Air Fryer vs Oven: Running Cost Calculator

Curious whether an air fryer really saves you money compared with your oven? Enter your electricity tariff, appliance wattage and typical cook times below to compare the real running cost of both appliances.

How this calculator works

Every appliance is rated in watts — its maximum draw. The maths matches your power bill: watts ÷ 1,000 gives kilowatts; multiply by the hours it runs and by your rate in cents per kilowatt-hour, and you have the cost of one cook. Multiply by cooks per week for the weekly figures the calculator shows for both appliances.

With the calculator’s own presets — a 1,800W air fryer, a 2,400W oven, 25 minutes a cook, four cooks a week, electricity at 32c/kWh — the air fryer uses 1.8 × 25 ÷ 60 = 0.75 kWh per cook: 3.0 kWh, or 96c, a week. The oven uses 2.4 × 25 ÷ 60 = 1.0 kWh per cook: 4.0 kWh, or $1.28, a week. The gap is 32c a week — roughly $16.64 a year. Swap in your own tariff and times for your numbers.

When the air fryer wins — and when it doesn’t

The air fryer wins on small and mid-sized loads: no preheating a big empty cavity, and shorter cooks. The oven wins when it’s full — a family batch that needs two back-to-back air fryer loads can match one oven run, and some dishes need oven space regardless. For most homes the saving is real but modest — choose on capacity and cooking style, and let running cost break the tie.

Quick questions

Does an air fryer always cost less to run? No. It draws less power and finishes faster, but back-to-back loads or long cooks can close the gap.

What rate should I enter? The c/kWh figure on your latest bill. The 32c preset is a typical Australian residential rate; time-of-use plans differ by hour.

Why won’t my bill fall by the full yearly figure? Elements cycle on and off at temperature, so real draw sits below the rated maximum. Treat every figure here as an upper bound.