You may have heard that using an air fryer is a more eco-friendly option than using your oven.
But you may be wondering just how much electricity you save when cooking with your air fryer.
The standard rule of thumb is that an air fryer uses 75% less electricity than cooking with an oven.
But let’s dig into this a bit more and see if air fryers really save you on electricity, shall we?
Air Fryer Wattage
I’m sure you’ve seen the advertisements and claims that air fryers use less electricity than many appliances in your kitchen.
But how much wattage do air fryers use?
Depending on the size of the air fryer and its maximum temperature, you’re looking at anywhere between 1,000 watts to 1,700 watts.
That makes the average for an air fryer around 1500 watts.
For the most part, the larger the air fryer and the higher its maximum temp, then the higher the wattage.
- Small capacity (1.2 to 2 quarts) air fryers: about 1,000 to 1,200 watts
- Large capacity (3.4 to 6 quarts) air fryers: 1,200 to 1,700 watts
The reason that the wattage increases when the size of the air fryer increases is because it takes more electricity to cook the large amount of food that fits in larger capacity air fryers.
It’s important to note that here in the USA, you won’t really find air fryers in the 2,000+ wattage range because the electrical circuits (110V) in homes in the USA max out at 1,800 watts.
How many amps does an air fryer use?
If you’re more interested in amps than wattage, then let us help you out with that.
- 1,000 watts = 9.1 amps
- 1,200 watts = 10.9 amps
- 1,700 watts = 15.5 amps
- 1,800 watts = 16.4 amps
Are Air Fryers Energy Efficient?
When you compare air fryers to other small appliances, like a microwave, then they are not really energy efficient.
However, an air fryer is intended to replace your use of a convection oven.
And when you compare a convection oven to an air fryer, the air fryer uses considerably less energy.
So yes, air fryer are energy efficient when used in place of an oven.
The reason that air fryers are energy efficient are:
- Requires less time or heat or re-heat food
- Uses less electricity for the same cook time as a traditional oven
What’s The Best Wattage For Air Fryer Cooking?
The ideal wattage for an air fryer really depends on how many people you are cooking for with the small appliance.
You definitely don’t want to get an air fryer that’s bigger than you need.
For a small capacity air fryer, the best wattage is 1,000 watts.
For a large capacity air fryer, the best wattage is 1,700 watts.
Use An Air Fryer To Save Energy
Watch the video below to learn how you can save energy by cooking with an air fryer.
Final Word
As you can see, an air fryer isn’t the most energy saving small kitchen appliance on the market, but it does save on energy costs when you use it instead of an oven.
And the size and capacity of your air fryer is directly related to how energy saving it is.
So, get yourself an appropriately sized air fryer and lower your electric bill with air fryer cooking instead of using your oven.
And if you’re just getting started with your air fryer, then check out our article on The 14 Best Air Fryer Tips For Beginners (Expert Approved).