Are Air Fryers Cheaper to Run Than an Oven?

Air Fryers Are Everywhere – But Do They Actually Save You Money?

You can barely scroll past a recipe video without someone raving about their air fryer. “It saves a fortune on energy bills!” they say. “It cooks everything faster!” But is it actually cheaper to run an air fryer than your oven, or is it just clever marketing?

We crunched the numbers using current UK energy prices so you don’t have to. Here is the honest answer.

The Quick Answer

Yes, for small portions and quick meals, an air fryer is significantly cheaper to run than a conventional oven. But for large family meals or batch cooking, the oven can still win. It depends entirely on what you are cooking and how much of it.

The Numbers: Air Fryer vs Oven Running Costs

As of 2026, the UK energy price cap puts electricity at roughly 27p per kWh. Here is how the two compare:

Air fryer (typical 1400W-1800W): Uses about 0.3-0.5 kWh for a 20-30 minute cook. That is roughly 8p to 14p per use.
Electric oven (typical 2000W-3000W): Preheating alone takes 10-15 minutes and uses 0.3-0.5 kWh. A 45-60 minute cook uses 1.5-3 kWh. That is roughly 40p to 81p per use.
Gas oven (typical 3kW): Gas is cheaper at about 7p per kWh, so a 60-minute cook costs roughly 21p. But gas ovens cook slower and less evenly, so cooking times are often longer.

For a single portion of chips or a couple of chicken breasts, the air fryer wins by a mile – costing roughly a third of what the oven would cost.

When the Air Fryer Wins

Small portions (1-2 people): An air fryer heats a small space fast. An oven heats a big space slowly. For small meals, the air fryer uses a fraction of the energy.
Quick cooks (under 30 minutes): Chips, nuggets, sausages, reheating leftovers – the air fryer is done in half the time the oven would take, with no preheating needed.
Crispy textures: Air fryers excel at making things crispy with little to no oil. If you are roasting vegetables or cooking frozen food, the air fryer gives better results faster and cheaper.
Reheating: Reheating pizza or leftover chips in an air fryer takes 3-5 minutes. The oven takes 15-20 minutes plus preheating. No contest.

When the Oven Still Makes Sense

Large family meals (4+ portions): If you are roasting a whole chicken with potatoes and veg, the oven does it all at once. Running an air fryer for multiple batches actually costs more than one oven run.
Batch cooking: Cooking three trays of meal prep at once in the oven beats running the air fryer three times. The oven’s bigger capacity wins for volume.
Baking: Cakes, bread, and pastry need consistent, gentle heat that air fryers struggle with. The oven is still the right tool here.
Slow cooking: If you are doing a low-and-slow roast, a gas oven at 140C for 4 hours costs about 84p. The same job in an air fryer would need multiple batches and cost more.

The Pros and Cons of Air Fryers

Pros

Cheaper to run for small, quick meals (save 25p-60p per cook vs electric oven)
No preheating – saves 10-15 minutes every time
Cooks faster – most things done in half the time
Uses less oil – healthier and cheaper
Does not heat up your kitchen in summer
Easy to clean – most baskets go in the dishwasher

Cons

Small capacity – most budget air fryers only fit 1-2 portions
Not great for baking or delicate cooking
Takes up worktop space
Cheaper models can be noisy
Can dry food out if you are not careful with timing
Not cheaper for large batch cooking

How Much Could You Actually Save?

Let us say you currently use your electric oven 5 times a week for small meals (things like oven chips, chicken breasts, fish fingers – the stuff an air fryer handles perfectly). At roughly 60p per oven use, that is £3 a week or about £156 a year.

The same meals in an air fryer cost roughly 12p each, so £31 a year. That is a saving of about £125 a year – and the air fryer itself will cost you £40-£80 for a decent one. So it pays for itself within the first year.

But if you mainly cook large family roasts and batch meals, the savings are much smaller because the oven is already the efficient choice for those jobs.

The Bottom Line

An air fryer is absolutely cheaper to run than an oven for the things it does well – quick, small-portion cooking. If you are cooking for one or two people and frequently use the oven for 20-30 minute cooks, an air fryer will save you real money. It will also save you time, which is harder to put a price on.

If you are cooking for a family of five every night, the oven is still your best friend for the big stuff. The smart move? Use both. Air fryer for the quick weekday stuff, oven for the Sunday roast and batch cooking. That is where the real savings live.

Check out our Cook vs Buy Calculator to work out the real cost of your cooking habits.