Energy-saving products
There are many energy saving products available on the market, improving your energy efficiency and, in turn, helping you save money.
At Ebico we recommend the following products, available from Nigel’s Eco Store…
July 2010
Kenwood 2 Slice Toaster – eco slot saves 50% of the energy of normal toasters
Kenwood eco toaster
The Kenwood Moda TTM100 Toaster has a smart stainless steel silver finish, and is more eco friendly than other toasters, as its Eco slot means it’s possible to toast 1 slice at a time, saving 50% of normal toaster energy.
You can also lift toast anytime without cancelling with its peek and view function.
Frozen, cancel, bun warming rack and variable browning functions mean it’s a pretty good toaster in any case.
Features:
Offer:
Buy a Kenwood 2 Slice Toaster and receive a Free Shower Coach Shower Timer (worth £4.99) at Nigel’s Eco Store
To claim your free shower time, enter the promo code EBITOAST in the checkout where prompted.
Offer valid until 30th July 2010 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer (case sensitive).
Shower coach shower timer:
As water conservation becomes ever more important, this great water saving device will train you to save water when having a shower. The Shower Coach Shower Timer times exactly 5 minutes, showing you when it’s time to turn the shower off. Usually £4.99
Price: £38.99 plus p&p
July 2010
Review of Kenwood 2 slice toaster with eco slot, by Jane Dines
What does it look like?
Well I know this isn’t the most important factor but on the other hand it doesn’t need to look boring or dull just because it’s saving energy!
Actually it’s very good looking - with a hint of the retro about it. The finish is chrome which will accommodate any kitchen style; it’s the push down lever that gives it the retro feel and I really liked the illuminating buttons for “cancel” and ”ecoslot”.
What’s it all about then?
Well, other toasters automatically heat up both slots when toasting but if you’re only having one slice of bread that’s obviously a total waste of energy. I must admit I’d find it very difficult just to go for the one piece of toast but in the interests of this review I put it to the test – and readers you’ll be delighted to know that it worked! You don’t really need scientific tests to prove that you’ve just used 50% less energy when only half has been heated up. You just press the ”ecoslot“ button to ensure that only one side heats up. Case proven. On to the next bit…
But does it toast well…..
A resounding YES. I plumped for setting number 4 – just the right shade of brown and even toasting on both sides. Other settings adjusted well and of course the shade of brown is all about personal choice. You can toast bagels, muffins and frozen bread too.
Special Effects
Well apart from the most important one (the ’ecoslot“) it has a cancel button but best of all ”Peek and View“. If you’re slightly worried about the browning levels you can use the carriage lever to take a sneaky look but this doesn’t cancel the toasting process. Very clever. Once your toast or bagels are ready they automatically pop up but you can lift them higher by using the same carriage lever to ensure you can get a good grip of that lovely warm toast.
Enjoy
Highly recommended.
Offer:
Buy a Kenwood 2 Slice Toaster and receive a Free Shower Coach Shower Timer (worth £4.99) at Nigel’s Eco Store
Price: £38.99 plus p&p
June 2010
The New Eco Kettle – makes a great cuppa and saves even more energy and money
This is the latest version of the innovative Eco Kettle, it's improved and easier to use, and still has a unique double chamber that gets you to measure out only how much water you need, saving electricity, water, money and time, making it better for the planet… and yep, you still get to have a great cup of tea.
The eco kettle has been one of our favourite and bestselling eco products, and an essential for any eco friendly kitchen or workplace.
This one is a 2.2kW kettle, which beats the old one's 3kW, and it looks better too. Typical energy savings: 31%.
Price:
White: £29.99 + p&p
Chrome: £39.99 + p&p
Temp control version: £47.99 + p&p
Price: £29.99 upwards
June 2010
Eco Kettle review, by Phil Levermore
This month the task has fallen to me to carry out the energy saving gadget review. This month we’re looking at the ECO2 Kettle (model number LD201A) which is quite appropriate, really, as there are fewer bigger tea drinkers than me!
The Look and Feel:
Whilst very similar in design to the earlier version of the ECO Kettle, the basic white and grey plastic construction of the ECO2 is made to look rather more stylish with the addition of a chrome knob on the top. This has the dual function of being the latch which opens the kettle lid and also the plunger which opens the valve between the reservoir and the boiling chamber (more of this later). This large chrome knob gives a positive feel to the action of opening and closing the kettle lid.
Function:
The main selling point of the ECO2 is that it has two water chambers. The translucent reservoir, holding up to 1500 ml can be filled to the top from the tap. Once it is charged, pushing down on the chrome knob opens a valve between the reservoir and the smaller boiling chamber at the front of the kettle which is also translucent and clearly scaled in 100’s of ml. In this way you can transfer to the boiling chamber only the exact amount of water that you need to boil. Since only the precise amount of water is being boiled, the kettle uses only sufficient energy to boil this - thereby saving the energy that is used in other kettles to boil water unnecessarily.
If the kettle is used in this mode, then the reservoir stays cold and further water transferred from it to the boiling chamber the next time that it is time for tea!
The maximum amount of water that can be boiled in the boiling chamber is about 725ml (or about two and a half mugs-worth in our Ebico office kitchen). If you want to boil more, then the chrome knob is pushed down and twisted to the locked position. In this mode, all the water in both chambers is boiled.
The Test:
We drink quite a lot of tea on the Ebico office, so the ‘road-testing’ of the ECO2 Kettle was comparatively easy to arrange. However, to make it a bit more objective, I compared the performance of the ECO2 with our new office kettle - a bog standard kettle with no eco claims. In the comparative test, I boiled 3 mugs of water (825ml). Our office kettle is rated at 2.9kW and the ECO2 Kettle at 2.2kW. In any kettle, there is a delay between the water boiling and the kettle switching-off. In this boiling period the energy used by the kettle is wasted - being used to make steam, so I wanted to see how well the ECO2 performed in this regard too.
The results were as follows:
Heating water to 100 degrees Celcius:
ECO2 Kettle
Time(Sec) 147.5
Energy(kWh) 0.09
Cost(Pence) 1.35
Office Kettle
Time(Sec) 116.4
Energy(kWh) 0.093
Cost(Pence) 1.4
Wasted making steam:
ECO2 Kettle
Time(Sec) 0.009
Energy(kWh7#41; 0.14
Cost(Pence)
Office Kettle
Time(Sec) 10
Energy(kWh7#41; 0.008
Cost(Pence) 0.12
The ECO2 is a little more efficient than our office kettle, using about 3% less energy to raise the temperature of tap water to 100 degrees Celsius. However, there was a slightly longer delay between the water boiling and the kettle turning itself off (you could, of course, turn it off yourself). To put the difference in energy use in context, if we boiled our office kettle 2500 times in a year, then switching to the ECO2 would save us about £1.50.
Conclusions:
The ECO2 performed well against our standard office kettle in this very limited test. However, what I could not test quantitatively was the impact on energy use of the main feature of the ECO2, namely the precise way in which exactly the right amount of water, and no more, can be boiled. In a household environment, this could prove a very key feature. One of my colleagues in the office, here, tells me how her husband always fills their home kettle to the brim - no matter how much hot water he needs! So, if your household are, by their nature, energy wasters, then this is probably the product for you.
To purchase the kettle and receive a free EGG Gas Guardian for the fridge, see our gadget of the month here.
Price: £29.99
May 2010
Chimney Pillow – stop chimney draughts with this inflatable energy saving gadget
A Chimney Pillow (also known as a chimney balloon) is a simple, cost-effective way to stop chimney draughts, reduce noise and heat loss, so saving energy and making your home warmer. Easy to install and remove, a chimney pillow is an inflatable bag made from a special laminate that makes them airtight, tear-resistant and long-lasting.
It‘s been specially designed to stop cold draughts, and to be easily positioned, whilst allowing a little ventilation up the chimney. It‘s completely safe: if heated it shrivels up.
You can also get a mouth inflation tube so you can still inflate it once it‘s up the chimney.
Benefits
Available from Nigel’s Eco Store
Price: £18.99
April 2010
Automatic Radiator Bleeder – throw away your radiator key and feel the extra warmth
This radiator bleeder is easy to fit and automatically releases air from any central heating radiator, ensuring that only hot water remains and so maintains maximum heat.
During normal running of the central heating, air can build up in the system, reducing radiator heat and efficiency. This is fixed by bleeding the radiators, but by fitting the Auto Vent, radiators are bled automatically, without you needing to do anything.
The result is a hot to the top radiator from the same energy, and lower heating bills.
Fitting is simple and requires only an adjustable spanner. Usually only one Auto Vent is required*. Available in two models, standard and micro - that fit all known radiators.
* Only one Auto Vent is required, as usually one radiator is prone to the air problem more than the others in the system.
The HV30C operates vertically and horizontally on 1/2" tappings.
(This is the one to choose for standard home radiators and modern towel rails).
The Micro operates on 5/6/7 mm 1/8" and 1/4" tappings.
(For specialist design radiators, such as cast iron radiators, some towel rails, Quinn (Barlo) radiators, and Center radiators)
For more information visit Nigel’s EcoStore.com
Price: £9.99
March 2010
Ecobutton – reduces your computer’s carbon footprint and saves you money, with one small click
This great USB device enables you to power down your desktop computer every time you take a break (long or short), at the touch of a button - saving you money, electricity, and helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
Every time you take a phone call, go for a meeting or a break, simply press the Ecobutton® and your computer and monitor are put into the most economical sleep mode available - almost the same as when shut down. Press any key on your keyboard and your computer instantly returns to where you left off.
Save up to £50 and 135kg of carbon per year.
Price: £14.99
February 2010
The Ecoflap – saves energy by stopping draughts coming through your letter box!
The Ecoflap fits on the back of your letter box, and is designed to exclude draughts and inhospitable weather from your home. It's quick and simple to install, and starts saving you energy straight away.
Ecoflaps replace the brushes, seals and outward opening gravity flaps on the inside of the letter box, traditionally used to help keep draughts out. The difference is that an Ecoflap is totally draught proof and adjusts automatically to any size of delivery - up to A4 and including thickish newspapers and magazines.
More Info
Price: £19.99 Plus P&P
December 2009
Heatkeeper Radiator Panels – fit these, be warmer and reduce heating costs by 20%
Make your home warmer, and reduce your heating bills by up to 20% when you fit these Heatkeeper Radiator Insulation Panels behind the radiators in your home. They work by reflecting the heat that would normally be lost behind your rads back into the room. Using them will cut your carbon emissions and improve the efficiency of your central heating. The panels can be cut to size, are long-lasting and simple to fit. They come supplied with easy-to-follow fitting instructions and double sided self-adhesive tape.
With proven energy savings of up to 20%, the cost of installing Heatkeeper Radiator Panels in a typical home can pay back in less than a year. Heatkeeper panels are available in packs of 10 (for 4 to 5 radiators) or 20 panels (for 8 to 10 radiators).
Price: £36.97
November 2009
Radiator Booster Mk2 – cut your heating bills and make your home warmer (as seen on Dragon’s Den)
A Radiator Booster is an innovative, eco friendly product that uses a small fan to capture the heat that comes out the back of your radiator, circulating it better into your room. It will heat your room faster, save lost energy, and reduce your heating bills.
Simply place a Radiator Booster on top of a standard domestic radiator, and plug it in. It’ll heat your room more quickly, allowing the boiler to shut down sooner, saving heating time and cost by as much as 50% – all for a running cost of about 30p a year!
It’s adjustable in size, has a built in thermostat and could save an average household between £70 and £140 per year.
Price: £19.99 incl VAT
October 2009
Wind Up Solar Torch
Barracuda Wind Up and Solar LED Torch – two power sources in one powerful, waterproof torch.
The Powerplus Barracuda is an ultra bright wind up and solar powered LED torch which combines two renewable energy sources at the same time. Charge it up from the sun or use the dynamo handle to wind it up.
It has 3 ultra bright LEDs which give a powerful light. Waterproof to 5 metres and protected by tough rubber bumpers.
Price: £14.99 incl. VAT