How much does it cost to run an air fryer? Will it save you money?

Air fryers have become a kitchen essential in many households because of ease and healthy cooking benefits. But should you make the switch to an air fryer to keep energy costs low? We look at how much it costs to run one and how to make use it in the most cost effective way.

The energy price guarantee of £2,500 has been extended until the end of June, but remember, the more energy you use, the more you will be charged. And with energy bills more than double what they were last winter, it’s a no-brainer to try and save energy where you can, including in the kitchen. 

Households are already taking measures to keep energy costs low, like using energy at off-peak hours and investing in an air fryer. But how much does an air fryer cost to run? We find out if you should welcome the new addition to your kitchen to keep costs low. 

How much does it cost to run an air fryer?

The cost of running an air fryer can vary between 11p and 28p per day, depending on the model you own, how often you use your air fryer and how powerful it is. 

If we translate that into a year's cost of running an air fryer, that’s £40.80 based on 11p per day and £124.08 based on 28p per day. 

How powerful the air fryer plays a big part in how much energy it consumes. The average air fryer uses 800 to 2,000 watts. 

The newer air fryer models are more energy efficient so they might cost less to run, and the more powerful air fryers need less cooking time. 

This is how much it costs to run an 800W air fryer, based on the current 34p kWh, according to calculations done by our friends at GoodTo.com (opens in new tab). 

• 13.6p per use
• £4.13 per month
• £49.56 per year

Here’s how much it costs to run a 1400W air fryer:

• 23.8p per use
• £7.24 per month
• £86.88 per year

If you opt for a dual air fryer which comes with two compartments to cook it, it uses double the energy, some going up to 2,000W. 

Air fryers have proven to be so popular that they have left retailers' shelves empty, and air fryer recipes are taking social media by storm. For example, this TikTok video (opens in new tab) on how to make garlic butter potatoes has had over 600k views and has been shared over 7,000 times. 

Which is cheaper to run, a microwave or an air fryer?

A microwave is cheaper to use than an air fryer, with its daily usage cost being approximately 8p per day for a 700W microwave, according to GoodTo.com (opens in new tab).

This works out to be £3.43 per month and £29.16 per year if used every day. 

A high-power (approx 1,200W) microwave costs around 13.3p per use, £4.04 per month and £48.48 per year to run.

But it’s worth remembering that an air fryer and microwave are used for different purposes, so it’s common to use both. For example, you use your microwave to reheat food like a ready meal and you use the air fryer for frozen onion rings or potato waffles.

Which is cheaper to run, an oven or an air fryer?

Air fryers are cheaper to run than conventional ovens, simply because ovens use a lot more energy, between 2,000 to 5,000 watts on average. This can vary depending on what heat the oven is on. 

According to colleagues at Ideal Home, it costs 21p an hour to run an average oven (0.63kWh).

Don’t forget, people love air fryers because of how quickly they cook food which means they use less energy. A bag of frozen chips takes 20-25 minutes in an oven, whereas in an air fryer it takes 8-20 minutes. 

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Air fryers are generally cheaper to use than an oven because food takes less time to cook. 

To save energy, make sure you are only keeping them switched on for as long as they are in use.”

Should I invest in an air fryer?

If it’s something that your household will make use of, then it’s worth the money in the long run. Don’t assume that all air fryers are expensive. 

The cost of air fryers can vary from as low as £30 to over £300 depending on the model you go for, the number of baskets they have and its capacity. 

For example the Philips (opens in new tab) and Ninja (opens in new tab) branded air fryers have proven to be popular on the pricier end of the scale. Or you could just as easily go to B&Q (opens in new tab) or B&M (opens in new tab) to bag an air fryer at a more affordable price. 

Before investing in an air fryer, consider how big or small your household is and whether it would be practical, as the capacity of an air fryer is quite small compared to an oven.

What foods should I avoid in the air fryer?

Although the air fryer is great for frozen foods like chips, chicken dippers and potato waffles, it’s not ideal for raw foods and some snacks. 

Some food items don’t cook properly in the air fryer and some could even result in the air fryer not working properly. Here’s an insight into what you shouldn’t put in the air fryer, according to our sister site Goodto.com (opens in new tab). 

Cheese

When cooking a pizza or lasagne in the oven, the biggest challenge is cooking the inside and not burning the cheese on top. In an air fryer, because of the high temperature the cheese could burn before it melts and cooks inside properly. The other risk is, the oozing of the cheese could get stuck in the air fryer and will be difficult to clean. 

Popcorn

Cooking popcorn in the microwave is one thing, but putting it in the air fryer poses a fire hazard as the corn could get wedged inside the air fryer, and this will stop it from working properly. An air fryer also does not reach a high enough temperature to pop the corn. 

Pasta

Reheating a pasta dish in the air fryer is acceptable. But you cannot cook raw pasta in the air fryer, as pasta needs to cook in water and you can’t put water in an air fryer. 

Burgers

As an air fryer cooks food in a small, confined space, its high heat will cook the outside of the burger quicker than the inside, leaving the inside of the burger fairly raw. So, your best bet is to put them in the oven. 

Leafy greens 

Food like spinach or lettuce are not ideal foods to put in the air fryer, as they will get tossed around in hot air and are likely to burn. But, you can put kale in the air fryer with some oil, to make kale chips. Ensure you drizzle a good amount of oil on the kale, to weigh the kale down.