Energy saving 2-plate and 4-plate electric cooking hob

[Update 20/02/2023: We have added more information and confirm this product is still available]

Cooking is a vital part of everyday life and there are a variety of methods to cook food or boil water. Using electricity is the preferred mode of cooking where it is available. South Africa uses an estimated 215 billion kWh of electricity annually, the 18th highest user of electricity in the world. According to a publication by ESKOM a typical 2-plate stove (2 kW) gets used on average 3.5 hours a day, 30 days per month. The monthly cost to a household for this type of appliance is second only to geyser usage. On-going very significant increases in the cost of electricity in South Africa will have a dramatic effect on all electricity users and day to day cooking will become unaffordable to millions of households. The demand for electricity peaks when households need to prepare meals resulting in electricity outages.

In our investigations we stumbled upon a product called the ECONOHOB. These hobs have been tested by accredited testing bodies including, SANAS, SABS, Proudly South Africa and ESKOM and approximately 20,000 of these hobs have already been sold. The biggest of these installations were at the Eco Project in Witsand, Western Cape Coast, where they are successfully used.

Pictured below are the ECONO-MINIHOB – Energy Saving 2 x Plate Stainless Steel Hob and the ECONOHOB – Energy Saving 4 x Plate Stainless Steel Hob.

The CSIR invited the ECONOHOB in the International Cleantech Open Competition for Breakthrough Innovation, run in conjunction with COP 17 in Durban, December 2011 and they were placed runners up in this Category out of 41 applicants.

So what makes this hob special? Herewith a rundown of its advantages over existing models:

Energy Savings up to 60% – Compared to conventional, expensive 3 phase Hobs.

Competitively priced at half the cost of conventional Hobs that are not energy savers.

The ECONOHOB uses only 6 amps (4-plate) & 4 amps (2-plate) of power respectively in cooking mode.

Based on an example of a 5000 RDP housing development, savings would amount to 5600 MWh per annum and reduce Carbon Emissions by 516 million kilograms per annum.