, the slow cooker wins out in efficiency and cost for meals that require longer cooking.
Such a detailed explanation. I’m sold! Slow cookers for everyone this holiday season 🎁 @homekitdecor
Glad it was helpful! :)