Energy and running costs
What Preheating an Air Fryer Actually Costs
Published by the RecipeAirFryer editorial team · How we source times · Updated
Preheating a 1,500 W air fryer for 3 minutes costs at most 2.0p at the UK price cap, or 1.4¢ at the US average rate. Preheating a 2,400 W oven for 12 minutes costs 12.6p or 8.8¢, which is 6.4 times as much before any food goes in.
Key findings
- Preheating every day for a year adds up to £7.21 ($5.01) for the air fryer and £46.11 ($32.08) for the oven.
- On the median recipe in our set, which cooks for 11 minutes, the preheat is 21% of the air fryer's energy.
- The oven's preheat alone uses more energy than the whole of a 16-minute air fryer cook including its own preheat.
- Skipping the air fryer preheat saves pennies. Skipping the oven and using the air fryer saves the larger sum.
- Air fryer, 3 minutes at 1,500 W2.0p
- Oven, 12 minutes at 2,400 W12.6p
Preheat cost over a year
| Cooks per week | Air fryer (UK) | Oven (UK) | Air fryer (US) | Oven (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | £3.08 | £19.71 | $2.14 | $13.71 |
| 5 | £5.13 | £32.85 | $3.57 | $22.85 |
| 7 | £7.19 | £45.99 | $5.00 | $31.99 |
When the preheat is worth paying for
A hot basket browns food from the moment it lands, which matters for meat, potatoes and anything breaded. For those, the pennies buy a better crust and a time on the recipe that you can trust.
It matters less for frozen food, reheating and bakes. Those can start in a cold basket with a minute or two added, and the result is the same.
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.
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
How much does it cost to preheat an air fryer?
At most 2.0p at the UK price cap or 1.4¢ at the US average rate, for 3 minutes at 1,500 W.
Do you need to preheat an air fryer?
For food that should brown, a 3-minute preheat helps. For frozen food, reheating and baking it makes little difference, and you can add a minute or two to the cook instead.
How much does it cost to preheat an oven?
About 12.6p or 8.8¢ for 12 minutes at 2,400 W, as an upper limit. A fan oven that heats faster costs less.