The cost of running an air fryer in December 2023 compared to an oven
Air fryers have blown up in popularity over the last few years - but do they really save you money on your energy bills?
As millions of Brits across the country looked to cut their energy costs many turned to the air fryer to help. The small kitchen gadget mimics a little oven rather than a deep fat fryer as it works by circulating hot air around the food to cook it. Due to its size, the appliance is sold as being much cheaper to run than using an oven.
Air fryers have been hailed as the go-to energy-saving appliance for the kitchen but in reality is it a money-saving alternative? Mirror Money has compared the cost of running an air fryer - alongside the cost of buying one - against the conventional oven to see which is cheaper.
In this price guide, the Mirror has used data provided by the money-saving guide website Look After My Bills which is based on Ofgem's October 2023 price cap.
How much does an air fryer cost?
There are also two types of air fryers - basket-style air fryers and air fryer ovens. Basket-style air fryers usually have one or two drawers where you place your food to cook whilst air fryer ovens often come with rotisserie accessories and bake functions. The cost of an air fryer can vary from as low as £50 to anything around £300.
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How much does it cost to run an air fryer?
Firstly, it's very important to know how much energy your appliance uses as this will dictate how much it will cost to run. Air fryers can range from 800W to 2500W and the higher the wattage, the more expensive it will be to run. You also need to consider how often you use it and how much you pay for your electricity.
According to data from Look After My Bills based on Ofgem's October 2023 price cap, if you have an 800W air fryer, your running costs will be roughly 11p per 30-minute use, or £39.40 per year. If you run a 1350-watt air fryer for 30 minutes, it can cost you around 18p. This would rack up a cost of £5.40 a month and £64.80 a year.
An air fryer with an energy level of 1550W would cost 21p per 30-minute use. This equates to a cost of around £6.30 a month and £75.60 a year. A larger air fryer with an energy level of 1750W will cost 24p per use has a monthly cost of around £7.20 and an annual cost of £86.40. If you have an air fryer with 2,470W this this will set you back around 33p per use, £9.90 a month and around £118.80 a year.
It is also important to be aware that smaller-wattage air fryers do not hold as much food as the larger ones so you may need to do several rounds of cooking. This would in turn increase your energy costs.
How much does it cost to run an oven?
According to Look After My Bills, the cost of running an oven depends on several factors. This includes its energy rating, how often you use it, size and set temperature and whether it is powered by gas or electricity.
Under Ofgem's current price cap, the cost for electricity is set at 27p per kWh and the cost of gas is 6.8p per kWh. This means the cost of a gas oven will be significantly cheaper than an electric one. You also need to take into consideration pre-heating time on top.
The average kitchen oven has an energy wattage of between 2,000W to 5,000W and according to Look After My Bills calculations, a gas oven with an energy rating of 2,100W will cost around 7p whilst an electric oven will cost around 28p. Over the month the gas oven will cost around £1.20 to run whilst the electric will cost around £8.40.
Annually, a gas oven at this wattage will cost around £25.20 whilst the electric oven will cost four times at at £100.80.
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