Air fryer v oven

Chrysalis

flopsy1973 said:

Hi 
Not sure if this has been asked before are air fryer really cheaper to use considering they need to be on constantly versus a fan oven which will switch on and off depending on temp thermostat is set to? 
Are they really lot quicker than ovens ? 

The smaller the cooking space the easier it is to heat.

So basically the bigger the oven, the smaller the air fryer, the bigger the gain.

[Deleted User]

Chrysalis said:

flopsy1973 said:

Hi 
Not sure if this has been asked before are air fryer really cheaper to use considering they need to be on constantly versus a fan oven which will switch on and off depending on temp thermostat is set to? 
Are they really lot quicker than ovens ? 

The smaller the cooking space the easier it is to heat.

So basically the bigger the oven, the smaller the air fryer, the bigger the gain.

And what is this so-called gain that nobody has quantified in this thread yet?

I'm genuinely interested because I've done some estimates in this thread and others and it takes years to pay back the cost of the air fryer.

I estimated it might save about 15p per meal in another thread, somebody on here is popping 13p paper liners in with each meal - just can't get my head around the money saving.

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

As for another claim that they cooked breakfast for 7 people in an air fryer, then please tell me how you fit that all in an air fryer?

ariarnia

Deleted_User said:

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

you really shouldn't judge when you dont know why someone did something you think is silly. it makes you look silly in turn.

we dont have a gas hob. and it took 15 mins int he air fryer to make the omelette (which was made with eggs and cooked leftovers) which was also served int he dish it was made in which cut down on pots. and uses less oil than on the hob so healthier. and i could chuck everything in together and didn't have to stay with it while it cooked so i could focus on getting the kids unpacked and ready to eat. quicker. easier. cleaner. 

paper liners are not nesersary and lots of people dont use them. and some people also use disposable roasting bags or liners when cooking things in a big oven. so you are picking and choosing what you compare to suit what you already think.

using a liner for cooking some food cuts down on the cleaning and makes it easier to cook a few things back to back and lets you cook wet things. that's a lifestyle choice. using an air fryer isnt only about saving money. its about it fitting what you want to cook better than the alternative. if i want to cook only a few sausages or warm a role then it will definitely be quicker and cheaper in the air fryer than the big oven. 

[Deleted User]

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

.. that's a lifestyle choice. using an air fryer isnt only about saving money. its about it fitting what you want to cook better than the alternative. if i want to cook only a few sausages or warm a role then it will definitely be quicker and cheaper in the air fryer than the big oven. 

Yes fair enough, I'm not knocking an air fryer as a lifestyle choice, just trying to get to the bottom of whether it actually saves any money as that is what the OP asked and this forum is called "money saving".

So far I conclude it doesn't save money but suits certain lifestyles and I'm awaiting data that says it saves money.

Granted I can see for a single person that warms one roll or cooks 3 sausages then it probably works out to be really convenient and possibly cheaper but alas no data yet.

Alnat1

I sit croissants and rolls on top of the toaster for about 20 seconds to warm up. Not sure how much it costs but it works.

ariarnia

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

.. that's a lifestyle choice. using an air fryer isnt only about saving money. its about it fitting what you want to cook better than the alternative. if i want to cook only a few sausages or warm a role then it will definitely be quicker and cheaper in the air fryer than the big oven. 

Yes fair enough, I'm not knocking an air fryer as a lifestyle choice, just trying to get to the bottom of whether it actually saves any money as that is what the OP asked and this forum is called "money saving".

So far I conclude it doesn't save money but suits certain lifestyles and I'm awaiting data that says it saves money.

Granted I can see for a single person that warms one roll or cooks 3 sausages then it probably works out to be really convenient and possibly cheaper but alas no data yet.

youve already said it does save money compared to a big oven at 15p a meal for whatever it was you worked out. other people on the forum have done there own calculations and said it saves about half the cost. but it will always depend on what you are cooking and how you are cooking that if you dont have an air fryer. one potato in an oven vs in the microwave vs in the air fryer vs part cooked in the microwave then in oven or air fryer. all very different results. so it HAS to be down to lifestyle. the right tool for the job for your family. 

and i also think its a bit rich that you talk about the cost of the air fryer but not how most ovens take a lot more kitchen space and cost a lot more than most air fryers

[Deleted User]

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

.. that's a lifestyle choice. using an air fryer isnt only about saving money. its about it fitting what you want to cook better than the alternative. if i want to cook only a few sausages or warm a role then it will definitely be quicker and cheaper in the air fryer than the big oven. 

Yes fair enough, I'm not knocking an air fryer as a lifestyle choice, just trying to get to the bottom of whether it actually saves any money as that is what the OP asked and this forum is called "money saving".

So far I conclude it doesn't save money but suits certain lifestyles and I'm awaiting data that says it saves money.

Granted I can see for a single person that warms one roll or cooks 3 sausages then it probably works out to be really convenient and possibly cheaper but alas no data yet.

youve already said it does save money compared to a big oven at 15p a meal for whatever it was you worked out. other people on the forum have done there own calculations and said it saves about half the cost. but it will always depend on what you are cooking and how you are cooking that if you dont have an air fryer. one potato in an oven vs in the microwave vs in the air fryer vs part cooked in the microwave then in oven or air fryer. all very different results. so it HAS to be down to lifestyle. the right tool for the job for your family. 

and i also think its a bit rich that you talk about the cost of the air fryer but not how most ovens take a lot more kitchen space and cost a lot more than most air fryers

I think the point is that most people already have an oven and are not planning to remove and sell it.  Buying a new appliance is assumed to need to have payback, but the sunk cost of already having something is ignored.

[Deleted User]

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

.. that's a lifestyle choice. using an air fryer isnt only about saving money. its about it fitting what you want to cook better than the alternative. if i want to cook only a few sausages or warm a role then it will definitely be quicker and cheaper in the air fryer than the big oven. 

Yes fair enough, I'm not knocking an air fryer as a lifestyle choice, just trying to get to the bottom of whether it actually saves any money as that is what the OP asked and this forum is called "money saving".

So far I conclude it doesn't save money but suits certain lifestyles and I'm awaiting data that says it saves money.

Granted I can see for a single person that warms one roll or cooks 3 sausages then it probably works out to be really convenient and possibly cheaper but alas no data yet.

youve already said it does save money compared to a big oven at 15p a meal for whatever it was you worked out. other people on the forum have done there own calculations and said it saves about half the cost. but it will always depend on what you are cooking and how you are cooking that if you dont have an air fryer. one potato in an oven vs in the microwave vs in the air fryer vs part cooked in the microwave then in oven or air fryer. all very different results. so it HAS to be down to lifestyle. 

and i also think its a bit rich that you talk about the cost of the air fryer but not how most ovens take a lot more kitchen space and cost a lot more than most air fryers

Yes but that 15p saving per meal for a £150 air fryer means that it takes 1000 cooking cycles just to break even - so using it 5 days per week means it takes 4 years just to break even. By the end of year 5, you have saved £39.

Most people already have an oven in the kitchen. If you don't have one already, then you can buy a fan-assisted one for £150-£200 anyway so it isn't a big difference in cost and you have enough space to do an Xmas roast for example.

For most kitchens, the work surface space needed for an air fryer is more of a premium than the below-the-counter cupboards that an oven occupies and the air fryer will half-fill a similar-sized cupboard anyway when stored.

ariarnia

[Deleted User] said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

ariarnia said:

Deleted_User said:

Then I'm seeing people putting hob-based dishes in it such as a Spanish omelette in the air fryer which is almost certainly more costly and less efficient than using a gas hob and the traditional method.

.. that's a lifestyle choice. using an air fryer isnt only about saving money. its about it fitting what you want to cook better than the alternative. if i want to cook only a few sausages or warm a role then it will definitely be quicker and cheaper in the air fryer than the big oven. 

Yes fair enough, I'm not knocking an air fryer as a lifestyle choice, just trying to get to the bottom of whether it actually saves any money as that is what the OP asked and this forum is called "money saving".

So far I conclude it doesn't save money but suits certain lifestyles and I'm awaiting data that says it saves money.

Granted I can see for a single person that warms one roll or cooks 3 sausages then it probably works out to be really convenient and possibly cheaper but alas no data yet.

youve already said it does save money compared to a big oven at 15p a meal for whatever it was you worked out. other people on the forum have done there own calculations and said it saves about half the cost. but it will always depend on what you are cooking and how you are cooking that if you dont have an air fryer. one potato in an oven vs in the microwave vs in the air fryer vs part cooked in the microwave then in oven or air fryer. all very different results. so it HAS to be down to lifestyle. the right tool for the job for your family. 

and i also think its a bit rich that you talk about the cost of the air fryer but not how most ovens take a lot more kitchen space and cost a lot more than most air fryers

I think the point is that most people already have an oven and are not planning to remove and sell it.  Buying a new appliance is assumed to need to have payback, but the sunk cost of already having something is ignored.

the oven will need replacing at some point. and lots of people live in flats or shared kitchens. again its down to lifestyle. 

thriftytracey

ariarnia said:

thriftytracey said:

I'm thinking of doing a toad in the hole next week (within a silicon mould). I will part cook the sausages first.

Any tips?  Not sure how long to cook it for?  Will add caramelised onions in the last few minutes of cooking.

it sounds delisious. ive not tried it before but i have cooked spanish omelette and i'm thinking its probably about the same. i'd probably cook the sausages for about 15 mins (not pre-heating) then turn them over so the other side browns and pour int he batter while the pan is as hot as possible. then cook on maybe 180 for 15 or 20 mins before checking if it looks it needs another 10 mins or so? the clean knife test or if it jiggles. dont forget you can put foil on top if its burning too much but you're not sure if its set through. let us know how it goes? 

Certainly will.