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Irish Mirror

Lifestyle

Anita McSorley & Sarah Lumley

Cost of running an air fryer, oven and microwave compared - with one a lot cheaper

Iceland (Organization) Utilita

Irish households that rely on oven cooking could save up to €720 a year on energy bills by switching to other appliances, new research has found.

A study by supermarket chain Iceland and British energy firm Utilita details the cost breakdown of each of the six main types of cooking appliance typically found in kitchens.

It's based on the average amount of time each appliance is used every day, with startling variations.

The research was done in pounds sterling and has been converted to euros for this article.

It found the most energy intensive is the electric cooker, which can cost up to £316.54 (€376.30) a year to run – while at the other end of the scale, the microwave costs just 9 cent a day, totalling £30.02 (€35.69) annually.

Other cooking appliances commonly used include the gas cooker, which costs 33p (40 cent) a day, or £120.83 (€143.64) a year, and the part-electric, part-gas dual cooker, which sets users back 72p (86 cent) daily, or £264.03 (€313.87) annually.

Meanwhile an air fryer is at the more economical end of the scale, costing just 14p (16 cent) a day to run – totalling £52.74 (€62.70) over a 12-month period.

The figures – based on the latest figures from intelligence and analysis firm Cornwall Insight on August 22– come as Iceland Utilita are set to rollout the “Shop Smart, Cook Savvy” campaign in-stores and online in September, to help identify the most economical ways of cooking.

And it is not just switching appliances that could save money, as the data found batch-cooking food could save up to £158 (€187.83) a year, while using the right sized pan, with a lid, could cut costs by £72 (€85.59).

Letting water simmer rather than leaving it boiling can also save £68 (€80.84) annually, and not overfilling the kettle could leave you with an extra £19 (€22.59) over a 12-month period.

The research is based on the energy consumption of 83 appliances across 24 sources, including academic research, legislation, and data collected from popular shopping websites.

It comes after research of 2,000 households across the UK found they spend approximately 43 minutes cooking each day, with 42% using the oven by default for most of their cooking needs.

But more than half (52%) admitted they don’t know which of their cooking appliances cost more to run.

Archie Lasseter, Utilita’s sustainability lead, said: "The rising cost of energy is going to create seismic shifts in consumer behaviour associated with energy consumption, through a new awareness of the cost to consume.

"Although cooking is said to account for 4% of the average energy bill, the savings speak for themselves.

"It’s vital that consumers are given the facts they need in order to use less energy in the interest of the pocket and the planet."

As part of the joint campaign, both Utilita and Iceland have committed to 11 pledges – including an overhaul of Iceland’s own-product packaging to reflect more energy efficient cooking appliances and methods, and a national “Cooking High 5” consumer awareness tour.

Richard Walker, Iceland’s managing director, said: “The cost-of-living crisis continues to be the biggest issue facing consumers.

“As a private, family-run business, we’re constantly looking at both short- and long-term initiatives that can offer any support.

“Our 'Shop Smart, Cook Savvy' collaboration with Utilita is so important, as it shines a light on the relationship between what we buy and how much energy we use cooking it – helping to empower our customers and provide them with access to information that can help stretch their budgets further.”