Air fryer best for cooking pancakes? What a load of crepe!
More than 11 million households now have air fryers — but they’re not the cheapest method for cooking pancakes
Making five American-style pancakes in an air fryer costs 6.8p in energy, while using a gas hob and frying pan costs only 2.5p[1]
Reheating store-bought pancakes in a microwave costs the least in energy, but warming them up in the oven is the costliest method[1]
Households could collectively spend up to £1.8 million in energy making 104 million pancakes this Shrove Tuesday[2]
Uswitch analysis and cooking methods tested by food influencer Amy Sheppard show households how to enjoy pancakes worrying about energy bills.
Air fryers have become a fixture in 11 million UK kitchens[3] – but they aren’t the cheapest way to make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, according to research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Making pancakes in an air fryer requires a bit of cunning. Online recipes suggest lining the bottom of the pan with baking paper, adding a dollop of batter, then adding another layer of baking paper to create a stack of five American-style pancakes.
Cooking five American-style pancakes in an air fryer will add around 6.8p to energy bills — but making the same style on a gas hob will cost households about 2.5p[1].
More than nine million households bought an air fryer during the energy crisis, with users praising their faster cooking times and lower energy costs compared to ovens[3].
When it comes to cooking pancakes, the lower cost of gas versus electricity means cooking on a gas hob will be cheaper than using the air fryer. However, households with electric hobs may want to try the air fryer, as cooking five American-style pancakes would cost 8.8p on the stove[1].
Uswitch tasked food influencer Amy Sheppard to test whether the air fryer method of cooking a stack of pancakes at once actually works, or whether traditional ‘pan’cakes are the way to go. Amy’s results of using the air fryer method can be found on Instagram here.
Source: @UswitchUK with influencer @AmySheppardFood
Thinner crepes are cheaper to make as they take less time to cook. Preparing crepes with a gas hob would cost 1.9p, while households could expect to spend 6.8p in energy to make them on an electric hob[1].
The total energy bill for the country’s 104 million pancakes would come to £1.8 million if everyone used an electric hob[2].
| Method | Power (kW) | Time to warm up (seconds) | Crêpe cooking time | Cost for five crêpes (p) | American- style cooking time | Cost for five American- style (p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reheating ready-made pancakes in microwave | 0.9 | - | 25 | 0.9 | 25 | 0.9 |
| Gas hob | 1.95 | 60 | 90 | 1.9 | 120 | 2.5 |
| Pancake maker | 1 | 120 | 90 | 4.6 | 120 | 5.8 |
| Making five pancakes at a time in an air fryer | 1.4 | 180 | - | - | 420 | 6.8 |
| Electric hob | 1.65 | 60 | 90 | 6.8 | 120 | 8.8 |
| Reheating ready-made pancakes in oven | 2 | 300 | 360 | 10.6 | 360 | 10.6 |
Reheating store-bought pancakes in the microwave uses the least energy, costing around 0.9p for five crepes or five American-style pancakes.
To help households understand and adapt their energy use, Uswitch.com has launched its free mobile app Utrack, which connects to a smart meter and allows users to track their energy use and save money.
Natalie Mathie, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Millions of households have invested in air fryers in the last few years to cut down the cost of cooking — but they might not be the cheapest option when it comes to pancakes.
“Cooking pancakes on a gas hob will often be cheaper than using an air fryer — and it means you’ll still have all the fun of flipping them.
“We know Brits are worried about their energy usage, but hopefully it will put minds at ease to know that pancakes are a cheap treat to enjoy on Shrove Tuesday.
“If you want to keep an eye on your energy consumption, it’s worth using the free Uswitch app, Utrack, which connects to your smart meter. The app allows you to see the impact of your energy habits with hourly graphs, comparing gas and electricity use by day, week, month, and year.”
Track your energy usage with the Uswitch app here.
Notes
1. See first table in release. Assumes gas at 7p/kWh and electricity at 27p/kWh.
2. Research conducted online by Opinium, 13 January 2023 to 17 January 2023, among 2,000 UK adults, weighted to be nationally representative. Respondents were asked ‘How many pancakes do you predict your household will cook this pancake day (Shrove Tuesday - 21st February)?’ The average number of pancakes was 3.7. 3.7 x 28.2 million UK households = 104 million pancakes. Five American-style pancakes cost 8.8p in electricity. 104 million pancakes x £0.088 / five = £1,830,400.
3. Opinium surveyed 2,000 adults from 6 June to 9 June 2023 in a nationally representative survey. Respondents were asked ‘Which of the following appliances do you currently have in your house?’ 41% said air fryer. 41% of 28.1 million UK households = 11.5 million households currently own an air fryer. Respondents were asked ‘When did you first get each of these appliances in your house?’ 32% of air fryer owners said they had bought it in the last six months, 29% in the last year, 21% in the last two years, and 18% over two years ago.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.