Two in five believe ovens will become obsolete as the air fryer craze shows no signs of slowing down
Two in five households believe that air fryers will make traditional ovens ‘obsolete’ in the future.
Households have reduced their furnace use by 48 percent since 2022, according to new data from Utilita Energy.
The cost of living crisis has prompted many households to consider alternative ways to cook efficiently and cost-effectively, but air fryers won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
To take over? More than 40% of UK households expect air fryers to make traditional ovens ‘obsolete’, claims Utilita Energy
Based on the average 48 percent reduction in oven use since 2022, Utilita claimed households have saved £31.55 per year by using an air fryer instead of an oven.
For the estimated 9.8 million households with an air fryer, this amounts to a total annual saving of £309 million across Britain, according to the findings.
This amount would, according to the report, cover the costs of the annual heating bill for 450,000 households.
The cost of operating air fryers depends on their power, which correlates with their size.
According to the data, it costs about 50 cents to run an electric oven for 30 minutes. In contrast, an air fryer can cost as little as 10 cents to run for 20 minutes in some circumstances.
People typically pay £110 for an air fryer, with most opting for a medium-sized machine, the findings show. That means it would take more than three years for most to pay for themselves.
Large air fryers are the second most popular choice, with 23 percent of buyers opting for one, while 15 percent prefer a small air fryer.
Ninja, Tower, Tefal, Phillips and Russell Hobbs respectively are the most purchased air fryer brands, claims Utilita Energy.
Gemma Hatvani with two of her kids, Koa, 10, and Arlo, 4 – they love air fryers
Gemma Hatvani, 42, lives in Derbyshire with her five children, aged between four and 19.
Gemma, who runs the Facebook group Energy Support and Advice UK, is a big fan of air fryers and now never uses an oven again.
She told MailOnline: ‘I bought my first air fryer in 2021 because I wanted to try and save money on my bills and be more efficient with my energy consumption.
‘Over the years I have tried every air fryer. Some have fallen to pieces, so it hasn’t all been smooth sailing.”
Gemma added: ‘Two years ago I bought a Ninja air fryer, which cost me £200. It was worth the money. I can dehydrate things like tomatoes and oranges in it.
‘I can also cook a whole chicken in it, delicious for a Sunday roast. My kids also love cooking eggs in it. My 12 year old can cook a whole roast dinner.
‘My oven is now 100 percent redundant. I don’t use it at all. I know not everyone is convinced yet, but I think more and more people will start using an air fryer instead of an oven.
‘Some people still seem risk-averse when it comes to switching to an air fryer.’
Gemma told This is Money that she does not receive money from or have any brand partnerships with any air fryer company.
Time to cook! Gemma Hatvani’s kids love cooking eggs in the air fryer for the whole family
What a dish: Gemma Hatvani showed MailOnline one of her air fryer dishes
| Type | Average cost per minute | Average cost per use | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Litre | Air fry | Electrical oven | Air fryer (20 minutes) | Electric oven (30 minutes) |
| Small | 01-Apr | £0.005 | £0.02 | £0.10 | £0.50 |
| Medium | 4.1 – 8 | £0.007 | £0.02 | £0.14 | £0.50 |
| Big | 8.1 – 12 | £0.009 | £0.02 | £0.17 | £0.50 |
The data shows that 63 percent of people bought an air fryer ‘due to the lower running costs compared to the oven’, while almost a quarter said they had seen a ‘significant reduction’ in their energy costs when using an air fryer.
Unfortunately, the findings show that 34 percent of households with an air fryer have no idea how to maintain it.
Love them or loathe them, in recent months it’s been hard not to notice the popularity of air fryers on British television networks.
On Channel 5 we have had Air fryers: Sunday lunch made easy And Air fryers: Do you have the right one?
And even Jamie Oliver has jumped on the trend, with Channel 4 recently airing it Jamie’s Air Fryer Meals.
Still a favorite of yours? Although many people have air fryers, ovens are still in homes across the country