Microwaves don’t get a lot of respect: People worry they are a health risk (they aren’t, unless the door doesn’t close properly), and they tend to cook things unevenly. But they are by far the most energy efficient way to cook food, using only 3 units of energy to an electric oven’s 16. For best results, read your microwave user’s manual carefully–it has great tips on how to get the most out of it. You’re not going to be able to microwave everything, but you can use it for more than just heating up your morning coffee. Find more information on our blog.