1) Minimise hotplate usage.

The traditional cooking style still applies with conversions - using the hotplates less (or not at all!), will save you on running costs. As soon as your lids are lifted, the heat escapes quickly and your AGA Cooker will start to 'fire' up to replace that lost heat.

2) Use your ovens as much as possible.

Aga cooker owners tend to live by the 80/20 rule, or 7 minute rule. 80% of cooking is to be done in the ovens, or anything over 7 minutes on the hotplate can be cooked on the floor of the ovens. You can use the floor of the roasting oven as an 'internal hotplate'. For example, if you're boiling a pan of tatties, start them on the hotplate then once boiling, move them into the roasting oven and close the hotplate.

3) Bring food to room temperature before cooking.

If you whack a big dish straight from the fridge/freezer into the ovens, it will almost instantly 'suck' all of the heat out (heat which you'll pay to replace!). To avoid this, make sure you let dishes completely defrost or reach room temperature before cooking, when appropriate.

4) Make your own 'hot water bottles'

Search for smooth, large pebbles and place them into the simmering oven. After a short while, carefully take them out, wrap them in a towel and they'll warm your lap when you're reading the newspaper or watching TV. Smaller pebbles can be put in your pockets as DIY hand warmers or to pre-warm your wellies before a trek out in the cold.

5) Replace your appliances

If your Aga cooker is on, use that radiant heat to dry clothes instead of using a dryer. Instead of using your George Forman to grill sandwiches, use the simmering plate. Keep your kettle on the warming plate or trivet to reduce the amount of time needed to boil.

6) Simmer microwavable food.

Whenever you are using microwavable food - use your simmering oven instead! It may take longer but anything labelled as 'microwave safe' can be used in your simmering oven.

7) Invest in Lid and Warming Plate covers.

Fabric covers for your domes and warming plate can help keep some heat inside. Admittedly, the official word from AGA Rangemaster, is to make sure you don't leave these on 24/7. A lot of owners oppose this and have used them 24/7 for years without issue. We have to warn you though, because every Aga cooker is different. Your lids might run hotter than others!

8) Use a 'stove fan' on top of your shroud or between the hotplates.

We have use these before. A simple stove fan, perched on the top of the shroud on our 13amp Aga cooker. It whirled away using the ambient heat, pushing the warm air further into the room, rather than losing it to the skylight above!

9) Upgrade your Lid and Door Insulation and Seals.

Traditionally, your lid domes and doors would be filled with standard Rockwool insulation (the same stuff used in attics!). Newer 13amp models, Controllable on/off models and some refurbished models already have upgraded ceramic insulation inside. If you think you have old insulation inside, you can upgrade to high density Ceramic Fibre Insulation. With much higher insulating properties than rockwool, you'll leak less heat and therefore save money! If your door/lid seals have lost their soft spongy texture and are hard or brittle, consider replacing them to make sure you have a good seal around your ovens and hotplates.

10) Convert your Aga Cooker to controllable electric.

It may seem like an investment but the payback can be as little as 2 and a half years! You can read more about the available conversions, with pros and cons for each, but the simple summary is - you can turn individual parts of your Aga Cooker on and off to save energy usage. Time your cooker to switch off overnight but reach full temperature by breakfast. Turn your hotplates off completely or upgrade to an induction hotplate for instant heat and reduce the running costs even more.