Exact energy price difference between using an airfryer and the oven to save on your bills
Saving money is something we all want to do, especially during the coldest and darkest months of the year when it can be difficult to control the energy bills.Large appliances in our homes are often the main culprits for excessive energy consumption - the tumble dryer being the prime offender. However our electric ovens can also use up a fair amount of electricity especially when winter calls for delicious, oven-baked recipes.There are smaller appliances available that can do the job too. One has gained considerable popularity in recent years - the airfryer.An airfryer isn't really a 'fryer' as such, it's more akin to a countertop, portable mini oven that you can use to cook food. They first gained popularity as traditionally fattier or oilier foods, such as breaded meats, chips and burgers, can be cooked in the air fryer rather than a deep fryer, making them lower in saturated fats.They've been on the market since at least 2010, but their popularity surged when new models promised to heat food evenly and quickly and in a healthier manner. Now, they're being recognised for their energy-saving capabilities too, as they generally use much less electricity than heating the oven.Small and compact, they come with specific timers that switch off once the set time is reached. This means you're also not wasting any electricity pre-heating or forgetting to switch it off.Energy is priced by the kilowatt in Ireland - aka, 1000 watts. In January 2026, the average price of electricity in Ireland per unit is 36.34c per kWh, according to Selectra. This is based on a standard, 24hr urban rate comparing all providers with VAT included.Using this measure, we compared the costs associated with using an airfryer vs an oven. You can do this comparison too, you just need to look at your appliances user manual to discover how many kWh it uses.Our sample product, the Tefal XL Easy Fry Precision EY401840 Digital Health Air Fryer consumes 1500W of energy per hour. It can accommodate up to 6 portions of food, making it a typical example of an appliance you might find in a family home.A traditional oven, depending on the model, can use up to 5000 watts of energy, with the average standing at about 2.5 to 3 kilowatts per usage to oven cook a meal for an hour. However, other longer oven sessions for items like a roast chicken or pie consume more energy.Using these stats, each use of an airfryer for one hour could cost about 55c, rounding up to the nearest cent, while the use of an average oven could cost 80c to €1.10, rounding up to the nearest cent.Comparing these stats, an airfryer uses about half the energy of an oven over the course of one hour - but for the most part, people are not leaving their airfryers on for that long. Most items like potatoes and meats cooked in the airfryer take 30 minutes or less.Additionally, you'll save a few pennies on cooking oil since most airfryers don't require greasing unlike many oven dishes. Bear in mind that this calculation only considers average temperature cooking time.However, essentially all homes already have an oven. If you want to use an airfryer for cost-saving purposes, you have to factor in the up front cost of purchasing an airfryer, with models costing anywhere between €80 to €300, so it may take a while to see your savings back to you after the investment.Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
