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Reviewed · Rates: EIA August 2026 · How we calculate

Air Fryer vs Oven Calculator: Which Costs Less to Run?

Enter how long each takes to cook your food and how often you cook, and choose your state. You see the cost of each per use and what the air fryer saves in a year.

Inputs

min
min
times a week
kW

Measured while cooking.

kW

Measured while cooking.

Your electricity rate
¢ per kWh

EIA average for the U.S., August 2026. Type the rate from your bill to use it instead.

Cost to cook

Updates as you type
$13.04a year saved

with the air fryer, cooking 4 times a week: 4 cents a time against 10 cents for the oven. The air fryer uses 37% of the oven's electricity.

Cost per use
Air fryer, each time4 cents (0.2 kWh)
Oven, each time10 cents (0.55 kWh)
Show the math
Air fryer: 0.611 kW × 20 min ÷ 60 = 0.2 kWhOven: 0.913 kW × 36 min ÷ 60 = 0.55 kWhSaved: $13.04 a year

Data: EIA, August 2026; cooking power measured by Which?. U.S. average residential rate.

The short answer

An air fryer costs about 4 cents for a 20 minute cook and an electric oven about 10 cents for 36 minutes with preheating, at the U.S. average rate of 18.16¢ per kWh (August 2026). Cooking 4 times a week, the air fryer saves about $13.04 a year. It wins for small meals; a full oven tray can beat several air fryer batches.

The same cooking in every state

Air fryer 20 min vs oven 36 min, 4 times a week, at each state's average rate (August 2026).

Air fryer vs oven cost in each state. Select a column heading to sort.
Alabama3 cents9 cents$11.7316.33¢
Alaska6 cents16 cents$21.1229.41¢
Arizona3 cents8 cents$10.8115.05¢
Arkansas3 cents8 cents$10.3214.37¢
California6 cents16 cents$21.3729.75¢
Colorado3 cents9 cents$12.3317.17¢
Connecticut5 cents13 cents$17.6024.51¢
Delaware4 cents10 cents$13.4318.70¢
District of Columbia5 cents14 cents$18.6625.98¢
Florida3 cents8 cents$10.7714.99¢
Georgia3 cents9 cents$11.4215.90¢
Hawaii10 cents26 cents$33.8947.18¢
Idaho3 cents7 cents$9.6013.37¢
Illinois4 cents11 cents$13.8819.32¢
Indiana3 cents9 cents$12.2217.02¢
Iowa3 cents9 cents$12.2517.06¢
Kansas3 cents8 cents$11.1115.47¢
Kentucky3 cents8 cents$9.9113.80¢
Louisiana3 cents7 cents$9.2412.87¢
Maine7 cents18 cents$23.0632.11¢
Maryland4 cents12 cents$15.3721.40¢
Massachusetts6 cents17 cents$21.8930.48¢
Michigan5 cents13 cents$16.5122.99¢
Minnesota4 cents9 cents$12.3517.20¢
Mississippi3 cents8 cents$10.3614.43¢
Missouri3 cents9 cents$11.5116.02¢
Montana3 cents9 cents$11.1815.57¢
Nebraska3 cents7 cents$9.7313.54¢
Nevada3 cents7 cents$9.1412.72¢
New Hampshire6 cents15 cents$19.8527.64¢
New Jersey5 cents13 cents$17.6824.61¢
New Mexico3 cents9 cents$11.8616.51¢
New York6 cents16 cents$20.5828.65¢
North Carolina3 cents8 cents$10.7414.95¢
North Dakota3 cents7 cents$9.5613.31¢
Ohio4 cents11 cents$13.9219.38¢
Oklahoma3 cents8 cents$10.6414.82¢
Oregon3 cents9 cents$11.4315.92¢
Pennsylvania4 cents12 cents$15.6421.77¢
Rhode Island6 cents15 cents$20.2428.18¢
South Carolina3 cents9 cents$11.3215.76¢
South Dakota3 cents8 cents$10.8815.15¢
Tennessee3 cents7 cents$9.6413.42¢
Texas3 cents9 cents$11.4315.91¢
Utah3 cents7 cents$9.5613.31¢
Vermont5 cents13 cents$17.1223.84¢
Virginia4 cents10 cents$12.6717.64¢
Washington3 cents8 cents$10.5114.63¢
West Virginia3 cents9 cents$11.7116.31¢
Wisconsin4 cents11 cents$13.9419.41¢
Wyoming3 cents8 cents$10.3614.43¢

How it works

The formula

kWh = average kW while cooking × minutes ÷ 60
cost = kWh × rate · saved a year = (oven − air fryer) × times a week × 52

Assumptions

  • Average power from Which?'s test roasting the same chicken: the air fryer used 0.54 kWh in 53 minutes (611 W on average), a built-in electric oven 1.157 kWh in 76 minutes (913 W). Heating elements cycle on and off, so these are well under the ratings.
  • The default times (20 and 36 minutes) are an example, close to CHOICE's test of the same meal in each; type your own.
  • A gas oven isn't covered: its cost depends on your gas price.

Worked example: Which?'s roast chicken

  1. Air fryer 0.54 kWh × 18.16¢ = 10 cents
  2. Oven 1.157 kWh × 18.16¢ = 21 cents
  3. 11 cents saved per chicken

Ways to cut the cost

  • Air fry small meals, bake big ones: batches add up.
  • Skip the oven preheat for long roasts, and don't open the door to check.
  • A microwave or slow cooker beats both for reheating and stews.

Questions people ask

Is an air fryer cheaper to run than an oven?

Usually, because it heats a much smaller space and cooks faster. In Which?'s test roasting the same chicken, the air fryer used 0.54 kWh and the oven 1.157 kWh. At the U.S. average of 18.16¢ per kWh (EIA, August 2026) that's 10 cents against 21 cents.

How much does it cost to run an air fryer?

About 4 cents for a 20 minute cook at the U.S. average rate, using Which?'s measured average of 611 W while cooking. The element cycles on and off, so the average is well below the rating on the box.

When is the oven better?

When the food doesn't fit in one batch. An oven cooks a whole tray at once; cooking two or three air fryer batches can use as much electricity as the oven, and Which? found the savings soon drop off with batch cooking.

Does preheating matter?

Yes for the oven: include the preheating time in its minutes. Most air fryers need little or no preheating, which is part of why they use less.