A study by Uswitch.com found that households are increasingly turning to air fryers and slow cookers to make Christmas dinner in a bid to reduce festive energy bills. The price comparison site found a 41% increase in the number of people planning to use a slow cooker to cook on Christmas day.
Uswitch also found that a fifth (19%) of households will use an air fryer this Christmas, almost double the proportion last year. The use of ovens, hobs and microwaves are down compared to last year, with fewer households using grills and toasters.
Air fryers use a similar amount of power as ovens, but reduce energy costs by cooking food in half the time.
With usage of slow cookers and air fryers on the rise, 4% fewer households will use an oven for their festive meal compared to last year. However, ovens still remain the most popular method of cooking a roast, with 83% of households planning to use one on Christmas Day.
This may be because it is impossible to fit the average-sized turkey into an air fryer or slow cooker – although these devices can be handy for cooking vegetables and other side dishes.
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According to Uswitch, an average household of four people should spend about £2.82 on energy to cook Christmas dinner this year, with the costs of cooking a 5kg turkey at 160 degrees Celsius in a fan oven for three-and-a-half hours being about £1.89. Last Christmas, cooking the same meal would have cost £3.60.
Air frying and slow cooking cut Christmas dinner cost
Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “Households have spent the past two years cutting down their energy use, and this Christmas will be no different. Nearly a fifth of households plan to use air fryers to reduce their energy consumption on Christmas Day — double the number from last year.
“Appliances like air fryers, slow cookers and microwaves are usually the most energy-efficient kitchen devices to cook with, especially if you’re not making enough food to fill the whole of the oven.
“Christmas is one of the few times of year when households use the whole oven, meaning it can work out to be more cost-effective on the big day.”
