Cool Cooking In Hot Weather

 

I am getting ready to cook some breakfast. Cooking in my kitchen does not make my apartment hot. I use a single induction burner (Duxtop) and no heat is around it at all when cooking. The pan gets hot and the food cooks but the area around it is not hot at all. Plus it heats up quickly and takes only a few minutes to cook my food. One of the things I really like about it is that I can use my cast iron skillets on it. The smaller sizes work best due to the size of the cooking area on the burner. I have three different sizes and one nonstick skillet that I use for eggs, as well as a stainless steel egg poacher.

Cooking Bacon in the NuWave

The NuWave convection oven (the one with the amber dome) is my oven and it doesn't heat up the kitchen much either. I can make anything that you make in a regular oven in that. I have used both of these for over 8 years now and have no issues to complain about. I did replace the heating element a couple of years ago (bought a used one on eBay). Other than that it has worked fine for me. They say it uses 75% less electric than a normal stove's oven would. The dome does get hot so when cooking with it I am careful not to touch it.

Instant Pot

Another cooking appliance I use quite often is the Instant Pot. I can cook so many things in that and it does not heat my kitchen up either. Instead of cooking a roast or ribs in a regular oven for a long time the Instant Pot can cook it in short amount of time. Plus meat usually comes out so tender. I also hard boil my eggs in it and make soups and stews. Foods that usually simmer for hours are done so much faster and are just as good. I have even made my own homemade yogurt in it. Using the saute option you can also brown your meats in it before closing it to pressure cook it. You can leave your food in it and just keep it warm till you want it. I have done that many times.

Hot Logic

Another item I use to heat food is the Hot Logic. I do not cook food in it though you can and I did when I first got it. I put leftovers in it a few hours before I want to eat them. They will heat up and stay warm until you want them. It does not give off any heat on the counter or anywhere near it. I use a Pyrex oven dish to heat the food in with a piece of aluminum foil over the top. It is a good way to keep a meal warm until you want to eat. Most of the time I cook more than I will eat at my meal so I put the leftovers in the Pyrex oven dish and store in the refrigerator. The next day I put the dish of leftovers in the Hot Logic and plug it in. That is all I have to do. Later in the day I have my hot meal ready to eat! 

Crock Pot/ Slow Cooker

I sometimes use the crock pot. It is a good appliance to use when you just want to put something in and forget about it. The area around it does not heat up. Nor does the counter it sits on. Mine is not a fancy one with all the bells and whistles. It gets the job done anyway. I missed the Hamilton Beach one I had a long time ago. So I got this one and am happy with it. It is another good option for a meal on a hot day when you do not want to heat up your house. 

In the end I use all these appliances at various times. Hot or cold weather. It doesn't really matter to me. They all use less electric than a conventional cooking range. They do not heat up the kitchen while you are in the process of preparing a meal. For me that is a big plus! When you are older and/or have health issues the heat can be a concern. Yet I still need to prepare my meals and I like to cook. Always have. There are many more electric appliances that I wish I could use but my kitchen as you can see is very small and has limited storage space. All my pans are stored in the oven of the stove since I do not use it for cooking. And I think these appliances do just about everything I need. No need to skip meals or eat sandwiches in the hot summer time! 

Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2026 Kathleen G. Lupole