Air fryers are a healthy option because there’s no need for oil in the cooking, but are they cheap to run? Do air fryers use a lot of electricity? Here I do the calculations and tabulate comparisons to help you easily make economical choices for your home kitchen.
I covered how they are worth buying as air fryers use dry heat and so need no fat or oil to fry food and there’s also the easy cleaning options around air fryers. The following is about whether air fryers are worth buying in regards to electricity consumption.
Do air fryers cost a lot to run?
No, air fryers do not cost a lot to run when you compare an average 1500 watt air fryer uses around 0.75 kWh per 30 min daily operation compared to an estimated 1.5 kWh drawn by a 3000 watt electric oven use for the same time. They halve the cost for the same running time, but more importantly, air fryers cook food faster, which makes them cost effective.
The following table lists air fryers I’ve previously mentions as quieter options in the range. These have ceramic coated baskets offering a Teflon-free alternative to nonstick and easy cleanup. Click here to find out more about these great Teflon-free examples.
The table gives their capacity, wattage, and then electricity consumption (kWh) for 1 hour daily use:
(Steps to calculate electricity consumption: (kilowatt-hour, kWh) = watts ÷ 1000 x hours/day.)
| Air Fryer | Capacity | Wattage | kWh (per 1 hr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja AF101 | 4 Qt | 1500w | 1.5 |
| Aria | 7 Qt | 1500w | 1.5 |
| Momo Lifestyle | 3.4 Qt | 1500w | 1.5 |
| Paula Deen | 10 Qt | 1700w | 1.7 |
In these examples, the larger unit, the 10 Qt, uses more power, which is not unexpected that the greater the wattage of the unit the more power (kWh) consumed. You could compare an air fryer to a toaster in its energy use. It doesn’t use a lot.
Air fryer vs electric oven — electricity use
Electric ovens can range from 2,000 to 5,000 watts, as per calculator.net. To find this wattage, look for your oven’s appliance tag (on the frame inside the oven). If it is not there, check out the specifications in the user’s manual or in the seller’s product listing and you should find it.
My electric oven is 3,200 watts and to cook a meat loaf in the oven takes roughly 50 to 60 minutes. Compare this to a 1500 watt air fryer, which takes between 35 and 45 minutes.
To rate the kilowatts of electricity drawn with an air fryer against that of an electric oven, it’s important to use the same food item. The chart below exemplifies the savings on electricity when using an air fryer, for three food items, compared to an electric oven. It’s a guide only, based on the unit operating at full capacity, which is rarely maintained over the whole time.
| Food Item | Oven 3200w (minutes) | kWh* | Air Fryer 1500w (minutes) | kWh* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meat Loaf | 50–60 | 2.7–3.2 | 35–40 | 0.9–1.0 |
| Fries | 20–30 | 1.1–1.6 | 10–20 | 0.2–0.5 |
| Chicken Wings | 20–30 | 1.1–1.6 | 10–12 | 0.2–0.3 |
Air-fryer cooking guide
| FOOD | TEMPERATURE | AIR FRYER TIME |
| Meat and Seafood and Fries | ||
| Bacon | 400°F | 5-10 minutes |
| Bone-In Pork Chops | 400°F | 4-5 minutes per side |
| Brats | 400°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Burgers | 350°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Chicken Breast | 375°F | 22-23 minutes |
| Chicken Tenders | 400°F | 14-16 minutes |
| Chicken Thighs | 400°F | 25 minutes |
| Chicken Wings | 375°F | 10-12 minutes |
| Cod | 370°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Meatballs | 400°F | 7-10 minutes |
| Meat Loaf | 325°F | 35-45 minutes |
| Pork Chops | 375°F | 12-15 minutes |
| Salmon | 400°F | 5-7 minutes |
| Sausage Patties | 400°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Shrimp | 375°F | 8 minutes |
| Steak | 400°F | 7-14 minutes |
| Fries | 400°F | 10-20 minutes |
| Pickles | 400°F | 14-20 minutes |
| Potato Chips | 360°F | 15-17 minutes |
Are air fryers economical to use? Do air fryers save money?
Yes, air fryers are economical to use (and they can replace the need for multiple small appliances). Rough estimates suggest they use around half the electricity an average electric oven uses, when operating for the same amount of time. So it makes sense that they save money because of not only this but the fact they take far less time to cook the food.