Have you heard about air fryers and how they may be cheaper to run than electric ovens and other cooking methods?

But what is the reality? Are air fryers really cheaper to run? And if so which model of air fryer should you choose?

In this guide, well explore how much electric fyers cost to run, whether or not they offer the cheapest cooking method and how to choose the best model.

Air fryer running costs quick summary:

• On average an air fryer will be cheaper to run than a standard electric oven.
• Make sure to choose an air fryer with the right capacity to meet your cooking requirements.
• Choosing an air fryer that is too small will mean using it for longer periods, which defeats the entire purpose of the exercise.

How much does it cost to run an air fryer?

There are a number of factors that influence the total amount of electricity an air fryer uses, these include:

• The type of air fryer i.e. the exact model.
• Power of the air fryer (measured in watts).
• Running time.
• Energy efficiency of the air fryer.

However, as a working example, consider the following:

If you had an average 1,400 watt air fryer that is large enough e.g. an air fryer large enough to cook three portions of food (based on the average UK household size) and used it to cook food for around 30 minutes, you could expect to pay 24p each use.

That means it will cost around £1.68 a week or around £87 a year to run an air fryer that is 1,400 watts and used for around 30 minutes.

These estimates are based on the new Energy Price Guarantee, that puts electricity at around 34p per kWh (exact amount varies depending on tariff and other factors explained here).

How to tell how much it costs to run your air fryer

As mentioned, there are many variables that comes into play when determining the running costs of an air fryer and in reality the only real way to tell is take the following steps:

• Check how much you are paying per kWh of electricity by referring to your energy bill and tariff.
• Check your smart meter before using your air fryer.
• Refer back to your smart meter after use to see exact how much electricity the appliance used and cost to run.

With this method, you can also check and compare how much it costs to cook with different appliances you have in your home e.g. by cooking with your microwave and air fryer and comparing the difference in running costs.

How to calculate the energy used by an appliance

You use the following formula to calculate the energy used by an appliance:

Power rating in kilowatts x hours used per day = kWh per day.

Therefore, for a 1500W air fryer, you would use the following:

1500W x 1 hour = 1.5kWh.

You use the following formula to calculate the energy cost of an appliance:

kWh per day x unit cost = cost of electricity each day.

For example:

If you had a 1500W air fryer and used it for an hour, it will use 1.5kWh.

So, if your electricity costs 52p per unit (which is the new price cap from October), then multiply 1.5kWh by 52p and you get a grand total of 78p.

The latest energy price cap placed the cost of electricity at 52p per kWh.

Is it cheaper to run an air fryer than an electric oven?

Air fryers use less energy and will cook food faster than the average/standard 2100W electric oven.

This is mainly due to the fact that ovens take much longer to reach their maximum temperature since they are bigger.

However, it’s important to use an air fryer that has enough capacity to cook the volume of food you will need to cook, otherwise you may end up using the air fryer for even longer than you would your oven, in which case, you will likely make no savings at all.

Therefore, it’s essential to choose an air fryer that is large enough for your requirements.