PlugFacts

Checked against official sources on 25 October 2026

Maintained by Karan S.

How much does an air fryer cost to run?

Up to $2.76 a month

for a 5-quart, 1,500 W air fryer used 20 minutes a day in , at 18.16 cents per kWh.

Maximum rated power
1,500 W
Costs per hour
$0.27

An air fryer draws a lot of power for a kitchen gadget, about 1,500 W for a typical 5-quart model, but usually only for a short time while a meal cooks. That keeps the running cost low. The figure on the box is the most it will draw: once it's up to heat, the element switches on and off, so you'll often pay less than the numbers here.

These are the rated powers from each maker's product page. Once the basket is up to temperature the heater switches on and off, so the real cost is usually lower than the figure here. That's why we say "up to". The 20 minutes a day is our example, not a measured average: change it in the calculator.

See popular buys that cut the cost ↓

Work out your own air fryer

Draws about 1,500 W

minutes

cents per kWh

Per day$0.09
Per month$2.76
Per year$33

Something else with a plug? Use the running cost calculator. Want your own appliance's exact figure? A plug-in electricity usage monitor shows the real kWh it uses.

Popular buys that cut the cost

What people reading this page usually look for next. Links open your country's Amazon store.

Air fryer

Uses less energy than heating a full-size oven.

View on Amazon

Dual-basket air fryer

Cooks two dishes at once, one run instead of two.

View on Amazon

PlugFacts may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, PlugFacts earns from qualifying purchases. It never changes our numbers. How we make money.

Rated power by size

Rated power from each manufacturer's product page. Bigger and dual-basket models draw more. Costs below use the price you set above.

Air fryer Power while on Cost per hour
Mini air fryer, 2.1 qt (COSORI Lite) 900 W $0.16
Basket air fryer, 0.8 kg (Philips Viva HD9621) 1,400 W $0.25
5-quart basket air fryer (COSORI Pro LE) 1,500 W $0.27
6-quart basket air fryer (COSORI TurboBlaze) 1,725 W $0.31
9-quart dual-basket air fryer (COSORI) 1,750 W $0.32

What it costs in other countries

For a 5-quart, 1,500 W air fryer used 20 minutes a day, at each country's official average electricity price.

CountryPrice per kWhPer monthPer year
United States18.16 cents$2.76$33
United Kingdom26.32 pence£4.00£48
Germany36.18 cents€5.50€66
Ireland38.71 cents€5.89€71
France24.85 cents€3.78€45
Spain25.09 cents€3.82€46
Italy31.42 cents€4.78€57
Netherlands24.40 cents€3.71€45

Prices from the U.S. EIA, Ofgem and Eurostat; see Sources below. To see another country, pick it at the top of the page; we cover 51.

How to cut the cost of running your air fryer

  1. Use it instead of the oven for small meals

    The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Saver guide lists air fryers among the small appliances that save energy compared with a full oven. They also put less heat into the kitchen in summer.

    See what an electric oven costs to run

  2. Pick the size you actually need

    COSORI's 2.1-quart Lite is rated at 900 W and its 6-quart TurboBlaze at 1,725 W. At 20 minutes a day, that 825 W difference adds up to about 100 kWh a year when both run at full power.

    Saves up to $18 a year

  3. Cook in one go

    Fill the basket in a single layer and cook batches back to back while it's hot, rather than letting it cool and heating it up again.

Savings use the electricity price you set above and figures from this page's sources.

What can power it

The watts on an air fryer are its rated power, the most it draws with the heater and fan both on. US models in the table run on a normal 120 V outlet. A generator or power station needs to supply that rated power, about 1,500 W for the option above, plus anything else running at the same time. We haven't found a published start-up figure, so check the label on yours.

Check a specific setup with the generator size calculator.

Power stations that can run an air fryer

Uses 85% of the battery as usable energy. Check your own power station or several appliances at once.

PlugFacts may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, PlugFacts earns from qualifying purchases. It never changes our numbers. How we make money.

Common questions

How many watts does an air fryer use?

The full-size models we checked are rated at 1,400–1,750 W. COSORI lists its 5-quart Pro LE at 1,500 W, its 6-quart TurboBlaze at 1,725 W and its 9-quart dual-basket model at 1,750 W. Philips lists its Viva HD9621 at 1,400 W. Small ones draw less: COSORI's 2.1-quart Lite is rated at 900 W.

Does a dual-basket air fryer use more electricity?

It draws a little more. COSORI's 9-quart dual-basket model is rated at 1,750 W, against 1,500 W for its 5-quart single basket.

Is an air fryer cheaper to run than an oven?

Usually, for small amounts. A 5-quart air fryer is rated at 1,500 W, while the bake element in a 30-inch GE Hotpoint electric range is rated at 2,585 W, and the oven has far more space to heat. The U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Saver guide recommends small appliances such as air fryers to save energy. For a big batch that won't fit in the basket, the oven may be the better choice.

How much does it cost to air fry for 20 minutes?

A 1,500 W air fryer running flat out for 20 minutes uses 0.5 kWh, about 9 cents at the average US price. Because the heater cycles once it's hot, the real figure is usually lower.

How much does it cost to run an air fryer per hour?

Up to $0.27 an hour in the United States, at the average price of 18.16 cents per kWh, or about £0.39 in the UK at 26.32 pence, for a 5-quart, 1,500 W air fryer drawing 1,500 W.

How many amps does an air fryer use?

Rated at up to 1,500 W, an air fryer draws up to about 12.5 A at 120 V (US, Canada). The same 1,500 W model would draw up to about 6.5 A at 230 V. That's at its maximum rating; most of the time it draws less. Check the label on yours.

Related

Sources

Last checked 25 October 2026. How we get our numbers.