Best Budget-Friendly: GE 3-in-1 Countertop Microwave Oven

If your kitchen is tight, having a combination microwave air-fryer that does both functions is helpful—and a space-saver.

This model by GE is a top reader favorite . . . plus it’s easy on the wallet. After seeing it in action, we would agree: it does an excellent job at both microwaving and air frying. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Quiet.

• Easy to use.

• Impressive feature list, with presets.

• Compact design.

• Includes pans for air frying.

• Glass turntable.

• Affordable.

What Needs Work

• Controls can be hard to see.

• Air fryer could be hotter.

Best Tried & True Brand: Panasonic NN-CD87KS Home Chef 4-in-1 Microwave Oven with Air Fryer

Yes, this model is pricey . . . but we liked the overall durability and quality of this model. The extra money buys features like Genius Sensor cook and turbo defrost mode, functions that are often missing from lower-end models. Here’s more

What We Liked

• Simple to use.

• Can turn off the beep noise!

• Versatile.

• Includes air fryer basket and enamel tray.

• Excellent performance for both functions.

What Needs Work

• Pricey.

• Requires several button presses for certain functions.

• Directions could be more complete.

Best For Fries: Toshiba ML-EC42P(BS) Multifunctional Microwave Oven with Healthy Air Fryer

French fries are probably the best test for an air fryer—and some air fryer microwaves do this better than others. Among our readers favorites here is this Toshiba model. It simply does fries the best, in our opinion. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Excellent performance.

• Affordable.

• Easy to use.

• Space saver.

• Humidity sensor.

• 13 presets.

What Needs Work

• Can be a bit noisy.

• Takes a long time to fry or bake when using convection feature.

About the Authors

Denise & Alan Fields are consumer advocates and best-selling authors. The Fields have authored 12 books with three million copies in print, including the best-selling guide to baby gear, Baby Bargains.

The Fields have been featured and quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times.

As consumer products experts, the Fields have been guests on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America and ABC’s 20/20.

How We Pick Products To Recommend

We often turn to our readers (3 million strong!) to find products to recommend. We ask our parent readers for their favorites and consider their real-world experiences in our recommendations.

When we test a product, we always purchase it with our own monies. We do not take free samples, as we believe that compromises our independence.

We also fact check manufacturer information with our own measurements. If a maker claims a product weighs X pounds, we will weigh it to make sure. If the battery life is supposed to be six hours, we will see how it stands up in the real world.

In some cases, we will do interviews with experts in the field to get additional feedback on products.

To get hands-on time with products, we regularly meet one-on-one with gear companies and even tour manufacturing facilities. (When we do this, we pay our own travel expenses).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do extensive research, evaluating products with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

We make our living from affiliate commissions, but we always recommend what we think are the best bets for our readers (not the ones that are the most expensive). We are always looking for products that offer the best bang for the buck.

Our independence is a key reason why we have been doing this so long. As we mentioned above, when we purchase a product for hands-on testing, we do so with our own money.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!