How much does an air fryer cost to run?
At the current price cap, an air fryer costs about 18.4p per 30-minute cook, or around £48.03 a year with typical use.
Air fryer
- An hour
- 36.8p
- A day used
- 18.4p
- A week
- 92.1p
- A month
- £4.00
- Energy a year
- 183 kWh
1,400 W for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
Air fryer running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per 30-minute cook | 0.7 kWh | 18.4p |
| Per hour in use | 1.4 kWh | 36.8p |
| Per week | 3.5 kWh | 92.1p |
| Per month | 15.2 kWh | £4.00 |
| Per year | 183 kWh | £48.03 |
How the cost varies
Small 1,000 W baskets to large 2,000 W dual-drawer models, for 30 minutes.
| Energy use | Per 30-minute cook | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 13.2p | £34.31 |
| Typical | 18.4p | £48.03 |
| Higher | 26.3p | £68.62 |
Cooking appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Electric oven | 52.6p | £109.79 |
| Induction hob (one ring) | 39.5p | £61.76 |
| Air fryer (this page) | 36.8p | £48.03 |
| Slow cooker | 5.3p | £21.96 |
| Microwave | 29p | £15.85 |
Ways to spend less
- Air fryers cook faster than an oven because the space they heat is small, so the saving comes from shorter cooking times as well as lower power.
- Skip preheating if your recipe allows it. Most foods cook well from cold with a minute or two added.
- Cooking a full basket costs the same as half a basket, so batch cook where you can.
How we calculate this
We take a typical air fryer at 1,400 watts, used 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One 30-minute cook uses about 0.7 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does an air fryer cost to run a year?
With typical use (30 minutes a day, 5 days a week), about £48.03 a year at the current price cap, or £4.00 a month.
Is an air fryer cheaper than an oven?
Usually, for small portions. A 30-minute air fryer cook uses about 0.7 kWh, against about 2 kWh for an hour in an electric oven. For a full family meal that needs several batches, the oven can work out similar.
Does a dual-drawer air fryer cost more to run?
Only when both drawers are on. Each drawer has its own element, so running one drawer costs about the same as a single-basket model.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.
Related calculators
- Electric oven running costCosts per use and per year.
- Microwave running costCosts per use and per year.
- Slow cooker running costCosts per use and per year.
- Induction hob ring running costCosts per use and per year.
- Appliance running cost calculatorCompare any appliance, at your own rate.
- Energy bill calculatorYour whole yearly bill at the price cap.