Air fryer vs microwave – which is cheaper to run? (2024)

FAQs

Air fryer vs microwave – which is cheaper to run? ›

If you want to base your purchase solely on which is cheaper to run, then the microwave wins. But it is common to have both a microwave and an air fryer in the kitchen, because you can use them for different purposes. A microwave heats and reheats food well.

Both appliances are fairly energy efficient when compared with lots of other kitchen machines (such as energy-sucking washing machines or ovens), but as mentioned, most experts agree that microwaves tend to be cheaper to run than air fryers.

It's a slower process, but if you're after a crunchy texture, the air fryer is the winner. Microwaves work much quicker and don't need to preheat. However, they won't deliver on crispy crumbed foods. They're best for high-water content items, such as curries and soups.

They're not really interchangeable, they perform completely different tasks. If it was one or the other I'd have a microwave because my oven can already do everything an air fryer can do, whereas an air fryer can't do what a microwave does.

Do air fryers use a lot of electricity? Air fryers don't use a lot of electricity, with most requiring between 800 and 1800 watts (W) to run, though some large models need more. Air fryers also use less electricity than electric ovens, which typically use around 2,200 W to 5,000 W, and therefore cost more to run.

Summary. In conclusion, while air fryers offer certain benefits such as reduced calorie intake and faster cooking times, they are not without their limitations. Size constraints, limited cooking options, and concerns about crispiness are driving some people to look for alternatives.

These gadgets are superb for cooking 'small things that cook quickly', but Lewis pointed out that loading the air fryer with various foods can increase energy consumption and bump up your bills.

An air fryer is usually limited to the convection-like air frying function, while a toaster oven or countertop oven can offer a wider range of functions such as broil, roast and bake. Some countertop ovens even feature an Air Fry setting, maximizing your appliance's functions.

An air fryer is brilliant at creating crispy, crunchy foods that you'd otherwise cook in an oven. And it can cook foods in half the time your oven takes, often without even preheating first. So while a combination microwave might have a convection oven and a grill, these features are no match for an air fryer.

But their hidden hack is their ability to reheat foods that a microwave would turn unpleasantly soggy and flabby. When you don't want to turn the oven on just to heat up a slice of pie, the air fryer is your friend.

What can an air fryer do that a microwave cant? ›

The primary difference between air fryers and microwave ovens is that an air fryer changes the way food is cooked while a microwave oven can also heat and reheat food. You can buy an air fryer if you want to make good quality fried food and a microwave oven is preferable if you're looking to heat or cook food.

Both microwaves and air fryers are meant to cook and heat food, however, each device does so through unique methods. Put simply, an air fryer heats food from outside-in, while a microwave heats food from inside-out.

In the same way, you may use an air fryer to prepare the soup. Actually, it's doable in the same way that you can bake soup in the oven. You may cook in there as long as it's warm. But that's not how it's intended to be utilized.

Air fryers use a low amount of electricity when compared to alternatives like full-size ovens. With short cooking times and small sizes, most air fryers will not use much electricity. The actual energy consumption will depend on usage patterns, cooking temperature, efficiency, and other factors.

How much energy does a microwave use? Microwaves run solely on electricity and a standard microwave requires about 1,200 watts. Larger and more powerful microwaves may pull slightly more energy than this rate while smaller microwaves generally use a bit less.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Using slow cookers, microwaves and air fryers when you can, are all great options for low-maintenance, low-cost, low-carbon cooking. Microwaves: When it comes to cooking quickly and cheaply, microwaves are going to be your best friend.

According to uSwitch, it costs about 8p a day to run a 700W microwave if used for 20 minutes a day. This works out to £3.43 per month and £29.16 per year if used every day.

Generally, an average air fryer is cheaper to use than an average oven. The difference is about 50% less total energy used, without even taking into account the shorter time needed to cook in an air fryer vs an oven.

As microwaves don't need to 'heat up', they can cook food much faster than air fryers or conventional ovens, saving you cash when it comes to food such as jacket potatoes, mug cakes, individual ready meals, and re-heating leftovers.