Question & answer
Can an Air Fryer Replace a Microwave? No, and Here Is What a Combo Solves
No, not fully. An air fryer can take over crisp food and much of your reheating, but soup, liquids, steaming and defrosting still favor a microwave. If you want one appliance for all of it, buy a microwave air fryer combo.
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The short answer
No. An air fryer can handle fries, wings, pizza and many leftovers, but it cannot fully replace a microwave for soup, liquids, steaming or defrosting, as Whirlpool also says. If you rarely do those jobs, going without a microwave can work. If you do them often and want one appliance, a microwave air fryer combo covers both.
Whirlpool, which sells microwaves with an air fry mode, says an air fryer adds variety but can't fully replace a microwave. Our air fryer vs microwave comparison explains how each one heats.
What can an air fryer take over?
| Job | Air fryer alone? | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Fries, wings, breaded food | Yes, its strength | Crisp surface, per Breville |
| Reheating pizza and pastry | Yes | Panasonic notes a soft base by microwave alone |
| Reheating solid leftovers | Often | Can take a bit longer, per Whirlpool |
| Soup, drinks, sauces | No | Favors a microwave, per Whirlpool |
| Steaming vegetables and grains | Not its strength | Breville recommends the microwave |
| Defrosting frozen food | Not its strength | Whirlpool and Breville both favor the microwave |
| Packaged microwave meals | Check the box | Follow the package directions for the method you use |
Why can't it do everything?
Microwaves make the water in food vibrate and produce heat, which the FDA says is why foods high in water cook quickly. That suits soup, sauces and frozen food. An air fryer moves hot air over the surface, so the heat has to work its way in. That is great for a crisp crust and slow for a bowl of chili.
A smart air fryer doesn't change this, however many presets it has. Without the part that does the microwaving, it can't microwave. Glass air fryers with microwave-safe containers are the best-known lookalike. Only one Ninja Crispi actually microwaves. See also appliances that look like combos but are not.
Can I go without a microwave?
It's a fair choice if most of these sound like you:
- You reheat mostly solid food, and you like it crisp.
- You have a stove and a kettle for soup, drinks and steaming.
- You plan ahead and thaw food in the fridge.
- You don't rely on microwave meals or popcorn.
If most of them don't, you'll probably miss the microwave within a week.
What does a combo solve?
A microwave air fryer combo microwaves and air-fries in one box. It has the microwave part, plus a heater and fan that blow hot air over food on a rack or basket. So you can drop to one footprint and keep the soup and the fries.
The trade-offs are real. It runs one job at a time unless a combination mode fits your food, it can get messier, and we found no controlled test of its crisping against a basket fryer. See are combos worth it? and combo versus basket air fryer.
On a tight budget, look at the BLACK+DECKER ES9P032NA*, for which we only have listing data. With open space above the counter, the Panasonic HomeChef 4-in-1* is the other one to consider.
Toshiba
Toshiba ML2-EC10SA
A 1.0 cu ft combo that is low enough for most counters under cabinets.
Why it fits here: This replaces both jobs with one box: a 1000 W microwave plus air fry at 1.0 cu ft, and only 11.8 in tall per Toshiba.
Best for: most family kitchens with wall cabinets over the counter
- Capacity
- 1.0 cu ft
- Microwave watts
- 1000 W
- Outer size (W × D × H)
- 20.6 × 18 × 11.8 in
- Functions
- 8-in-1 per Toshiba, including air fry and defrost
- True microwave
- Yes
- Price class
- Mid-range
- Size as stated by
- Maker.
- 11.8 in tall, says Toshiba, among the lowest here at 1.0 cu ft
- 1000 W microwave and air fry in one oven space
- 12.4 in turntable and 10 air fry presets, says Toshiba
- Toshiba says 18 in deep, the Amazon listing says 16.4 in. Measure with the bigger number
- We only saw the space it needs in a third-party summary. Check the printed manual
- A round turntable limits how wide a pan can turn
Next step: the best combos page has one pick per kitchen.
Quick questions
Can you use an air fryer like a microwave?
Only in part. You can reheat solid food in it, often with a crisper result, but it works with hot air. It won't heat a mug of soup or thaw a frozen meal the way a microwave does. Follow your air fryer's manual on containers.
What is the best air fryer to replace a microwave?
A plain air fryer won't do it, whichever model you buy, because it can't microwave. If you want one box to do both jobs, look at a true microwave air fryer combo. Check the listing for a stated microwave wattage, since several air fryers and toaster ovens look similar but can't microwave.
Can I just get rid of my microwave and use an air fryer?
You can if you rarely heat liquids or defrost, and you have a stove or kettle for those jobs. Note what you use the microwave for over a week before you give it away, then decide.
Where this comes from
- Whirlpool: should I get a microwave or an air fryer? (page timed out, read as a search excerpt)
- Breville: Air fryer vs. microwave, what to know
- FDA: Microwave ovens
- Panasonic: NN-CD87 owner's manual
- SharkNinja: news release on the Ninja Crispi Microwave, 16 July 2026
- Good Housekeeping via AOL: best microwave air fryer combos
Keep reading
- ComparisonAir fryer vs microwaveAir fryer vs microwave: hot air crisps, microwaves heat fast. See which wins for reheating, defrosting and texture, and when a combo fits.
- ComparisonCombo vs basket air fryerDoes a microwave air fryer work as well as a basket air fryer? No controlled test exists. See what is known on airflow, size and results, and which one to pick.
- Question & answerAre Microwave Air Fryer Combos Worth It? Who Should Buy OneAre microwave air fryer combos any good? Yes if counter space matters most. Here is who should buy one, who should skip it, and what to check first.
- ExplainerNot a microwaveNinja Combi, Crispi FN101, Ninja Flip and Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro look like combos but can't microwave. See how to spot a lookalike before you buy.
- ComparisonBest combosThe best microwave air fryer combo for most kitchens is the Toshiba ML2-EC10SA. See which pick fits a small kitchen, a big family or a tall cabinet gap.
Who is behind this
microwaveairfryercombo.com Editorial Team
Fit checks and buying advice
We are the editorial team at microwaveairfryercombo.com. We read spec sheets, owner's manuals, retailer data and published tests, then turn them into plain answers about what fits your kitchen and what each combo can do. We do not run lab tests, and we say so openly.
- Spec sheets and manuals read
- Sources on every page
- No own lab tests, stated openly
- Publisher details in the imprint