Air Fryers Vs Toaster Ovens: Which Appliance Uses The Most Electricity?

Even in the largest of homes, there is only so much counter space in the kitchen. Air fryers and toaster ovens perform similar tasks, so the debate between the two often comes down to matters of efficiency. We know that air fryers cook faster than toaster ovens (that's one of their main marketing messages) but it does beg the question of whether that speed comes at the price of an increased power draw. For help with this technical question, we turned to a pro: Clare Andrews, an air fryer expert and author of "The Ultimate Air Fryer Cookbook."

"In most cases, the air fryer uses less electricity than a toaster oven," Andrews explains. "Air fryers are typically rated between 1,200 and 1,800 watts, while toaster ovens can range from 1,200 up to 2,400 watts depending on size and features." There is a lot of overlap in that range, so the difference may not be all that significant for some purposes, but air fryers do come in with a slight advantage in terms of average draw.

It is important to note, however, that the cooking chamber does tend to be a bit smaller in air fryers compared to toaster ovens. This could make them unsuitable for certain tasks or require that larger quantities of food be cooked in batches. "A toaster oven can be efficient for certain tasks," she adds, "but in general, the air fryer wins on energy efficiency for everyday cooking." That said, the smaller size and style of cooking in an air fryer lends several other major advantages.

"Because the cooking chamber is smaller and the fan circulates hot air efficiently, you're heating less space for less time," Andrews explains. Add to that the near-instant preheating, and the speed of the air fryer over the toaster oven quickly begins to boost its relative energy efficiency. The length of the cook is just as important as the average draw in terms of calculating power use. To come up with numbers that you can stack side by side, multiply the watts used by the time.

"If two appliances have similar wattage, the one that cooks faster will typically use less electricity overall," the expert explains. According to Andrews, air fryers cook, on average, about 20% to 30% faster than toaster ovens and traditional ovens, resulting in significant energy savings. As you might imagine, "both air fryers and toaster ovens are considerably more energy efficient than a full-sized oven," as standard electric ovens pull around 2,000 to 5,000 watts of power. The larger cooking space requires much longer to preheat, meaning ovens can really rack up the power bill.

But the size of the meal is still an important factor to consider. "A stovetop range can be efficient depending on what you're cooking," Andrews says. However, in most cases, that is only true for dishes that won't fit in the air fryer or would require many batches to cook in their entirety. The air fryer may not be a perfect fit for every meal, but for most of your day-to-day cooking, it is again a clear winner — especially if you stick to air-fryer-friendly recipes. "For small to medium portions," Andrews adds, "it's dramatically more efficient than using a full oven."