Panasonic 4-in-1 Air Fry Combi Microwave Oven: can this all-in-one microwave really replace your air fryer?

RRP at time of testing: £380 | Check price at Amazon, Currys, Tesco or John Lewis

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Our verdict

There’s a particular kind of kitchen creep that seems to happen once you hit peak family life. One day you own a kettle and toaster like a normal person. Next, your worktop is groaning under the weight of an air fryer, microwave, slow cooker, soup maker and something specifically designed to cook eggs six different ways.

So I can absolutely see the appeal of Panasonic’s NN-CD88QSBPQ. This is a microwave that also claims to be an air fryer, grill and convection oven, all bundled into one fairly handsome stainless steel appliance.

Naturally, I approached the whole thing with a bit of scepticism. Multi-function gadgets often end up being masters of none. But after six months of testing by Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts, this one sounds rather more convincing than most.

“It feels solid, powerful and well-made, and much more like a proper multi-function oven than a standard microwave with a few extras bolted on,” she said.

That’s probably the key thing to understand about this machine. It isn’t just a microwave with an air fryer setting tacked on for marketing purposes. It behaves more like a compact second oven that happens to microwave brilliantly too.

How we’ve tested the Panasonic 4-in-1 Air Fry Combi Microwave Oven

Mumsnet founder Justine Roberts tested the Panasonic NN-CD88QSBPQ over six months at home. The microwave was used most weeks in a family kitchen and stored in a larder area rather than the main kitchen space.

During testing, she used the microwave, air fryer, grill and convection oven functions for a range of everyday meals and snacks, including homemade chips, potatoes, vegetables, chicken, fish, soups, sauces and leftovers. She also tested combination cooking modes, such as defrosting food before crisping it with the air fryer setting.

As well as cooking smaller meals for one or two people, Justine also used the Panasonic as an additional oven when hosting larger family gatherings, testing how practical the 34L capacity was for bigger cooking tasks - like Christmas dinner. Particular attention was paid to cooking performance, crisping ability, ease of use, cleaning, noise levels and whether it did actually reduce the need to switch on the main oven.

First impressions: bigger than your average microwave

The first thing worth mentioning is the size. This is not one of those tiny microwaves you tuck into a corner and forget about.

With a 34L capacity, it’s roomy inside and large enough to handle family meals, oven trays and even bigger dishes when you’re cooking for guests. Justine found that particularly useful when hosting.

“I like having it as an additional oven when cooking for a crowd or hosting bigger gatherings, because it gives you extra cooking space without having to juggle everything in the main oven.”

The trade-off, obviously, is worktop space. If your kitchen already feels like a competitive appliance showroom, you’ll need to measure carefully. Still, it earns its footprint by replacing several gadgets at once. Or at least dramatically reducing how often you use them.

No larger than your usual microwave, this 4-in-1 replaces several kitchen gadgets

Panasonic 4-in-1 Air Fry Combi Microwave Oven: setting it up and getting started

Despite having more buttons and programmes than your average microwave, the set-up sounds refreshingly painless.

“It was very straightforward to get started,” said Justine. “The basic functions are easy enough to work out, and I was able to use it straight away without any real difficulty.”

That said, this is one of those appliances where the manual probably deserves at least a skim. There are a lot of functions packed in here, including combination cooking modes that let you microwave and crisp food in one go.

“The manual is worth keeping nearby at first so you can get the best out of it rather than just using the obvious functions.”

Which feels fair. Most of us are guilty of spending £300 on an appliance and then using approximately 4% of its capabilities forevermore.

“The microwave function is excellent”

It would be slightly awkward if a £300-plus microwave wasn’t good at microwaving, but thankfully this is where Panasonic still really shines.

The NN-CD88QSBPQ uses Panasonic’s inverter technology, which is designed to heat food more evenly rather than alternating between full-power blasts and pauses.

In practice, Justine found it noticeably better than her previous microwave.

“It has been very good in microwave mode: quick, powerful and reliable,” she said. “Soups and sauces came out hot without needing lots of extra time, and leftovers reheated well without becoming dried out.”

Anyone who has ever eaten lasagne that’s simultaneously volcanic and freezing will appreciate this. She also noted there were no obvious hot or cold spots, even when reheating leftovers and cooking vegetables.

Justine cooked all sorts of food over six months of testing

But the real selling point is the air fryer function

This is where things get more interesting. Because yes, technically you can crisp food in lots of combination microwaves. But the results are often somewhere between “slightly drier” and “deeply disappointing”. That doesn’t seem to be the case here.

“The air fryer function works well and is useful, particularly for crisping things up rather than just heating them,” said Justine. “Food comes out much better than it would in a normal microwave: drier, crisper and more appetising.”

She tested it with potatoes, fish, chicken and various snacky bits, all with good results. The homemade chips test, always important in British households, also went well.

“They cooked fairly evenly and had a good crisp outside with a soft inside,” she said. “They were better than standard oven chips in terms of texture and speed.”

There is a slight caveat though. A dedicated drawer-style air fryer still probably wins on ultimate crispness.

“They probably weren’t quite as uniformly crisp as they might be in a dedicated basket air fryer, where the air circulates around them more freely, but they were very good.”

Combination cooking is where it really earns its keep

One feature Justine particularly liked was the ability to combine functions in a single meal.

“Being able to defrost or heat something first and then finish it with the air fryer, grill or convection setting makes a real difference,” she explained.

In other words, you can get the speed of a microwave without ending up with the texture of a damp sock.

“It worked well for frozen or chilled items where I wanted the inside really hot but the outside crisped up.”

That’s the bit that makes this kitchen gadget useful for busy households. It bridges the gap between convenience cooking and food you actually want to eat.

While the settings appear friendly, Justine recommends you keep the instruction booklet nearby

Panasonic 4-in-1 Air Fry Combi Microwave Oven: day-to-day use

Perhaps the strongest endorsement is simply how often it ended up being used.

“It has fitted in very easily and I’ve found myself using it most days for something,” said Justine.

That included:

• Reheating leftovers

• Cooking vegetables

• Quick lunches

• Crisping snacks

• Smaller meals without turning on the main oven

“It hasn’t replaced every appliance, but it has definitely become one of the things I reach for most often.”

That feels like the sweet spot for this kind of machine. Not necessarily replacing your entire kitchen, but becoming the appliance you instinctively use first.

Noise, cleaning and general practicality

Noise-wise, it sounds perfectly manageable.

“It’s not silent, especially on the air fryer or convection settings where you expect the fan to kick in, but it hasn’t felt noticeably loud or annoying.”

Admittedly, Justine keeps hers in the larder rather than the main kitchen, which probably helps.

Cleaning also sounds refreshingly unfussy.

“The inside wipes down well, and the trays and accessories are straightforward to wash after use.”

As with any air fryer-style cooking, grease splatters happen, particularly after chicken or oily foods, but regular wiping seems to keep everything under control.

The only slightly annoying practical issue is storage for the various trays and accessories when not in use. Though frankly, that’s true of almost every multi-function appliance ever made.

It’s easy to clean and with accessories included, you can even make pizza in there!

Panasonic 4-in-1 Oven: is it worth the money?

This is undeniably expensive for a microwave. But it also feels slightly misleading to call it “just” a microwave.

“It works as a microwave, air fryer, grill and extra oven,” said Justine. “The value is in how much it can replace or reduce the need for other appliances.”

That’s really the calculation here. If you only ever heat soup and melt butter, this is overkill. But if you regularly use an air fryer, cook smaller meals, reheat leftovers properly and occasionally need extra oven space, it starts making more sense.

Particularly at a time when many of us are trying not to fire up the main oven for every single meal.

Comparison: Panasonic vs Sage vs Tower

Who is the Panasonic 4-in-1 Microwave best for?

This microwave is best for busy households that want one appliance to handle several jobs well. It particularly suits families short on kitchen space, people who regularly use an air fryer and anyone looking for a smaller, quicker alternative to putting the main oven on every night. It’s also useful as an extra oven when hosting or cooking for larger groups.

The Panasonic works especially well for people who:

• Reheat leftovers regularly but still want food to crisp properly

• Cook smaller meals during the week

• Want to reduce worktop clutter from multiple appliances

• Like the convenience of combination cooking modes

• Need flexible extra cooking space around holidays or gatherings

Who should avoid it?

This probably isn’t the right choice if you only use a microwave for basic reheating or occasional convenience meals. The size, price and number of functions would feel excessive if all you want is somewhere to warm soup.

You may also prefer a standalone air fryer if maximum crispiness is your top priority, particularly for foods like chips and frozen snacks. And because it’s quite large, it’s less suited to smaller kitchens with limited counter space.

Everything you need from four appliances in one item

Final verdict: is this the right microwave for you? 

The Panasonic NN-CD88QSBPQ is one of those appliances that sounds slightly gimmicky until you use it properly. Then you realise it’s actually a very capable compact oven with an excellent microwave built in.

It won’t completely replace every appliance in your kitchen, especially if you already own a top-tier air fryer. But it does an impressively good job across multiple cooking methods and feels useful rather than clutter for clutter’s sake.

As Justine put it: “It makes the kitchen work harder without needing lots of separate gadgets cluttering up the place.”

And honestly, at this stage of life, that may be the dream.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is our resident lifestyle expert with a practical focus on sleep, wellness and everyday comfort. She’s equally at home tackling frank, NSFW‑adjacent topics as she is road‑testing kitchen appliances, mattresses and vacuums that work for real parents. As a mum of two, she writes with the time‑poor, sleep‑deprived in mind - honest product reviews, realistic routines and products that make parents’ lives easier.

When she’s not at her desk, she’s probably product‑testing with her two helpers, corralling a PTA or walking her two dogs up and down country lanes.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of hands-on testing. We never accept payment for coverage, and our verdicts are independent and honest. We may earn a small commission through affiliate links, which helps fund our work - but it never influences our opinions.

All prices are correct at the time of writing.

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