To know the true cost of an electric appliance, you must add the initial price you paid for it to the amount it takes to run the appliance. At first, a purchase may feel like a bargain, but the electricity bill levels everything. Air fryers are deemed cost-efficient, or at least, they’re marketed that way. But do they really help cut costs as advertised? Let’s find out whether or not air fryers are economical.
Is Using an Air-Fryer More Economical?
To calculate the amount of energy needed to run a fryer, you should know the wattage, which is usually mentioned on the air fryer. By multiplying the wattage by the number of hours used, you can calculate the cost. Let’s suppose you use an air fryer for half an hour, which is 0.50 of an hour, and the wattage is 1450 watts. Multiply 1450 watts with 0.50 hours, which equates to 725.
To calculate the cost of electricity, you should know the power costs in your area. Let’s say the electricity charges in your area are 10 cents per kWh. Now multiply that cost with 725. You will end up with $0.0725. Using this hypothetical calculation, the cost of preparing a batch of fries will be pretty low. If you use the air fryer for 15 minutes, you will spend no more than 35 cents.
Air Fryers Vs. Other Appliances
Air fryers consume less energy than microwave ovens, deep fryers, and traditional ovens. Philips and Nuwave are companies that manufacture some of the best air fryers. These air fryers use electricity with an average measure of 1500 watts, which is quite low, and even if you cook in your air fryer, you won’t have a relatively higher electricity bill at the end of the month. One of the reasons is the fast pace at which an air fryer cooks food.
Most modern air fryers have a wattage between 800 and 1500 watts. On the flip side, the wattage for a regular deep fryer is 1500 -1800 watts. For ovens, it goes from 2500 to 5000 watts. While deep fryers boil the oil, ovens need to be preheated before cooking. On the other hand, a high-wattage air fryer heats and cooks food faster, thus consuming less electricity. On average, an air fryer reduces cooking time by 25%.
Optimal Wattages for Air Fryers
As mentioned before, most air fryers consume somewhere between 1200 and 1500 watts. The wattage impacts the performance of an air fryer. However, there isn’t much difference between 1200 and 1500 watts. The reason is the time, and the temperatures on an air fryer are adjustable. Most air fryers run on 1400 watts, which is fine for an air fryer. However, going lower than 1400 watts isn’t a bad thing. A lower wattage will minimize energy consumption despite increasing cooking time.
Interestingly, some air fryers even allow you to increase and decrease the wattage they use. You might be wondering why that is. Your kitchen needs a specific outlet to run an air fryer. While most air fryers have a set wattage limit, the kitchen outlet might not be conducive to running such a fryer. You can adjust the wattage and use the fryer with adjustable fryers, which makes things all the more convenient.
How Does an Air Fryer Work?
As the name suggests, an air fryer cooks food by hot air circulation. The heating coil produces the heat distributed across the fryer with a convection system and a mechanical fan. In the convection process, the heated air rises to the top of the fryer, pushing down the cool air, then heated by the heating element. Unlike regular ovens and fryers, air fryers are smaller. Because of their small size, they cook food quicker than their conventional counterparts, which is the reason behind their cost-efficiency.
Is an Air Fryer Suitable for Campers?
Most campers use RVs which go hand in hand with air fryers. An air fryer can easily fit on the countertop, which is easy to clean. Besides cooking food quickly, the small size of the fryer is a constraint, as it cannot prepare food for the entire family in one go. Campers need a bigger fryer to feed the entire family.
A five-quart air fryer is just perfect for a family of three to five people. Make sure your RV supports the wattage of the large air fryer. You can also opt for a microwave with an air frying feature. The only problem is the microwave won’t be as quick as an air fryer, and the food won’t be as crispy.
The Final Word
Air fryers are great kitchen appliances. They need less oil, are fast, consume less energy, and produce better-tasting food. If you want to save money and stay healthy simultaneously, an air fryer is worth the investment. Wattage conductivity is an issue with air fryers; therefore, it is better to opt for one with adjustable wattage. It will allow you to cook the same delicious food while saving time, even if the kitchen outlet doesn’t support conventional air fryers.
