Air fryer fans are quick to share the reasons why they love the appliance that's become a fixture in many Aussie homes in recent years.
They're quick, easy to use, and produce less heat than an oven: just a few reasons why they've been embraced by home cooks.
But, even if an air fryer is almost guaranteed to level up your chicken nugget game, will it benefit your bottom line?
In our kitchen lab tests, we calculate how much each air fryer costs to run, as well as assessing their cooking performance. Check our detailed air fryer reviews to find the best air fryer for your needs and budget.
Here are three ways your air fryer can save you a few bucks.
1. They use less energy than an oven
Cooking appliances account for about five percent of your total energy consumption, so if you're trying to save cash, paying attention to which appliances you use and how you use them can make a difference.
Air fryers are generally cheap to cook with. They're smaller than an oven, so they heat up faster, and generally don't require preheating.
In many cases, they'll cook faster than an oven, so they use less energy and are therefore cheaper to run. (Although it's worth noting that they won't fit as much as an oven, so they're best for smaller meals.)
As someone who is usually cooking for one, it's much cheaper and faster to quickly cook something in the air fryer than the oven
Air fryer fan Sarah
"An air fryer may not be suitable for all cooking tasks, but will use less energy than an oven as it is smaller and quicker to heat up, and cook smaller quantities of food," says CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair.
Air fryer fan Sarah says: "As someone who is usually cooking for one, it's much cheaper and faster to quickly cook something in the air fryer than the oven ... our oven is a piece of garbage that takes forever to cook anything and even then it cooks really unevenly. Now we can make great roast potatoes, and much faster!"
Average running costs of air fryers we've tested
We calculate the running cost per year for each air fryer we test, based on using it three times a week for 30 minutes at 200°C. The size and capacity of the air fryer you're using, and how often you use it, will of course have an impact on how much it costs to run. Some models cost just $9 per year to run, but some cost as much as $51 per year.
Which is cheaper: Air fryer or oven?
To find out how an air fryer compared to using her old, inefficient oven, CHOICE staff member Wendy Evans cooked three different meals – including chicken tenders, roast vegetables and frozen apple pie – in both her oven and her air fryer, measuring how much energy they used with her home energy meter.
The winner? Her air fryer – by a mile. It not only gave better cooking results but cooked faster, so it used less energy.
So an air fryer is likely to leave you better off when it comes to your energy bills, especially if you have an unreliable, energy-guzzling oven.
CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair regularly tests air fryers in our labs to help you find the best appliance to suit your needs and budget.
2. They make cooking and meal planning easier
Putting dinner on the table every night (and the associated shopping, planning and cooking) can be an exhausting and thankless task. Anything that helps make that job a little more efficient and easier is welcome, right?
When there are hungry mouths to feed and you can't whip up something fast, you could find yourself resorting to expensive takeaways – a costly habit that can really add up.
"Air fryers are essentially mini ovens that cook more quickly, so they can be really convenient and helpful for no-fuss meals and snacks," says Fiona.
Teenagers can get involved with their own meal prep, and perhaps avoid ordering Uber Eats
CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair
"You can cook almost anything in them that you would cook in an oven, including things straight from the freezer such as fish fillets, pre-prepared homemade chips, lasagne, pies, cookie dough, nuggets, et cetera.
"They're also so easy to use that teenagers can get involved with their own meal prep, and perhaps avoid ordering Uber Eats (on your credit card, naturally) if they're on their own for an evening."
Air fryer fan Christina says she uses her appliance to make her children dinner "almost every second night", and finds the air fryer useful to help cook her family a variety of foods.
Our stove space is too limited for the amount and variety of food we have to prepare ... but an air fryer makes it easy
Air fryer fan Christina
"It could be chicken skewers, chicken kiev, chicken nuggets. You get the theme: chicken anything. I also use it as a replacement for pan frying things such as tofu, hash browns, and burgers.
"Our stove space is too limited for the amount and variety of food we have to prepare due to different dietary requirements, but an air fryer makes it easy," add Christina.
The multi-cookers that double as air fryers
As well as reviewing a range of air fryers in the CHOICE test kitchen, our experts also test multifunctional multi-cookers that have an air fryer function.
These multi-cookers are great for extending your kitchen capabilities even further than air frying, and include functions such as slow cooking, rice cooking, pressure cooking and steaming.
Multi-cookers are great for extending your kitchen capabilities even further than air frying
"Multi-cookers are real kitchen workhorses and can replace multiple appliances in your kitchen to really help you with meal prep and planning, which in turn can save you money on groceries," says Fiona.
They can help you transform cheap cuts of meat and staples like dried beans into delicious dishes that'll really hit the spot, saving you on your food bills. And they're also energy efficient.
And since you won't need your old slow cooker or rice cooker if you buy one of these appliances, you can sell them second-hand to recoup some of the purchase price.
3. They can help you reduce food waste
Instead of throwing last night's pizza leftovers or a lacklustre croissant in the bin, you can pop them in the air fryer for a quick reheat. Voila: an extra meal or snack, which will help your food budget go further.
"Air fryers are great for giving a glow up to any leftovers you want to heat and crisp up – think pizzas, pastries like croissants or scrolls, nuts that have gone a little stale, chicken schnitzels, et cetera," says Fiona.
Your air fryer can crisp up formerly soggy or unappealing foods into a delicious new meal
Your air fryer can crisp up formerly soggy or unappealing foods into a delicious new meal, banking you more savings.
Leftover spring rolls from last night's takeaway? Pop them in the air fryer the next day and add to a rice noodle salad for a satisfying lunch. Leftover vegies from last night's roast dinner can be crisped up and thrown on top of today's soup or curry for a tasty and nutritious boost.
How much do air fryers cost to buy?
Of course, if you're buying an appliance with the idea that it will save you money, you have to weigh up the cost of buying the appliance versus any long term savings.
CHOICE kitchen experts test a wide range of air fryers in different sizes with different features. While you can pick up a basic air fryer for as little as $69, prices for premium models run to $500 or more. Multifunctional appliances such as multi-cookers with air fryer capabilities can be more expensive still.
Check out CHOICE reviews to find the best air fryers and assess a range of models on price, performance and more.
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
