How much does it cost to run an air fryer?
Work out what any appliance costs to run per use, per month and per year on your own electricity rate — including what it draws on standby. Rates for all 50 states.
Using the US average of 18.44¢/kWh — the U.S. Energy Information Administration, May 2026.
The saving against an oven comes from the shorter preheat and smaller cavity, not from a lower wattage.
Common cases
What drives the cost
An air fryer is a small fan oven, and its advantage is almost entirely about mass and preheat rather than power. A 1,500 W air fryer running for 25 minutes uses less energy than a 2,500 W oven running for 45 — not because the element is smaller, but because there is far less air, metal and empty space to bring up to temperature first.
That also explains where the advantage stops. For one or two portions the air fryer wins comfortably. For a quantity that would fill an oven shelf anyway, the gap narrows sharply, and cooking two air fryer batches back to back can cost more than one oven load.
How this is worked out
Electricity is billed per kilowatt hour. An appliance's kilowatt hours are its power in kilowatts multiplied by the hours it runs — so a 2,000 W appliance running for 30 minutes uses 1 kWh. Multiply that by your rate and you have the cost. The fixed monthly customer charge your utility adds is not included, because you pay it whether or not you switch anything on.
What this assumes
- The appliance draws its rated power for the whole time it is on. Anything thermostatically controlled — ovens, heaters, refrigerators, air conditioners — cycles on and off, so the real figure is lower.
- Your rate is flat all day. On a time-of-use plan the same appliance costs materially different amounts depending on when you run it, and peak rates can be several times the off-peak rate.
- State averages come from the EIA and blend every utility in that state. Your own utility may be meaningfully above or below it, so use your bill where you can.
- A year is 52 weeks of identical use, which overstates seasonal appliances and understates ones you use in bursts.
- The rate filled in for you is an average that spreads fixed charges across a year's usage, so it sits above what one extra unit really costs. Entering the unit rate from your own bill gives a closer answer.
Questions
Does an air fryer really use less electricity than an oven?
For small quantities, clearly yes — typically half to a third of the energy, mostly from the shorter preheat. For a full meal for four the difference is much smaller, and if you end up running it in batches the oven may well win.
Does this include the monthly service charge?
No, deliberately. The fixed customer charge is billed for being connected at all, so it does not change when you run an appliance more or less. Including it would make every appliance look more expensive than it is.
Why is the default rate different from what I pay?
The figure filled in is the EIA state average across all utilities in your state. Rates inside a single state can vary widely between a municipal utility and an investor-owned one, so your bill is always the better number.
Where do I find the wattage?
On the nameplate — usually a label on the back, base or inside the door — or in the manual. It is written as W or kW. If it only lists amps, multiply amps by 120 for a standard outlet, or 240 for a large appliance circuit.
Sources
- U.S. EIA — Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A — checked 2026-08-21
- U.S. EIA — Frequently asked questions, electricity — checked 2026-08-21
Rates from U.S. EIA for May 2026. Last reviewed September 3, 2026.