After lab testing air fryers against other cooking appliances, Which? came to the conclusion that the "hype could be justified". The consumer champion tested the gadget against traditional ovens and other appliances to see which cooked a range of foods most cheaply.
It said consumers could make "considerable energy savings" by using an air fryer or a microwave - though it noted that, if factoring in the cost of buying a new appliance, it could take a while to pay for itself. 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.” Here is the cheapest way to cook a variety of foods, from roast chicken to steamed vegetables, according to the Which? tests.
Roast chicken
Which? found the cheapest and quickest way to cook a roast chicken was in a pressure cooker - costing 11p and taking 32 minutes, compared to 39p and 76 minutes in the oven. They did note, however, that the pressure cooker did not produce a crispy skin.
The air fryer did crisp the skin and produced a "perfect roast chicken" for 18p. Which? said that, if cooking a roast chicken once a week for a year, using an air fryer would save nearly £11 compared to an oven.
Chips
The air fryer was the cheapest method of cooking chips, Which? found, costing 10p to cook two portions compared to 29p in the oven. However, it noted that the limited capacity could be an issue for anyone hoping to cook more than two or three portions.
Which? said the quality of the cooked chips was similar in both appliances.
Cake
According to Which?, it cost just 8p to bake a cake in the air fryer, taking just 33 minutes. That's compared to 24p and 56 minutes in the oven.
However, it did note that size could again be an issue, with only small cakes possible in the air fryer. "If you are planning a multi-tiered masterpiece it would be more efficient to stick to the trusty oven," it concluded.
Soup
The testers at Which? found both an induction hob and a pressure cooker cooked soup quickly and efficiently - costing 9p apiece. The hob, though, produced better results.
Steamed vegetables
For steaming vegetables, Which? said the induction hob produced the best results at a price of 7p - the same cost as using a pressure cooker. The microwave, though, was cheaper - costing around half as much.
Jacket potato
Taking just eight minutes and using only 5p of energy, the microwave cooked a jacket potato quickest - though without the crispy skin that many people enjoy. The best skin came from the oven - but it took longest and used 37p of energy.
The air fryer was relatively cheap at 9p, although Which? again noted that space could be an issue for anyone wishing to cook multiple spuds.
