Air fryers: everything you need to know before buying one

Air fryers have surged in popularity over the past few years and many people swear by them.  

They’re hugely versatile and can save busy families lots of time and money on their cooking and cleaning.

But should you rush out and buy one?

Here's a look at everything you need to know, including how air fryers work, what they cost to run, and their pros and cons. 

What is an air fryer and how does it work?

An air fryer can be thought of as a compact and efficient mini oven that uses convection technology. 

A heating element heats the air inside the appliance to a high temperature, usually to between 160°C and 220°C depending on the settings and the food being cooked. A fan then pushes this hot air around the food, ensuring it cooks evenly on all sides.

Air fryers typically use a basket or rack to hold the food, allowing air to circulate freely around it. This allows for even cooking, especially for foods like fries, chicken wings, and vegetables, which benefit from air exposure on all sides.

While originally thought of and marketed as a replacement for deep fat fryers, almost anything that you cook in a frying pan or oven can be cooked in an air fryer too.   

Where can I buy an air fryer?

You can buy air fryers in all the usual electrical stores such as DID Electrical, Harvey Norman and Woodies etc and in department stores like Arnotts and Brown Thomas. 

You'll also increasingly see them in the middle aisles of supermarkets. 

How much does an air fryer cost to run and is it cheaper than an oven? 

In general an air fryer will cost a lot less to run than an electric oven (but it does depend on the size of the air fryer that you buy and how many people you’re cooking for). 

Air fryers heat up much quicker than ovens (they're much more compact and there's usually no need to spend time pre-heating the appliance). It’s also much easier to check on your food in an air fryer. You can open the drawer, flip or shake your food around, and close it within a few seconds. But this takes longer and is more cumbersome with an oven and every time you open an oven it loses a small amount of heat and so costs more to run. So air fryers have a lot of cost advantages over ovens even just by their design.     

A small 800 watt (0.8 KW) air fryer will cost around 7 cents to use for 15 minutes. On the other hand, a standard 2.5 KW electric oven will cost around 44 cents to use for 30 minutes. 

However an air fryer is much smaller than a conventional oven which means if you’re cooking food for a big family you may need to cook two or three batches of food (which will obviously double or triple your electricity costs).

You can of course buy bigger air fryers with two drawers to cook more of your food at once. But bigger air fryers use more electricity. Some of the biggest air fryers will use around 2.5 KW, which is the same as many ovens. However you'll still usually save money as you won't need to run the appliance for as long.

In short, if you’re cooking a meal for one or two people it’ll be much cheaper to use your air fryer and quicker too.

However if you’re cooking a big meal for several people the cost savings aren't as big.

*based on Electric Ireland's standard 24-hour urban rate of €0.35 per kWh including VAT as of November 2024. Cheaper rates at certain times of the day may be available for those with smart meters or night saver meters. 

What are the main benefits of using an air fryer? 

As well as being cheaper to run, other benefits of air fryers are: 

1. Easy to clean

Cleaning the oven is probably one of the most hated of household chores. But with an air fryer it’s generally a breeze. 

The removable drawers and plates can usually be placed in the dishwasher and you can buy disposable paper or multi-use rubber liners for the drawers to make cleaning even easier.  

2. Quick and efficient 

Air fryers typically cook food faster than traditional ovens due to their compact size and rapid air circulation, making them great for quick meals. 

What might take 20 to 25 minutes to cook in an oven (excluding pre-heating time) will usually only take 15 minutes or so in an air fryer.

3. Versatile  

Air fryers are extraordinarily versatile appliances. You can also cook almost anything in them! 

4. Less messy

Since they use little to no oil, there's less splattering and mess compared to deep fat frying, pan frying, or even oven cooking. 

5. Healthier

As they require little to no oil, they're a much healthier option compared to deep fat fryers. Some foods may need a light coating of oil (often sprayed on) to enhance browning and crispiness, but far less than if you were deep frying.

6. Simple to use

Most air fryers have pre-set cooking functions and timers, making it simple to set the ideal cooking time and heat for different foods. This allows for precision in cooking, which helps prevent you from overcooking or undercooking your food.

What to consider when buying an air fryer

1. The storage space in your kitchen 

Air fryers are compact appliances but you’ll still need room to store yours somewhere and have space on the countertop for when you’re using it. 

Think about where you’ll put the air fryer after you buy it. Do you have enough space in your kitchen? You don’t want it gathering dust in a cupboard or press because there's not enough room on the countertop for it.

And the appliance will obviously have to be plugged in. So check the cord length to ensure it's long enough to reach a socket from where you're planning to use it,      

2. Size of appliance   

The size of an air fryer is measured in litres.  

Smaller appliances will have a capacity of three or four litres while some of the top-range, biggest devices can have a capacity of up to ten litres.

You also want to consider how many drawers you want. Most people would recommend two drawers/baskets, especially if you'll be cooking for others, so that you can cook different types of food at the same time e.g meat and vegetables. 

If in doubt, go for a slightly larger size.

But bigger appliances will obviously cost more and take up more space in your kitchen. 

3. Your taste buds

Air fryers are great for cooking food quickly and easily. However if you’re somewhat of a food connoisseur you may find certain foods don’t taste quite as good as those cooked in a conventional oven.

And despite the name, food cooked in air fryers tends to taste baked or roasted rather than fried. This is perfectly fine if it's what you're aiming for but it’s something to bear in mind.  

And without the use of some oil or moisture, some foods may turn out drier than desired. Depending on what you're cooking and the taste you're looking for, consider using lemon juice or a small amount of oil with your cooking.

4. Number of cooking programmes

Most standard air fryers come with a few pre-set cooking programmes such as air fry, roast and grill.  

But more expensive air fryers will have additional automatic programmes such as reheat, defrost, sauté, and slowcook to help you achieve lots of different cooking results. So think about what you'll be cooking and what settings will be of most use to you.  

5. Dishwasher safe

Check to see if the drawers and plates in your air fryer are dishwasher safe. 

Many people buy air fryers for the ease of cleaning them. But some may recommend that you clean by hand instead or may not be suitable for putting in the dishwasher at all, which may defeat the purpose.

6. Smart controls

Some air fryers can let you control the appliance from your phone or laptop using an app.

The app will recommend what setting to choose based on what you're cooking and will let you know when your cooking is finished.

7. Cost

While prices have come down, a good-quality air fryer from a top brand can still be relatively expensive compared to other kitchen appliances.

Some of the best and biggest air fryers can cost over €300, meaning you'll want to get good use out of your appliance to make it a worthwhile investment.

However be wary of buying cheap air fryers. You should expect to fork out around €80 or €90 at least if you want a sturdy appliance that will reliably cook food well.

Are air fryers worth it?

In most cases, yes. 

If you’re seeking a handy cooking appliance that can save you both time and possibly money, an air fryer is a great investment. They’re super easy to clean and operate and require minimal effort—just a few button presses to set the cooking time and temperature and away you go!

But if you live in a large family which enjoys a nice, big Sunday roast, you won't want to get rid of the oven just yet. And if you have a penchant for the taste of deep fried food you might be a bit disappointed with the cooking results from your air fryer.  

Save more

Buying an air fryer can save you time and money on your cooking. But there are lots of other ways to save around the home.

• Here's a guide on how to save time and money on your ironing. 
• And here are some tips on how to save money on your washing and drying.  
• And here are 24 energy savings tips for the kitchen.