Is a microwave cheaper to run than an oven? Is the food comparible?

[@vidumori8831]

One thing I'd like to point out about cooking in the microwave is that you can buy bowls that are microwave-safe and come with a lid (I use mine to cook broccoli in the microwave) - while clingfilm is all nice and easy, its also a lot of plastic going into the bin! (depending on how often you cook in the microwave, needing clingfilm of course - but if you do it often, do yourself and the enviroment the favour of buying reusable lids)

[@lylymongeon]

Agreed. I use my corningware with glass lid in my microwave, no plastic, same result.

[@KenS1267]

There are also silcone covers for bowls that work a lot like cling film that you just wash after use and then reuse. I bought a pack of them several years ago and stopped buying film.

[@dancinislivin828]

I typically put a microwave safe plate on top of the bowl to keep in the steam, which works just as well as plastic wrap and then can be re-used to serve the food and cut down on dishes!

[@heatherbc7914]

You can also just throw an appropriately sized (microwave safe) plate on top of the bowl - it gives you the added bonus of a warm plate to serve your food on!

[@patriciafallon3011]

This was my thought. Why make trash? And what about the cost of plastic wrap?

[@hannahk1306]

Tip for using the oven: when you do use it, try to fill it. So, don't use the oven to bake a single potato for instance. What I sometimes do is put some potatoes in whilst the oven is preheating for cooking dinner - the potatoes should be done around the same time as your pie/pasta bake/lasagne/etc. You can also throw in some part-baked bread near the end of the cooking time (see packaging for time and temperature required). Then you have potatoes and bread that are ready for a meal the next day (if not eaten with dinner), either cold or reheated in the microwave (even reheating in the microwave will use less energy than cooking in the microwave from scratch - your oven was already on for dinner, so that's essentially free energy regarding the potato).

[@luadraponies]

Been baking sausages, chops etc at one time…reheat.

[@azhaar113]

like cake and fish? gotcha

[@HFC786]

Next time include an air fryer and make it a three way comparison

[@iHelpSolveIt]

Four way. Induction cooker would be faster

[@Lysterofsmeg1]

@@iHelpSolveIt not if you wanted to cook a whole chicken

[@ElliottRodgers]

Love my air fryer

[@peterrobson9920]

Five ways.. open fire using an old sofa

[@jorimessner3329]

I came down here to say this! Because so many people swear that you don’t need an air fryer of you have an oven.

[@WantedVisual]

If you let your microwave cake cool in the microwave, no peeking or opening the door, they tend to stay moist (unless you overbake them). Bonus, since they do not have a crust, if you bake them in a round silicone cake mold, you can use them for layer cakes and don't need to cut any crusty bits off, at most they need leveling. If you are decorating the sides, you do need to freeze them, because they are quite delicate. My go-to "I need to inflict calories on people because it's a special occasion" cake is a few layers of chocolate microwave cake with microwave-made white chocolate ganache. Tastes like a kinder egg, loved by adults and kids alike, rich enough that no one is accusing you of taking shortcuts anywhere.

[@danmur15]

I'd also be interested to see a toaster oven compared to both of them. I find myself using a toaster oven way more than either of them thanks to the speed and convenience

[@Vespuchian]

I imagine it'd split the difference between the two in respect to energy cost but give results closer to the full size oven. I agree though, it'd be a valuable comparison.

[@SortedFood]

Great suggestion!

[@laurahubbard6906]

Also a comparison with a gas oven and range.

[@yvetterobertson2770]

Toaster ovens are also great for quickly crisping up fried or toasted take away food that has gotten soggy from condensation.

[@amandahodgin9316]

I would love to see toaster oven comparisons. When you were doing the potatoes I thought, I would never heat up my full size oven to bake potatoes.” I use my toaster oven a lot instead of my full size one.

[@GamingFoodie]

This is also wonderful for those, like myself, who are limited in their movement around the kitchen. Bending down and lifting pots, pans, cake tins, vs placing a dish in the microwave. All of the non microwave methods require a lot more movement (not to mention more dishes to wash afterwards which is even more movement). Thank you for making this video!

[@animerlon]

I'm with you on this, i think i've perfected the art of using the least/fewest items to cook. I hate doing dishes. Even if you have good mobility, if you live alone, it makes sense to simplify things. To prepare a mug of canned soup, i only use the mug & spoon i'll eat it with. Just dilute & mix in the mug & give it a vigorous stir halfway, if needed. Easy peasy.

[@kushbhasin3051]

Biscoff Sauce is my favourite recipe I have had to create this year.... Ben wasn't impressed 😅- took me ages!

[@laurenc.590]

Well now I'm left wondering if it's any good melting peanut butter into the mix as well... anyone?

[@maximegosselin1119]

That's the trouble with genius ideas, they require time to be understood and appreciated!

[@kushbhasin3051]

@@maximegosselin1119 I concur!!

[@RineMeerstead]

Luv ya Kush. Always enjoy when you make an appearance or get a shoutout from the boys!

[@chrism4841]

Does the consistency of the Biscoff get to the point where you could drink it? Talking hypothetically here of course, do you think it would pass through a straw?

[@Valeour]

For the noodles, you said the hob version took 50% longer, but on screen, the time was 7 minutes to 14 minutes, which is 100% longer. 50% longer would be around 10.5 minutes. Edit: btw love the data and approach!

[@TheEliteEllie]

Throughout my life my parents have always partly microwaved potatoes before baking them in the oven for around a half hour (which is the method I adopted from them), definitely not the exact same result but seems from your test that it would be a little cheaper and you can still get a good crispy skin 😊 Great video as always, I love to see you exploring pertinent current food subjects, it shows how well you understand your community.

[@shelleyphilcox4743]

@Ellie Cripps I do this as well, depending what the rest of the meal is and the timings :)

[@CAMSVID]

We do this as well or finish them on the barbecue depending if we are using oven or BBQ.

[@JoannaHammond]

Was going to say this :D

[@sighheinrich]

I use this method as well. It's also great for the grill. It saves a lot of time, and you don't end up with a potato with a hard middle, as you sometimes otherwise can do if it doesnt get enough in the oven :)

[@jms6397]

I agree with this entire concept, but I updated it to put the microwaved jacket potatoes in my relatively new air fryer... just an extra six minutes at max. heat, and it produces an amazing crispy skin texture. Best of all worlds... and jacket potatoes finished in about 15 minutes total.

[@kaato112487]

I think it's important to remember these numbers don't seem considerable when talking about a single dish, but are significant at scale. If we consider 5p saved on the noodles, and you make them about once a month, that's 60p in a year. If 1/4 of the households in the UK do that, that's 3 million quid of energy savings across the country per year, just from a single meal each month.

[@poodlemuffin]

You do have to have the money for the upfront cost of buying one , and a kitchen large enough to put the microwave in though. You also need to factor in you can cook multiple things at the same time in the oven, which changes the maths if you’re cooking for a family.

[@wvdh]

@@poodlemuffin Don't know where you live, or if you ever saw one, but we are talking about a microwave. In Western Europe they are in almost every kitchen and they are smaller and cheaper then an oven.

[@darthstatic]

@@poodlemuffin As wvdh said, there's a fair few kitchens that don't have the space for a full oven. Some places don't even have a hob, grill or oven. A microwave or toaster oven is usually the only cooking equipment available. Plus ovens cost multiple hundreds of dollars, plus the cabinet space required to install them, whereas a cheap microwave can be found for under a hundred, and can be plonked anywhere.

[@poodlemuffin]

@@wvdh I live in London, and they aren't as common as you think, even in the kitchens large enough to fit them. Most houses and flats I've been in do have ovens though. Your personal experience is no more universal than mine is.

[@poodlemuffin]

@@darthstatic If you move, you take your microwave with you. You don't take an oven. So if you don't already have a microwave and move into or live in a home with an oven, its not necessarily going to be cheaper in the long run to buy a microwave unless you cook simple meals for one or two people. Cooking a meal for multiple people, with multiple elements, is going to be cheaper in an oven.

[@OtakuLoki]

One of the things that's worth building from Ben's comment about the potatos - the cost & time to cook 10 potatoes in the oven would be the same as for the 2 that were done. When you use the oven, strategize your meal: It's got space for lots of other stuff, usually. It's not just big holiday meals you can cook several dishes at once and bring the energy cost per dish way down in the oven. There's a reason that slow braised meats and oven jacket potatoes are such a common pairing, after all. Cover your sponge in the oven with foil, and you can cook all that at once. There are veg sides, then, you can choose for the temperature you're doing everything else at. For me, one takeaway from the video is that it's worth planning to get as much use from the oven as possible while you're using it.

[@creepyloner1979]

you can also fit 10 potatoes in a microwave.

[@modelt8951]

That's not true - heating more potatoes physically takes more energy so the oven will need to switch on more to hold its temperature, almost equally as much as a microwave

[@MultiKarmacharger]

Absolutely - if your oven has 2-3 shelves, you can probably cook several day's food in one swoop.

[@pattheplanter]

@@modelt8951 Their oven seems to have been a constant 830 W according to their calculation, that seemed a bit odd to me as most ovens switch off and on to keep the temperature.

[@DimT670]

@@modelt8951 nah. Ovens heat the air and the air heats the food. The difference more food makes is very small compared to how much energy is needed to heat the air, unless we are talking about putting frozen food in the oven in which case you are indeed right

[@Sam_M0SJW]

It’s a recurring theme in the comments, but I’d love to see some of the same things in a slow cooker/crockpot, an airfryer and toaster bags (with the same energy analysis). Starting things off in the microwave and finishing them off in a mesh toaster bag is a method I’m using a lot at the moment.

[@Novacification]

Worth noting the cling film you use with the microwave as well, which also will add up. If anyone plans to switch to the microwave more often, it's worth finding some good quality permanent cookware for steaming etc.

[@MsRainingDays]

I just put a plate on a bowl. Not perfect airtight but good enough

[@kellylaliberte548]

I was looking for this comment. I would bet that the cost of the cling film plus the energy and water to clean the extra bowl would eat to the 4p saved on the noodles.

[@DimT670]

Plate on a bowl works every time

[@DillyBlue]

I was thinking the same thing. Better for your wallet and the environment to cover the bowl with a plate or lid.

[@someonedifferent198]

Plate on the bowl or there are plenty off reusable silicone options out there now.

[@emily.e.2019]

I would love to see a limited kitchen space challenge! My current kitchen is a sink, a hob (right next to the sink), and a microwave (on top of my fridge). If I need counter space, I have a cutting board that fits over my sink so planning and prep are important. It would be great to see a timed challenge or pass it on where everyone has a limited workspace.

[@YaaLFH]

Get yourself an Instant Pot with air fryer lid or Ninja Foodi. They can be used and stored elsewhere so don't take space in your tiny kitchen, but they give you tons of cooking options.

[@kirstengolnaz7327]

My main takeaway here is that if you want to boil/steam stuffs, microwave is fadter and cheaper. But if you want them to crisp up, use the more traditional cooking methods. Although I do wonder if you can cook them in the microwave, then finish/crisp them up in the oven/hob? Especially if you're making meal prep to freeze up and eat later in the week.

[@grythm]

Oven also heats your house quite a bit. Depending on the temperature outside where you are, that could be a negative or a positive for your house’s overall energy usage, you might end up needing less heat or you might end up using extra AC.

[@TheJoshSouthy]

For baked potatoes, I always do 8 minutes in the micro then 20 mins in the oven, best of both worlds!

[@terry3213]

Me too ✋️

[@TheJoshSouthy]

@@NS-re6ml ill have to try this one, thank you!!

[@terry3213]

I realised I use an airfryer but it looks like a mini oven - would be interesting to compare the energy costs.

[@vajaradakini]

Personally, I've almost always used a microwave for baked potatoes, but I've heard that one thing you can do is get them most of the way done with the microwave and then put them in the oven for the last bit to finish them up and get a crispy skin in less time.

[@amiralx88]

You are still wasting a lot of energy just to preheat your oven.

[@kickycrowbar]

I pretty much fully cook mine in the microwave then brush a little oil add salt on top and a blast in air fryer for 5 minutes or so and they go nice and crispy

[@clemensruis]

I was thinking the same. Cook in the microwave, then crisp in the oven, maybe even using the broiler/grill mode.

[@fishlordusername891]

I just do them completely in the microwave. Yeah you won't get the crispy skin but it's perfectly delicious

[@SpoopyPants]

Well what I learned today was that an Oven is not as energy hungry as I thought.. I was always a bit hesitant at the idea of keeping an oven on for an hour when it has to keep a high temperature, but 28p for an hour, and my food tastes good? Wicked..

[@SortedFood]

Exactly! It’s not as bad as some people think.

[@Finwolven]

Once it's hot, you've already spent most of the energy. Holding a temperature is massively less expensive energy-wise.

[@bullerfugl]

@@Finwolven I was gonna say this, but of course dependent on how old and efficient your oven is insulated. Also the remaining heat benefits the house temp. so it isnt necessarily "wasted"

[@Segphalt]

It's also not even as bad as portrayed in this video. They did the math as though the oven was cranking out the 800W the entire time it was cooking, it doesn't once it hits the target temp the heating element (the big power draw) gets turned off and remains off until the temperature falls a bit then it turns the heating element back on and the cycle repeats. So as long as you don't constantly open the oven, it's fine as most of that heat stays in there.

[@Cheesyxable]

@@Segphalt That was the the average, most NEW ovens are 3-4 kW, and have 0.8-1kWh average powerdraw/cycle. So, no. They DID the math.

[@alisonscurr4395]

This type of video is much needed in todays energy price hikes. I would love to see a comparison between air fryers and ovens too as everyone had been going crazy buying them and them continually selling out. I have two myself. One I bought years ago and a larger one I bought this year.

[@esmeecampbell7396]

What it really shows is you'll need to cook for years before you actually "pay off" the cost of buying an air fryer compared to just using an oven, and likely the air fryer will break and need replacing before you get to the point where you are actually saving money on it.

[@cwg73160]

jfc “energy price hikes”? Is that what you’re taking away from this video? The energy cost premise was just a way to highlight their cookbook. That’s totally fine, but with the difference only being a couple of pennies, the difference is nominal.

[@mudokin]

@@esmeecampbell7396 Who buys an airfryer to save money on energy, these things are a pure convenice product.

[@esmeecampbell7396]

@@mudokin apparently some stupid people...

[@ojmachine9545]

you'd save more money and be able to cook more at a similar quality by getting a convection toaster oven. the air fryer's claim to fame over a traditional oven is size which means the fan and the element are closer/more efficient. in other words its a convection toaster oven that's harder to clean up and generally has less capacity for the price.

[@bobd2659]

What would be fun (if you can get your hands on one, like I have) is a combo microwave/convection/air fryer oven. For something like a baked potato, it will basically use both the microwave AND heat up as an oven, cook the potato until basically done and use the convection to finish off cooking the skin. Essentially, you get the 'steamed' flesh of the potato, and the crispyish jacket... The product is pretty great since it's small form for doing a 'little' meal, and won't heat up your house like a full size oven does. Single loaf of bread, cakes, small roasts, ...all work great!

[@SortedFood]

Great idea - thank you!

[@bobd2659]

@@SortedFood I've been through 2 countertop ovens (one with a rotisserie)... they are freaking brilliant! Love the full size, but a 1/4 size is SO convenient, especially with convection AND rotation! SUCH an even cook!

[@neko_my_cat]

with this weather and the gas prices i wish my oven would also heat up my home i would just cook everything in there and be a little warmer

[@Starfyrez]

Getting a new microwave/oven combi delivered on Tuesday. My old one finally gave up the ghost after 20+ years of pretty much everyday use. I wouldn't be without one!

[@Whoop0]

How can you have a dual convection/air fryer? An air fryer is a convection oven, i.e. a fan oven just on a smaller scale hence quicker. What do the two do differently?

[@robin_marriott]

My take away from this is that even using the oven is surprisingly cheap. I’ve been avoiding using mine so often since the start of the energy price disaster but knowing that it’s not anywhere near as bad as I thought it was, I’ll start using it sometimes again. It’d be interesting to see the same comparison with an air fryer and the oven (and therefore how long it’ll take people to make their money back!)

[@DimT670]

Remember it really depends on your oven. Many ovens are hideously inefficient

[@esmeecampbell7396]

Even if your oven costs twice as much as theirs through inefficiency and age etc, really what this shows is that there isn't much difference in cost from the most expensive method to the cheapest method even added up over a year...

[@hrani]

Using the oven in the winter has the added benefit of heating up the room it's in! I sometimes make oven food just because it's very cold inside. Wouldn't recommend using the oven at all during the scorching hot summer, though

[@JosefRudy]

@@hrani this reason is one of the reasons I got rid of my gas stove, over long periods of time of cooking in the winter it got way too hot indoors.

[@hybridpheonix6343]

​@@esmeecampbell7396 I mean if you eat 3 meals a day it's a 60$ difference per year

[@Kvb1203]

Would love to see future comparisons with a fryer, airfryer, instapot, slowcooker, kettle, … do the things that make life easier make it cheaper?

[@squadiodatamj5998]

Air fryer vs oven. As I research info (and my need for) an air fryer I see it being used in most cases in situations where I currently use my oven. If the energy use for and AF is considerably less.....I'll make the space for an AF in my kitchen. Maybe I'll store it in my oven....?

[@magiclollyl]

@@squadiodatamj5998 my partner tested the difference, it was 3 times cheaper to cook chips in the air fryer vs oven, but ofc if your meal has multiple things in the oven there's more room compared to an air fryer so it's deffo case by case

[@hannahk1306]

Also, mixed methods, e.g. microwave/oven for potatoes or boiling water in a kettle first for say pasta.

[@HopeinSpades]

The boys have proven that microwaves, even lower end ones like it looks like they're using, have come quite a ways since their debut so long ago and are really earning their place as a serious kitchen/cooking appliance. Good episode! As someone that uses them for essentially all primary cooking, I've learned there's quite a bit to like about microwaves and the following are my general thoughts about them and the one in the video. The one there in the video looks on the cheaper and smaller end and likely cost a relatively small fraction of the cost of the hob and stove they put it up against. If they got a higher end microwave that's also larger I can guarantee they'd have had even better and more impressive results and *still* wouldn't have spent as much money on it as they did on their hob and oven. There is a notable difference between lower end cooking appliances and higher end ones and that goes for microwaves as well, for example, the higher end microwaves will often be designed with technology to actually heat rather evenly compared to the lower end ones. For example, I have a unit which has a cyclonic inverter, which heats both more thoroughly and evenly so you, honestly, don't really get any hot or cold spots (including in the center of thick items). I've been using it as my primary cooking device for well over a year now and hasn't let me down once. It also has a sensor that allows it to calculate when something is cooked, I use that to cook all sorts of things such as full large-sized pizzas, burger patties, and more. It's never overcooked something when using the auto-cook sensor feature or left it undercooked after hundreds of meals and items. It's also large enough to do large family-sized meals and it does all of this in a tiny fraction of the time it'd take to do in an oven or on a hob. The only difference I've noticed is that you don't get the fire/heated-metal sear/texture on things but that can be easily remedied with a fairly cheap hand-held culinary blowtorch for those things you absolutely *must* have that on. As with all cooking devices, once you learn how to cook with it you can create some truly fantastic tasting things, and the higher quality of an item you get the better it'll work for you and the less likely you'll be able to tell the difference between your microwave and something cooked on a hob or the like. The best part in that regard is even a high quality large microwave with the fancy stuff mine has will run you less than even a decent quality hob and oven (it's also infinitely more portable)! I've transitioned to cooking *only* with my microwave nearly two years ago now and I must say, while it had a bit of a learning curve, the sensor cook has offered a great starting point for me to learn from to get things exactly to my taste as well as figure out what an item might need in terms of time or power to adjust things to the taste of others. I've experimented with making so many things and with the sensor cook helping me along the way I'm able to make some truly outstanding dishes now that I know how to better use the microwave. Of course even without it I'd have figured it out as it'd be no different than experimenting and learning on a hob or using an oven, just trial, error, and maybe some reading. The pitfalls I find most fall into are that they expect their smaller and weaker microwave to do a job that's better suited toward a serious cooking appliance, they make the mistake of thinking their low-end microwave is an accurate representation of all microwaves, or they treat their actually good microwave as essentially just as a quick-fix sort of gadget/gimmick item, ignoring the fact that it's a serious cooking appliance and just like any such thing if you learn to use it well you can make awesome stuff with it and not just reheat things or make 'hack' cakes and other similar things. At the end of the day, microwaves are less expensive, they can cook virtually anything just as well as an oven/hob if not better, and they can give you something of a 'kitchen' even in a tiny area. About the only reason to use a hob/oven is for that heat-exposed texture things get to their outsides and if that's worth taking notably more time, money, and effort for you, then by all means. But if you're one of those people that just wants something that does the job well and efficiently then you can use the stove/hob money on an excellent and large-sized microwave and still have plenty left over for whatever else.

[@RICDirector]

Love your comment-it is constructive and educational. Thank you! Might I suggest that 'whatever else' include a good set of Corningware to cook in?

[@dianahellman9254]

For the veggies on the stovetop, you don't need to boil them in a whole pan of water. Just do like what you did in the microwave - small amount of water in the bottom of the pan to steam the veggies. That would have been a more 1:1 comparison. Otherwise, pretty interesting to see the side-by-side results.

[@MissySimpleM]

Totally agreed. One was boiling and the other steaming so it wasn't a good comparison

[@harrodharrod5239]

preferably using some kind of dumpling steamer thingy

[@neko_my_cat]

yeah i would just trow them in the microwave or a steamer way to easy to burn them in the way

[@werdfeefs7027]

Same thing for the udon noodles, too. It felt a little disingenuous. "We're being so accurate and data-driven and look, our potatoes are the same size... Now ignore that we're heating up 25 times the volume of water!"

[@MilwaukeeWoman]

There's still no good reason to steam on the hob vs a microwave.

[@faatman42]

What I like about this episode is that as a trucker I only have access to a microwave or an air fryer that is pretty small. You can get a single burner for cooking in a pan, but that takes forever and is not the safest thing to have exposed heating elements inches away from fabric and plastic.

[@ddgiant]

Would love to see a follow-up using counter top or toster oven and table top pressure cooker (instant pot) and air fryer. Love how you did this comparison.

[@Ein0r10]

I asked myself the same question after the air fryer video, which is probably more energy efficient than the oven's convection function. Then there are also other additional tools like pressure cookers which make the stove more efficient again (if you have those tools ofc). It would be interesting to know at what point an oven catches up, especially when it comes to amount of food cooked, for example tray baked veggies for a family of 3-4.

[@A16AdamWalker]

I'm glad you did this video - I posted something a while back asking about the cheapest way of cooking (energy wise, not food wise) - so it's good to see this laid out. Thanks lads!

[@SortedFood]

Glad you enjoyed this episode!

[@BuonoTomatoSong]

Pre-cook your potatoes in the microwave, then finish them off in the oven for the gorgeous crunch. Much faster, energy efficient, more room in the oven for cooking other things, and also less juggling 'meat is done but veggies not' etc. Also AMAZING for mash - I tried boiling only once and all the flavour was gone, just microwave then mix in water/milk/seasonings or whatever, tastes way better. Same thing for any veg - microwave, then finish off in the pan. It's basically cheat mode steaming. If your microwave sucks and heats things unevenly, just jiggle the container every few minutes or something, or add that little bit of water to help distribute the heat better.

[@DawnChatman]

I've used both microwave & oven for sweet potatoes, par-cook them in the microwave and finish them up in the oven. Great way to save time, energy and still get a great baked taste!

[@Legendwaitfooritdary]

It might be interesting to do a segment on the testing process. Like I wanna know if it has chaotic energy - coming up with an idea, and seeing why it doesn't work, and adjusting things until it does and you get something like the Biscoff cake.

[@isabeladler867]

As a physics (and just a numbers person), I’m so excited and happy that you guys made this video!

[@misticman]

Although it doesnt sound like a lot, Them 5ps, 10ps and 30p's all add up through out the days, weeks and year. Thanks for the comparison.

[@philthymofo]

For the noodles, microwave the noodles and use the hob for the meat - same taste and texture and less energy with only one hob on... that looks SO good - totally trying it.

[@opallise]

What is not considered in this video is how much the oven and hob heat up the room. At this time of year it might be quite nice. In the summer, though, you spend a lot more energy cooling the house back down afterwards. I live in Texas and during the warmer months we use a toaster oven or electric roaster outside or in the garage. I don't how much money it saves, but it sure makes the day more pleasant!

[@CravingBeer]

This just makes me think that when I'm using the oven I really need to cook more than one thing at a time- cook the cake the same time as the baked potato and it gets much better value.

[@modelt8951]

This is something they were not clear about at all, an oven will use more energy proportional to how much stuff you put in - it takes more energy to heat more stuff and therefore the oven will need to kick on to maintain its temperature more

[@CravingBeer]

@@modelt8951 Also bear in mind that the oven will kick out heat into the kitchen, and therefore reduce the amount of energy used to heat the house. It's a lot more complex than was presented here.

[@DimT670]

@@modelt8951 its a very small difference tho, because ovens heat air and the air heats the food, and compared to the volume of the air the volume of the food makes less of a difference

[@modelt8951]

@@DimT670 no, it takes very little heat to warm air, and just an insane amount of heat to warm anything containing water. And the "small difference" is exactly the amount of energy needed to warm that water, its just physics

[@cwg73160]

@@CravingBeer You mean that a 20 min ad disguised as a fun video used to promote their products isn’t very in-depth and complex? Who woulda thunk it?

[@MikeyRussell88]

I use the hybrid method for baked potatoes. 10 mins for a single potato (800w) in the microwave followed by 25-30 mins in the oven (or a halo air fryer) at 200c.

[@carrioncrow8191]

This was a super cool comparison. I liked seeing y’all get some use out of the microwave in ways that some may never think of. I would like to see more recipes that are microwaved, as there are many people out there that do not have full stoves or ovens, and rely mostly on a microwave, toaster oven, instapot, or even crockpot as their main cooking device. Maybe a challenge between the four of you, to select an appliance, and may a days worth of meals out of that single appliance.

[@cwg73160]

“I would like to see more recipes that are microwaved…” Then buy their cookbook or their products. They literally showed the source for their Dan-Dan noodles recipe in the video.

[@RICDirector]

Not the point....I love tje 'pick a cooking method' idea.

[@PixieII]

Very interesting to see a side by side comparison. I'd love to see one against an older oven. People who are struggling to pay for electricity are unlikely to have newer, energy efficient ovens - I know mine is quite 'thirsty' and it's about 15 years old. I'm using my microwave and hob more and more, as the pennies saved each evening meal add up over the month.

[@-_James_-]

The savings are minimal though. Saving 5p a day works out to only £16 per year. Microwaves can be great for convenience, and they obviously make sense a lot of the time, but using them purely to try and save money isn't one of those times. You save far more by not buying a takeaway a few times a year, or skipping the occasional junk food treat.

[@Serperi]

Biggest plus for microwave that i see from this video is definitely the time saved. Especially on bigger things like the potatoes or cake, perfect for mid week food. Or even making mashed potatoes while you cook rest on the hob/in the oven.

[@dancinislivin828]

Haven't finished the video yet, but something that hasn't been mentioned so far is the difference between more and less clean energy sources. If you have a gas stovetop/oven, it's definitionally using non-renewable sources, while a microwave using electricity can be sourced by a mix depending on your energy provider. Obviously an electric hob wouldn't have this difference, but at least in the US gas-powered is definitely still the norm!

[@vsriotact]

Id be interested in comparing an air fryer too. They can be used as tiny electric ovens

[@PassionPi]

Yes, that was my thought the whole video. It's more comparable in terms of actual food quality results

[@simonhillancocacola]

im all over that sprouts hack for christmas thanks Sorted Food team

[@TecPhoenixz]

For a lot of these, it included bringing water to a boil, I've done that in a large glass measuring cup and then moved over to the stove. Just to save energy. I wonder how a mixed use would turn out. Like microwave the potatoes 90% and then transfer to am oven/air fryer to crisp up. I know it can take time to heat up an oven so I figured air fryer might heat up faster.

[@eskieguy9355]

The element went out in my oven while preheating once, so my spritz cookies got microwaved. They were larger & the colors were vibrant. They were still tasty. Nowadays, when I nuke, with the exception of potatoes, I do it at 30%, much more even heating. Things that want steaming go in the countertop steamer, countertop pressure cooker for soups, stove for frying, toaster oven for baking. Loved the video, keep up the good work.

[@TheArtGremblin]

As an Australian, I can't help but also think of the heating/cooling effect of the oven. Sure it's nice to have it heat up my entire home in winter, but without that heat I'd just use a blanket or something. Whereas in summer, there are definitely days where I'd have to turn on aircon to make an hour or two of oven cooking bearable. That's quite the added expense!

[@cwg73160]

As an American, I went to a college football game yesterday. As an American, I met up with a couple of buddies. As an American, we stopped at a bar to have some drinks before walking to the stadium. As an American, I had a lot of fun. As an American, I hope to go again soon. If you’re wondering what being an American has anything to do with what I’m talking about, I’d ask you a similar question.

[@joshuadalton6063]

@@cwg73160 Cmon no need to be snarky. It gives context and in this case important context in terms of if people are aware of Australia's climate. America has a lot fewer percentage of the population living in places that experience such weather swings as much of Australia does. The average american doesn't live in a place that gets to both actual freezing and actual boiling temps, the average aussie does.

[@cwg73160]

@@joshuadalton6063 You shittin me? Are you not aware of the climate diversity in the US? The highest temperature ever recorded in the world was in Death Valley, CA. The American Southwest is a desert, the Plains are a virtual desert during the summer, any state near the Gulf coast is a sauna mid-summer, the Northeast’s and Midwest’s winters are snow cold snow cold snow cold, 66 inches of snow fell during a 24 hour period in Buffalo, NY the other day. Should I go on? And, yes, there is definitely a need to make the point painfully obvious. Maybe you and this person will think for at least a second before posting something next time.

[@cwg73160]

@@joshuadalton6063 Actual boiling temps? You just said that. Wow. Again, there’s a definite need to make sure you have fear of someone making fun of your comment.

[@joshuadalton6063]

@@cwg73160 Those places don't experience weather swings. They are that hot all year round and that cold all year round more or less. I have no fear of people making fun of my comments, I do have sympathy for whatever is wrong with you though that you seem so angry over nothing. Here's a virtual hug though thats all I can do, and suggest you step away from social media for a bit, it isn't healthy to get this angry online over nothing.

[@ghoulofmetal]

another big power saver is to always boil your water in a kettle then pour into your pan, it is both faster and more power efficient.

[@acrefray]

I'll be interested to see if anyone uses some of these ideas during timed battles! Saving 3-5 minutes, or even 1 minute in a 20-30 minute battle could be significant.

[@bcaye]

Of course they have! James won a battle against Ben by doing microwave cake. They microwave potatoes all the time.

[@paulaell9088]

I'd also love to see a comparison with an airfryer, slow cooker, instapot or any other device we use instead of a oven/stove. This was definitely an enlightening video

[@Nokenify]

I love the microwave, it cooks so much faster an efficient- for so many things. But I use my oven every week too, for roasting stuff.

[@elkaiozen]

A nice cheat I use frequently is since potatoes will take 1 1/2 hours in the oven but something like chicken, fish, etc will take less time microwave the potato for ~ 3/4 of the normal time you'd do it for then throw it in the oven to finish. It lets you start both at the same time and minimize the time the oven needs to be on but since it is finished in the oven you get pretty much the same flavor/texture as doing it in there from the beginning.

[@esmeecampbell7396]

I love to see the scientific testing of food, whether it is something like this where you could also compare cost vs how nice it is, to something like an Air Fryer, or whether it is testing different techniques and cooking myths to find out if we actually need to do certain things that the recipes always say. Blind taste tests on as many people as possible are the best way to ensure fair results!

[@marilynalvarez9951]

I usually put my "baked" potato in the microwave for 6 or 7 min then finish it in the oven, kind of giving it a head start and getting the oven toasty flavor. This video has awesome results for sure, great job team!

[@fabe61]

I love not having a microwave in my kitchen because we use the space more productively, but I do see it’s use for those who have different lifestyles. Also I think this is a really great video for you guys to put out as we enter the cold season with incredibly high energy prices. Good on you guys.

[@someonedifferent198]

I have a one person house hold and it really is practical in so many ways. If I want to quickly heat up some soup, way would I put one bowl off soup in a pan?! Then I need to wash the bowl and that pan. Soup in bowl, quick round in the microwave and done. Not practical with more people, but for one 🤷‍♀️

[@JosefRudy]

For me at least it doesn't take up any space as it's hung above the stove so no counter space lost

[@someonedifferent198]

@@JosefRudy Mine is on top off the fridge, easy enough to get to, but way to high for anything else, except I guess storage.

[@diegoarend3281]

This is making me think to get a microwave for my studio apartment where I can't get easy access to an oven. Great insights.

[@i.m.dmented3245]

Really good content, as usual. Thank you. However...I'm missing the blooper reels. 😪

[@SortedFood]

I’ll let the team know :) Hayley @ Team Sorted

[@i.m.dmented3245]

❤️

[@Nrana9]

@@SortedFood Me too, would love to have bloopers for the next videos again! :)

[@RICDirector]

As a not-quite-random note for those having trouble staying warm this winter....if you have the wonderfully soft plush blankets, get a king sized sheet thats fairly tightly woven and make that your outermost layer, so you in essence have a plushy comforter. Or put a regular comforter on top. The idea is to block air movement through your lovely plushy bedding, and even the typical thin polyester jacket lining material can do this really well over the top of your plushy stuff! Stay warm, folks and NEVER vent gas-burning ANYTHING indoors!

[@kateh7484]

How did Barry pick up that jar of microwaved Biscoff without an oven mitt, I would absolutely burn my hand.

[@Fenyally]

i've been cooking a lot with my microwave just because it's so easy and accessible so i absolutely love this video, hope you'll make more of this type of video in the future!

[@someenthusiast]

Cooking with the microwave makes me think that it's better to also invest in torch and metal bowls. A quick kiss of heat from the torch will fix most of the visual and "toastiness" you get from using oven and hobs.

[@creepyloner1979]

just don't use the metal bowls in the microwave.

[@someenthusiast]

@@creepyloner1979 ah yeah. Never had microwave so I didn't think of that one. Better get a big thick metal plate to torch things on then.

[@randallthomas5207]

The “cost” of energy is quite related to the source. If you are using hydrocarbon generated electric power the microwave is producing half as much green house gas. Which needs to be part of the consideration when comparing.

[@JustLilGecko]

It'd be cool to see a slow cooker vs oven vs pressure cooker shootout too!

[@TheLizzerazu]

for those 4 dishes, its a difference of 56p. An average of 14p. If you do that every day. You will save 51£ and 10p for a whole year. In Denmark thats 436 dkk. That is more than enough for a single person to buy food for 1 week or more, if you spend money wisely. That is actually a big thing.

[@nathanbrown492]

One thing that is important to note is that the heat from the oven will partially heat your home, so you can turn down your radiators for example. Microwave + fry for the textured potato skin?

[@ddgiant]

But during the summer you may have to turn up the ac.

[@debeeriz]

an air fryer makes a better baked spud than the oven

[@LaatiMafia]

Which makes no difference in your electricity bill.

[@Blackholebirb]

​@@ddgiant unless you're in the uk, in which case HAH no ac for you :-D

[@MsRainingDays]

That's a very ineffective way to heat your home though

[@klfjoat]

When cheersing the potatoes, saying "To Poppy" is so great!

[@iHelpSolveIt]

I would be interested to see what the cost of an induction cooker would be, as they've been super fast whenever ive been able to use them

[@debeeriz]

they did a review comparing them to gas and though they were quicker on a smaller pan, once you went to a larger pan they did not cook so well on the outer part of the pan, unless your hob is fitted with the larger inductor and just 1 those elements doubled the price of the hob

[@NotNotDoingIt]

It takes 1300W of input power to generate 800W of output for heating. The light and turntable will make up around 30W at most. Also, the microeave was invented originally to thaw mice quickly after they had been frozen in a lab.

[@Octokaizer]

The most important thing I learned from this video is why my vegetables always get ruined when Sidekick tells me to steam them in the microwave. You guys are using 800 watts and the average microwave here is 1200 watts.

[@AG_92]

Isn't is common knowledge that not every microwave oven has the same wattage? You can't expect them to give you the settings for every wattage available.

[@Octokaizer]

@@AG_92 No, but they could mention what wattage they used so that people could adjust it themselves. Kind of common sense to mention that, like every other recipe on the internet and in most cookbooks does.

[@syphonuk]

Air fryer and slow cooker would be other interesting ones to test with compatible food.

[@someonedifferent198]

Please compare a slowcooker to a hob/oven!!! Would love to know the results!!

[@sams-pg7hj]

slow cooker is different though in that it can do things an oven or microwave cannot do, and that is its main purpose. low and slow cooking is not possible or as easy or good on many ovens, and doesnt work in microwaves obviously. microwave vs oven is pretty good comparison because it does a similar process

[@someonedifferent198]

@@sams-pg7hj I don't agree, there are plenty off people that don't have a slowcooker, that put, for example, a stew on the hob in a thick bottom pan, on a low heat for hours. Or put a pot in the oven on a low heat to cook a stew. Same with soups, broths ect. This uses alot off gas or electric and it would be interesting to see how a slowcooker holds up🤷‍♀️

[@cwg73160]

@@someonedifferent198 No. Just no. Slow cookers are much, much more energy efficient and better and than ovens and stove tops for low and slow cooking. How can anyone disagree? omfg

[@someonedifferent198]

@@cwg73160 woow, if you reread I say nothing about energy efficiency of the slowcooker. Sam s stated that the slowcooker has a totally different purposes. I took this as you can't make the same dish on a hob/oven as in a slowcooker. My answer simple stated that many people do just that. And before the time over the slowcooker everyone did. Since the series is one comparing energy output, I think it would be a very interesting, eyeopening comper. I have not stated my opinion on the energy efficiency of this, but I do believe the slowcooker would smoke the hob/oven and be far more energy efficient.

[@bubbapuddles]

It's neat that it's tiny amounts of difference in price, but if you multiply it out to a population of people you're saving a great deal of energy and water consumption. 😊👍

[@The_Keeper]

0:55 Well, technically, Physics is just applied Math. Also, to get the "authentic" baked potato from a microwave, just give it 10-15 minutes in the pre-heated oven in the end. Gets you the same result as an oven baked one, in half the time, using half the energy.

[@AG_92]

Not really, there's extra energy used due to the preheated oven just for the potatoes.

[@joeglover]

Thank you for being so thoughtful in your content curation and creation. This is perfect for the times we're in right now, and deeply impressive you'd put such effort into helping folks.

[@mccorama]

I'd be interested in a set of flipside recipes/demos where the microwave fails.

[@AJ-jl5gi]

I absolutley love this video. It's always cool to see math and science being practically used in something we use in our everyday lives but also with the state of the economy across the world atm, as you guys said, it all adds up. That $40 someone saves a year could be the difference in whether their kid gets to go on a school trip or not. Absolutley would love to see more experiment-style videos like this!

[@sultaz]

I'm really happy to see this comparison but you didn't put enough emphasis on time. If I have to cook something for 60 minutes that I need to periodically check on so it doesn't burn vs 4.5 minutes with minimal oversight, that is way more valuable than money saved from the cooking cost. Also, I'd be interested in seeing microwave/oven/air fry comparisons. I have a 3-in-1 and knowing what situations are best to use each function would be interesting.

[@DL-rr1tx]

You could use a wired probe thermometer. Even if you don't, you'd know the cooking time after making the baked potato once.

[@jadespider7526]

One thing about ovens...you're heating the air, and you're heating a much larger volume of space. They hinted at this with the potatoes...you could have done a dozen potatoes in the oven. Or a whole turkey, or 2 casseroles side by side...or 3 tins of cake at the same time for a triple layer cake. The Microwave is for efficiency in small batches, the oven is for scaled production.

[@queencabbage3689]

Love it when the boys get scientific!! Really enlightening - thanks for doing this

[@ukgroucho]

The other thing to play with is a Remoska (or one of the copies that are out there). Basically a tabletop 'oven' that uses a maximum of 400w (or 600w for the family size one). I bought one as a recommendation for our campervan but I use it in the house frequently when I'm just cooking for the two of us... roast chicken, baked potatoes, reheating (e.g) faggots and gravy etc. The roast chicken (well usually a couple of chicken legs and drums or a crown in our size Remoska) are very good - always moist and delicious. The bigger one can take a complete chicken I believe.When you look at energy consumption from a fan oven and want similar results on a smaller scale there things work really well.

[@niallsheridan3704]

Brilliant piece guys! Especially as the costs of energy going up is a concern for many. Some more of the same please. Can you kindly also do a comparison with an air fryer please?! Many thanks for the fun and education - keep it going!!

[@colinwebb5018]

I had no idea the difference between the two. Thank you. I would like to see more videos like this. Very informative. Cheers

[@frizzyhairedbandit3590]

With the cost of living crisis in the UK where pennies are important, I would say this is so important to know, I really hope you guys do more videos like this :D I'll be certainly using some of these hacks. I do wonder though, would microwaving the potatoes to cook them and then finishing them off in the oven to crisp the skin be much more expensive?

[@aimeedoodle8905]

I love the focus on less waste. How about extending that towards single use plastic? A plate can cover the bowl when steaming, and why would I need a pastry bag for cake batter?

[@PAPAYADRANK]

Really fascinating video, and its interesting to see microwave being treated as a legitimate cooking method, in its own right to its own strength, and option rather than just a time saver to be decried in "real" cooking!

[@ToriJaneIsAmazing]

I have a microwave brownie recipe that I've used since I was a kid when I first learned to bake, and it's always my go-to dessert when I don't want to put in too much effort and want something sweet. it doesn't get as fudgey as an oven brownie, or get the crackly top, but it definitely hits the spot when I need it!

[@nitegloss]

An excellent test! I'm so glad you guys did this! Thank you! And you guys are adorable as always! Thank you for the laughs!

[@asquithmainlines699]

I bought a Breville convection Smart Oven ( air Frier ) a year ago. Since that day I have only used my big oven once. It will roast a whole chicken, bake three loaves of bread at a time, a cake or a tray of Cinnamon buns. It pre heats in about two minutes and has 13 different functions. I have always wondered though how it compares in cost to using it.

[@TheSafirdragon]

It may only seem a few pence to the team, but when your struggling with the cost of living crisis and watching your prepaid meter use up your last amount for this week, its absolutly a life saver

[@atthelord]

Extraordinary video! Not just are these great hacks, but also very informative. Do one with an air fryer as well.

[@LadyRenira]

As much as I love the new style, I admit I do miss the bloopers.

[@PrimevilKneivel]

Thank you! this is something I've been certain of, it's nice to see it put to the test. I'm still going to cook more traditionally, but I use my MW whenever it makes sense.

[@kirsty7721]

Great video for the current escalating cost of living around the world and those that have limited time & equipment. Extra bonus points for showing how great that noodle dish came out. This video is a pretty good starting point for people interested in alternate cooking methods. PS. Big applause for the legends that put all the research and effort into this one. It's a complicated topic.

[@connor1586]

As someone who thankfully doesn't have to go down to pennies in budgeting the takeaway here is the time savings the microwave can give you (Brussel sprouts especially).and using less water to steam things, opening up the space in the oven for the things you can't do at all in the microwave.

[@sullychow4123]

More controlled experiments and stats like these please. Loved it. And very relevant.

[@pookhahare]

There are microwave crisp and grill pans. I do like you all are adding microwave options to the recipe packs. That is an encouraging thing to try one.

[@JesssL]

One thing (for me) that is an added bonus to using the oven or using the hob to cook, is that it similtaneously warms up the house a little and keeps me from turning on the heater!

[@patti1044]

I really appreciate this - the microwave is a great tool if used correctly, being mindful of the advantages and limitations.

[@lesleyplunkett5290]

When I don't feel like cooking using the oven or stove I am going to say I am conserving energy! Great video

[@jasonwilliams1713]

I've always liked this channel but in the past month, you guys have reached another level in these vids. Fought it for a while but I'm buying the new CBA book and the Sorted app after sharing this. Thanks for renewing my passion for homecooking for my family and friends. Cheers. ❤️👨🏾‍🍳