Getting your kitchen summer-ready

Make sure your fridge freezer is keeping up

Your fridge freezer works harder in summer. Higher room temperatures mean the compressor runs more often to maintain safe food storage temperatures, which pushes up energy use.

A few things worth checking now:

• Check the door seals — if they're loose or cracked, cold air escapes and the compressor works overtime. Close the door on a piece of paper; if it slides out easily, the seal needs replacing.
• Pull the unit out and vacuum the condenser coils on the back. Dust build-up makes the fridge less efficient.
• Make sure there's a gap of at least 5cm behind and above the unit for airflow.
• Check your fridge temperature is set between 3–5°C. Every degree colder than it needs to be wastes energy.

Switch up how you cook

Nobody wants to stand next to a hot oven when it's warm outside. Summer is the perfect time to use smaller, more efficient cooking appliances instead.

• An air fryer uses far less energy than a full-size oven and heats up in seconds — ideal for quick midweek meals.
• A slow cooker lets you prep in the morning and come home to a finished meal without heating up the kitchen.
• If you're using the oven, batch cook — make the most of the heat by cooking multiple dishes at once rather than firing it up several times a week.

For the meals that do need your main cooker, induction hobs are worth knowing about. They only heat the pan itself, not the surrounding air, so your kitchen stays noticeably cooler.

Keep on top of laundry efficiently

Longer daylight hours and warmer weather mean you can make the most of outdoor drying. But when you do need the machines, a few habits make a difference:

• Wash at 30°C — modern washing machines and detergents are designed to clean effectively at lower temperatures. Heating water accounts for around 90% of a wash cycle's energy use.
• Only run full loads. Half-loads use almost the same amount of water and energy.
• If you're using a tumble dryer, use the sensor-dry setting if your machine has one — it stops the cycle when clothes are dry rather than running for a fixed time.

If you have a washer dryer, remember that the drying capacity is typically half the wash capacity. Overloading the dryer cycle means damp clothes and wasted energy.

Give your dishwasher some attention

Summer entertaining means your dishwasher gets a workout. A bit of maintenance keeps it running at its best:

• Clean the filter — it's usually at the bottom of the tub. A clogged filter means poor cleaning and longer cycles.
• Run an empty hot wash with a dishwasher cleaner once a month to clear grease and limescale.
• Use the eco programme for everyday loads. It runs at a lower temperature for longer, which uses less energy than the quick wash — even though it sounds counterintuitive.

Think about the air in your kitchen

Cooking, washing, and drying all add moisture to the air. In summer, this can make your kitchen feel stuffy and even lead to condensation issues.

• Use your cooker hood's extraction setting while cooking — not just for smells, but to pull moisture out.
• Open windows when possible to create a cross-breeze.
• If your kitchen tends to get humid, a small dehumidifier can make a noticeable difference to comfort and help protect your units and worktops.

A summer checklist

Here's a quick summary of everything worth doing now:

• Check fridge freezer seals, temperature, and coils
• Use smaller appliances like air fryers and slow cookers instead of the oven
• Wash at 30°C and dry outdoors when you can
• Clean your dishwasher filter and run a maintenance wash
• Make sure your kitchen has good ventilation
• Consider whether any older appliances are due an upgrade

Small changes add up. A kitchen that's set up for summer runs more efficiently, keeps food fresher, and is a more comfortable place to be — whether you're cooking for one or hosting a barbecue's worth of guests.