Should you choose a microwave or an air fryer? Generally, we advise getting both, and here is why. Use the air fryer to create fried and baked meal alternatives that are crispy and healthy. Use a microwave to quickly heat and cook damp foods. Air fryer vs Microwave
We will discuss where each of these machines excels and why we believe they both belong in the kitchen because we use them both frequently.
MICROWAVE VS AIR FRYER: THE DIFFERENCES
The primary distinction, aside from the architectural variation, is in the heating technique. Food is heated and crisped in the air fryer using circulating hot air. Food is heated using electromagnetic radiation in the microwave, which is more effective with soft foods.
COOKING WITH AN AIR FRYER
In air fryers, the hot air is circulated around the food on all sides using heating components and a fan.
Dishes like potatoes, fried chicken, popcorn shrimp, and other similarly crispy foods are fantastic when traditionally fried because the scorching heat crisps the outside of the meal.
Foods that wouldn’t crisp in a microwave are helped by an air fryer. It also utilizes the least amount of oil possible. In contrast to a conventional fryer, which needs several inches of oil to make food crispy, an air fryer just needs a little mist of cooking spray.
An internal heating coil is included in air fryers, and it warms up first.
After the coil has heated up, the air fryer’s internal fan activates, distributing the coil’s heat evenly throughout the food in the frying basket.
To cook food in an air fryer until it is lovely and crispy, it takes a long time.
MICROWAVE COOKING METHOD
On the other hand, microwaves use electromagnetic energy that has a frequency in the range of microwaves to heat and cook food. These microwaves cause friction and heat by vibrating the food’s water molecules. Moist meals work well for this.
Because they can often cook wet meals in less than a minute, microwaves excel in situations when speed is required. In a microwave, something that could take 20 minutes to reheat will be hot in just 60 seconds.
But when heated in the microwave, bread often becomes rough, meat becomes tough, and fried dishes become sloppy. The best way to reheat these foods is in an air fryer or toaster oven.
WHICH IS BETTER: MICROWAVE OR AIR FRYER?
We believe it is worthwhile to get an air fryer to supplement your microwave rather than to completely replace it. You’ll be let down if your plan is to utilize an air fryer in place of the microwave because it truly isn’t comparable in any manner.
Although cooking food with air fryers might take a while, the final result is a flavorful, crispy dinner that will have you demanding more.
Although they may cook food much more quickly than air fryers, microwaves essentially only excel in wet food preparation.
It seems obvious that each appliance has its own advantages and disadvantages given that it brings a distinct type of cooking technology. It is advantageous to own both appliances because they both perform well while preparing different items.
AIR FRYER VS. MICROWAVE: WHICH IS MORE EFFICIENT?
In contrast to microwaves, air fryers take a long time to attain the ideal temperature for frying.
Models of microwaves and air fryers range in power from 1,200 to 1,500 watts.
Depending on how long they operate, different amounts of energy are used. Unlike air fryers, which operate for between 20 and 40 minutes, microwaves typically run for only a few minutes.
Therefore, compared to an air fryer, the microwave cooks significantly more effectively.
The microwave’s standby mode is another thing to think about. Many microwaves include an LCD time display, however the air fryer uses no electricity when it’s off.
This display will consume 2 to 7 watts continuously. That comes up to around 2 cents in electricity each day, which is not worth including in the cost of running the microwave.
Choosing the most energy-efficient microwave or air fryer might be challenging for someone who promotes minimal energy usage.
Our top pick for a microwave is the Panasonic NN-SN966S. On the other hand, if you’re searching for an air fryer, the Ninja AF101 is our top pick.
AIR FRYER VS. MICROWAVE COOKING CAPACITY
When choosing between an air fryer or a microwave, two of the most important factors to consider are the appliance’s size and cooking capacity.
They’re especially crucial if you frequently prepare meals for a large crowd.
Any air fryer may be used in place of a microwave oven, however it is obvious that air fryers are smaller and lighter than microwaves.
They do not, however, provide as much cooking capability as microwaves. You must choose between enormous capacity and compactness, therefore.
If you want a small microwave, we recommend the Black & Decker EM720CB7 because it isn’t too big to use on a regular basis while sitting on the counter if wall installation isn’t an option.
While microwaves may be installed out of the way or placed in a cabinet, the majority of air fryers must be kept on the tabletop.
An air fryer is simple to put away in a cupboard or cabinet, but in order to use it every day, you’ll need to pull it out and plug it in. This decreases the likelihood that you’ll use it first to cook or reheat food.
AIR FRYER VS. MICROWAVE: WHICH IS HEALTHIER?
Both air fryers and microwaves provide significantly healthier cooking compared to conventional frying.
These devices collect the fluids from the food being cooked, enabling frying or cooking without the need to add oils, eradicating any health risks connected to using too much oil.
Although you may occasionally need to add oil, it will usually only be a very little quantity in comparison to the amount of oil needed to cook food in a deep fryer or a regular oven.
Less oil also makes it much simpler to clean the dishes and appliances.
In terms of how healthy the food you cook in them is, air fryers and microwaves are tied for first place. Both of them have a low to no oil cooking ability.
To get food nice and crispy in the air fryer, it is more likely to need a spritz of cooking spray rather than much oil.
Although heating can destroy nutrients regardless of the method used, microwaves can cause some nutrient loss, a concern that air fryers don’t have. The air fryer may be slightly superior in this regard.
AIR FRYER VS MICROWAVE: WHICH TO USE?
There are some items that can be cooked in an air fryer but not in a microwave, and the opposite is also true.
For instance, cooking meat in a microwave is not recommended. Therefore, using an air fryer rather than a microwave will be a superior option if you’re trying to prepare chicken, bacon, steak, or even fish.
It’s surprisingly simple to cook meat in an air fryer, and as we’ve already indicated, you won’t need to use as much oil as you would if you were using a deep fryer or frying pan.
Place the food in the fryer’s basket with a light coating, turn on the air fryer, and cook it for the desired amount of time and crispiness.
When should you use a microwave oven? Microwaves, not air fryers, will allow you to melt butter for baking or heat up hot water to make the hot beverage of your choice.
A microwave not only makes cooking incredibly convenient, but it also excels at other tasks.
Baby bottles, canning jars, dish sponges, and other objects should all be cleaned.
Defrost your meal
complete preparation of frozen foods
Melt coconut oil and butter.
Steam veggies while water is at a boil.
Both appliances get a lot of usage. We use the air fryer to cook food if we want it to be crispy. We use the microwave to merely reheat or prepare wet meals. Both of these are practical kitchen gadgets.
FAQs
Can the air fryer replace the microwave?
In our opinion, no. The finest air fryer for making dishes crispy is. Although it isn’t particularly practical, you could reheat food gently in the air fryer if you wanted to. We like the air fryer for taste and the microwave for convenience.
Can I use an air fryer to reheat food?
You certainly can, but it will take some time. Some air fryers only have baskets, which makes reheating liquids or soft foods challenging or impossible. Get an air fryer with a basket and a bucket to store soft foods and liquids if you intend to reheat meals in it. The food will inevitably dry out.
Is an air fryer harmful to my health?
In certain instances, it’s even healthier than deep-frying or even baking. You may eat more healthily without compromising flavor thanks to the air fryer’s ability to produce a crispy texture on dishes with little to no oil.
What can a microwave achieve that an air fryer can’t?
An air fryer produces crispy food. In a microwave, most meals go mushy. The only thing an air fryer can actually accomplish that a microwave cannot is that, and it does it extremely well. The flavor of food cooked or reheated in an air fryer is considerably superior to food heated in a microwave.
Is an air fryer worth buying?
Unquestionably, yeah. We often use our air fryer, which we own. We employ it to prepare kale chips, carrot sticks, asparagus, and other crunchy veggies. Additionally, we use it to reheat garlic bread, create crispy “fried” chicken, and popcorn shrimp.
If you’re anything like us, you won’t use it as frequently as your microwave, but as you discover amazing foods to prepare in it, you’ll use it more and more. Make sure to get one that has adequate space to feed your family. Because it will take too long to produce enough for everyone, if you get one that is too tiny, you will use it less frequently.
Final Thoughts
Microwaves are already in most households, and air fryers aren’t all that expensive. Instead than seeking to replace one with the other, we believe that everyone would be content to own both.
Can you use a microwave in place of an air fryer or the other way around? Actually, no. They both excel in various cooking methods, which adds to their value in special ways.
The fact that each cooking device excels in a certain area and does a great job of utilizing the functions of the other further demonstrates how both cooking appliances can be a useful addition to any kitchen.