Are air fryers actually worth the hype? FEMAIL speaks to food experts

Are air-fryers REALLY worth the hype? As sales continue to soar, chefs, nutritionists and food editors weigh in on the kitchen gadget

• FEMAIL spoke to chefs and food industry experts around the UK about air fryers 
• Some admit they prefer a traditional oven whereas many praise the gadget 
• The kitchen must-have’s versatility and energy efficiency was highly praised 

Air fryers have exploded in popularity in past years and have become one of the most in-demand kitchen gadgets in 2022.

The device has been hailed as an essential for quick and healthy bites – but are they actually worth the hype?

Here, FEMAIL speaks to chefs and industry insiders, most of whom have overwhelmingly vouched for the foodie-favourite gadget.

Experts praise air fryers for their versatility, energy-savings and the ‘endless recipes’ which are possible.

Chefs and recipe developers weigh have also given kudos to their cleanliness, while some have admitted that they prefer a traditional oven for a ‘full result’.

‘I would still stick to regular ovens’ 

Lello Favuzzi (pictured), Executive Chef of Macellaio RC admitted he prefers a regular oven for ‘the full result’

Experts have weighed in on whether air fryers are really worth the hype, with some telling FEMAIL they are ‘versatile’ and help with ‘energy savings’ (stock image)  

Meanwhile Lello Favuzzi, Executive Chef of Macellaio RC, said he preferred a more traditional  oven than an air fryer.

He said: ‘Being a professional chef for many years, I believe air fryers are simply miniature of standard fan ovens that everybody has at home. 

‘There are definitely pros and cons to this piece of equipment.’

However Lello continued: ‘I wouldn’t recommend this machine for large families that often cook, as you can only cook small quantities of food in a short time.

‘However, it could be very efficient for busy couples that don’t have lot of time for cooking.

‘Moreover, considering the cost of gas and electricity getting higher and higher, these pieces are instrumental towards saving as they are very energy efficient.

‘On the market, there are different brands and prices of air fryers, always stick to recommended brands and remember that a high price is not always the best result.

‘Saying this, I would still stick to regular ovens as I prefer the full result instead of using air fryers, primarily if you work in a professional kitchen.’

‘One of the best things I’ve bought for my household kitchen’ 

Calum Montgomery (pictured), Chef Owner of Four AA Rosette awarded Edinbane Lodge, Isle of Skye has praised the gadget

Calum Montgomery, Chef Owner of Four AA Rosette awarded Edinbane Lodge, Isle of Skye, explained his air-fryer had become an essential for him at work.

He explained: ‘It’s one of the best things I’ve bought for my household kitchen. It’s versatile, much more convenient than a gas or electric oven because you switch it on and it’s good to go in seconds. 

‘It’s much healthier than a deep fat fryer and the thing I love about it most is the cleaner smell.’

Meanwhile he added: ‘I use it often for post service pakoras – delicious!’

‘I was sceptical at first’ 

Kenny Tutt (pictured), MasterChef 2018 Champion and founder of Sussex restaurants Pitch and Bayside Social, says he was ‘sceptical’ about the device at first

Kenny Tutt, MasterChef 2018 Champion and founder of Sussex restaurants Pitch and Bayside Social, said he was sceptical of the device at first.

He explained: ‘I must admit I’ve been on the fence about air fryers – is it just going to end up sitting on the counter getting dusty or could it be the new microwave?

‘Considering it has the ability to make cooking a bit easier and cheaper, and the whole idea of it circulating hot air and oil to make things crispy, I’m leaning towards it not being a fad and actually something that could be really useful to people.’

‘I have friends who swear by them – so although I was sceptical at first, I think I’m more likely to give it a chance now for those times we all need a quick and easy dish.’

‘Definitely worth the hype’

Jules Domanski (pictured), Recipe Developer at Ocado Retail, said that it’s ‘important to challenge the stereotype that they’re only used for chips’

Jules Domanski, Recipe Developer at Ocado Retail, claimed the air-fryer is ‘definitely worth the hype.’

She said: As a broader variety of air fryers have become available, interest in these versatile appliances has really peaked.

‘There are super affordable ones that are the perfect size for a single person living alone, through to Ninja models which have over a dozen functions outside of air frying – they’re definitely worth the hype!

‘I’ve been creating a variety of recipes using my air fryer recently, and it’s so important to challenge the stereotype that they’re only used for chips!’

She continued: ‘Personally, I think the best way to use one is alongside a slow cooker – great to cut down on energy costs for the winter, and the recipes are endless!

‘Winter warming comfort food such as chilli cheese fries or Shepherd’s Pie with crispy air fryer hash browns are a real winner.’

‘Far more energy efficient’

The Food Team at Sorted Food (pictured) say they have been hearing more about the energy efficiency of air fryers

The Food Team, at Sorted Food, said they have been hearing more about the energy efficiency of air fryers.

They said: ‘Air fryers have massively grown in popularity in the last few years as people have seen them as a quicker, potentially healthier and definitely less messy alternative to frying food in lots of oil.

‘However, we’ve been hearing more recently from our audience that air fryers are also a far more energy efficient and therefore cost effective way of cooking compared to using an oven, which is generally much larger and takes longer to heat up and cook food.

‘Obviously this is a top priority for so many people right now, so definitely worth exploring more!’

Are air fryers actually more energy efficient than ovens? As hard-up shoppers turn to the kitchen gadget, MailOnline reveals whether it can really help to slash bills amid the cost-of-living crisis

With the cost of living increasing by the day, many of us are taking measures to reduce our spending, including cutting the family grocery bill, foregoing weekends away and ditching subscriptions.

Cheap energy tariffs are virtually impossible to find at the moment, so another key way to save money is to use less energy.

Air fryers have been widely touted as cheaper and healthier alternatives to ovens – but are they actually more energy efficient?

MailOnline reveals whether the kitchen gadget can really help to slash bills amid the cost-of-living crisis. 

How much does your favourite kitchen appliance cost to run? 

Gas or electric oven: £1.02/hour

Electric hob: 68p/hour

Air fryer: 30p/hour

Microwave: 23.8p/hour

Slow cooker: 5p/hour

Source: Hometree 

What is an air fryer?

An air fryer is a kitchen gadget similar to an oven, in the sense that it bakes and roasts food.

It runs on electricity and its heating elements are located on the top of the appliance, accompanied by a large, powerful fan.

As the name suggests, air fryers use hot air and a small amount of oil to cook food, and are typically faster than ovens.

How much do they cost?

Air fryers start from around £60, with more expensive models having a larger capacity and more advanced functions.

‘Models with extra features – such as control via an app on your phone or multiple compartments that let you cook two foods at once – will set you back well over £200,’ Which? explains on its website.

Are they actually healthier than ovens?

This depends on what you’re cooking.

If we’re talking about foods you’d usually deep-fry, such as frozen chips, then the answer is yes.

‘Despite both having ‘fryer’ in their name, air fryers and deep fat fryers work quite differently,’ Which? explains.

‘Air fryers are often referred to by manufacturers as healthy or low-fat fryers, as they use hot air and a small amount of oil to cook the chips by convection.

As the name suggests, air fryers use hot air to cook rather than oil, and typically cook food more quickly than ovens 

Dishwashers beat washing up 

When it comes to washing-up, it all depends on how long you leave the tap running.

An average dishwasher load would cost 26p to run, according to personal finance site nimblefins.co.uk.

But someone who ran a tap for 15 minutes to handwash the same number of dishes would spend twice as much — 52p. 

However, using a tap for three minutes would cost only 10p — and anything less than seven-and-a-half minutes would be cheaper than the dishwasher.

‘The results are more akin to oven chips than traditional chip-shop chips.

‘Deep fat fryers submerge chips in hot oil to cook them, giving a crispier but fattier result.’

However, if you’re cooking something that would usually go in the oven, such as chicken breasts or sausages, an air fryer won’t change how healthy it is.

On the plus side, it will speed up the cooking time!

How energy efficient are they?

Last month, Hometree released the results of its tests to see just how energy efficient your kitchen appliances are. 

Its findings show that using an oven, whether it’s gas or electric, is the most costly option. 

The average oven uses around 3kW, meaning it costs around 34p to run for 20 minutes. 

This works out at around £1.02/hour, according to Hometree. 

An electric hob was the second most expensive option, coming in at around 17p per 15-minute use, with an average wattage of 2kW, or 68p/hour. 

The air fryer came in third place, largely due to the fact that it can cook food much faster than an oven. 

Microwaves and slow cookers were found to be the most energy efficiency kitchen appliances. An average 700w microwave costs 1.98p when used for five minutes, or 23.8p/hour, while slow cookers use around 1.2kW over the course of eight hours, working out at just 5p/hour

Pull the plug on vampire devices 

Televisions, music speakers and other gadgets — so-called vampire devices — can all use electricity when left on standby.

But turning these appliances off at the plug can cut your bills by £55 a year, according to comparison site Uswitch.

Utilita Energy says leaving a TV on standby for eight hours costs the average household 23p. Meanwhile taking a laptop off charge can save 6.8p over the same time period. Pulling the plug on a digital radio will also save 14p over 24 hours. 

It is worth bearing in mind that these savings can be overplayed, modern TVs, laptops, radios and other devices and far more efficient than the ones some vampire statistics are based on.

Hometree’s tests showed that the average wattage of an air fryer is 1kW, so using it for 10 minutes would cost around 5p. This works out at 30p/hour. 

However, microwaves and slow cookers were found to be the most energy-efficient kitchen appliances. 

An average 700w microwave costs 1.98p when used for five minutes, or 23.8p/hour, while slow cookers use around 1.2kW over the course of eight hours, working out at just 5p/hour. 

So, will an air fryer help to slash your bills?

While the upfront cost of an air fryer (£60-£200) is fairly high, the gadget could be a smart choice if you tend to cook most of your meals in the oven. 

Research by Utilita earlier this year found that, on average, air fryers run at £55.91/year – significantly cheaper than both gas cookers (£121.06/year) and electric cookers (£335.57/year). 

This suggests that your annual savings by switching to an air fryer could be up to a whopping £279.66. 

Speaking to MailOnline, Emily Seymour, Which? Energy and Sustainability Editor, said: ‘With the cost of living soaring, it’s understandable that many consumers are turning to cash-saving alternative home appliances – and air fryers could lead to significant savings.

‘Even some of the smaller air fryers Which? experts tested can hold up to 800g of food – roughly equivalent to two full baking trays in a conventional oven.

‘Air fryers are generally cheaper to run than ovens because the cooking chamber is a lot smaller which reduces time to preheat and then time to cook, but this will also depend on what you’re cooking. 

‘Those looking to cook bigger meals should probably consider sticking to an oven because you’re cooking more food in the space you’ve heated.’

What other changes can you make in the kitchen to save money? 

Small changes to your kitchen habits can have a big effect. 

For example, if you batch-cook meals and reheat them in a microwave throughout the week you can save £112 a year, claims Utilita Energy.

And simmering vegetables rather than boiling them can slash your annual bills by £48. 

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