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If it's just you and maybe a guest or two, I'd recommend a counter-top convection oven. They're like big toaster ovens but work great for pretty much anything. My family used one for about two years at one point and it did not make a huge difference in the electric bill.
This kind of stuff is interesting to me. We've come a long way with energy use and efficiency. You can literally get away with leaving your TV on 24/7 and pay just shy of a few dollars more. That's how little they sap.
The TV in my living room is rated $20 a ($1.66 a month) year for 6 hours of use everyday. Even at double, that's only $3 a month. The killer of electricity in any home is the damn refrigerator. Turn that sucker off and your bills will be cut in half.
I bought that SONY Bravia TV almost 7 years ago just to give an idea of how old it is, and the thing is fantastic. Cost me over $800 back then but it's been worth every penny. It has Hulu, NetFlix and all of that installed on it, and weighs maybe 15 lbs tops. About 32"... In fantastic condition. Now I often put on Spotify or watch Hulu on that iPad that I have when cooking or whatever so the TV isn't in use as much but still.
I've actually played around with my fridge too. It automatically shuts off the light if the door is left open too long, and I have the settings set at the recommended temperature. Supposedly if the fridge is too cold, it has to work that much harder, thus using more electricity, so I think that having a new fridge and keeping the back area clear of dust is the key too. I can pull mine out and clean behind there when needed as it isn't very heavy at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by safina1
Thank you! I will definitely pay attention to the energy star ratings.
I use my computer a lot when I get home from work. Probably, 4-5 hours a day.
I don't play games though, I don't know if that would make any difference in terms of electricity usage.
And of course my cell phone, and any kitchen appliances that I might use (an electric kettle and a stove).
I switched to laptops several years ago. They are known to be very energy efficient, so I haven't used a desktop at home in years. I am currently researching a new laptop now (narrowed it down to a Macbook Pro, but not sure which one I want just yet), but even this one has lasted me almost 7 years.
Thank you! I will definitely pay attention to the energy star ratings. I use my computer a lot when I get home from work. Probably, 4-5 hours a day.
I don't play games though, I don't know if that would make any difference in terms of electricity usage.
And of course my cell phone, and any kitchen appliances that I might use (an electric kettle and a stove).
Most computers now are equipped with internals with somewhat low power components (energy sapping wise) The video card of a computer is the most power hungry and thus will cost a few dollars extra overall with light use.
It's only when you start adding in stuff like Netflix, gaming and other content that requires a little more power. Even then, we're only talking a few bucks extra a month, nothing too crazy.
It's gotten to the point where monitoring this kind of usage is a thing of the past, for a single at least. Now let's say a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teenagers) charges can start to run away when so many electronics are running and or polling data at the same time. That's where the real costs come in; when there's a million things running simultaneously for hours.
I think you'll be fine as long as you don't get two stoves and decide to use them at the same time. Haha.
An instant pot is also worth considering. It can handle many cooking jobs plus easy cleanup.
Yeah, most of the things that I cook I try do in one pot, which cuts down of dishes and how much I need to use the stove. I like using those cast iron skillets because they cook your food evenly and they get REALLY hot, not to mention that you can also use them in the oven too. Often times, when doing brunch I'll cook a few strips of bacon in the oven, wipe out that pan and re-use it for scrambled eggs. Those babies cost $15-20 tops... I have two of them (the Lodge Made in USA pans). As long as you wash them and dry them quickly to prevent rust and season them they'll last for many years. I put a little olive oil in mine to keep them seasoned after I clean them.
I bought that SONY Bravia TV almost 7 years ago just to give an idea of how old it is, and the thing is fantastic. Cost me over $800 back then but it's been worth every penny. It has Hulu, NetFlix and all of that installed on it, and weighs maybe 15 lbs tops. About 32"... In fantastic condition. Now I often put on Spotify or watch Hulu on that iPad that I have when cooking or whatever so the TV isn't in use as much but still.
I've actually played around with my fridge too. It automatically shuts off the light if the door is left open too long, and I have the settings set at the recommended temperature. Supposedly if the fridge is too cold, it has to work that much harder, thus using more electricity, so I think that having a new fridge and keeping the back area clear of dust is the key too. I can pull mine out and clean behind there when needed as it isn't very heavy at all.
I switched to laptops several years ago. They are known to be very energy efficient, so I haven't used a desktop at home in years. I am currently researching a new laptop now (narrowed it down to a Macbook Pro, but not sure which one I want just yet), but even this one has lasted me almost 7 years.
2011 - 2012 was a great year for electronics! At that time I was selling computers at Best Buy. It was a dead end job, but I was one of the few consultants that actually took the time to learn the products inside and out, and not just spew what was written on the product cards.
With SSD's becoming a standard and processor die shrinks, manufactures have been able to squeeze more power into smaller packages; however, this was the year everything "tapered off". 2007 up to 2012, speed and power gains were HUGE. After 2012 it was less about speed and more about efficiency. 2018 has not seen much in terms of power and efficiency for the average Joe.
Average Joe and Jane only care about getting online to Facebook, watching Netflix and maybe editing a resume on Word. That's pretty much. A mid to high end computer from 2012 can literally keep up with a 2018 offering. We're nearing the ceiling on how fast these things can go.
I have a gaming laptop from 2012. While it does not run the latest and greatest at full graphical fidelity, it can get by with lower detail. Most titles I run are more simple, so it doesn't bother me. What matters to me is CPU performance. 6 years later and I can still multitask to Hell and back. Have loads of windows and programs open, and computer doesn't even break a sweat.
It takes 9 seconds to fully boot up. Some newer laptops can boot up in as little as 5 or a little less. But I mean, come on. 9 seconds from off to on is way fast enough. In circa 2006 and earlier, it took minutes for computers just to turn on, let alone open apps and actually work. lol
Anyway, I'm rambling... I guess the point was not much has changed for regular users. On the graphics side, we have yet to hit the ceiling, but most people are not playing video games or working with digital media (video editing, Photoshop, Illustrator) etc, so all of those new features go unnoticed. The only thing people really notice is how long it takes to turn the thing on, and open apps! Haha.
Just from selling / customer experience, I would recommend the base 13 inch MacBook Pro with Touchbar ($1799). The big complaint with the 15 inch is the size and weight. Mind you, that thing is only 4 pounds now. That's nothing. But if you travel often, take planes often, it's more of a convenience than weight, but most of my clients say weight, and they mean it. lol
The $1799 model gets you a true quad core CPU vs the dual core in the $1299 and $1499. You can technically get away with the cheaper model if you don't use it for anything more than media consumption and entertainment. But if you decide to pick up media creation, go with the $1799 for sure.
The 15 inch is nice, but at $2399, that's extra steep from the already steep $1799. What's not included in that price is the million and one dongles you'll need, so the $2399 comes closer to $3000 and the $1799 comes closer to $2399.
Okay, I'm done. If you have any tech questions send me a PM.
2011 - 2012 was a great year for electronics! At that time I was selling computers at Best Buy. It was a dead end job, but I was one of the few consultants that actually took the time to learn the products inside and out, and not just spew what was written on the product cards.
With SSD's becoming a standard and processor die shrinks, manufactures have been able to squeeze more power into smaller packages; however, this was the year everything "tapered off". 2007 up to 2012, speed and power gains were HUGE. After 2012 it was less about speed and more about efficiency. 2018 has not seen much in terms of power and efficiency for the average Joe.
Average Joe and Jane only care about getting online to Facebook, watching Netflix and maybe editing a resume on Word. That's pretty much. A mid to high end computer from 2012 can literally keep up with a 2018 offering. We're nearing the ceiling on how fast these things can go.
I have a gaming laptop from 2012. While it does not run the latest and greatest at full graphical fidelity, it can get by with lower detail. Most titles I run are more simple, so it doesn't bother me. What matters to me is CPU performance. 6 years later and I can still multitask to Hell and back. Have loads of windows and programs open, and computer doesn't even break a sweat.
It takes 9 seconds to fully boot up. Some newer laptops can boot up in as little as 5 or a little less. But I mean, come on. 9 seconds from off to on is way fast enough. In circa 2006 and earlier, it took minutes for computers just to turn on, let alone open apps and actually work. lol
Anyway, I'm rambling... I guess the point was not much has changed for regular users. On the graphics side, we have yet to hit the ceiling, but most people are not playing video games or working with digital media (video editing, Photoshop, Illustrator) etc, so all of those new features go unnoticed. The only thing people really notice is how long it takes to turn the thing on, and open apps! Haha.
Just from selling / customer experience, I would recommend the base 13 inch MacBook Pro with Touchbar ($1799). The big complaint with the 15 inch is the size and weight. Mind you, that thing is only 4 pounds now. That's nothing. But if you travel often, take planes often, it's more of a convenience than weight, but most of my clients say weight, and they mean it. lol
The $1799 model gets you a true quad core CPU vs the dual core in the $1299 and $1499. You can technically get away with the cheaper model if you don't use it for anything more than media consumption and entertainment. But if you decide to pick up media creation, go with the $1799 for sure.
The 15 inch is nice, but at $2399, that's extra steep from the already steep $1799. What's not included in that price is the million and one dongles you'll need, so the $2399 comes closer to $3000 and the $1799 comes closer to $2399.
Okay, I'm done. If you have any tech questions send me a PM.
lol I narrowed it down to 13" for that reason. I don't want anything too chunky. My main issue is I'm not really a fan of Apples' operating system, but I like the design of the laptop (aluminum case), battery life and sound quality. Most laptops have really crappy sound including mine, and I paid $1400 for the last one, so I want one with Windows 10 on it since I'm big on Word files and such. At this point it's just a question of going to the store and trying it out and seeing if 13" really works or if I need the 15" which is what I have now. I may be willing to sacrifice on the 2" for the portability benefit. I just don't want to buy on line and sink $1500+ on it and be annoyed for the next few years, so that's the only thing holding me back. This iPad has been sort of a try out. Spent $1000+ on it since I wanted lots of space. I carry it everywhere. At home, express bus. It's been great, and what's amazing is it NEVER gets hot, so you can charge it and leave it and it knows when it's fully charged.
We have definitely come a long way energy wise for sure...
lol I narrowed it down to 13" for that reason. I don't want anything too chunky. My main issue is I'm not really a fan of Apples' operating system, but I like the design of the laptop (aluminum case), battery life and sound quality. Most laptops have really crappy sound including mine, and I paid $1400 for the last one, so I want one with Windows 10 on it since I'm big on Word files and such. At this point it's just a question of going to the store and trying it out and seeing if 13" really works or if I need the 15" which is what I have now. I may be willing to sacrifice on the 2" for the portability benefit. I just don't want to buy on line and sink $1500+ on it and be annoyed for the next few years, so that's the only thing holding me back. This iPad has been sort of a try out. Spent $1000+ on it since I wanted lots of space. I carry it everywhere. At home, express bus. It's been great, and what's amazing is it NEVER gets hot, so you can charge it and leave it and it knows when it's fully charged.
We have definitely come a long way energy wise for sure...
Just get a dongle and connect that sucker to your TV! You have the portability of the 13" and the real estate of your TV via dongle. Playing through the TV also solves the sound quality problem if you have a Soundbar. You can even go wireless with the Apple TV. (Assuming you haven't done so already.)
After a long exhausting search for an apt, I think I found one in a walk up building but there is no stove.
I asked the landlord if they could get me a stove and the answer was no. At first, I thought it was illegal but after I did some research, I found out that landlords are NOT required to provide kitchen applicances.
I am a bit worried about my electric bill. I plan on buying an electric stove and/or an oven.
How much should I expect to pay for electricity if I cook light meals, let us say, once or twice a day for one person. I will probably use an electric kettle for tea and coffee.
If you have had a similar experience, I would appreciate if you share any advice or tips. how much do you pay for your electric bill? also, what are some good recommendation for energy saving electric stoves? was it an ok experience?
Thank you!
This strikes me as a bit odd. I guess the LL is just trying to save money but, really? He can't make a $350 to $500 purchase that would in the end make the unit more desirable to renters?
I wonder if there's something wrong with the electricity or some other weird thing that he would have to deal with if he provides an electric stove and then it doesn't work due to some issue. Does this unit have fuses or circuit breakers?
In my building there was a period of time when we had no cooking gas, and I noticed a few people getting deliveries of a Breville oven. I have to assume it's a nice product because there are a bunch of foodies/cooks who live here, and also the fact that williams Sonoma sells them indicates it's a higher end product. I'm not sure the exact model my neighbors were purchasing but a quick search shows they are around $270 to $400.
Just get a dongle and connect that sucker to your TV! You have the portability of the 13" and the real estate of your TV via dongle. Playing through the TV also solves the sound quality problem if you have a Soundbar. You can even go wireless with the Apple TV. (Assuming you haven't done so already.)
I'll definitely keep that in mind. I'd like to make better use of the TV anyway...
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