Comparison
Microwave Air Fryer vs Air Fryer Toaster Oven: Only One of Them Can Microwave
Take a combo if it replaces your microwave. Take a toaster oven if you keep your microwave and want toast and baking. A microwave air fryer has the part that does the microwaving, so it can heat soup and defrost as well as air-fry. An air fryer toaster oven has none, so it can't microwave at all, however similar it looks.
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The short version
A microwave air fryer can microwave and air-fry in one box. An air fryer toaster oven only heats with elements and a fan, so it cannot microwave anything. Choose the combo if you want one appliance instead of two. Choose the toaster oven if you already own a microwave and toast or bake often. Check the functions list, not the shape of the box.
Start with one question: does this appliance replace your microwave, or sit beside it? If it replaces it, a toaster oven is out. If your microwave stays, a toaster oven is a real alternative, with toast and bake functions a combo may not name. For the basics, see what a microwave air fryer combo is.
| Comparison | Best overallToshiba ML2-EC10SA | Not a microwaveBreville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro | Not a microwaveSeller data onlyNinja Flip SP151 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1.0 cu ft | 1 cu ft per Breville | – |
| Microwave watts | 1000 W | – | – |
| Air fry watts | – | – | – |
| Outer size (W × D × H) | 20.6 × 18 × 11.8 in | 21.4 × 17.3 × 12.7 in | 15.75 × 17.01 × 7.68 in |
| Functions | 8-in-1 per Toshiba, including air fry and defrost | 13 oven functions including toast and air fry per Breville | 8-in-1 toaster oven and air fryer as listed |
| True microwave | Yes | No | No |
| Price class | Mid-range | Premium | Mid-range |
| Best for | most family kitchens with wall cabinets over the counter | kitchens that keep a microwave and want a real toaster oven with air fry | small counters that keep a microwave and want toast and air fry in a low box |
| On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon |
How do they heat?
The FDA explains that microwaves make water molecules in food vibrate, which produces heat directly in the food. A combo adds a heater and a fan for its air fry mode. An air fryer toaster oven only has the second half, so it works from the outside in.
GE's owner's manual for its GCST10A1 combo shows the split. In microwave mode, it says the oven and its surroundings do not get hot. In air fry mode, heating elements raise the air temperature and a fan circulates it.
What does each do well?
| Job | Microwave air fryer | Air fryer toaster oven |
|---|---|---|
| Soup, drinks, liquids | Yes, in microwave mode | Not its job |
| Defrosting | Yes, with defrost programs on many models | No microwave defrost; check the manual |
| Fries, nuggets, wings | Yes, in air fry mode | Yes, in air fry mode |
| Toast and bagels | Only if the model names a toast function | Yes. Breville lists up to 9 slices on the BOV900 |
| Baking pans | Limited by the turntable and rack | Limited by the inside; Breville says about 1 cu ft on the BOV900 |
| One appliance instead of two | Yes | No, if you still need a microwave |
We found no controlled test of a combo against an air fryer toaster oven, so we can't say which crisps better. The same gap exists for combos and basket fryers.
How big are they?
Measure instead of assuming. Toshiba states 20.6 × 18 × 11.8 in for the ML2-EC10SA, and Breville states 21.4 × 17.3 × 12.7 in for the BOV900. The Ninja Flip's listing gives 15.75 × 17.01 × 7.68 in and says it can flip up for storage. Our size guide explains how to measure, including the space around the appliance.
Names can mislead. Breville sells both a Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro and a Combi Wave, and only the second microwaves. Ninja sells a Flip and a Crispi Microwave, and again only the second one microwaves. See appliances that are not microwaves.
When should I take the combo?
- It would replace your existing microwave.
- You reheat soup and drinks or defrost often.
- Counter space is the reason you're shopping.
- You toast only now and then.
Toshiba
Toshiba ML2-EC10SA
A 1.0 cu ft combo that is low enough for most counters under cabinets.
Why it fits here: If one box must do both jobs, this is where we would start: 1.0 cu ft and a 1000 W microwave at a low 11.8 in 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
When should I take the toaster oven?
- You own a microwave you like and it stays.
- Toast, bagels and baking are a daily thing.
- You want air fry without replacing anything.
These two have no microwave function at all:
Breville
Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
A 1 cu ft countertop oven with air fry and toast, and no microwave.
Best for: kitchens that keep a microwave and want a real toaster oven with air fry
Ninja
Ninja Flip SP151
An air fryer toaster oven that flips up against the backsplash, as listed, with no microwave.
Seller data only
Best for: small counters that keep a microwave and want toast and air fry in a low box
Want all three in one box? See toaster oven combos.
Pick your situation
If you are replacing your microwave and want one appliance → Toshiba ML2-EC10SA
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you keep your microwave and want a full toaster oven → Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you keep your microwave and your counter is short on space → Ninja Flip SP151 · Seller data only
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you want a microwave and a toaster in one box
Next step: the best combos page is the place to go from here.
Quick questions
Can an air fryer toaster oven replace a microwave?
Not fully. It has no microwave part, so it heats food from the outside with hot air and elements. A search excerpt of a Whirlpool article says an air fryer can't fully stand in for a microwave, especially for soup, liquids and defrosting. A toaster oven with an air fry setting heats the same way.
Is there one appliance that microwaves, air fries and toasts?
Yes, a few. The Galanz ToastWave is one example. Our page on toaster oven combos sorts out what is available. Don't assume a toast function on a regular combo: check the model's function list, because many microwave air fryers don't name it.
Is the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro a microwave?
No. Breville lists 13 functions for the BOV900, including Toast, Bagel, Broil, Bake, Roast, Reheat, Airfry and Dehydrate, and none is a microwave function. Only the BMO870 Combi Wave is a microwave. Check the model number before you order.
Which one takes up less counter space?
It varies more by model than by type. Breville lists the BOV900 toaster oven at 21.4 × 17.3 × 12.7 in, while Toshiba lists the ML2-EC10SA combo at 20.6 × 18 × 11.8 in. The Ninja Flip is listed at 15.75 in wide and flips up for storage. A toaster oven doesn't replace your microwave, so it adds a second footprint.
Where this comes from
Keep reading
- Buying guideToaster oven combosA microwave toaster oven air fryer combo exists, but it's rare. Our pick is the Galanz ToastWave. See how others toast, and why one bundle adds a second appliance.
- 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.
- 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.
- ComparisonConvection vs air fryA convection microwave and an air fry mode share a heater and a fan. See what differs: fan strength, accessories and settings, as the manuals describe them.
- 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