Air Fryer - More Energy Efficient?

Has anyone got some reliable info on the energy consumption of an air fryer say against that of a regular oven.
Everyone is telling me they are way more energy efficient.

But I'll never forget my secondary school science teacher telling me, energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Surely it takes the same amiunt of energy to cook a handful of fish fingers in an air fryer as it does in a small regular oven...?

TinyChamp said:

Has anyone got some reliable info on the energy consumption of an air fryer say against that of a regular oven.
Everyone is telling me they are way more energy efficient.

But I'll never forget my secondary school science teacher telling me, energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Surely it takes the same amiunt of energy to cook a handful of fish fingers in an air fryer as it does in a small regular oven...?

Click to expand...

Depends on the size of the airfryer and oven obviously.

The oven is bigger so will take longer to reach the same temperature as the airfryer. In addition, ovens usually need to be preheated while Airfryers do not. Airfryers cook approximately 20% faster than regular ovens.

Is a practical example of any use? A chicken (small 1.2kg) cooked for 30 minutes each side at 180 degrees is comparable to a rotisserie chicken in a deli. No oil is required and this is one of the reasons for their popularity.

Massively smaller heating elements for starters compared to an oven, I have a Halogen oven which has a halogen bulb for heat, no pre heating required and much faster than using the big oven for just a few small items. The watts used in the main oven would be way more than the Halogen one, don't know the specifics but definitely less.

We use it as a healthy (ish!) alternative to deep fat frying, eg for potato wedges, fish, etc, etc. I presume the smaller size means less space to heat up so it saves energy too.

As far as I can make out it's heating a smaller area and things cook quicker, I'd be amazed if it wasnt using less energy

Here’s an article with some numbers comparing air fryers to ovens etc. Looks like you might use about 1kWh less to cook a loads of chips in an air fryer compared to an oven, so maybe €0.30 saved per usage. I don’t think you’d want to be buying an air fryer on the money saving alone, it’s unlikely to last long enough to break even.

I have no idea of the science but I’ve almost given up on the conventional oven in favour of air fryer.

The air fryer takes very little time to pre-heat and cool down compared to conventional oven. It emits almost no ambient heat whereas in winter my conventional oven heats up the kitchen perceptibly after half an hour.

I’d be very surprised if the air fryer wasn’t more energy efficient.

Zenith63 said:

Here’s an article with some numbers comparing air fryers to ovens etc. Looks like you might use about 1kWh less to cook a loads of chips in an air fryer compared to an oven, so maybe €0.30 saved per usage. I don’t think you’d want to be buying an air fryer on the money saving alone, it’s unlikely to last long enough to break even.

Air Fryer Vs Convection Oven Energy Usage (2025)

Find out how much money you can save on your electricity bill by using an air fryer instead of your electric convection oven.

www.ecoenergygeek.com

Click to expand...

Oven chips come out much better from an air fryer aswell at lease in my experience

Right Winger said:

We use it as a healthy (ish!) alternative to deep fat frying, eg for potato wedges, fish, etc, etc. I presume the smaller size means less space to heat up so it saves energy too.

Click to expand...

We're the same. It's primary purpose seems to be to make 'chips'
Chips with little to no oil. They're a bit dry but you get used to them pretty fast.
And, obviously, a hell of a lot healthier

Zenith63 said:

I don’t think you’d want to be buying an air fryer on the money saving alone, it’s unlikely to last long enough to break even.

Click to expand...

It might last long enough to break even, or close enough - mine was only about 80 euro I think. But aside from that it has other advantages too, it's quicker and it cooks some things better.

If you have counter space for it, and you'll use it regularly it's a no-brainer for me.

Zenith63 said:

Here’s an article with some numbers comparing air fryers to ovens etc. Looks like you might use about 1kWh less to cook a loads of chips in an air fryer compared to an oven, so maybe €0.30 saved per usage. I don’t think you’d want to be buying an air fryer on the money saving alone, it’s unlikely to last long enough to break even.

Air Fryer Vs Convection Oven Energy Usage (2025)

Find out how much money you can save on your electricity bill by using an air fryer instead of your electric convection oven.

www.ecoenergygeek.com

Click to expand...

Great shout Zenith63 - thanks for that.

Yes, you'd need a hell of a lot of uses to break even. Think ours was about €100.
At a €0.30 I think that works out at approx 333 air fryer cooked dinner just to break even.

DazedInPontoon said:

It might last long enough to break even, or close enough - mine was only about 80 euro I think. But aside from that it has other advantages too, it's quicker and it cooks some things better.

If you have counter space for it, and you'll use it regularly it's a no-brainer for me.

Click to expand...

What does it cook better??

TinyChamp said:

What does it cook better??

Click to expand...

I find stuff like stuffed chicken breasts tend to work better, it's much easier work with the food than fiddling with an oven shelf.

There are things you can't do in an oven the same way either especially with eggs

TinyChamp said:

Yes, you'd need a hell of a lot of uses to break even.

Click to expand...

Conventional ovens do stop working too with use......

TinyChamp said:

What does it cook better??

Click to expand...

Oven fries, and many things you would do on a pan.

My wife and daughter use it for baking at small scale too.

I don't have the newer air fryers, just the older style Halogen oven which to me is a brilliant yoke! I seldom use it for chips although you could use it for oven chips/wedges type things.

It is only about 35 euro to buy, lasts a good few years for that, can do almost anything the big oven can other than bake cakes successfully but scones work very well as do flatter things like biscuits and the no preheating is a huge benefit. My big oven would need to be on for a good 20 mins to preheat to temp for scones.

I regularly roast chickens/pork steak/burgers/fish that sort of thing in it but it has an expander ring and it takes my second small turkey at Christmas time. Only catch is it has one hour timer only so for something like a turkey you have to reset after each hour. I have utility room space for it though, too awkward on a countertop although that said my father in his 80s kept his on counter top and seldom if ever used his oven anymore once he got it, could cook sausages/rashers/pudding very easily in it too.

I couldn't be bothered buying one of the newer air fryers as I don't think it's going to do anything extra for me.

Maybe useful...

Thanks ClubMan

TinyChamp said:

Has anyone got some reliable info on the energy consumption of an air fryer say against that of a regular oven.
Everyone is telling me they are way more energy efficient.

But I'll never forget my secondary school science teacher telling me, energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Surely it takes the same amiunt of energy to cook a handful of fish fingers in an air fryer as it does in a small regular oven...?

Click to expand...

Just to comment on my experience. I bought an 80 euro tower fryer circa 18 months ago. As others have said it primarily was to replace the oil fryer for chips. A healthier option.

As I'm the only meat eater in the house, the Tower Air fryer was really chips only. Whether it was homemade chips (took a lot to figure out the best method) or Oven Chips..the air fryer was much faster and oven chips where much better cooked overall. Rather than waiting 20mins for the fan oven to warm up etc.

I gave a present to my elderly parents of a smaller air fryer for them to try. They found it a relevation!!! It was used for everything you can think off, chips, weekend fry ups, baking etc. Plus saved a lot of money spinning up her much less than A class oven.

Last week I decided its time to replace the old Tower Air Fryer. I went all in and bought an expensive 2 drawer branded air fryer. OMG the difference! Can now cook different foods in it. It's much more powerful, quicker cook times..its amazing and I don't say that lightly at all!!! (It cooks easy stuff like chicken so much quicker and better than the oven)

If unsure, do what I did, buy a cheapish one test it out and then go upmarket. Test one out see do you use it often and how you find it... they are amazing imho.

(For clarity, my household is 3 peeps. With the new dual drawer air fryer I'd say it would easily cook a meal for a family of 4)