Can an air fryer do everything a microwave can?

[PureBlackVoid]

I have limited work top space, and no suitable cupboard to plug/use the microwave in. I have to take it out every time I use it, and fart around making space for the sake of a few minutes. I figure an air fryer is lighter so at least easier to move around, and narrower so would take up less space on a counter when in use.

I mainly use the microwave for heating baked beans, melting butter, chocolate etc for baking. I don’t want to do it in sauce pans.

What about frozen mash, or microwave meals? I very occasionally have them, but they are such a time saver when I’m working. What about reheating ‘wet’ food leftovers, like curry, stew etc. Can you use microwave safe containers in an air fryer, to stop the drawer thing getting messy?

I don’t mind that they are smaller, I only tend to reheat single portions, I just don’t want to end up needing both appliances.

No, your air fryer won't melt chocolate or heat beans. It's like a really hot and quick oven, your beans and chocolate would dry out. It has a totally different function to a microwave.

A microwave is better for the things you are heating.

Microwave containers would melt/catch fire in an air fryer. An air fryer is good for things you would normally use a conventional oven for.

You can’t fry baked beans or soup. Do you have a hob to heat on instead?

I wouldn't put any plastic containers into the air fryer. You would need oven-proof containers I think. So heating up a ready meal would involve decanting it first into a suitable container. How would you remove small oven-proof dishes from the basket? Seems like a burns hazard
Maybe air fryers are different but I couldn't really cook or heat anything liquid in mine.

Think of an air fryer like a small oven. So I would say no.

A microwave and an air fryer are completely different things.

The air fryer is basically a small fan oven so think about what a fan overn does and compare that to what you want.

Some of the newer combination microwaves do both as part of the convection oven functionality, but you won't get an air fryer that doubles as a microwave.

Can you put the microwave on a separate shelf not integrated with the kitchen? I've a small kitchen too and will be putting mine around the corner in the pantry space.

No. An air fryer and a microwave have completely separate use cases.

I’ve definitely done beans in a mini oven (when the oven and microwave packed in at the same time), in a ramekin. When I roast things in butter, I put some in an oven dish and put it in the oven while it’s preheating, so would it not be the same thing if I used it in a smaller dish and just heated it for less time? No
idea if a ramekin can go in an air fryer though

I would love to do this but the only suitable place is in the boiler cupboard. I’ve played around with the space in there, and the only shelf it can sit on is right underneath the boiler/ up against the pipework unfortunately.

I have an eye level oven with a cupboard above it, and wall space above the sink for a shelf but I’d need a ladder to use the microwave, as I’m 5ft.

Thought about a pull out shelf in the cupboard under the boiler, but it’s right by the kitchen door so when in use, the microwave would be sticking out past the door. An air fryer was my last hope 😂

Would a breakfast cooker help OP? There are various types available that do different things, Tefal used to do some.

Example of one

www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Breakfast-Multifunction-American-Omelette/dp/B08H5PHW7H/ref=sr_1_5?crid=14TBC2YIN6G81&keywords=breakfast%2Bmaker&qid=1673720614&sprefix=breakfast%2B%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-5&th=1

Can you put ready meals in the containers they come in with the air fryer? What about foil containers?

I’ve just thought this. I’m sure ready meal packaging will say to just remove the cardboard cover and put them on a tray to go in the oven, in the plastic. Wouldn’t that be the same thing as putting it in the air fryer?

thanks @SeatonCarew that one is too big but google has brought up some smaller similar things that I’m going to look look into.

I have both, & use the AF much more than the MW.
Think of the AF as a small, efficient, cost-effective oven.
MW ready-meals can presumably be cooked in an oven as well? Might need decanting into a Pyrex or foil container.
I use a silicone liner for some items in the AF - keeps the basket clean & goes in the DW.

Is it true that you can bake cakes in an air fryer? If so what would you use as a container

AFAIK anything that can go in an oven, can go in an airfryer. So if your ramekins are oven safe, they'll be OK in an airfyer.

You've made me want to try those things in an airfryer now.