How much does an air fryer cost to run? I ran the numbers so you don’t have to...

If you’re yet to join the air fryer party or want to upgrade to a newer and bigger device, you might first want to ask yourself how much it costs to use an air fryer.

When it comes to shopping for the best air fryer, you often see quotes in the product description that says: “this air fryer is 65% more efficient and energy saving than using a traditional oven.” But is this actually true?

It goes without saying that air fryers have taken over the kitchen. These mini-ovens take up less room in your kitchen, use less oil than traditional frying methods, and make delicious food for multiple people at a time. One of their main selling points is how energy-saving they are, particularly compared to the best ovens.

But how much do they really cost to run? Are they actually cheaper and more energy-efficient? I decided to work it out to see how much you’re really saving when you run an air fryer.

How much does it cost to own and use an air fryer?

Before we get into the nitty gritty, it’s important to calculate the initial cost of buying an air fryer. Depending on the model, manufacturer and size of air fryer, you could spend as little as ￡30 and as much as ￡350. For example, leading air fryer brand, Ninja offers its smallest air fryer for a price of ￡99.99 and its largest air fryer, the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer, is ￡269.99. Compared to an oven, the outright cost of an air fryer is significantly cheaper as the former will typically set you back ￡150 - ￡2,000.

In terms of general usage, whether your air fryer is cheaper to run and how much it’ll cost overall varies from appliance to appliance and household to household. But there’s an easy way to work out the cost of your air fryer.

First, you’ll need to check its wattage, as that’s what an air fryer’s power is measured in. Depending on the brand and model, air fryers typically use 800 - 2,000 watts of power. To calculate how much electricity your air fryer uses, multiply the wattage by the number of hours you use it a day. Then, divide that number by 1000 to get the daily kilowatt an hour. For example, if you have a 1000W air fryer that you use for an hour a day, it’ll use 1 kilowatts (kWH) of electricity.

Next, check what you pay per kilowatt (this is shown on your energy bill). As of 2024, if you’re on a standard variable tariff and pay for your electricity by direct debit, you’ll pay an average of 28.62p per kilowatt an hour (kWh), according to Ofgem. So, if 1 kilowatt is roughly 28p and you’re using your 1000W air fryer for an hour, you’re only spending 28p on your air fryer a day.

So, is an air fryer cheaper to run than an oven? Generally, yes as an air fryer is smaller and uses less kilowatts per hour to cook food. Air fryers can also save you more time as they don’t have to heat up for as long as an oven. I’m still a firm fan of using an oven for most meals, but for quick snacks, single meals and batch cooking, I think I’ll turn to my air fryer, especially as it can save me more money and energy in the long run.