An air fryer can make samosas crispier and snacks within minutes, while a microwave can reheat dal in minutes and help make shahi paneer easily. Does that mean you need both appliances in your kitchen? Probably not. When buying a cooking appliance for a kitchen, the choice between a microwave oven and an air fryer can get surprisingly confusing. Both these appliances help in making snacks, toasting and roasting vegetables and meat. They also save time while cooking, which adds to the overall confusion. However, they are designed for very different cooking jobs.

A microwave oven is ideal for quickly reheating leftovers, warming beverages and curries, defrosting food and cooking dishes with minimal effort. Some models also come with convection and grill modes, which makes them more versatile and ideal for baking and grilling food items.

An air fryer, on the other hand, is designed for foods where you want a crisp, browned finish with little or no oil. It can be particularly useful for frozen snacks, roasted vegetables, paneer, chicken and reheating foods that tend to become soggy in a microwave.

Microwave oven vs air fryer: Top 10 differences

Here are the top 10 differences between a microwave oven and an air fryer: