What Size Inverter Do I Need to Run an Air Fryer?

Air fryers are a nice alternative to standard cooking methods. You can have the taste of fried foods without dealing without the messy cooking oil. These things have a reputation for consuming a lot of power, so what inverter size will you need?

A 2000 watt inverter is going to be enough to run an air fryer. A 350ah battery can power the inverter, and you can charge it with AC or 3 x 300W solar panels.

Is My Inverter Big Enough for an Air Fryer?

Most air fryers consume 1.4kwh to 1.7kwh an hour. Larger capacity air fryers use up to 2.1kwh (2000 watts), but there are other factors that you need to consider.

A 1700 watt air fryer needs a 2000W inverter. The Ampeak 2000 is our choice because it is easy to use and good for long term use.

Keep in mind that its power consumption depends on the amount of food being cooked and for how long.

Your air fryer may consume 1700 watts an hour, but if you cook for 15 minutes that is only 425 watts. If the cooking time is 20 minutes that would be 500 watts or so.

So why do we recommend a 2000 watt inverter? Unless you cook the same food every day, the power consumption is going to vary. Some days you only cook for 15 to 20 minutes, but other days it might be 45 minutes to an hour.

For most air fryers 2000 watts is enough. As we pointed out some models use 2100 watts. If you have one of those you need a bigger inverter, so check the power consumption before you buy.

These calculations are only for the air fryer. If your inverter is going to run other appliances it will need less power available. A coffee maker consumes a lot of power, so running it alongside the fryer will put a lot of strain on the inverter.

How Many Batteries Does an Air Fryer Need?

If you have a grid tied or hybrid inverter, you don’t need batteries. The system draws power from the grid and will keep running as long as there is power.

The battery size depends on the air fryer power usage and how long you cook. A 350ah 12V battery can power a 1700 watt air fryer for 2 hours. This assumes you cook for two hours. But if you cook for only 15 to 20 minutes, the battery is going to last 9 and half hours.

So a 350ah battery is going to last a long time. But if it is a lead acid battery, a full discharge should be avoided. When the capacity drops to 50% you have to recharge the system.

You can also use a couple of 200ah batteries and get the same results. You can set up two Renogy 200ah AGM batteries as the power bank and your air fryer will run.

It is unlikely you will use all 350ah in one day, so better recharge the battery when you are finished. Let’s say you are done cooking and the battery capacity is down to 60%. Recharge it so you can use it again the next day.

But what if you have a smaller battery? Suppose you cook for 30 minutes a day and use 500 watts. You only have a 50ah 12V battery which holds 600 watts.

By the end of one cooking session the battery is almost fully discharged. The best option is to get a large battery, preferably 100ah or more. The larger the battery the longer you can cook.

How Long Will My Inverter Run an Air Fryer?

It depends on the power source and the cooking time. If you are running the inverter on AC or a generator it will just keep going as long as there is power.

If you are going to use a battery, calculate the cooking time. If it is a lead acid battery, double the capacity so you can recharge it at fifty percent.

Let us say you have a 1400 watt air fryer and cook 15 minutes twice a day for 30 minutes total. How many batteries will you need to cook every day?

You need 700 watts a day, which is equal to 58 amps. Double that to 116 amps for lead acid batteries and round it off to a 120ah battery. With a 120ah or even better a 150ah battery, you can cook 30 minutes a day and the battery will not drop below 50% capacity. When you are done using the battery and want to store it, this guide can help.

But as we mentioned earlier, cooking times depend on the recipe. Even if all your recipes take only 15 minutes, what if you suddenly need to cook for a lot of people?

This is the reason why you should get as much battery capacity as you can afford. The larger the battery the more foods you can cook without worrying about running out of power.

More about Battery Sizes

There are many different scenarios we can use, but it really comes down to your specific situation. A person who cooks for just one needs a different setup from someone who uses an air fryer to cook for a family of four. And someone who cooks for several people needs another system configuration too.

To simplify matters, determine how long and how often you cook with an air fryer. Is it every day? Once a week? How long and for how many?

This is going to give you an idea of how much power is needed. Of course you also have to account for the other appliances and devices you will be running. A 100ah battery might be enough for the air fryer, but you will need more for the lights, fridge etc.

Once you have added up the watts, decide what battery to use. There is lead acid and lithium. Lithium has a higher discharge rate but lead acid is more affordable.

Batteries are usually available in 12V, 24V and 48V. !2V is the most commonly used in RVs while 24V is frequently used in off grid homes. You can connect two 12V batteries in series to get 24V , so there are many options available.

How Many Solar Panels to Run an Air Fryer?

You don’t really need solar panels to run an air fryer. A battery powered inverter is enough. If you have AC power or another source, you can use that to charge the battery.

But you can charge inverter batteries with solar panels. The solar panel size depends on the battery size and how fast you want it charged.

A 3 x 300W solar array can charge a 350ah battery bank in 5 hours. For a 100ah battery, one or two 300W solar panels is enough .However everything will depend on how much sun is available.

Can you run an air fryer off a solar array? You need an inverter to convert DC to AC power, but if you are on the grid, batteries are not required. In fact most grid tied homes do not have batteries. They use solar panels to run appliances and if solar is not enough, switch to electric.

If you are in an RV or off the grid you need a solar array or another power source to recharge the battery. Keep in mind that solar panel ratings are based on their maximum possible output. A 200 watt solar panel will produce 200 watts in ideal weather, but the output will drop if conditions are unfavorable.

But if you are only going to use the air fryer for a few minutes a day, you can run it off solar panels. Provided of course you cook when there is still sunlight available.

Factors That Affect Air Fryer Inverter Requirements

There are other elements that affect power consumption. Here are the most important.

• Amount of food. The more food you cook, the more power the inverter will need.
• Cooking time. A small amount of food may consume more power than a large amount if it is cooked longer.
• Settings. Air fryers have different settings, and what you choose has a direct effect on power consumption.
• Manufacturer design. An air fryer can have the same capacity, food being cooked and settings, yet power consumption will be different. This is due to differences in design. A higher quality product will use less power.

Conclusion

Air fryers are not only for homes but ideal for RVs and trucks. But you need to make sure the inverter and the batteries are large enough. If you cook often there needs to be a large and consistent power source.