Air Fryers vs Ovens - The Cost Breakdown

Air fryers have become one of the most talked about kitchen appliances in recent years, but are they really cheaper to run than a traditional oven? As households across Newcastle and the North East continue looking for ways to reduce energy bills, many are asking whether investing in an air fryer genuinely saves money or if the savings have been exaggerated.

With electricity prices remaining significantly higher than they were just a few years ago, choosing the right cooking appliance can make a noticeable difference over time. However, the answer depends on what you are cooking, how many people you are feeding and how often you use each appliance.

Why air fryers became so popular.

The cost of living crisis encouraged many households to rethink everyday spending, including how they prepare meals. Air fryers quickly gained popularity because they heat up faster than conventional ovens, cook many foods in less time and generally use less electricity for smaller portions.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, cooking accounts for around 3 percent of the average household's energy use, making it one area where small changes can help reduce bills over the course of a year. The organisation says an air fryer is often the cheaper option for cooking smaller meals because it requires little or no preheating and uses a smaller cooking space.

Across Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and County Durham, retailers have reported continued demand for air fryers as shoppers search for practical ways to keep household costs under control.

What do the running costs look like.

A typical air fryer uses around 1.4 to 1.7kW of electricity per hour, although most meals take between 15 and 25 minutes to cook. An electric oven usually draws more power and often needs 10 to 15 minutes of preheating before cooking even begins.

Worked examples based on current Great Britain electricity prices suggest cooking a meal such as chips for two people can cost around 12p in an air fryer compared with around 33p in a fan-assisted electric oven. Over a year, replacing one oven meal each day with an air fryer could save approximately £70, depending on electricity tariffs and cooking habits.

For people living alone or couples, those savings can quickly add up.

Ovens still have an important role.

While air fryers are efficient for smaller meals, they do not always come out on top. Families across the North East preparing Sunday roasts, lasagnes or several dishes at once may actually find a conventional oven offers better value.

Cooking multiple trays together means the oven's energy is shared across several meals rather than running an air fryer several times. Consumer experts at Which? and other energy specialists point out that an air fryer only delivers genuine savings when it replaces the oven, not when both appliances are used together.

That makes meal size one of the biggest factors when deciding which appliance is the most economical.

North East families are becoming smarter shoppers.

The popularity of air fryers also reflects wider changes in household budgeting. More families across Newcastle and the wider North East are planning meals in advance, batch cooking and freezing leftovers to reduce food waste and cut energy use.

These habits have become increasingly common since food prices rose sharply during the cost of living crisis. Although inflation has slowed, food prices remain considerably higher than they were before 2022, encouraging households to continue looking for savings wherever possible.

Many residents now combine different appliances depending on the meal, using an air fryer for quick evening dinners while reserving the oven for larger family occasions.

The best choice depends on your household.

There is no single winner in the debate over air fryers versus ovens. For smaller households, quick meals and reheating food, an air fryer is usually the cheaper option because it cooks faster and wastes less energy.

However, larger families preparing several dishes at once may find a modern fan-assisted oven provides better overall value. The biggest savings come from matching the appliance to the meal rather than assuming one is always cheaper.

For households across Newcastle and the North East looking to reduce energy bills without sacrificing home-cooked meals, using both appliances strategically could prove to be the smartest financial decision.

Share your views below.

Have you switched to an air fryer, or do you still prefer using your oven?