Your air fryer is in the wrong place and it’s pushing up your energy bills by £91 a year
YOU could be spending extra on your energy bill by keeping your air fryer in the wrong place, an expert has warned.
Although spring has sprung, energy bills are still a huge worry for millions of households in Britain.
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Meanwhile, this month the energy price cap rose by £111 to £1,849 a year.
Many households will be looking for ways to cut their costs, including swapping their oven for an air fryer.
The gadget has become a staple for many families as it uses less energy to cook and heat food than a traditional oven.
But the exact location of your air fryer could impact your bill.
Meanwhile, it’s important to make sure your air fryer does not become damaged as this could make it more expensive to run.
Isabella Forgione, small appliance expert at AO, said: "When you’re using your air fryer, it’s a good idea to use it on your kitchen countertops or beneath your hob’s extractor fan if possible.
"A little smoke is quite common when cooking your food so make sure you pop your extractor fan on to catch this.
"You should also avoid using your air fryer near to your sink as electrical appliances and water is never a good combo.”
This is because air fryers can reach a top temperature of 220 degrees and they emit a lot of heat.
As a result they need to be kept away from non heat-resistant materials to stop them from burning.
A 1.8 kWh air fryer costs about 49p to run per hour, according to energy comparison website USwitch.
It takes around 45 minutes to an hour to cook a whole chicken in an air fryer.
Therefore it costs up to 49p to cook the chicken.
But if your air fryer is not used correctly, it can add an extra half an hour to your cooking time.
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don't think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don't need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you're struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
In this case, it would cost around 74p to cook the chicken - adding an extra 25p to your costs.
Although it does not sound like a lot, an extra half hour of cooking each day adds up to £91.25 over the course of a year.
There are several factors that influence how much energy an air fryer uses.
One is how often you clean out your air fryer basket and drawer.
Think about air circulation and arrange the food so the hot air can move through it efficiently, which will speed up the cooking process.
If you do not use your air fryer efficiently then it could add even more money to your bills.
Isabella Forgione said: "To reduce your air fryer costs you can try a few things. First, ditch preheating your appliances.
"Since air fryers heat up quickly, this is unnecessary and a waste of energy.
"Make sure you’re cleaning your air fryer after each use – without doing so you may run the risk of damaging the appliances or faulty use.”
The cost to run your air fryer will depend on your energy tariff, how large and how efficient your appliance is.
Based on the April 2025 price cap this is how much air fryers of different sizes cost to run:
Small air fryer (1 basket)
- 0.8 kWh - 20p
- 1.3 kWh - 34p
- 1.4 kWh - 38p
- 1.6 kWh - 43p
Large air fryer (2 baskets)
- 1.8 kWh - 49p
- 2.0 kWh - 54p
- 2.5 kWh - 68p
- 2.8 kWh - 76p
As a general rule of thumb, a newer air fryer is usually more efficient and cheaper to run than an older one.
The power of an air fryer is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh).
This is used to calculate how much energy it uses and can measure the cost of using it.
The more powerful your appliance, the faster it will cook your food.
A compact 2kWh air fryer costs 54p an hour to run, according to Uswitch.
If you used it for 200 hours a year then it would cost you £108 to run.
A large air fryer of 2.8kWh costs 76p an hour to run - which adds up to £152 a year.
Meanwhile, an electric oven uses up to 5kWh an hour of energy.
It would cost up to £1.35 an hour to run.
If you used it for 200 hours a year then you would spend £270.
In both cases you would save by using an air fryer.
If you use your oven often and for long periods of time then you may be able to save money with an air fryer.
The amount you save and how long it takes you to make back the cost of buying one depends on the model you choose.
A compact air fryer will set you back less than £50.
If you switch most if not all of your meals from an oven to an air fryer then you would make back the cost in six months to a year.
A compact air fryer is perfect for quick meals for one or two people.
Meanwhile, a larger model could serve between three and four people.
They can also save you time.
For example, a chicken breast takes as little as 15 minutes to cook in an air fryer, while it would take more than 30 minutes in an oven.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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