What Is a Microwave Air Fryer Combo?

By: Amanda Etkind

Published: 7/17/2026

Some kitchen appliances do one thing really well. Others earn a permanent spot on your countertop by making mealtime a little easier.

A microwave air fryer combo falls into the second category.

By pairing the speed of a traditional microwave with the crisping capabilities of an air fryer, it expands what one of the hardest-working appliances in your kitchen can do. Yesterday’s pizza comes back with a crisp crust instead of a soggy one. Frozen fries turn golden instead of limp. Roasted vegetables keep their caramelized edges. All without reaching for another appliance.

It’s easy to see why microwave air fryer combos are earning a place on more countertops. They combine two appliances many households already rely on, making it easy to reheat, crisp, bake, and roast without switching appliances. Whether you’re replacing an older microwave or simply looking to get more from the one you already use every day, a microwave air fryer combo gives you more flexibility without taking up more space.

It’s not about replacing your microwave. It’s about upgrading it.

What Is a Microwave Air Fryer Combo?

A microwave air fryer combo combines microwave cooking and air frying into one appliance.

Like a traditional microwave, it quickly reheats leftovers, defrosts ingredients, and warms meals. Add air frying into the mix and the results change. Pizza keeps its crisp crust. Fries stay golden. Roasted vegetables hold onto the caramelized edges that often disappear during reheating.

Many models also bake, roast, broil, and include built-in presets that help simplify everything from quick lunches to weeknight dinners. Instead of juggling multiple appliances, you can move from reheating leftovers to baking dessert without changing your setup.

Microwave Air Fryer vs. Traditional Microwave

A traditional microwave is built for speed. It makes quick work of reheating leftovers, defrosting ingredients, and getting meals on the table fast.

A microwave air fryer combo keeps that convenience but changes the outcome.

The biggest difference isn’t how quickly it heats food. It’s how the finished dish turns out.

A standard microwave heats food efficiently, but it isn’t designed to crisp or brown. Add air frying into the equation, and suddenly leftovers taste less like leftovers. That’s the difference a microwave air fryer combo can make.

If you’ve ever wished yesterday’s pizza tasted more like it did on day one or wanted frozen appetizers to stay crisp instead of turning soft, that’s the difference in action.

Why More People Are Making the Switch

Counter space is one reason. Cooking flexibility is another.

Instead of moving between a microwave for reheating and an air fryer for crisping, a combo appliance handles both in the same spot. Heat up lunch. Roast vegetables. Crisp frozen appetizers. Bake dessert. Less back and forth. Less clutter on your countertop.

Rather than changing the way you cook, a microwave air fryer combo expands what your microwave can do.

What to Look for in a Microwave Air Fryer Combo

Not every microwave air fryer combo is worth the counter space. A few thoughtful features can make a noticeable difference in how it performs day after day.

More Ways to Cook

Look beyond reheating and defrosting. Cooking modes like baking, roasting, broiling, and built-in presets add flexibility throughout the week while taking some of the guesswork out of dinner.

Room to Cook

If you’ve ever struggled to fit a casserole dish or oversized dinner plate into a turntable microwave, you know the frustration. A flatbed interior creates more usable cooking space, making it easier to cook family-size meals and larger cookware.

Crispy Results Without Sacrificing Speed

Traditional microwaves are great at heating food quickly, but texture is often the tradeoff. The best microwave air fryer combos combine microwave speed with powerful air frying to help deliver crispy, golden results without giving up the convenience people rely on.

A Closer Look at the Ninja Crispi™ Microwave

The best microwave air fryer combos solve real cooking challenges. That’s the thinking behind the Ninja Microwave and Air Fryer.

One of the biggest frustrations with a traditional microwave is texture. Food heats quickly, but crispy foods rarely stay crispy. Powered by FusionCrisp™ Technology, the Ninja Crispi™ Microwave combines the speed of a 1,000-watt microwave with the crisping power of a Crispi™ glass air fryer to help deliver crispy, golden exteriors and juicy interiors. Whether you’re bringing yesterday’s pizza back to life, crisping frozen appetizers, or making dinner from scratch, it helps food finish the way you want it to.

Good design matters just as much. The XL flatbed interior creates 40% more cooking space than a traditional 0.9 cu. ft. turntable microwave, giving you more room for large dishes and oversized plates without working around a rotating plate.

No two weeknights look the same. One night it’s leftovers. The next it’s roasted vegetables, air-baked cookies, or frozen appetizers before guests arrive. With 14-in-1 cooking functionality, including 8 microwave presets and 5 air fry presets, the Ninja Crispi™ Microwave adapts to whatever’s on the menu, making it easy to defrost, crisp, air bake, and more while taking some of the guesswork out of everyday cooking.

Cleanup gets a little easier, too. The included CleanCrisp™ Glassware lets you cook, serve, and clean up using the same dish while providing a nontoxic cooking surface.

Whether you’re reheating leftovers, crisping frozen favorites, roasting vegetables, or baking dessert, the Ninja Crispi™ Microwave brings together microwave speed with the crispy finish of an air fryer in one versatile appliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a microwave air fryer combo worth it?

If you already use both a microwave and an air fryer, combining them into one appliance frees up valuable counter space without giving up performance. It’s a practical upgrade for anyone looking to simplify their kitchen.

Can a microwave air fryer combo replace an air fryer?

For many households, yes. A microwave air fryer combo includes dedicated air frying functionality while still handling the everyday microwave tasks you’d expect, from reheating and defrosting to baking, roasting, and more.

What can you cook in a microwave air fryer combo?

Depending on the model, you can reheat leftovers, crisp frozen foods, roast vegetables, bake cookies, broil, defrost ingredients, and prepare a wide variety of everyday meals.