With air fryers increasingly rising in popularity, households are being warned about extra charges that will now come with the beloved kitchen appliance
Brits have been warned of energy price hikes coming into effect in days, which will hit all appliances – including usually cheaper to run air fryers.
There’s no doubt that over the past few years, air fryers have increased immensely in popularity. The quick and energy-efficient oven-like appliance makes cooking much easier and cleaner and takes up a fraction of the space a traditional oven usually would.
Currently, it’s estimated that more than half of UK households own an air fryer, thanks to their clear convenience. They are considerably cheaper to operate compared to a standard oven and help prepare healthier meals since they require little to no oil for crispiness. However, using an air fryer for extended periods can still lead to higher expenses. This cost is now anticipated to increase in just a few days. The hike follows Ofgem’s announcement that their price cap will rise by an average of £111 per household per year from April to June. This marks the third consecutive year of such increases, a huge contributor to the cost of living crisis.
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Air fryer costs explained
This indicates that a household on a typical standard variable tariff will experience a rise in their annual bills from £1738 to £1849 . Additionally, the average cost of electricity is currently 24.886p per kWh, which will increase to 27.03p per kWh starting April 1. According to the popular comparison site Go Compare , an average air fryer consumes between 800 and 2,000 watts per hour for heating. The latest models of air fryers are designed to be more energy-efficient, potentially leading to lower running costs. Additionally, higher-powered air fryers require shorter cooking times.
An average air fryer costs about 35p to operate, translating to approximately £127 annually when used for one hour each day. However, when the price increase takes effect next week, the cost per hour will rise to 38p. This will result in an estimated annual expense of around £138.12. This reflects an overall increase of £11.09 per year. This is still more cost-effective than an oven. Go Compare explains: “Our guide on air fryer vs oven energy costs revealed that air fryers are cheaper to run than conventional ovens, simply because ovens use a lot more energy, between 2,000 to 5,000 watts on average. This can vary depending on what heat the oven is on.”
It added: “It costs roughly 49p an hour to run an average oven (0.63kWh). Don’t forget, people love air fryers because of how quickly they cook food which means they use less energy. A bag of frozen chips takes 20 to 25 minutes in an oven, whereas in an air fryer it takes eight to 20 minutes. To save energy, make sure you are only keeping them switched on for as long as they are in use.”
