Rising energy costs have sparked interest in air fryers, but are they worth the hype? Reduce your energy costs with the tips below.
Top rated air fryers are rare and are selling out as people jump on the cheap and healthy cooking bandwagon.
And with energy costs high, it’s no surprise that households are convinced of the long-term value of an air fryer.
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However, if you consider the initial purchase costs and the amount of food you want to cook along with other factors, the air fryer might not be cheaper than a conventional oven.
Our friends at The Money Edit have put the oven against the air fryer to the test and find out which is cheaper.
But first, consider our other articles on home energy saving, including electric heaters vs. radiators, wood-burning stove vs. central heating, fan heaters vs. oil-fired heaters, dishwasher vs. hand washing, and our audit on how to save on energy bills.
Furnace: running cost
Among most kitchen appliances including microwave, oven and air fryer, the oven is known to be the most expensive to operate.
On average, conventional ovens use between 2,000 and 5,000 watts of energy according to Direct Energy (opens in a new tab).
But it depends on what temperature you have the oven at, because the higher the temperature, the more energy it takes to heat the oven.
Calculations made by EnergyBot revealed the following for the average oven usage costs:
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Use | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Day | 3kWh | $0.30 |
| Month | 91.2 kWh | $9.13 |
| Year | 1094 kWh | $109.51 |
The advantage of ovens is that they can absorb a lot of food. With most ovens having two to three shelves, you can put a tray of lasagna on one and garlic bread on another to cook at the same time. So it’s worth looking at what works for your household – how much you cook and what portion sizes. A meal that you could put in the oven all at once, with a cooking time of 30 minutes, might require more work in the smaller air fryer.
But beware, heat is easily lost with an oven, so you need to take that into account as well.
Yahoo Finance reports that you lose 50% of your oven’s heat each time you open the oven door, so the oven uses more energy to return to the desired temperature.
There’s also preheating time to consider, so it’s wise to know how long it takes and put your food in as soon as you can, to save energy.
Air fryer: running cost
The cost of running an air fryer depends on a few factors, such as its power, capacity, and cooking time.
TechRadar reports that an average 1500 watt air fryer used for 30 minutes will consume 0.75 kWh. Meanwhile, an average 3000 watt oven will use 1.5 kWh for the same 30 minute period.
Air fryers range from 800 watts to 2,000 watts, and the more powerful they are, the more they cost to operate.
The cost of buying an air fryer can range from as little as $100 to around $500, according to Today. The brand you choose and its potency play an important role in the price.
The dynamics of your household will make the difference. Consider how many people you live with and cook for as well as your portion sizes.
Although air fryers cook cheaply, they are a small compartment to put food in and may require you to cook in two or three turns, costing you double or even triple.
Most air fryers suggest seating three to four people, but that’s pretty general and depends on what you’re cooking. Only you know how portion sizes work in your home.
If you want to spend more for a bigger compartment or even get a dual air fryer that comes with two compartments, you might benefit. However, these models are more expensive and also cost more to run, as they require double the energy.
The verdict
Generally, an average air fryer is cheaper to operate than an average oven. The difference is about 50% less total energy used, not even taking into account the shorter time needed to cook in an air fryer vs an oven.
But if you have a much more powerful air fryer, you could use almost the same energy as an oven.
And the main factor is the amount of food you cook. If you know that one compartment in an air fryer won’t be enough for your family size, you might be better off using the oven where you can cook food in one go, rather than two or two. three different intervals.
With air fryers, remember to add the original purchase price to your price savings comparison. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are a great time for deals that will help with cost savings over the life of the air fryer.
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