Did you know that using your microwave oven to cook a meal or a side dish uses 2/3 less energy than a traditional kitchen stove?  And, here’s the weird thing…minute by minute, microwaves actually use MORE power than your kitchen stove, but because microwaves cook so much faster, the overall energy use is less.

I know you must be thinking that microwave ovens turn out rubbery, gloppy food that no one wants to eat, right?  Although microwaves certainly aren’t the best choice for every meal, these appliances have come a long way, especially when it comes to quality results.

Some new microwave ovens use convection cooking, and even halogen lights to improve food quality.  The Sharp microwave/convection oven above combines microwaves with the circulating heat of a convection oven.  It has two racks for baking, and gives you the option to turn off the turntable when you don’t need it.

Here’s another energy saving tip:  Clean your microwave oven regularly, and it will use even less energy!

If you’re looking for an energy- efficient kitchen stove, make sure you check out convection ovens before making your final choice. Did you know that convection ovens are much more efficient than traditional ovens? In fact they use one-third less energy, because they continuously circulate air around food, causing it to cook faster.

Convection ovens are available in counter top versions which are about the sames size as a microwave oven, or as a feature on full-size kitchen stoves. My Frigidaire range can be used as a regular oven or a convection oven. It has a switch for turning the convection fan on and off.

And since we’re on the topic of green kitchen appliances, don’t forget to use your microwave oven whenever you can. Microwaves use two-thirds less energy than traditional kitchen ranges! There are also many microwave/convection oven combination units on the market today.

Find out more about energy efficient appliances at Energy Star.