oven Archives - usatoday24

My PC case makes what’s inside an oven. I want one with good airflow and this is the one I have on my radar

May 22, 2026 by usatoday24

I assembled my PC in parts back in 2021. Five years have passed and, since then, I have been little by little changing some parts. First it was the graphics card and later came the sudden change: I jumped to DDR5 with motherboard, processor, new air cooler and RAM memory (yes, before prices skyrocketed). The box is the same and that has been a problem lately: my PC is an oven if I demand a little from it. He airflow (i.e. airflow) of it is not good enough for the configuration I have right now and I think it’s time to change. For several reasons that I will explain a little below, the one I have had in my cart for a few hours is this Corsair Air 5400 RS-R ARGB: costs 156.50 euros. That its RRP is almost 280 euros is one of these reasons, but not the only one. CORSAIR Air 5400 RS-R ARGB Triple Chamber Panoramic Mid-Tower PC Case – 3 Pre-Installed RS120-R ARGB Reverse-Rotor Fans – High Flow and Low Noise Ducting – Black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A box with good airflow and cable management system Let’s go in parts. The first reason I like this box is not the most important, but I love its design. Both the front and the side are made of tempered glass, allowing you to see the interior at all times. In fact, they are two independent panels that connect and both can be opened. This allows you have much more space and leeway to remove components or to clean the inside (something I have to do constantly because I have two cats at home). The above is combined with a cable management system that is not only quite tidy and easy to place, but it remains hidden. Since you have a box with a very cool design that allows you to see what is inside, it is better if it is with the fewest cables visible. However, the best thing about this box is that it has a triple chamber design. What does this mean? Which is designed so that the parts that generate the most heat (such as the graphics card, power supply or processor) have an independent air flow that allows them to be well cooled. It is worth mentioning that the box includes three 120 millimeter air intake fans, although it has enough space to place three more of these, both in the front and on the top. All of this combined with the fact that it is currently historical minimum price It makes it a box that seems to me to be one of the best options available right now. You may also be interested CORSAIR Air 5400 LX-R RGB iCUE Link Triple Chamber Panoramic Mid-Tower PC Case – 3 Pre-Installed LX-R RGB Reverse-Rotor Fans – High Flow, Low Noise Ducting – Black The price could vary. We earn commission from these links CORSAIR Air 5400 RS-R ARGB Triple Chamber Panoramic Mid-Tower PC Case – 3 Pre-Installed RS120-R ARGB Reverse-Rotor Fans – High Flow and Low Noise Ducts – White The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Corsair In Xataka | Best laptops in quality price. Which one to buy based on use and seven recommended models In Xataka | Liquid cooling or air cooler? What to choose so that your CPU doesn’t smoke without having to spend a fortune

Europe throws away 16 billion a year in electronic waste. Spain has just turned on the first oven in Europe to recover them

May 17, 2026 by usatoday24

Those cell phones, computers and small devices that are gathering dust in a drawer and ending up in a landfill contain valuable minerals such as copper, silver and platinum inside, which also end up there. Every year in the Spanish state almost 930,000 tons of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are thrown away, which makes Spain the sixth state on the continent in generation of this type of waste. according to data from the UN E-waste Monitor by 2024. Of these, less than half is documented and recycled waste. In a context in which rare earths and critical minerals are a strategic resource of which Europe wants to achieve sovereignty, Spain has taken a step forward with a CSIC pilot plant pioneer in the old continent: a furnace capable of melting that electronic waste to extract valuable metals from it. The pioneer oven. A few days ago the National Center for Metallurgical Research of the CSIC inaugurated in Madrid the first European pilot plant capable of recovering critical metals from electronic waste using a submerged lance furnace, which exceeds 1,200 °C to melt electronic waste. The milestone was formalized with the first experimental casting of metals obtained directly from electronic waste and obtained materials such as copper, gold, silver and platinum in a clean and efficient way. In conventional furnaces, the heat comes from the outside, but in this case a metal lance is introduced that injects oxygen and fuel directly into the molten bath, which generates intense turbulence that mixes and homogenizes the material, accelerates chemical reactions and improves energy efficiency. Why is it important. Because every year Europe generates millions of tons of electronic waste containing copper, gold, silver, platinum and strategic minerals necessary for the energy transition and digitalization. A part of them is not recovered: it is lost or used outside the continent. The facility in question is an advance in advanced pyrometallurgy and the management of waste from electrical and electronic equipment that shows that it is possible to treat this waste in Europe, thus preventing the associated economic value from leaving the continent, which allows the raw materials to be reincorporated into the European production chain itself. In addition, it connects directly with the Critical Raw Materials Law of the European Union, which fixed that at least 25% of the critical raw materials consumed by the EU by 2030 must come from recycling. The EU is currently heavily dependent on imports of critical raw materials, often from a single supplier, which poses a serious geopolitical risk in the form of dependence on strategic sectors such as renewable energy, digitalisation and defence. Context. The generation of WEEE is out of control and breaking records. According to the UN international waste observatoryin 2022 the world generated 62 million tons, 82% more than in 2010, but less than in 2030, when the estimated figure is 82 million tons. Europe takes the cake: in 2022 it was the region with the highest volume of WEEE per inhabitant with 17.6 kg per person, of which only 7.3 kg were recovered. But that garbage is money: the UN E-Waste quantifies the economic value of those 62 million tons at 91 billion dollars a year. If of this global total of WEEE, 13 million tons of garbage per year They belong to Europe. Calculated proportionally, it would be equivalent to losing about 19,000 million dollars annually due to poorly managing these materials (about 16,340 million euros at the exchange rate). While we search for deposits and accelerate their exploitation in a sector dominated by China, we have a deposit pending to be exploited: the “urban” mine with WEEE recycling. The situation regarding WEEE in Europe in 2022. UN E-Waste 2024 How it works. He submerged lance furnace is based on the ISASMELT processso that the raw materials only need to be pre-mixed, there is no need for fine grinding or drying, which simplifies the feeding with materials as heterogeneous as WEEE. The separation of materials is based on the difference in densities: once the waste is melted, copper and precious metals such as gold or silver tend to sink to the bottom of the reactor due to their greater density, while the slag (which is non-metallic) floats on the surface, which makes extraction simple. The project has been possible thanks to a public-private collaboration between CENIM-CSIC and two companies, the European copper smelting giant Atlantic Copper and the metallurgical company Glencore Technology. Yes, but. The CENIM facility is a pilot plant, not an industrial plant, and this leap in pyrometallurgy is not exactly small: engineering issues must be resolved such as the management of the gases emitted in the process or the useful life of the furnace’s refractory materials, among others. And this project may find its political framework in the Critical Raw Materials Act, but this It’s more of a statement of intent. than anything else: it does not have a roadmap nor has it made available new funds to accelerate these initiatives. However, the biggest problem is not in the oven, but in recycling or the absence of this: 46% of WEEE and the critical materials it contains are lost before reaching any recycling facility, simply because collection is poor. There is little point in developing highly efficient recovery technology if electronic waste ends up mixed with organic waste in the brown container. Or if it is exported outside of Europe. The real bottleneck remains collection. In Xataka | Mortadelo and Filemón work for the CSIC: TIA agents explain the history of science to us with their comics In Xataka | The CSIC wants to create quantum solar energy capable of self-regulating its temperature. His inspiration: painting Cover | yasin hemmati and Nathan Cima

turn a neighborhood into an unbearable oven

April 4, 2026 by usatoday24

In some cities around the world, the shape of a building has come to alter its environment greatly. more than expected: from skyscrapers that generate dangerous winds at street level to facades capable of concentrate sunlight as if they were giant mirrors. Contemporary architecture, in its search for recognizable icons, has shown that even the most invisible details can have very real consequences. From icon to problem. At the end of the 20th century, the city of Los Angeles decided to build one of the most ambitious concert halls in the world and commissioned the project to Frank Gehryalready converted into a global figure after the success of Bilbao Guggenheim. The result was the Walt Disney Concert Halla shiny, curved steel building that promised to redefine contemporary cultural architecture. However, in this commitment to formal spectacularity, the a basic factor: the actual behavior of materials in a dense urban environment. What should have been an icon became a source of risk, capable of reflecting sunlight with such intensity that it turned nearby streets and homes into authentic ovens. The invisible failure. The problem was not simply aesthetic, but physical. Some of the stainless steel surfaces, especially the more polished ones with concave shapes, acted like parabolic mirrors capable of concentrating solar radiation at specific points in the environment. This effect, amplified by execution decisions that altered Gehry’s originally intended finish, generated extreme glare and raised the temperature in nearby areas to dangerous levels. What on paper was a play of sculptural light became a real thermal phenomenondemonstrating how small deviations between design and construction can trigger unforeseen consequences in large-scale projects. Heat, complaints and public alarm. Shortly after its inauguration in 2003, the complaints from neighbors and workers of nearby buildings. The main problem? The reflection of the sun on the façade generated heat spots that They exceeded 60 degrees Celsius, affecting homes, sidewalks and even traffic, where drivers reported dangerous glare. The building, intended as a cultural symbol, began to be perceived as a threat urban. The local press documented how some areas became practically uninhabitable during certain hours of the day, turning the work into a paradigmatic case of how iconic architecture can fail when it ignores its impact on the immediate environment. An unusual solution. In the face of growing public pressure, the solution was as radical as it was symbolic: sand the building. Specialized teams subjected part of the façade to a process “sandblasting” to remove the polished finish and reduce the reflective ability of the steel. In practice, this meant physically altering one of the most distinctive features of the original design. And although Gehry defended that the problem derived more of the execution From conception, the episode made clear that even the most celebrated works can require drastic fixes when they come into contact with reality. As various media reflected at the time, the icon had to be “domesticated” in order to coexist with the city. Lessons from a partial failure in modern architecture. The case of the Walt Disney Concert Hall It was neither a structural collapse nor a total failure, but it was a strong warning on the limits of spectacle architecture. He demonstrated that formal innovation, when not accompanied by a deep understanding of factors such as solar radiation, the urban environment or real materials, can generate problems as serious and unexpected. Not only that. It also highlighted the fragility of the balance between aesthetics, engineering and habitability in contemporary architecture. The legacy. There is no doubt, today, the concert hall continues to be one of the most admired buildings in the world and a cultural reference in Los Angeles. But his story carries an uncomfortable lesson: even the most prestigious architect and a client with unlimited resources can overlook the most essential. In their search for a global icon, they forgot for a time that architecture is not only looked at, you also live. And in this case, for a few months, living near the work could mean something as simple and brutal as enduring unbearable heat generated by the building itself. Image | Pexels, Wally Gobetz, Slices of Light In Xataka | If the solution to the housing crisis is to “build high”, Spain has the best possible example at hand: Benidorm In Xataka | If the question is whether a skyscraper can be erased without demolishing it, Paris has the answer: yes, in exchange for a fortune

If it consumes more, turn on the oven or air fryer

October 21, 2025 by usatoday24

Every time the electricity bill arrives, we look at it with more attention than before. It is no longer enough to turn off the lights or unplug the cell phone charger: now cooking has also become an energy decision. Between hobs, ovens and air fryers, the kitchen has become the new battleground for savings. In recent years, the air fryer has come to staypromising lighter and faster meals. But the question remains in the air: does it consume more or less than the traditional oven? The modern dilemma. They may both cook with hot air, but their way of doing it makes the difference. The air fryer, Endesa explainsit works more like a miniature oven than a classic fryer. Its trick is to circulate hot air at high speed within a small compartment, achieving fast and uniform cooking. The traditional oven, for its part, heats a much larger space and needs to maintain the temperature for longer.And that’s the crux of the matter: the larger the volume, the more energy is expended. According to Naturgy, Although the oven is not the device that consumes the most electricity per year – barely 4% of the total – its specific power is one of the highest, and this can be noticed when the light goes up. Data and euros on the table. The power figures help to understand it better. An average air fryer has a power of between 1,000 and 1,800 watts, which is equivalent to a consumption of 0.8 to 1.5 kilowatt hours (kWh) per time of use, depending on the model and time. Meanwhile, a conventional oven has a higher power of between 2,000 and 5,000 watts, and with an average consumption of 1 to 1.5 kWh per use, although it may be higher for long cooking times or high temperatures. To understand it better, it is worth looking at how much it costs for our pocket. According to TotalEnergiesusing an air fryer for half an hour costs between 11 and 23 cents, depending on the model and the electricity rate. On the other hand, an electric oven can double that amount, especially if used at high temperatures or for more than an hour. Cooking a kilo and a half chicken at 220°C for just over an hour, for example, can cost around 30 or 40 cents. depending on the time zone. And although it may seem like little, consumption multiplies when it is used frequently or long preheats are performed. In addition, the oven requires preheating – between 10 and 15 minutes – and loses up to 25% of heat each time the door is opened, according to the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU). Small gestures that increase consumption without us realizing it. The CNMC remember that the real cost It depends on the price of the kilowatt hour (kWh) at any given time. In 2025, the average domestic price in Spain is around €0.14/kWh, although it varies significantly between peak and off-peak hours. Therefore, rather than focusing only on the appliance, it is advisable to cook in the cheapest sections or take advantage of the residual heat, small gestures that can reduce final expenditure by up to 20%. Does size matter? That’s it the secret of the air fryer: a compact compartment that concentrates heat and reduces cooking time. The hermetic design and constant circulation of hot air allow it to reach temperatures of up to 200 °C in just a few minutes, which shortens times and prevents heat leaks. Therefore, for small portions or individual dishes, the air fryer wins by a landslide in efficiency. Of course, the most modern ovens have also learned to save. Those with energy class A or B and convection models with internal fan can consume up to 60% less than the old ones, and if their full capacity is used – cooking several dishes at the same time or using duo trays – the cost per serving can be very competitive. Beyond appliances. Efficiency not only depends on the appliance, but small gestures – such as not opening the oven while cooking, taking advantage of residual heat or planning several recipes at the same time – can reduce energy consumption. up to 30% annually. Unplugging small appliances when not in use avoids “phantom consumption”, and choosing appliances with an A or B energy label is an investment that pays for itself in a few months. In the words of the CNMCadapting use to the most economical schedules can mean savings of between 9% and 15% on the annual bill. The future is served. The air fryer has democratized energy efficiency in the kitchen. It is compact, clean, fast and economical. But the oven, far from disappearing, retains its throne as a versatile and robust tool for lovers of traditional cuisine. Ultimately, the savings do not depend so much on the device as on the use we make of it. Image | FreePik and Pixabay Xataka | Dreame no longer wants to be just the vacuum cleaner brand. Your order to conquer the home: washing machines, refrigerators and even ovens

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