Microwave v air fryer

bouicca21

I spent some time thinking about buying an air fryer before deciding that the reduction in energy costs wouldn’t justify the capital cost, especially as my cooker has two small ovens rather then one big one.  I use the oven maybe once a week, though this week is unusual and I’ll be baking on three days.  When I do use an oven I fill it up.

My calculations went out of the window this evening when the microwave stopped working.  I doubt it’s worth repairing. Capital cost no longer an issue as I will want to replace it with something. I use the microwave regularly, mostly to cook fresh or frozen vegetables but also to reheat stuff from the freezer that I have batch cooked (baked potatoes, lasagne, bolognese sauce etc).

I don’t deep fry anything but might be tempted to do sweet potato wedges more often if I had an air fryer.  As a singleton I probably don’t need anything very big, but presumably I wouldn’t be able to bake a loaf of bread in a small air fryer.

So do I replace the microwave or get an air fryer instead?  I haven’t room for both.  Advice please!

New_in_the_fens

Hi Bouicca - you’ve already discounted the air fryer and you use your microwave regularly for things that you wouldn’t use a fryer for - heating veg for example. So replace the microwave with a microwave 🙂 

prowla

You can get a microwave/oven combo; I have one (a Panasonic), but TBH I only use it as a microwave.

I bought an air fryer (a Tefal) a couple of months ago and it is really very good; I don't think I've used my full-size oven since getting it.

I've used it for cooking mini jacket potatoes, chicken wings, chicken, steaks, burgers, and it has been very successful.

i have one thing I would retrospectively like to have taken into consideration: mine goes to 220C, but I could use 240C for the steaks.

I don't view it as an either/or between air fryer and microwave; rather they complement each other.

Rosetta92

I would vote for a combination oven too. My oven was on the blink just as lockdown was on the horizon so I bought a combi to tide us over. Still haven’t replaced the oven 😀 And I can do potato wedges in the combi. Must try sweet potato ones now 🤔

JIL

I would also want both. I think my main oven goes on once per week. 

lesleyb

I use the air fryer every day, you can reheat food in it as well as cook it.