Cost of cooking with a microwave compared with an air fryer in 2024
With spiralling energy bills, Brits are desperate to cut down on costs where possible - so let's start in the kitchen.
Air fryers have quickly become a household staple, sending Brits into a frenzy with their sleek design and convenience. Cookbooks for air fryers have dominated the bestsellers list, whilst viral TikToks demonstrate just how versatile the mini machines are. They sit on a pedestal once occupied by the good old-fashioned microwave, which was long deemed a cheaper alternative than turning on the oven.
But, which one of these appliances should you be using if you want to cut down on costs? The Mirror compares the two kitchen gadgets together, based on data from the January 1 price cap.
How much is an air fryer?
Depending on their size, power usage, and design, air fryers sit in a vast price bracket - ranging from less than £20 to more than £300. For example, Argos is currently selling a Cookworks nine-litre dual air fryer for £100 - whilst a Vencier two-litre alternative from Amazon will only set you back £19.99.
For anyone who isn't living alone, it's worth investing in an air fryer much larger than the latter. Small, two-litre versions will only have room to cook one meal at a time and aren't really suitable for families.
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How much does an air fryer cost to run?
Uswitch told the Mirror that, under current energy prices, cooking with a 2,6000-watt air fryer (like the Cookworks one) for 10 minutes would set you back 11.8p - which works out at 71.1p per hour. For a smaller 1,000-watt device (like the Vencier) you'll be paying 4.6p for every 10 minutes or 27.4p per hour.
So, if you're cooking a jacket potato for dinner that takes an average of 40 minutes in the air fryer at 200C - you'll be spending between 18.4p-47.2p depending on the power of your air fryer.
How much is a microwave?
You may already have a microwave that's been collecting dust over the last couple of years - but households wanting to invest in a new appliance can expect to spend anything from £40 to over £100. Again, this is dictated by size, power usage, and design. Asda, for example, is selling a 17-litre microwave with six different power settings plus a defrost option for just £47.
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How much does a microwave cost to run?
Uswitch states a 700W microwave (like the Asda one) will only set you back 3.2p per 10 minutes, aka 19.1p per hour. If you're cooking a jacket potato in this kind of microwave, you'll only need around 7-10 minutes - meaning you could be spending less than 3p to cook your dinner (but won't get that crunchy skin Brits love).
As microwaves don't need to 'heat up', they can cook food much faster than air fryers or conventional ovens, saving you cash when it comes to food such as jacket potatoes, mug cakes, individual ready meals, and re-heating leftovers. A happy compromise could be cooking your food in the microwave and then popping it in the air fryer for a few minutes to crispen it up.
However, if you're making larger and more complex meals or cooking for large groups - microwaves lose their value. In his podcast last year, Martin Lewis explained if you're cooking something like a Sunday roast where many items need heating, using an oven could actually be cheaper than a microwave or air fryer. It's also worth noting that whilst air fryers cost more per minute to run, they offer greater versatility and can cook more food at once.
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