Low cost cooking
Can an air fryer or slow cooker stop your bills from reaching boiling point?
Our expert puts two kitchen titans to the test to see whether they’ll amp up your energy savings this season
If, like everyone else right now, you’re looking for ways to lower your energy bills (hello, cost of living crisis) an air fryer or slow cooker could help you to save both time and cash while you cook.
But before we unpack how, here’s what they do – and why their clever culinary offerings might be worth investing in.
What is an air fryer and how does it work?
An air fryer uses hot air blown around at high speed to cook food very quickly. It requires only a tiny amount of oil to cook with, so it provides potential health benefits when you’re rustling up family meals, such as a Sunday roast (expect next-level roast potatoes and chicken thighs with that covetable crispy skin). Although primarily used for cooking dry foods, including meat, fish, pasta and vegetables, there are some models that allow cooking with sauces, too.
What is a slow cooker and how does it work?
A slow cooker cooks food at very low temperatures over several hours, meaning you can put on meals that benefit from long cooking processes, such as casseroles and stews, in the morning and come home that evening to a perfectly tender, steaming hot dinner. You can also use it to roast a chicken or make risotto.
Which is cheaper to run?
Comparing an air fryer and slow cooker on cost-saving properties is difficult as they tend to serve different cooking purposes, so it depends on the type of cuisine you prefer and what you’re likely to use on a more regular basis. It’s also worth factoring in how organised you are – a slow cooker requires some forward planning, whereas an air fryer can whip up a meal very quickly.
However, ‘You can compare both of them on cost with a conventional oven,’ says Liam Halliday, John Lewis product development technologist. ‘With the air fryer, you’re heating a significantly smaller area; it heats up very quickly and cooks food efficiently, so you’re likely to make a saving.
‘You do need to consider how many people you cook for, though, as an air fryer doesn’t have the same capacity as an oven, so it’s better for cooking for one or two people. For larger numbers or more complex recipes, you’re probably better off using the oven.’
Meanwhile, a slow cooker may be on for longer than an oven, but it’s smaller and cooks at a very low temperature. According to the Energy Saving Trust, slow cookers are incredibly energy efficient. And they lend themselves to batch cooking, which can also save you money (£112 per year, according to Utilita).
Once you’ve decided what would best suit your lifestyle, you can calculate how much an appliance might cost you to run by using the Citizens Advice calculator. For example, running an air fryer costs approximately 32p per day if you use it for half an hour, while using a slow cooker for eight hours averages 38p per day – versus £1.43 to run an oven for two hours. Smart, non?
You can also buy products that combine the technologies of an air fryer and slow cooker, which are well worth considering if you think you might use all of their functions.
‘When calculating cost per use, bear in mind that neither an air fryer or slow cooker will fully replace your oven or stove,’ says Halliday. ‘For example, you may still cook gravy on the stove if you make a roast in an air fryer, or steam vegetables to go with a stew made in a slow cooker – although you should still save on energy use, regardless.’
Just remember to unplug equipment when you’ve finished cooking. ‘They will act as a vampire appliance if you leave them plugged in,’ warns Halliday.
