Looks Like a Combo, Is Not: Air Fryers and Ovens That Do Not Microwave

A real combo is one appliance that microwaves and air-fries. It has the part that does the microwaving, plus a heater and fan that blow hot air over food. Without that first part, an oven can be very good at air frying and still can't heat your soup like a microwave. That is a costly mix-up if you plan to give your old microwave away.

Which ones look like combos?

These rest on Breville's and SharkNinja's own pages where we could read them, and on listing titles for the rest. The reverse trap exists too: a microwave with a grill, such as the Emerson MWG1191SB as titled, is a real microwave with no air fry mode in its title.

For the Ninja family, see which Ninja Crispi has a microwave. Only the MW101, launched on 16 July 2026, is a microwave. SharkNinja's release calls it the brand's first-ever countertop microwave, so any Crispi from before that date can't be one.

How do I check?

1. Look for microwave output in watts

   A real microwave states it. Toshiba's page for the ML2-EC10SA lists 1000 W. A single total wattage on an air fryer is not the same thing.

2. Look for the frequency

   Manuals often state 2450 MHz. Breville's BMO870 book and Ninja's MW101 Series guide both do. An air fryer has no reason to mention it.

3. Read the mode list

   Microwave has to be a function you can select, next to air fry. "Microwave-safe" describes a container and doesn't count.

4. Don't trust the store category

   Amazon files the Breville Combi Wave, a real microwave, under convection ovens, and one color of the Ninja MW101 under air fryers. The category tells you little.

Words that mislead: Combi means a multicooker on a Ninja box, a real microwave on a Breville Combi Wave, and often microwave plus convection in Britain. Crispi covers both the glass air fryers and the MW101. Microwave-safe is about what can go inside a microwave you already own. A convection microwave has the microwave part, but plain convection ovens don't. Our page on convection versus air fry separates the terms. A toaster oven with air fry can't microwave unless the brand says otherwise. The rare exception is on our microwave toaster oven air fryer combo page.

What won't a lookalike do?

Whirlpool says an air fryer can't fully stand in for a microwave, because soup, other liquids and defrosting favor a microwave. See whether an air fryer can replace a microwave.

Lookalikes have strengths of their own. Breville states toast for 9 slices and a 1 cu ft inside that fits most 9 × 13 in pans. The Ninja Flip is listed with toast for up to 6 slices, and it stores upright against the backsplash. A round turntable in a combo can't spin a pan that large. See a combo versus a toaster oven.

What if I keep my microwave?

Then a lookalike may be exactly right. None of these can microwave anything. We read a Breville page, and only have listings for the others.

For a plain basket instead, see combo versus basket air fryer.

What if I want one appliance instead of two?

Then you need the microwave part in the box. This is where we'd start.

Next step: the best combos page covers other kitchens.