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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Air Fryer in the US? (2026)
An air fryer is a small convection oven. It draws almost as much power as a full oven but heats a fraction of the space, so it finishes in less time and uses less energy per meal.
A typical air fryer (1,500 W) costs $0.27 per hour, or about $4.05 per month at 0.5 hours a day in United States (average). Average running cost
| Wattage | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (1,200 W) | $0.22 | $0.11 | $3.24 | $39.42 |
| Typical (1,500 W) | $0.27 | $0.14 | $4.05 | $49.27 |
| High (1,800 W) | $0.32 | $0.16 | $4.86 | $59.13 |
Formula: watts ÷ 1000 × hours × price per kWh. Typical use is 0.5 h/day ≈ 274 kWh per year.
In the US, with electricity at $0.18 per kWh (source: EIA Electric Power Monthly, 2026-06), a typical air fryer costs $0.27 per hour and about $49.27 per year at 0.5 hours a day. Each $1.00 of electricity buys roughly 3.7 hours of use.
How to lower the cost of running a air fryer
- Skip preheating for most foods. The small chamber heats in a minute or two.
- Cook in a single layer so food finishes faster.
- Use it instead of the oven for anything that fits.
In standby it draws about 1 W, which adds roughly 9 kWh ($1.58) per year if it is never unplugged.
Frequently asked questions
Is an air fryer cheaper to run than an oven?
Usually yes. A 20 minute air fry uses about 0.5 kWh, while an oven for 40 minutes plus preheating uses 1.5 kWh or more.
How much does it cost to use an air fryer for 30 minutes?
Around 0.6 to 0.75 kWh once it cycles. Multiply by your price per kWh above.
Do air fryers use a lot of electricity?
Per minute they draw as much as a kettle, but cooking times are short.
Compare with
Cost by region
- United States (average)
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Florida
- Canada (average)
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- France
- Australia
- India