How much does it cost to use an air fryer?

AIR fryers are all the rage, bringing you a quick dinner that’s also healthy – but how much do they cost to use?

You can buy a new air fryer pretty cheap if you know where to look, so the purchase shouldn’t break the bank – but you might be wondering if it will add to your energy bill.

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Home Bargains is selling a nifty four litre air fryer for £45 – nearly £30 cheaper than rivals.

Even cheaper than that is Aldi’s £30 version.

And B&M shoppers even spotted another copy slashed in price at the bargains store, after the devices started to attract so much popularity.

But it’s important to factor in how much it’s going to cost to run once you’ve found a home for it on the kitchen counter.

The good news, is it’s not much.

Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch said: “While it could cost around 12p to cook chicken in an oven, it would cost about half that in an air fryer.” 

That could be welcome news to homeowners, particularly as energy bills are set to rise after the new price cap came into effect today.

Most households now have to fork out almost £700 a year more than before for their gas and electricity.

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There’s plenty of other price rises on the way too, from tax bills and broadband tariffs to the groceries in your next food shop.

So cutting costs from the way you cook dinner could be a welcome way to save some pennies.

We explore exactly how much it would cost to have one of the quirky devices in your home.

How does an air fryer work?

When you use an air fryer, the food goes in a tray or basket and then the machine gets to work.

A heating element provides the heat needed while a fan distributes this around the food, helping it cook quickly and evenly.

Between the heat and the drying effect of the fan, the food will become crispy – and plenty of people consider it to be a much more healthy way to prepare dinner.

How much does it cost to use?

The answer won’t be the same for everyone, as what you pay for electricity will depend on your tariff and also how large and efficient your appliance is.

As with any appliance, a newer model is likely to be more efficient, and be cheaper to run than an older version.

The power of an air fryer is measured in watts, and this determines how much energy it uses – and the cost of using it.

But the more powerful the appliance, the quicker it will cook your food too.

The equation you need to work out the cost of using any appliance is: Cost = power (kilowatt) x cost of one kWh (pence) x the length of time (just the one off meal, or over a week or month.)

Some of the cheaper models will typically use around 900 watts.

And you’re probably going to need to use it for around 20 minutes to cook your dinner to perfection.

Under the new price cap a kWh, which is 1000 watts, of energy costs 28p, but the short time you’ll need the air fryer on means it won’t be quite so costly to run.

The experts at Uswitch told The Sun that if you used a 900-watt air fryer for 20 minutes a day, it would cost about 6p per meal.

A larger 1,500-watt air fryer used for around the same amount of time, would cost roughly 10p per meal. 

So if you used the smaller fryer five days a week for a year, that would cost a total of £15.60, and around £26 for the larger model.

Is it cheaper than using the oven?

Don’t assume that your new gadget is going to save you money as well as calories.

Uswitch’s Sarah said: “Depending on their size, some air fryers are similar in power to an oven, but the difference is the amount of time you need to use them.”

For example, it can take 20 minutes to get your oven up to temperature, but most air fryers will be ready in just three minutes.

Plus, the cooking time in an air fryer is usually shorter because the area area is smaller, so heats up more quickly.

Two boneless chicken breasts may take 15-18 minutes to cook in an air fryer, compared to half an hour in an oven.

Sarah said: “That means the appliance won’t be draining energy for as long a period, which could mean less of a strain on your bills in the long run.

Ovens aren’t the biggest energy suck in the home, but they do guzzle a fair amount of electricity, especially if you use them often and for long periods of time.

An air fryer will be smaller and more energy-efficient than a full-sized oven, so you could save money on your bills if you used it for your midweek meals, and save the oven for a single batch-cooking session at the weekend.

We explore how much it costs to run a slow cooker, for example.

And we take a look at how much it costs to run a microwave too.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk