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Q:I'm a newly divorced man living on my own for the first time and I've got a simple question. Since I only cook just for myself most of the time, I want to figure out which costs more to use: My electric toaster oven or my full-size natural-gas oven. Like, when I bake chicken. I know that electricity is more expensive, but does the smallness of the oven compensate? (Posted May 9, 2008)

A: Good question. You probably won't notice a difference in your gas or electric bill either way. Each method has its energy-saving plusses and minuses. A toaster oven heats up faster, so it's good for preparing foods with shorter cooking times. The longer the food needs to be in there, though, the less advantage the small oven has over the full-size one.  The big oven has the advantages of being insulated and having a door that closes well while most toaster ovens have neither.

If you want to do the most to reduce your toaster-oven cooking energy, get a model with convection baking, so foods cook faster. If you're after the method that uses the least energy, a microwave oven is a great option for many cooking, reheating and defrosting needs. Good luck in this new phase of your life.

Rachael is a business development specialist at Efficiency Vermont. To find more energy saving tips or to submit a new question about energy use in your home or business, visit  www.efficiencyvermont.com/askrachael  or call, toll-free: 1-888-921-5990 to speak with a customer service representative.