As the UK swelters under a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures hitting 37.1C in Cavendish, Suffolk on Friday afternoon, experts have pinpointed the optimal times to use your oven without turning your kitchen into a sauna. The Met Office extended a rare red weather warning in London and south-east England until 9pm on Friday, as one in five homes in England already overheat during such conditions, a problem expected to worsen with extreme temperatures.
Best Times to Use the Oven
Appliance experts at Hisense UK recommend cooking during the coolest parts of the day to minimise heat build-up indoors. The ideal windows are early morning before 9am, when outdoor temperatures are at their lowest, and late evening after 7-8pm, as the air begins to cool. These periods are suitable for roasting, baking, or batch cooking without adding heat during peak daytime temperatures. Conversely, they advise avoiding oven use between 12pm and 5pm, the hottest part of the day, when it can most noticeably increase indoor discomfort.
Smarter Cooking Strategies
Chloe Blanchfield, Product Marketing Manager at Hisense UK, said: "Heatwaves don't mean you have to stop cooking at home, it just means being smarter about when and how you do it. Simple changes like shifting oven use to cooler parts of the day, cooking in batches, and planning meals that work across multiple days can make a noticeable difference to both comfort and energy use."
Beyond timing, Hisense recommends batch cooking—preparing larger portions in a single session to reduce oven usage. One-tray recipes that combine ingredients on a single baking sheet cut cooking time and heat output. Keeping the oven door closed is crucial, as every opening releases heat into the room and forces the appliance to work harder. Planning meals that can be served cold or at room temperature, such as pre-prepared salads or chilled dishes, further reduces the need to cook during hot spells.
Technology to Help
Hisense also highlights AI-powered recipe tools that can suggest dishes based on available ingredients, helping households minimise unnecessary cooking sessions. By adopting these habits, households can continue to enjoy home-cooked meals without exacerbating indoor heat during extreme weather events.
