There’s no need to step into a trap if your roast doesn’t fit in the oven this Christmas, as an air fryer could potentially save the day – and at a fraction of the price.
The device was popularized with the promise of a cheaper, faster way to heat food and without the need for caloric oil.
Reviewers at which? decided to test a Morphy Richards fryer against microwaves, stovetops and ovens to see if it could cook a whole chicken.
They also steamed vegetables, cooked fries, and baked a cake in different kitchen appliances and compared them in terms of cooking time, energy use, and cost.
They found that the pressure cooker was both the cheapest and quickest way to roast a chicken. It took 32 minutes and cost just 11p – 28p cheaper than the electric oven
The which? Testers compared the Morphy Richards Health Fryer 480003 (pictured) to other popular cooking appliances
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO COOK IN AN AIR FRYER?
Chicken – 18p
French fries – 10p
Cake – 8p
Jacket potato – 13p
Researchers found that air fryers were up to three times cheaper to run than traditional ovens and cooked food just as well or better.
However, air fryers can cost anywhere from £30 to £300, so it might be some time before the savings in running costs offset the purchase – unless you have one in your stocking, of course.
Microwaves, pressure cookers, and slow cookers also have lower running costs than ovens, but don’t always produce the best results.
The which? The testers first cooked a three-pound (1.4 kg) chicken in all of these appliances, including both a halogen and conventional oven.
This bird would be big enough to feed four people and have enough meat left over for a couple of Boxing Day sandwiches the next day.
They found that the pressure cooker was both the cheapest and fastest way of roasting, taking 32 minutes and costing just 11p – 28p cheaper than the electric oven.
Unlike the oven, however, it missed one of the highlights of the Christmas roast — the brown, crispy skin.
The air fryer also cooked the skin of the chicken well but also gave perfect, tender meat, all for just 18p and in under an hour.
If you ditch the oven and use an air fryer for every Sunday roast for the rest of the year, using the device would equate to an annual saving of £11.
The testers found that the chicken cooked in the electric oven was also a bit dry, meaning the air fryer outperformed all other appliances.
The air fryer cooked the skin of the roast chicken beautifully and also gave perfect, tender meat, all for just 18p. If you ditch the oven and use an air fryer every weekend for the rest of the year, using the device would equate to an annual saving of £11 (stock image).
The microwave was the cheapest and quickest way to steam broccoli, costing just 3p to cook the broccoli florets in five minutes, while the induction hob gave the best results
The induction hob and pressure cooker were joint winners when cooking soups, as both cost 9p, but the former gave better texture and the latter was six minutes quicker
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK IN AN AIR FRYER?
Chicken – 53 minutes
Chips – 23 minutes
Cake – 33 minutes
Jacket potato – 48 minutes
Emily Seymour, which ones? Energy Editor, said: “Energy bills are a real concern for millions of households across the country, especially when many are already feeling the pressure of the cost of living crisis and cooking is an everyday expense that really adds up over time.
“There has been a surge of interest in air fryers and smaller cooking appliances in recent months and our research shows that in some cases the hype may be justified as we have found that these products cost less than traditional ovens to cook certain foods.
“However, the cost savings is quickly lost if you need to cook more than one batch, so it’s still better to use your oven when you’re cooking large batches.
“But for quick, small meals, in our experience, it’s worth trying the alternatives.”
The chicken wasn’t the only Christmas classic the testers tried to cook, but there was also a side dish of steamed broccoli.
Air fryers aren’t great for steaming veggies because they blow off the food with hot air, so they used an induction hob, microwave, and slow cooker instead.
The microwave was the cheapest and fastest method, costing just 3p, to cook the broccoli florets in five minutes, while the induction hob gave the best results, making them joint winners.
However, the pressure cooker overcooked the vegetables, took twice the time of the microwave and used the most energy at 0.204 kWh.
As a festive appetizer, testers wanted to see which appliance was best for heating a creamy butternut squash soup.
Liquids can’t be put in an air fryer, so they used an induction hob, pressure cooker, and slow cooker to cook the dish.
The induction hob and pressure cooker were joint winners, as both cost 9p to operate, but the former gave better consistency and the latter was six minutes quicker.
The slow cooker got a bonus point, however, as it required less manual attention and was therefore the most convenient.
None of the appliances were perfect in terms of cooking quality, some fries were overcooked and some undercooked. But the air fryer again took first place in terms of speed and price, with the fries taking just 23 minutes to heat up
While Prue Leith might shake her head at the sight of a baker pouring batter into an air fryer, there was no wet ground in sight when the “showstopper” emerged. It cost just 8p and was ready in 33 minutes, in almost half the time of the electric oven
Next, the testers cooked two batches of chips in an air fryer, a halogen oven, and an electric oven.
None of the appliances were perfect in terms of cooking quality, some fries were overcooked and some undercooked.
But the air fryer again took first place in terms of speed and price, with the fries taking just 23 minutes to heat up.
It was also about a third the price of cooking in an electric oven and less than half the price of a halogen oven.
The only drawback is its capacity, because the tested Morphy Richards Health Fryer 480003 only recommends a maximum of 500g chips, which is worth about three servings.
For those in the mood for the next Bake-Off champion, the Which? The testers also tried to bake a cake in different devices.
While Prue Leith might shake her head at the sight of a baker pouring batter into an air fryer, there was no wet ground in sight when the “showstopper” emerged.
It cost just 8p and was ready in 33 minutes, in almost half the time of the electric oven.
However, the three-egg pie ended up being slightly smaller than those from the other devices due to the size limitations of the fryer.
All appliances gave a fluffy potato, but the microwave was the clear winner, taking just eight minutes to cook for 5p of energy
The humble potato in their skins was the last food to be saved by the which? Team and used the whole range of devices.
All gave a fluffy potato, but the microwave was the clear winner, taking just eight minutes to cook for 5p of energy.
The air fryer and pressure cooker were also strong performers, costing 13p and 9p respectively and lasting 48 minutes and 32 minutes respectively.
Cooking the potato in the oven was the longest and most energy-intensive way to prepare it, but gave the crispiest skin of all.
Due to its tray size, the air fryer would only allow you to cook one potato at a time.
The results of the study therefore suggest that it is a great product for households with fewer mouths or smaller stomachs.