Since mid-September and the rollercoaster of information on increasing energy costs and how to save money started it seems like every other website enquiry and phone call we get is about Air Fryers. Martin Lewis, amongst others, gave out some great advice on these super-efficient cooking gadgets and we saw some panic buying over a week that basically stripped the UK of all the popular models. But are air fryers all they are cracked up to be? Is it worth getting on the growing waiting list for one or are there alternatives that will save you as much, if not more money?
First off, what is an ‘air fryer’? Tefal was the first ( think), to coin the phrase back in the early 2010s at which time the emphasis was more on healthy eating than saving money, giving similar results to a deep fat fryer but without the (tasty) grease. The heating principle is the same as a fan oven with hot air from an element forced around the food by an electric motor and fan, the difference comes with the size, and therefore efficiency, of the heating cavity. The smaller the cavity size the quicker it will get up to temperature and cook your food thereby saving money and time. Air fryers typically have a cavity size of fewer than 10 litres which is small compared to your regular fan oven, which will be over 50 litres.
So, do I need an Air Fryer at all? With the recent hikes in electricity prices, we’re all looking at ways to save money on our bills and an air fryer is a good bet for the reasons stated above BUT there are some great alternative ways to cook, like microwaving which would be even cheaper to run. The downside with microwaved food is that some dishes will be distinctly lacking in flavour compared to more traditional cooking methods that brown the food. So, for me the ultimate high-efficiency cooking product is the combination microwave – these not only microwave cook using low power (typically 700 to 900w) but also have the fan heating element (or air fryer) to add flavour to the food, and have a small cavity size. Amazingly combination
microwaves will often cost less to buy than some air fryers AND save you money on every meal if used on the right settings…a win-win! In conclusion, it may well be more prudent to consider upgrading your microwave to a combi model rather than buying a dedicated air fryer.
If you would like to chat to us about efficient cooking, heating, and lighting for your home we’re here at our Monks Cross showroom six days a week and also online and on the telephone (01904 628676) – we can always save you money!
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