Energy and running costs
How Long an Air Fryer Takes to Pay for Itself
Published by the RecipeAirFryer editorial team · How we source times · Updated
A £70 air fryer pays for itself after about 392 cooks if each one replaces an electric oven, which is 18.2 months at five cooks a week. In the US, an $80 model takes about 643 cooks, or 29.7 months. Each cook saves at most 17.9p or 12.5¢.
Key findings
- The saving per cook is 17.9p in the UK and 12.5¢ in the US, for the median 11-minute recipe.
- A £200 model needs about 1118 cooks to break even on energy alone, which is 51.6 months at five cooks a week.
- Payback is quicker in the UK than in the US because the unit rate is higher, so each cook saves more.
- These are best-case figures. The saving per cook is an upper limit, so real payback takes longer.
- £40 air fryer224 cooks
- £70 air fryer392 cooks
- £100 air fryer559 cooks
- £150 air fryer839 cooks
- £200 air fryer1118 cooks
Payback in the UK
| Purchase price | Cooks to break even | At 3 a week | At 5 a week | At 7 a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £40 | 224 | 17.3 months | 10.4 months | 7.4 months |
| £70 | 392 | 30.1 months | 18.2 months | 12.9 months |
| £100 | 559 | 43 months | 25.8 months | 18.4 months |
| £150 | 839 | 64.4 months | 38.7 months | 27.6 months |
| £200 | 1118 | 85.8 months | 51.6 months | 36.8 months |
Payback in the US
| Purchase price | Cooks to break even | At 3 a week | At 5 a week | At 7 a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | 402 | 30.8 months | 18.6 months | 13.3 months |
| $80 | 643 | 49.5 months | 29.7 months | 21.2 months |
| $120 | 964 | 74.1 months | 44.4 months | 31.8 months |
| $180 | 1446 | 110.9 months | 66.7 months | 47.6 months |
| $250 | 2008 | 154.2 months | 92.5 months | 66.1 months |
The purchase prices are round examples, not quotes for any model. Put in what you paid.
Energy is only one reason people buy an air fryer. Speed and not heating the kitchen are harder to price, and for many households they matter more than the payback.
How these figures were worked out
Energy is calculated, not metered: rated wattage multiplied by minutes of use. The air fryer is taken as 1,500 W with a 3-minute preheat. The oven is taken as 2,400 W with a 12-minute preheat. These are the default figures in our running cost calculator.
Air fryer minutes come from the recipe page. Oven minutes are the air fryer minutes divided by 0.8, which is the site's standard conversion (an air fryer takes about 80% of the oven time).
Prices are 26.32p per kWh (Ofgem price cap, October to December 2026) and 18.31¢ per kWh (EIA U.S. residential average, July 2026). Standing charges and taxes other than those already in the unit rate are left out, because they do not change with how you cook.
Both appliances switch their element off and on once they reach temperature, so every figure here is an upper limit. The gap between the two is a fair guide; the absolute numbers on your bill will be lower. Check the rating plate on your own appliances and your own tariff, then use the calculator for a figure that fits your kitchen.
The cook time is the median of the 304 recipes on the site. Payback assumes every air fryer cook replaces one electric oven cook. A gas oven changes the sum, because gas costs far less per kWh than electricity.
Sources
- Ofgem energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (26.32p per kWh, GB average, Direct Debit)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (18.31 cents per kWh, U.S. residential average, July 2026)
You may quote these figures with a link to this page. If you spot an error, tell us through the contact page and we will correct it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an air fryer save money?
It can save up to 17.9p or 12.5¢ per cook against an electric oven for a typical recipe. Whether that covers the purchase price depends on how often you use it in place of the oven.
Is an air fryer worth it for one person?
On energy, one or two people get the most from it, because a single basket holds the whole meal and there is no batching. That is the case the figures here describe.
Is an air fryer cheaper than a gas oven?
Not necessarily. Gas costs much less per kWh than electricity, which narrows or removes the saving. This study compares against an electric oven only.