Air fryers are the quickest and most energy energy-efficient cooking appliance to use, according to new research from Which? The consumer champion tested a variety of recipes using air fryers, microwaves, pressure cookers and slow cookers to see what appliance would come out on top.
Testers calculated how long it took, how much energy it used and how much it costs to use different appliances to cook the same foods. While air fryers and microwaves provided impressive results, it could be important to consider the initial outlay when looking at saving money.
Delving into the research, Emily Seymour, energy editor at Which?, said: "Energy bills are a real concern for millions of households across the country, especially when many are already feeling the pressures of the cost of living crisis, and cooking is one of the everyday costs that really mount up over time.
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"There has been a surge of interest in air fryers and smaller cooking appliances in recent months, and our research shows that the hype could be justified in some cases, as we’ve found these products cost less to cook certain foods than conventional ovens. The cost savings will soon be lost if you have to cook more than one batch though, so it’s still better to use your oven if you’re cooking large quantities. But for quick, small meals, we’ve found that it’s worth trying out the alternatives."
Below are all the foods that were used in the test, as well as the results and running costs of each appliance.
Chicken
The pressure cooker came out on top as the cheapest and fastest way to cook chicken. Which? found that it cost 11p and took just 32 minutes, however, it also meant having to sacrifice the crispy skin that other appliances still managed to achieve.
An oven took a much longer 76 minutes, and also cost more at 39p, although Which? testers noted that the meat turned out dry.
Overall, the research found that, if you were to cook a roast chicken in an air fryer once a week for an entire year, you’d save almost £11 compared to cooking in the oven.
Chips
The best appliance for cooking chips, when trying to cut costs, is an air fryer. Two portions of chips in the appliance costs 10p and takes 23 minutes to cook using an air fryer. Comparing the same quantity in an oven, the cost is almost three times more at 29p.
The model Which? tested recommends filling the basket just halfway and using a maximum of 500g of chips, which is enough for around two to three portions. This means it wouldn’t be the most practical appliance if you’re feeding several people, or want to cook a few different food items simultaneously.
When testing the halogen oven, Which? Found that it was only slightly cheaper than a regular oven, costing 23p.
Cake
Baking a cake in an air fryer costs just 8p and takes almost half the time needed for a regular oven, without compromising on taste and texture The test found that an air fryer could bake a cake in 33 minutes, while an oven took 56 minutes.
If you were to opt for the oven instead, you'd also have to pay 24p - three times as much than a air fryer. Due to the air fryers size limitations, experts did have to make a smaller cake than for the other appliances.
While the pressure cooker and halogen oven produced great cakes, they took longer than the oven and used more energy, costing 2p and 7p more respectively. For baking on a budget, the air fryer came out on top.
Soup
The cheapest way to make soup is to use either an induction hob or pressure cooker. Both heated vegetable soup quickly and efficiently, at just 9p.
While the slow-cooked option required the least amount of work, it was 22p more expensive, costing 31p in energy.
The induction hub came out on top for quality of cooking, while the pressure cooker was the quickest, taking 19 minutes to cook the soup.
Vegetables
The most affordable way to steam your vegetables is the microwave. Which? found that a microwave was 3p to 4p cheaper than using an induction hob or pressure cooker, both of which cost 7p.
Which? found that the pressure cooker used slightly more energy than the induction hob and overcooked the broccoli.
Testers noted that the benefit of using the microwave or hob was that you have more control over the cooking time, which took five minutes and nine minutes respectively.
Potato
It takes just eight minutes to cook a soft and fluffy jacket potato, and uses just 5p worth of energy. But the air fryer also provided impressive results, taking half the time of an oven and only using 9p worth of electricity.
As with a lot of the other recipes though, it would only work well if you were to cook one or two potatoes due to size limitations. The oven took the longest amount of time and used 37p worth of energy - over 7 times more than the microwave.
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