Two-thirds of us will be using our air fryer more for Christmas dinner this year.

Potatoes are the most popular roast item to be cooked in the air fryer (67%) followed by pigs in blankets (54%) and veg (44%), with nearly a quarter (24%) cooking their Christmas pudding in there, according to new data from Ninja’s Frynancial Report.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of people say cooking their favourite meal is costing them more than it did two years ago, and more of us than ever will be leaving the oven off this Christmas.

Showing to be the most fry-nancially motivated, those born between 1946 and 1964, are embracing air fryers for their cost-saving benefits, with 72% citing lower energy consumption as their main motivation. This figure is more than double that of those born between 1997 and 2006, where only 37% prioritize the energy-saving edge.

On average, air fryer owners are using their air fryer every day, cooking an average of 103 portions of food a month in their air fryer – with 73% of respondents saying that this is instead of using an oven.  

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Around 3% of the average home’s energy use comes from cooking, according to the Energy Saving Trust, so it’s worth considering the appliances being used when planning meals.

Of course, the most suitable appliance will depend on what you’re cooking and for how many people. If you’re preparing a meal for one or two people, the Energy Saving Trust suggests an air fryer may be cheaper to run. To keep costs down, it also suggests trying not to open the compartment more than necessary, to avoid letting out heat and wasting energy.

Sam Milner is known as Queen of the Air Fryer after writing The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook. She has recipes for everything from scones to shortbread after perfecting air fryer cooking for more than 12 years.

"We have enjoyed roast potatoes cooked in the air fryer for 10 years," she says. "But it wasn’t until five years of cooking roasties the air fryer way that we swapped the olive oil for duck fat.

"They were so amazing that we now only ever have roasties with duck or goose fat. But before you tell us off for using a high fat ingredient, note that the air fryer is about reducing fat and still making crispy food. You only need a fraction of duck fat needed to cook them in the oven."

Perfect air fryer roast potatoes

from Sam Milner's The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook (serves four).

Ingredients:

  • 900g/2lb medium red potatoes
  • 1 tbsp duck or goose fat
  • 2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • A pinch of mustard powder
  • Salt and black pepper
  1. Peel the potatoes and cut in half and then half again to create quarters. Put them in a bowl with the duck fat, rosemary, thyme and mustard powder. Season generously with the salt and pepper and mix the potatoes thoroughly with your hands so that they are evenly coated.
  2. Load the potatoes into the air fryer basket and spread out. Air fry at 160ºC/320ºF for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  3. Shake the potatoes, then air fry at 200ºC/ 400ºF for another 5 minutes to crisp them up. If you are not happy with the level of crispness, cook for another 4 minutes, or until they are done to your liking.

Expert tip: You can use any potato, although we find we get the best results from red potatoes as they are less starchy and lend themselves to air frying.

Recipe from The Complete Air Fryer Cookbook by Sam and Dom Milner (£20, White Lion Publishing).