Quick answer: Using the current UK energy price cap, air-frying a typical meal costs roughly a third of what the same meal costs in a conventional oven — often a 25–30p difference per meal, which adds up fast if you cook regularly.
The Current UK Rate
From 1 July to 30 September 2026, Ofgem’s energy price cap puts the average electricity unit rate at 26.11p per kWh for a typical Direct Debit household (plus a daily standing charge that applies regardless of what you cook on). This is reviewed every three months, so the exact figure will drift — but it’s the most accurate baseline to work from right now, and the ratio between air fryer and oven costs stays fairly stable even as the underlying rate moves.
The Maths, Worked Through
Take a typical meal — say, a tray of chips or a batch of chicken thighs:
- Air fryer: around 1.7kW, running for 20 minutes = 0.57 kWh → roughly 15p at current rates
- Conventional oven: around 2.3kW average (including preheat), running for 45 minutes total = 1.73 kWh → roughly 45p at current rates
That’s about three times the cost for the oven — broadly in line with the “roughly 60% savings” figure you’ll see quoted elsewhere, though the exact percentage depends on the specific meal and how long your oven takes to preheat.
Why the Gap Is So Big
Three things stack up in the air fryer’s favour: it’s heating a much smaller volume of air, it needs little to no preheating compared to an oven, and the compact space means heat transfers to the food faster — so cook times are shorter on top of the lower wattage. Ovens spend a lot of energy just heating empty space around the food.
Does This Add Up Over a Year?
It depends entirely on how often you’d otherwise use the oven instead. As a rough guide: swapping even a few oven-cooked meals a week for the air fryer, at a 25–30p saving each time, works out to somewhere in the £15–£25 range over a year for light use, and considerably more for a household cooking this way most days. The frequency matters more than the per-meal figure.
A Few Caveats
- Actual costs vary by model — check the wattage rating on your specific air fryer and oven rather than assuming these exact figures.
- This comparison covers the marginal cost of the cook itself. The standing charge on your energy bill applies either way.
- Ofgem reviews the price cap quarterly, so the pence-per-kWh figure above will change — the roughly 3x cost difference is the more durable takeaway than the exact numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this account for an oven’s residual heat after it’s switched off?
No — this is based on active running time only. In practice that makes the oven’s real-world cost slightly higher still, since ovens hold heat and are often used for multiple dishes in sequence, but the energy for that has already been spent by the time cooking finishes.
Is an oven-style air fryer as efficient as a basket model?
Generally close, though oven-style models have a larger internal volume to heat, so basket-style models tend to have a slight edge on pure running cost for smaller portions.
Do off-peak or time-of-use tariffs change this?
Yes — if you’re on a tariff with cheaper off-peak rates and can time your cooking around them, the savings calculation changes. The comparison above uses the standard variable rate as a fair baseline.
For the full model-by-model breakdown, see our Air Fryer Comparisons guide, or check exact cooking times for your dish with the Cooking Time Calculator.
