Air fryers can be up to three times cheaper to run than traditional ovens, according to research by consumer group Which?
New analysis suggests the fryers, as well as microwaves, pressure cookers and slow cookers, have cheaper running costs than conventional ovens.
But Which? said any saving would have to be weighed against the initial outlay, with air fryers costing up to £300.
The testers found that the cheapest and quickest method of cooking a roast chicken was with a pressure cooker, costing 11p and taking 32 minutes, compared with 39p and 76 minutes in an oven, but they pointed out the cheaper method did not produce the crispy skin from normal roasting.
They found that an air fryer would cost 18p to cook a “perfect” roast chicken.
There has been a surge of interest in air fryers and smaller cooking appliances in recent months, and our research shows that the hype could be justified in some cases, as we’ve found these products cost less to cook certain foods than conventional ovens— Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor
The air fryer was the cheapest appliance for cooking chips, at 10p for two portions of chips compared with 29p in the oven.
Baking a cake was also cheaper using an air fryer, at 8p, compared with 24p using an oven.
For cooking soup, the induction hob and pressure cooker were cheapest, at 9p, with the microwave cheapest for steamed vegetables and jacket potatoes.
Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor, said: “Energy bills are a real concern for millions of households across the country, especially when many are already feeling the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, and cooking is one of the everyday costs that really mount up over time.
“There has been a surge of interest in air fryers and smaller cooking appliances in recent months, and our research shows that the hype could be justified in some cases, as we’ve found these products cost less to cook certain foods than conventional ovens.
“The cost savings will soon be lost if you have to cook more than one batch though, so it’s still better to use your oven if you’re cooking large quantities.
“But for quick, small meals, we’ve found that it’s worth trying out the alternatives.”
