How many watts does an air fryer use — and what can run it?

The representative model is the Instant Vortex Plus 6QT ClearCook, which Instant lists at 1,700 W, 120 V, 60 Hz. An air fryer is a heating element and a fan in one housing, and Instant gives one figure for both.

What changes the draw

The element works to a thermostat. While the basket heats up it runs continuously; once the set temperature is reached it switches on and off to hold it, so the energy used over a whole cook is below 1,700 W × cook time. Instant publishes no average, so the tables assume the element is on throughout. Higher temperature settings and a cold or overfilled basket keep the element on longer.

No starting surge

The heating element is a resistive load and the fan is small; this page has no starting figure, and a station's peak rating does not decide the fit. Continuous output does: a station must deliver 1,700 W steadily, which rules out every station rated 1,500 W or less, whatever its peak. Boost modes for heating loads are noted on station cards but not counted (why).

Reading the tables

Runtime is time with the element on at 1,700 W and nothing else connected — the cautious case. The page assumes half an hour of use a day, 850 Wh. Example: the EcoFlow DELTA 3 record has no maker factor, so the default 0.85 applies: 1,024 Wh × 0.85 ÷ 1,700 W = 0.5 hours. A station that passes with little headroom cannot also run a kettle or microwave at the same moment.