Energy and running costs
What a Holiday Roast Costs in an Air Fryer and in an Oven
Published by the RecipeAirFryer editorial team · How we source times · Updated
Roasting a turkey breast costs about 34.9p in an air fryer and 78.4p in an electric oven at the UK price cap, or 24.3¢ against 54.6¢ in the US. A full roast is different: cooking the joint and six trimmings one after another in a single basket costs £1.03, against 78.4p for one oven load.
Key findings
- For the joint alone, the air fryer is cheaper for all 8 holiday roasts in our set.
- For a whole dinner of seven items, the air fryer runs for 157 minutes back to back and the oven for 75 minutes with everything in at once.
- That makes the single-basket dinner 24.9p more expensive than the oven in the UK, and 17.3¢ more expensive in the US.
- The practical answer for a big meal is both: the joint in the oven and one or two sides in the air fryer to free up shelf space.
- Stuffing Balls11.2p
- Rack Of Lamb14.5p
- Beef Tenderloin21.7p
- Turkey Legs25.0p
- Roast Beef27.0p
- Corned Beef28.3p
- Turkey Breast34.9p
- Gammon Joint34.9p
The joint on its own
| Food | Air fryer time | Air fryer (UK) | Oven (UK) | Air fryer (US) | Oven (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuffing Balls | 14 min | 11.2p | 31.1p | 7.8¢ | 21.6¢ |
| Rack Of Lamb | 19 min | 14.5p | 37.6p | 10.1¢ | 26.2¢ |
| Beef Tenderloin | 30 min | 21.7p | 52.1p | 15.1¢ | 36.3¢ |
| Turkey Legs | 35 min | 25.0p | 58.7p | 17.4¢ | 40.8¢ |
| Roast Beef | 38 min | 27.0p | 62.6p | 18.8¢ | 43.6¢ |
| Corned Beef | 40 min | 28.3p | 65.3p | 19.7¢ | 45.4¢ |
| Turkey Breast | 50 min | 34.9p | 78.4p | 24.3¢ | 54.6¢ |
| Gammon Joint | 50 min | 34.9p | 78.4p | 24.3¢ | 54.6¢ |
A full roast dinner, item by item
This is the same meal cooked two ways: seven items in turn in one air fryer basket, or all of them in one oven at once.
| Item | Temperature | Air fryer time | Air fryer cost (UK) | Air fryer cost (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey Breast | 175°C / 350°F | 50 min | 32.9p | 22.9¢ |
| Crispy Roast Potatoes | 200°C / 400°F | 25 min | 16.4p | 11.4¢ |
| Parsnips | 190°C / 375°F | 20 min | 13.2p | 9.2¢ |
| Brussels Sprouts | 190°C / 375°F | 14 min | 9.2p | 6.4¢ |
| Carrots | 190°C / 375°F | 17 min | 11.2p | 7.8¢ |
| Stuffing Balls | 180°C / 360°F | 14 min | 9.2p | 6.4¢ |
| Yorkshire Puddings | 200°C / 400°F | 14 min | 9.2p | 6.4¢ |
| All items back to back, one preheat | 157 min | £1.03 | 71.9¢ | |
| One oven load, timed by the slowest item | 75 min | 78.4p | 54.6¢ |
The single-basket version also takes 157 minutes of cooking, so the first items would be cold long before the last ones finish. Cost is not the main reason an oven wins here; timing is.
A dual-drawer air fryer halves the queue, and using the air fryer for the sprouts and potatoes while the oven handles the joint gets the best of both.
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 full-dinner comparison adds the air fryer cook times together with one preheat. The oven figure assumes all seven items fit in one oven and is timed by the slowest item.
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
Can you cook Christmas dinner in an air fryer?
Parts of it. A turkey breast or a small joint fits a basket and costs about 34.9p to roast. A whole dinner in one basket means 157 minutes of back-to-back cooking, so most people use the air fryer for the sides.
Is it cheaper to cook a roast in an air fryer?
The joint alone, yes. A full roast with trimmings is cheaper in one oven load by this calculation, because the oven cooks everything at once.
How long does a turkey breast take in an air fryer?
About 45-55 min at 175°C / 350°F, until the thickest part reaches 74°C / 165°F.