Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy. One of the main reasons air fryers became a must-have kitchen gadget is because they require less oil than other cooking methods, and make chips and other potato foods crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle.
They are also meant to be cheaper to run than an oven, and half the cooking time too. However, shoppers are now falling in love with another appliance that is just as healthy and cost-efficient.
Halogen ovens are by no means a new product but they are once again gaining the attention of shoppers. They cost less than some leading air fryers and consume 75% less electricity in comparison to conventional ovens, according to sustainability site Becco.
This one on Amazon has racked up over 7,500 reviews and has a pretty long name - it's called 'Daewoo Manual Air Fryer, Healthy Halogen For Baking, Roasting And Grilling, Cook Flavourful Food Without The Oil, 60 Minute Timer, All Round Viewing And Accessories Included, Family Sized, 17 Litres'. It's currently on sale, down from £39.99 to £34.98.
One reviewer said: "I’ve had this for just under a week and honestly don’t know how I got by without it. Heats faster and cooks more efficiently (and cheaply) than my oven, I’ve cooked several meals for a family of 3 including lasagnes, roast potatoes, chicken etc, everything has come out perfect except the pizza where the base was soft but I think a decent pizza tray will fix that. "
Another person explained: "There is nothing to dislike. Really easy to use. Quick, very cost effective. The glass bowl is easy to keep clean. Also makes great toast."
A third wrote: "I have had this halogen cooker for nearly a month now and I am pleased to say that it is proving to be very efficient and you can cook such a wide range of items. It is particularly useful when you only want small quantities of several items, I managed to fit beef burgers, garlic bread and oven chips in to the cleverly thought out baskets and shelves provided."
Research by Energia last year found that to save money on electricity bills, households should make use of microwaves and air fryers, the Irish Mirror reports. Their team of experts calculated exactly how much appliances use electricity-wise, and subsequently what that would look like cost-wise per hour of usage.
Oven
The average energy usage (wattage) for an oven is 1575, meaning it costs €0.58 to run per hour.
Air Fryer
The average energy usage (wattage) for an airfryer is 1500, meaning it costs €0.56 to run per hour. Therefore, using an air fryer for 30 minutes would cost €0.28.
Microwave
The average energy usage (wattage) for an airfryer is 1750, meaning it costs €0.65 to run per hour. Therefore, using a microwave for five minutes would cost €0.05.
A spokesperson said: “Using a microwave uses a lot less energy than a conventional oven. Microwaves only heat the food, not the air around it. What might take 20 minutes to reheat in the oven for 0.21c could take you 10 minutes in the microwave at a cost of 0.10c with your microwave.
“Meanwhile, using an airfryer for an hour costs 55c whereas using an oven for an hour is 57c. However, using an air fryer for 15 minutes uses over 40% less energy than 1 hour of oven use. This is because air fryers' smaller size tend to maximise airflow and heat your food even quicker than an oven.”
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