Expert warns people about using air fryers instead of ovens to cook food at home

Air fryers have replaced dogs as being man's best friend in recent years, but the innovative technology might not be as cost affective as you thought.

Air fryers have pretty much become a part of some people's identities since they became increasingly more popular.

There's even air fryer specific cook books you can get, birthday cards about the cooking appliance and personalised air fryer aprons.

As well as the supposed health perks that come with using an air fryer, they're said to cost affective.

According to CNET, the nifty tech is '50 percent more energy-efficient than the average full-size electric oven and about 35 percent more efficient than the average gas oven'.

But are they always cost-effective? British money saving expert Martin Lewis doesn't think so.

Air Fryers are hailed as one of the most cost-effective ways to cook. (Rafa Jodar/Getty Stock)

"A microwave gives you consistent heat whereas an oven is warming up to full temperature and then topping it up so it isn’t running at full power the whole time," he explained on The Martin Lewis podcast.

"If you were doing a full roast dinner and you were cooking many [jacket potatoes], it’s probably cheaper [putting them in the oven] than putting five or six jacket potatoes in a microwave because each additional object you put in a microwave, you need to keep it on longer because a microwave just heats the individual object."

But there are ways you can make your air fryer as cost-effective as possible.

Renewable energy firm GreenMatch suggests five ways to do this. The first one is to use the air fryer chamber to its maximum capacity as this will 'effectively trap the hot air'.

As of 2023, nearly two-thirds of US households had an Air Fryer. (Getty Stock)

"Opt for an air fryer with various cooking programs," it adds as the second tip. "This will free up your hands and time and optimise the cooking time and temperatures for specific dishes without requiring manual adjustments."

Cleaning your air fryer filter frequently can also prove beneficial as 'a clogged air filter can make it difficult for the hot air to circulate'.

GreenMatch also says to cook multiple items at a time to optimise energy consumption (if you have room in the chamber, that is).

For the fifth and final piece of advice, GreenWatch says: "The bigger the air fryer, the more energy it needs to achieve the same effect. If your household has two people, choose a lower-wattage fryer to reduce your appliance's energy consumption."

Happy air frying, folks.