Air fryer vs microwave: What are the differences and which one should you pick?

Cooking is an art and much like any other artform, it requires many tools to achieve perfection which facilitate the conventional methods of cooking. These tools are nothing but kitchen appliances that make cooking easier and enjoyable for everyone. While the importance of each is indisputable, the constant technological upgrades leave us questioning which ones are better than the others. Take for instance, the widely acknowledged air fryer vs microwave discourse.

The significance of a microwave oven has been facing the brunt ever since Philips launched the first air fryer in 2010. The more we got acquainted with air fryers and a slew of options to choose from, the more it got us thinking if it’s time to ditch the traditional microwave. We can only wish it were that easy to decide.

Adept at giving different food items a similar texture, both air fryer and microwave are two of the top kitchen appliances that help in cooking, baking, and reheating. What sets them apart from each other is the technology used and the consequent difference in the food in terms of taste and health, which is exactly the reason behind this debate.

What is an air fryer and how does it work?

An air fryer is a modern-day kitchen appliance used for cooking our favourite fried foods (and a lot more) in a healthy way. Contrary to the traditional method of deep frying in oil, an air fryer uses the process of hot air circulation around the food to cook it with little to nearly no oil. All one has to do is place the food in the air fryer basket and set the time and temperature accordingly. The top section of the fryer has a heating mechanism and a fan that creates a rapid, hot air flow in the food chamber. This results in food that’s crispy and crunchy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside.

While one can make diverse types of fried dishes in an air fryer such as French fries, frozen finger foods, mozzarella sticks, burger patties and other such appetisers, main course delicacies, including chicken breasts, eggs, grilled meat and even roasted vegetables can also be cooked.

Pros and cons of an air fryer

While an air fryer is a great alternative to traditional methods of cooking and frying, it is at the end of the day, a machine with its own set of drawbacks and limitations. Since considering both the pros and cons of any kitchen appliance is a must before buying one, let’s have a look at how air fryers are or aren’t that beneficial for us.

Pros

• Food cooked in an air fryer is relatively healthier owing to lower content of fat, oil, calories and potentially harmful components (such as Acrylamide) that are formed during the process of deep frying.
• Air fryer is easy to use and manage. Reading through the instruction manual is enough to get you going.
• An air fryer supports other cooking functions as well, including grilling, baking, steaming and rotisserie.
• Compact in design, an air fryer does not take up much space on your kitchen counter.
• Cleaning, washing and maintaining an air fryer is easy as most of its components are detachable and dishwasher safe.

Cons

• Air fryers come with a limited capacity. Hence, for larger gatherings or families, one would need to cook food in batches.
• An air fryer takes longer to cook food as compared to traditional deep-frying.
• Although the taste, crispiness and texture of the food made in an air fryer is similar to the deep-fried ones, it is still not exactly the same. If you live for these three aspects of fried foods, you might not enjoy air-fried food as much.
• Owing to the fan system, air fryers make vibrational sounds that can be low or high depending on the model you’re purchasing.

What is a microwave oven and how does it work?

It is a kitchen appliance that uses microwaves (a type of electromagnetic radiation) to heat and cook food. These waves are capable of passing through paper, glass and plastic and can be reflected by metal and absorbed by food. The design of a microwave oven consists of a magnetron that produces these tiny waves that are reflected off the oven’s metal interior. These make the water molecules present inside the food to vibrate with the resulting friction, thereby producing heat that cooks the food.

Pros and cons of a microwave oven

Much like any other kitchen appliance, a microwave oven too has its benefits and drawbacks that must be considered while buying one for your kitchen.

Pros

• Since a microwave oven uses electromagnetic waves, both heating and cooking food is time-saving as compared to other devices or traditional cooking methods.
• A microwave oven is easy to clean and maintain. All one has to do post use is clean it with a damp cloth.
• The availability of presets, functions, precise cooking programmes and modes such as convection, defrosting, baking and grilling makes this kitchen appliance a highly versatile one.
• Microwave ovens offer a wide range of heat and temperature settings.
• When compared to conventional ovens, a microwave uses less energy and electricity.
• Large quantities of food can be cooked or heated in a single batch in a microwave oven.

Cons

• If overheated, the food often ends up being dehydrated and stretchy.
• Additionally, heating crispy, crunchy appetisers in a microwave oven often end up getting them soggy.
• You need to use containers made of specific oven-safe materials. It is not safe to put metal, aluminium, wood or paper containers inside.
• The food in a microwave oven is subject to uneven heating and cooking. This presence of hot and cold spots in dishes can also cause food poisoning. Additionally, the radiation used to heat food in the process is also considered harmful for the human body.

Air fryer vs microwave oven: How are they different from each other?

Technology used to cook food

While a microwave uses electromagnetic radiation to heat and cook food, air fryers use a rapid air technology that cooks food by circulating hot air in the food chamber.

Cooking capacity

Microwave ovens are known to have a larger cooking capacity than air fryers. While one can heat or cook large quantities of food at one go in a microwave, the same quantity requires to be cooked in multiple batches in an air fryer. The capacity of an air fryer usually ranges between three litres and six litres with a few models going up to 10 litres. As for a microwave oven, their capacities usually range from 17 litres to 30 litres with 20 litres being the standard capacity. Some extra large microwaves also have a capacity of up to 42 litres.

Cooking time

A microwave oven takes less time than an air fryer to cook and heat food. For instance, a dish that can be cooked in 20 to 30 minutes in an air fryer, can be cooked in five to 10 minutes in a microwave, or less at times.

Health

An air fryer makes for a better choice than a microwave oven from a health perspective. Be it in terms of technology wherein the electromagnetic radiation of a microwave is harmful for the body, or the lower fat and oil content in air-fried food which is better for health.

Price

A microwave oven is usually less expensive and more budget-friendly as compared to an air fryer.

Size

Air fryers are comparatively smaller in size and have a lightweight, compact design. They take up less space on kitchen counters which makes them ideal for smaller kitchens or when there are space constraints.

Noise

Air fryers are noisier than microwaves and make a vibrational sound because of their in-built fan system.

Versatility

While you can make almost everything in an air fryer (be it fried, roasted, grilled, baked) you cannot cook or heat liquid and gravy-based dishes and soups which can be easily heated in a microwave oven. Otherwise, both air fryers and microwaves are equipped with multiple modes and presets to make cooking easier and more versatile.

Ease of use

Both air fryers and microwaves are easy to use. They offer time and temperature control settings and are also pre-equipped with preset functions and modes to ease up the cooking process.

Cleaning and maintenance

Essentially both air fryers and microwave ovens are low maintenance and easy to clean. While an air fryer must be cleaned after every use, one can clean a microwave every few days. Most parts of an air fryer are detachable and can be cleaned with soap and water or in a dishwasher. As for a microwave oven, the turntable and grilling racks are detachable and can be washed. However, you still might need to reach deep into the food case and clean it with a damp cloth to rid the interiors of food stains and stuck leftovers.

Power consumption and efficiency

While air-fryers are considered quite energy-efficient, there are a few models that consume 1500 to 1700 watts, whereas a microwave uses around 1200 watts for a cooking session of around 30 minutes. They might consume an additional two to seven watts in standby or reheating mode.

Microwave vs air fryer: Conclusion

In the microwave vs air fryer debate, choosing between one boils down to your needs, requirements and priorities. While both these kitchen appliances have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, they make the cooking process easier.

If you have a large family, a microwave would make for a better choice than an air fryer, which is rather suitable for a small, nuclear family. If healthy and nutritious food is on your checklist, an air fryer would make for an ideal pick. Whereas, if quick reheating, defrosting and baking is your priority, a microwave oven should be your go-to.

(Hero Image: Courtesy Philips & Vlad Zaytsev/Unsplash ; Featured Image: Courtesy Philips)