Do Air Fryers Save Energy? Plus, Bonus Autumn Recipes
Air fryers have boomed in popularity in recent years. According to The Independent, in 2023 UK sales of air fryers grew by over 1,000 per cent year-on-year — a wave of popularity that has continued into 2024.
So, why have air fryers become so trendy? There are many potential reasons. First, air fryers come with the promise of easy and healthy cooking. They fit neatly onto countertops and can cook in less time than a fan oven. Plus, as households look for ways to cut down on energy use, especially during the colder months, air fryers have the potential to help you cut costs at home.
But do air fryers really save energy? In this blog, we’ll look into the impacts of these trendy kitchen appliances to see whether they deliver on their energy-saving claims. Plus, we’ll share three delicious and cosy autumnal recipes for you to try at home. Let’s get started.
How Do Air Fryers Work?
An air fryer uses convection technology to cook food evenly and quickly. It circulates hot air around the food within a smaller space, which is how they’re able to create a crispy, fried texture without using lots of oil.
As their non-stick baskets are much smaller than a regular oven, air fryers can produce warm air quickly and target cooking in a smaller space. For this reason, air fryers usually use a lower wattage than traditional ovens. They can also cook food faster. The best models, like Cosori, Tower or Ninja Air Fryers, hardly even need pre-heating.
When deciding which appliance to use, consider these factors:
- The model — different air fryer models have varying wattages, so the exact energy consumption will depend on the power of the specific unit
- The cooking time — air fryers cook food faster, with the time-saving making up for the energy use
- The preheating — air fryers don’t need long preheating times, if any at all, helping you further save energy.
Air Fryer vs Toaster Oven vs Electric Oven Cost
The question remains — are air fryers energy efficient compared to other cooking appliances? According to the Energy Saving Trust, the answer is yes, depending on the meal. In their tests, the best air fryers’ energy usage was around 60 per cent of the kilowatt hours of conventional ovens when cooking chicken.
Compared with other kitchen appliances, we can see the benefits of air fryers and what kinds of meals they’re best suited for:
- Slow cookers don’t use a lot of electricity but cook over much longer periods, making flavoursome and tender meals that are ready when you get home
- Toaster ovens are smaller and efficient for quick meals, but air fryers often outperform them when producing crispy textures with less oil
- Convection ovens are much bigger than air fryers, using more energy to heat up than an air fryer’s compact chamber.
Generally, when cooking one-off meals for a couple or small family, air fryers use significantly less electricity. On the other hand, a regular oven may save on your electricity bill if you’re batch cooking or making larger meals.
The Pros and Cons of Air Frying
For everyday, one-off meals, there are several benefits to air frying, including:
- Air fryers typically use less energy than conventional ovens
- Air fryers concentrate heat to cook food faster than other methods
- Air fryers require only a little oil to crisp food, making for a healthy cooking method.
However, there are also some potential downsides:
- A typical air fryer might not have enough space for big meals or batch cooking
- You are more limited on things you can cook with air fryers compared with conventional ovens
- Higher-end models might be expensive and can take up lots of kitchen top room.
Bonus: Three Cosy Autumn Air Fryer Recipes
As we’ve seen, using an air fryer for smaller meals can be a fantastic way to cut energy costs. This Autumn, why not make these three cosy recipes in your air fryer?
1. Squash French Fries
Looking for a quick and healthy snack? Butternut squash is an excellent alternative to traditional potato fries. They’re autumnal and slightly sweet — ideal for the time of year. To make them, simply slice your squash, add seasoning, and air fry for fifteen minutes for a healthy snack.
2. Lemon and Thyme Roast Chicken
Ever thought about using your air fryer to make a Sunday lunch? Just get your roast chicken, season it with lemon zest, juice and a sprinkling of thyme, and cook (according to weight) in your air fryer. If you’re lucky enough to have a dual-zone appliance, make some perfectly crispy roast potatoes or root vegetables at the same time.
3. Apple and Cinnamon Crumble
That’s the mains taken care of — now it’s time for dessert. For a seasonal treat, mix some chopped apples with cinnamon and sugar, and air fry with a crumble mixture on top. When it’s cooked through and golden, dish it up and top with custard, cream or ice cream.
Air Fryers and the Future of Energy Saving
With energy prices continuing to dominate headlines, appliances like air fryers are becoming more attractive for their cost-saving benefits. But as we’ve seen, these gadgets bring many other benefits, including fast cooking and tasty, healthy food. What better reason to cut down on your energy bills?
Looking for more tips on energy saving and monitoring your heating oil usage? Check our news and views.
