Air fryers can be a terrific appliance to have in your kitchen. They are compact, make cleanup faster, and don’t heat up a house on a hot day. But you may wonder about power consumption. So, does an air fryer use a lot of electricity?
This helpful guide includes everything you need to know about how much power these small appliances require when operating. In addition, we cover the costs to run them and comparison to traditional cooking methods.
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Electricity Needs of an Air Fryer
Of course, not all air fryers are equal; they can have different electricity needs. For example, a compact model to cook food for one or two people will typically use less energy than a larger version that can accommodate more items.
So, do the larger air fryers use too much electricity, or should you find smaller options? The answer is simple.
Depending on the brand of air fryer you have and its capacity, an average unit will require between 1,200 and 1,800 watts of electricity. However, if you shop around, you can find some that only need 800 watts or large models that require 2,175 watts.
How Does This Compare to a Traditional Oven?
A traditional oven in your home can use anywhere between 3,000 and 5,000 watts of electricity during operation. Therefore, when comparing air fryer models to regular ovens, these smaller appliance has significant energy savings.
In addition, those who own a larger air fryer will still require less electricity than running an oven to cook the same foods.
Another factor that many may need to consider is how a traditional oven needs preheating before use. In contrast, air fryers don’t require you to warm them up before adding food, making them even more energy-efficient.
How Does This Compare to a Microwave Oven?
A standard microwave oven requires between 700 and 1,200 watts of electricity. Although this is less than an air fryer, these other appliances will not cook food the same way and are mainly for reheating leftovers.
Although some meals can use a microwave for cooking them thoroughly, the energy savings between the two appliances are minimal.
Electricity Requirements for Air Fryers
When shopping for an air fryer, check the manufacturer’s specifications and see how many watts it requires to run.
We’ve broken down a few popular air fryer models with their energy requirements to help you get a better understanding of the variances with each brand. This way, you can see if your model aligns with other popular brands.
- DASH Tasti-Crisp™ Electric Air Fryer Oven Cooker, 2.6 QT: 1,000 watts
- Magic Bullet MBA50100 Air Fryer, Black, 2.5 QT: 1,300 watts
- NINJA AF101 4QT Air Fryer: 1,550 watts
- COSORI Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo, 5.8QT Max Xl Large Cooker: 1,700 watts
- Chefman Air Fryer Toaster Oven XL 20L (21.1 QT): 1,800 watts
Although the size of these air fryers varies greatly, their electricity requirements are not largely impacted by the size. For example, the difference in size between the smallest and biggest on this list is almost 19 quarts, but it requires only 800 watts more energy to run.
The Average Energy Costs To Run an Air Fryer
Now that you understand how much energy air fryers need, translating those watts into what you will see on your utility bill can make it more relevant. Therefore, we can use the air fryer models from above to calculate their costs.
For comparison, let’s use the price of $0.15 per kW. Of course, your energy costs may be lower or higher than this, so if you know your current rate, you can use this online Electricity Cost Calculator to determine energy costs.
For this example, we will use the same parameters for each air fryer model. We based these yearly costs on the wattage of each unit and running it for 30 minutes every day.
- DASH Tasti-Crisp™ Electric Air Fryer Oven Cooker, 2.6 QT: $27.39
- Magic Bullet MBA50100 Air Fryer, Black, 2.5 QT: $35.61
- NINJA AF101 4QT Air Fryer: $42.46
- COSORI Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo, 5.8QT Max Xl Large Cooker: $46.57
- Chefman Air Fryer Toaster Oven XL 20L (21.1 QT): $49.31
Although these yearly amounts don’t seem to add up to much, anytime you save energy, it will benefit your bank account and the environment.
How Does This Compare to a Traditional Oven?
When comparing these air fryers to a traditional oven, you can quickly see how much money you can save.
For example, it would cost $82.18 annually to run a standard 3,000-watt oven for 30 minutes every day, while the smallest air fryer model costs only $27.39 a year, and the biggest air fryer model on this list will total $49.31 in energy annually.
How Does This Compare to a Microwave Oven?
If you want to compare the energy costs of air fryers to microwave ovens, using the same formula is easy.
The price of energy to run an 800-watt microwave oven for 30 minutes daily is $21.91 annually. While this cost is comparable to several air fryers, you may choose something other than a microwave to cook your food. For example, an air fryer can mimic deep-fried food’s textures, while a microwave cannot.
The Takeaway
Air fryers can be a terrific appliance to add to the kitchen. They can provide healthier food alternatives while helping save money on electricity costs. In addition, these units will not heat up your house on hot days and don’t need preheating before adding food.
If you are searching for a more energy-efficient way to cook food or trying to reduce your energy bill, purchasing an air fryer is your best choice. Knowing how many watts a model requires for use can give you an idea of its energy costs per year and its impact on your wallet overall.
