Our pick
Cosori 5.5L air fryer
Why we picked it
- Single basket big enough for two portions in one go
- Sensible price for the size
- Simple to use and clean
Worth knowing
- Cooking for four or more? Look at the dual-drawer Ninja below
- Single basket means one temperature at a time
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Two of you, one tray of potatoes, and a full-size oven heating an empty box the size of a suitcase for fifteen minutes before anything goes in. That’s the moment the air fryer argument makes sense.
It isn’t the whole story, though. Whether the small box saves you money comes down to one simple sum and one habit.
The sum that settles it
Energy used is power × time. An air fryer rated at 1.5kW running flat out for 20 minutes uses up to 0.5kWh. Multiply that by the unit rate on your electricity bill and you have the cost. Your oven’s rating is usually on a plate inside the door or in the manual.
Both appliances cycle their elements on and off once they’re up to temperature, so real use sits below the rated figure. The difference is the space being heated. An oven warms a cavity many times larger and usually needs a preheat on top.
The Energy Saving Trust describes an air fryer as a small fan oven and says it’s often the cheaper option for one or two people. In its lab-tested example, cooking a 600g chicken breast in an electric oven came to around 18p in Great Britain, with the air fryer cheaper for the same portion.
Where the saving disappears
| Situation | Usually cheaper | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Chips or nuggets for one or two | Air fryer | No preheat, small space, short cook |
| Reheating leftovers | Air fryer | Crisps food instead of steaming it |
| A roast for four with veg | Oven | Everything cooks at once |
| Two trays of biscuits | Oven | Even heat and room for trays |
| Several dishes at different temperatures | Dual-drawer fryer or oven | A single basket means cooking in rounds |
Batch cooking is the trap. If feeding the family means running the air fryer three times back to back, you can end up using as much energy as the oven, or more. Batch cook in a full oven instead and reheat portions later.
If you already own both, the rule is easy: oven when it’s full, air fryer for everything small.
Which food suits which appliance
| Usually better in the air fryer | Usually better in the oven | Either works |
|---|---|---|
| Chips and wedges for one or two | A full roast dinner for four | Sausages |
| Reheating pizza or roast potatoes | Cakes, bakes and biscuits | Fish fillets |
| Chicken thighs or wings for two | Lasagne and big traybakes | Roasted veg for two |
| Small frozen snacks | Anything needing two trays | Jacket potatoes (slower in the oven) |
Three households, worked through
These are illustrative maximums using the sum above, with an air fryer rated at 1.5kW and an oven at 2.5kW. Both cycle on and off once hot, so real figures will be lower, but the gap between them is what matters.
| Meal | Air fryer | Oven |
|---|---|---|
| Chips for one: 15 min | 1.5kW × 0.25h = 0.38kWh | 2.5kW × 0.5h (inc. preheat) = 1.25kWh |
| Chips for two: 20 min | 1.5kW × 0.33h = 0.5kWh | 2.5kW × 0.58h = 1.46kWh |
| Dinner for four: two batches | 1.5kW × 0.67h = 1kWh | 2.5kW × 0.58h, all at once = 1.46kWh |
For one or two people the air fryer wins comfortably. For four, the gap shrinks to almost nothing once you’re cooking in rounds, and if the food would fill the oven anyway, the oven is often the simpler choice. Multiply any of these by the unit rate on your bill to put a price on it.
Find your own appliance’s wattage
- The rating plate. Usually on the back or base of an air fryer, and on the oven door frame or inside the manual for a built-in oven.
- The manual or product page. Search the model number if the paperwork is long gone.
- A plug-in energy monitor. For anything that plugs in, it shows real use rather than the maximum.
- Your smart meter display. Switch the appliance on and watch how much the reading jumps.
Sizing it to your household
Food crisps in a single layer, so the floor area of the basket matters more than the litres on the box. Two models with the same capacity can have very different usable space. Measure your worktop too, with room for the drawer to slide out.
One or two people
The fryer
Cosori 5.5L air fryer
Best for: a roomy single basket with plenty of space for two portions in one go, at a sensible price.
Think twice if: you regularly cook for four. You’ll be running it in batches.
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The extra
Reusable perforated air fryer liners (2 pack)
Best for: saving the basket from scrubbing while the holes let air circulate. Solid liners block the airflow the fryer relies on.
Think twice if: you don’t mind washing the basket. They’re a convenience, nothing more.
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Four or more
The fryer
Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone (AF400UK)
Best for: two independent drawers, so chicken and chips cook at different settings and finish together. It’s one of the most popular family air fryers in the UK.
Think twice if: worktop space is tight. Dual-drawer models are wide.
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The check
OXO Good Grips instant-read thermometer
Best for: knowing when chicken is properly cooked through. Air fryers brown food quickly, and colour alone can mislead.
Think twice if: you mostly cook chips and veg.
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Comparing dual baskets
The fryer
Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket air fryer (9L)
Best for: a second dual-basket option to compare against the Ninja, with 9 litres of total capacity. Check the listing for each basket’s size.
Think twice if: you only ever cook one dish at a time. A single drawer is simpler.
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The tool
Cuisipro silicone locking tongs
Best for: turning food without scratching the basket’s coating, and they lock shut for the drawer.
Think twice if: you already own tongs with silicone tips.
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Match the fryer to how many people you feed most nights, not to the biggest meal you cook twice a year. That’s what decides whether it saves energy or just adds another appliance.
Wondering what you can put in the basket? Read foil, paper or liners: what’s actually safe in an air fryer. Weighing up other countertop cookers? See slow cooker, pressure cooker or air fryer.
Got an oven recipe you want to try in the air fryer? Start with converting oven recipes for the air fryer.
Ready to choose a model? See single basket or dual drawer: which air fryer layout suits you.
Quick answers
Do I need to preheat an air fryer?
Some models suggest a few minutes and many foods are fine without. Either way it’s far shorter than an oven preheat. Check your manual.
Can I put foil in an air fryer?
Many manufacturers allow it in the basket as long as it doesn’t block airflow or touch the element. Check your model’s instructions first.
In a hard-water area? Read what limescale is doing to your kettle.
Update, 2 October 2026: we swapped the Philips model for the 9L Dual Basket version currently sold in the UK, and switched to reusable liners.
