Air Fryer Running Cost: kWh and £ per Meal

Air fryers are small convection ovens. The heating part is close to your food and a fan spreads hot air across it. This helps you cook with less energy and often in less time than a regular oven. In this guide, you will see how to figure out the air fryer running cost in kWh and £. You will also find a look at how the fryer compares to other cooking methods for energy costs. The guide gives easy ways to help you cut down on energy costs without changing what you cook. Use the calculator tables and add your tariff to see how much you are spending. Then compare energy prices to find out if a lower unit rate could help you save more money.

Tip: Keep your latest kWh electricity prices nearby. If you have a TOU (time-of-use or Economy 7) rate, write down the prices for both peak and off-peak hours.

How do you calculate the cost to run an air fryer?

• Power (kW) is the same as watts divided by 1,000.
• Energy used in kWh comes from power in kW times the cooking time in hours.
• Cost in £ can be found by taking kWh times the unit rate. To do this, use p per kWh divided by 100.

Example: A fryer with 1,500 watts runs for 20 minutes. That is 1.5 kW × 0.333 hours, which comes out to about 0.50 kWh.
If you pay 28p for each kwh, then cooking will cost 0.50 × £0.28. That will be £0.14.

If you still feel your per-cook cost is high after you try to fix it, it can help to take two minutes and check energy prices. This way, you may get a better kWh rate and save money.

What are typical power ratings for kitchen appliances?

Real energy usage changes based on a few things. It depends on the power rating, desired temperature, and amount of food inside. The moisture there can also matter a lot. Plus, how long the thermostat is on also plays a big part. These are standard numbers you will often see on the labels.

Always look at the label on your own appliance to find the right power rating before you start to calculate.

Cost per hour and common cook times

Use the tables with your tariff. If yours is different, put your rate into the formula above.

Air fryer cost table

(This is based on the idea that the heating runs all the time. In real life, actual energy usage is usually a bit lower. This happens because the thermostat turns the heater on and off once your home gets to the set temperature.)

Oven and microwave reference

Microwaves work well when you need to reheat food. They are also good for dishes with a lot of water in them. Air fryers are best when you want to crisp or roast smaller amounts of food. When you want to cook several things at one time, like using two shelves, traditional ovens are the better choice.

Which cooking methods usually cost less energy?

Different cooking methods work better for different foods. This is true even if the unit rate stays the same.

• Air frying works well for small, dry things, like chips, veg, or wings, because the air moves around them.
• A slow cooker uses little power over a long cooking time. It is good for stews, joints, and beans. Many families put food in it before work. They get good cost savings because the slow cooker can run all day without using much energy.
• A pressure cooker heats up fast and builds up pressure. You can cook pulses, rice, or tougher meat using less time on heat.
• An induction hob is good when you use a pan, like for stir-fries, boiling, or sauté. This is because it warms the pan, not the air around it.
• A conventional oven or regular electric oven is best when you want to cook a lot of food at the same time, or you need the food to get an even heat on a big tray.
• Gas oven and gas hob running costs change based on your own gas price and how well your setup works. To check, you use the same maths every time: kWh multiplied by your price.

There is not just one cheapest way that works for everything. The amount of food, the desired temperature, and how the heat gets to the food all matter.

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Which is cheaper for typical meals?

Times can be different for each model and portion size. Use these examples that have been worked out for you. Change the time and wattage to fit what you have.

For cooking a whole chicken, the cheapest way comes down to the size of the chicken and the space in your compartment. If your basket is too small to fit the bird, you will have to cook in more than one batch. This takes more time and uses more energy. A single shelf in your oven or a pressure cooker and a quick air fry at the end can be a better and faster way.

Does the amount of food change the result?

Yes. Two key points:

• Small batches: the air fryer often works best for this. It gets to the desired temperature fast. It also keeps the heat close to the surface of the food.
• A lot of food: if you cook a lot by filling up two oven shelves, the conventional oven can be good. This is because you use the energy on more portions at once. If your dual-zone air fryer has a two-drawer compartment, you can cook on both sides at the same time. This might be more efficient than other fryers. If not, you may end up running several cycles.

Is air frying always cheaper than deep frying?

Air frying does not use much energy compared to deep frying. When you air fry, you don’t need to heat a big pan of oil. Deep frying may be good if you want a certain feel and crunch. But for the food most people make for dinner, air frying is better. It saves much energy and makes less mess to clean.

Can TOU and peak hours change the picture?

Yes. If your plan has peak hours and lower rates at other times:

• Try to cook during off-peak hours when you can.
• During peak times, do not let the oven preheat for too long. You can use the air fryer, or mix the microwave with the air fryer instead.
• People who cook a lot at peak times might want to see if another tariff will work better for them. This is a good reason to compare energy prices.

When is the oven still better value?

• Batch cooking means you make big trays or prep several meals for the week at one time.
• Baking foods that need a steady, wide heat space in the oven, like big loaves or full trays, works best this way.
• When you cook many dishes together, you use leftover heat in the oven to help cook everything. If you keep the oven door closed as much as you can, you save heat, cut down on cooking time, and lower the amount of energy you use.

Air fryer vs hob for quick meals

• Induction hob: This is great to use when you want to boil water, noodles, or do stir-fries. The heat goes right to the pan, so you get to the desired temperature very fast.
• Electric hob (ceramic): A bit slow when you need to change the heat up or down. It helps to use lids, and you can use heat left in the hob after you turn it off.
• Gas hob: This hob reacts quickly to changes. The overall cost will depend on your gas price. If you want a crispy result, the air fryer is often better for most busy weeknights. But if you need to boil or simmer, using the hob can sometimes be better value.

How much might you spend over a week, month, and year?

Assume that you use an air fryer with 1.5 kW power for 20 minutes each day, six days a week.

• Daily energy use is about 0.50 kWh.
• Weekly energy use comes to about 3.0 kWh.
• Monthly energy use (for about 26 times) is around 13.0 kWh.
• Yearly energy use (at about 312 times) is about 156 kWh.

If you think these numbers are high, there are two ways to change things quickly:

1. cut down the time that you use heat. You can do this by making thinner layers and turning down the temperature.
2. check and compare energy prices. This can help you get the cost of energy down.

Smart ways to cut air fryer running cost today

• Lower the temperature setting by 10–20°C and let it cook a bit longer. Food often still browns well while you use less energy.
• Skip preheating for some foods, like chips or vegetables, as they do not need it.
• Shake or flip your food once to help air move better. This can help you avoid adding more minutes at the end.
• Make bigger batches and use your microwave to reheat them later.
• Set timers. A lot of kWh can be wasted in just those last minutes.
• If you need to cook a lot of food, think about using an oven or a pressure cooker first, then finish with an air fry for a good result.
• Keep the seals clean. This keeps the heat inside the drawer and helps your appliance use less energy.
• If you see your energy bills stay high, compare energy prices. A different tariff can impact your bill as much as the appliance you use.

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Has anyone actually seen their electricity bill drop after switching most meals to an air fryer?

Many homes say that they get lower bills when they use an air fryer instead of their oven. This is mostly because the fryer heats up less space and does the job quicker. The amount you save depends on things like how much your unit rate is, the parts and sizes of the food you make, your cooking methods, and how often you get to cook.

Example: replacing most oven dinners with an air fryer

Assumptions:

• Air fryer: This uses 1.5 kW and you need it for 20 minutes each time. You use about 0.50 kWh of power each meal.
• Fan electric oven: This one needs 2.5 kW and runs for 35 minutes per cook. It uses around 1.46 kWh for every meal.
• How often: You make 22 meals in a month. That is about 5 or 6 times a week.
• Price: For each kWh, you pay 18p, 28p, or 38p.

The air fryer and fan electric oven both use kW and kWh to show how much power they need. The air fryer uses less power compared to the electric oven. You pay by how much power you use.

Monthly totals and yearly totals come right from using kWh times the rate. You will save more if you warm up the oven a lot or if you cook small meals. You save less if you put food on both shelves at the same time.

How often should I clean or maintain an air fryer to keep it efficient?

A clean fryer warms up and moves air around better. It gets hot faster. The fryer does not need to run the heating part as much. This helps to lower energy consumption. You also get better food because of it.

Simple maintenance schedule

Extra tips that keep costs down

• Don’t block the airflow with too much foil or parchment.
• Try not to put too much food in at once; a thin layer will get crispy faster.
• You don’t always need to preheat.
• If bad smells stay, run a quick, high-heat cycle with nothing inside after cleaning. This dries the element and inside area.

Air fryer vs deep fat fryer vs oven for chicken

• Air fry chicken parts to get crisp skin while keeping energy costs in check.
• A deep frying setup needs to heat a lot of oil. This method can use the most energy for home cooks because you have to heat a large amount and then keep it hot.
• A conventional oven can be the best way to cook a whole chicken if your basket is too small. A pressure cooker can help cook the bird fast, and then you can air fry it for a short time to make the skin crisp.

Troubleshooting higher-than-expected costs

• Overfilled basket slows browning. It also makes cooking take more time.
• Too low a temperature can lead to longer cycles. This will use more electricity than cooking at a slightly higher temperature for a shorter time.
• Food with extra moisture does not crisp. Dry the food before cooking, as wet vegetables steam instead.
• A worn door gasket or a misaligned drawer lets heat out. This will make cooking take longer.
• Opening the oven door many times while baking causes heat loss. If you use a different method during a meal, keep in mind that the oven must supply a bigger amount of energy to stay hot.

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Quick calculator you can reuse

1. Find your fryer’s power rating in watts. You can get this number from the label.
2. Change the watt number to kW. To do this, just divide the watts by 1,000.
3. Now take that kW number and multiply it by the amount of time you use the fryer. For example, if you use it for 20 minutes, that is about 0.333 hours.
4. Multiply that result by your electricity unit rate in £/kWh.

Example for a 1,800-watt fryer running for 25 minutes at a rate of 28p per kWh: 1.8 × 0.417 × £0.28 is about £0.21.

FAQs About Air Fryer Running Costs