The key numbers
| Appliance | Wattage | 20-min cook at 24.5p/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Electric oven (standard) | 2,000 - 2,500W | 16 - 20p + preheating |
| Oven preheating (15 min) | 2,200W | 13p extra |
| Air fryer (medium, 4L) | 1,200 - 1,600W | 10 - 13p |
| Air fryer (large, 7L+) | 1,700 - 2,200W | 14 - 18p |
The three reasons an air fryer wins on electricity:
- No preheating: reaches cooking temperature in 1 - 3 minutes vs 10 - 20 minutes for an oven (that's 0.4 - 0.7kWh before your food is even in)
- Smaller space: heats less air volume, needs less energy to maintain temperature
- Faster cooking: typically 20 - 30% quicker, reducing total run time
Real-world cost comparison per meal
| Meal | Oven total cost | Air fryer cost | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chips (25 min) | 29p (40 min inc. preheat) | 6p (18 min) | 23p |
| Chicken breast | 29p (40 min inc. preheat) | 7p (20 min) | 22p |
| Sausages (6) | 25p (35 min inc. preheat) | 5p (15 min) | 20p |
| Roast potatoes | 44p (60 min inc. preheat) | 10p (30 min) | 34p |
| Small pizza | 18p (25 min inc. preheat) | 4p (12 min) | 14p |
| Fish fingers | 22p (30 min inc. preheat) | 4p (12 min) | 18p |
For a household cooking 5 evenings a week with these types of meals, switching to an air fryer saves approximately £90 - 140/year.
The annual saving calculation
If you use your oven 5 nights a week for 20 - 30 minute weeknight meals:
- Oven: avg 30p per meal × 5 nights × 52 weeks = £78/year
- Air fryer: avg 8p per meal × 5 nights × 52 weeks = £21/year
- Saving: £57/year - plus the air fryer costs £30 - 80 to buy, so payback in under a year
Add the saving on your energy tariff - if you cook during cheap overnight Octopus Agile windows (unlikely for most people, but evening pre-peak at 5pm vs 7pm can cut cooking costs 30 - 50% further).
When the oven is still the better choice
The air fryer doesn't win for everything:
- Large roasts - a full chicken or leg of lamb still needs the oven's capacity
- Batch cooking for 6+ - the oven's larger space wins for volume
- Baking bread and cakes - ovens give more even results for baking
- Multiple trays - cooking a full family roast dinner with 4 different trays
For everyday weeknight cooking for 1 - 4 people: air fryer wins every time.
Which air fryer uses the least electricity?
| Size | Best for | Wattage | Cost per 20 min (at 5p/kWh overnight) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 - 3L | 1 - 2 people | 900 - 1,200W | 1 - 2p |
| 4 - 5L | 2 - 4 people | 1,200 - 1,600W | 2 - 3p |
| 6 - 7L | 4 - 6 people | 1,600 - 2,000W | 3 - 4p |
Want to cook even cheaper? Check when electricity is cheapest tonight
On Octopus Agile, cooking at 5pm (pre-peak) instead of 7pm (peak) can cut your cooking cost by 60%. See tonight's price for your region - free.
Check Tonight's Cheapest Times →Is an air fryer worth buying to save electricity?
Yes, if you currently use the oven 4 - 7 nights a week for quick meals and are a 1 - 4 person household. Annual saving of £90 - 140 from a £30 - 80 appliance. Payback in 3 - 10 months.
Less rush if you already have a combi microwave, you mainly batch-cook, or your household of 6+ needs full oven capacity regularly.