The microwave does its usual little “ding”, and yet nobody in the kitchen moves. On the counter, a second appliance quietly hums, radiating a soft warmth and the smell of crisping bread. The frozen lasagna in the microwave looks pale and rubbery behind the glass, while on the other side, a tray of vegetables is browning, edges caramelized, like something out of a real restaurant kitchen.
For a long time, the microwave was the king of weeknight shortcuts. Heat, beep, eat. But lately, something else is slowly stealing its crown, one crunchy reheat at a time.
You’ve probably already seen it in a friend’s kitchen. You might even have one without really knowing what it can do.
And once you taste the difference, it’s very hard to go back.
Why the microwave is quietly losing the battle
The dirty secret of the microwave is simple: it heats fast, but badly. Food comes out hot on the edges, lukewarm in the middle, and with that sad, chewy texture we all pretend to tolerate on busy nights. Pizza turns into rubber, fries die a second death, and leftover roast chicken becomes dry and stringy.
For years we accepted this trade-off, telling ourselves that convenience was worth the sacrifice. Press a button, wait three minutes, swallow. Yet the more we care about what we eat, the less this compromise makes sense. Especially when a new kind of oven can do the same job, in almost the same time, with actual flavor and texture.
One evening in a small apartment in Lyon, I watched a couple test their new air fryer for the first time. Their microwave was parked in the corner, slightly yellowed, like an old television nobody dared throw away. They threw in some limp fries from lunch, the kind you’d normally resign yourself to eating with a sigh. Seven minutes later, the fries came out golden, crackling, and astonishingly close to fresh.
They exchanged the look of people who just discovered a shortcut they should have known ten years ago. That same week, the microwave was unplugged and shoved into a cupboard “just in case”. It hasn’t come out since.
The difference is not magic, it’s physics. A microwave bombards food with waves that excite water molecules, heating from the inside out but destroying texture in the process. The air fryer, on the other hand, is basically a mini convection oven that blasts hot air around the food.
So things don’t just get warm, they brown. Edges crisp, surfaces caramelize, moisture stays trapped inside. Reheating a slice of pizza goes from a sad spongey triangle to a thin, crispy crust with melted cheese. And all this usually takes under ten minutes, without preheating a big oven that wastes energy. That’s where the microwave starts to seriously lose points.
The appliance that’s taking over: the air fryer revolution
The air fryer’s real power isn’t the trendy name, it’s the change in daily habits it creates. Instead of dropping a plate in the microwave and hoping for the best, you slide your leftovers into a small basket, tap a temperature and a time, and let the hot air do its job.
For reheating, a simple method works almost every time: 160–180°C, a few minutes, a quick shake in the middle. Pizza, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, chicken, quiche, even croissants from the day before suddenly feel worthy of a proper plate instead of a rushed fork over the sink. It’s not just reheating, it’s reviving.
Most people start with the classics: frozen fries, chicken nuggets, oven pizzas. Then, little by little, the air fryer creeps into every meal. A young dad in Barcelona told me he now “cooks everything that fits” in it. One-tray dinners with seasoned veggies and salmon fillets. Toasted sandwiches in five minutes. Reheated rice with a bit of oil and soy sauce that tastes almost like it came from a wok.
The funniest part is the messages people send each other: “You HAVE to try reheating roast potatoes in this thing.” The same way we once recommended new series, we now recommend new reheating techniques. That’s how you know an appliance is really changing something.
There’s also a psychological detail that changes the game: the air fryer looks and feels more like a “real” cooking tool than a microwave. You don’t just zap stuff; you set a temperature, you hear the fan, you smell the food. It feels like cooking, not just reheating.
And let’s be honest: nobody really weighs the long-term cost of texture and taste when they hit that microwave button every single day. With the air fryer, the gap is visible and immediate. You see color, you hear crunch, you feel that your leftovers get a second life instead of a sad encore. *That’s the small emotional reward that slowly pushes the microwave toward the back of the counter.*
How to really replace your microwave day by day
Replacing your microwave doesn’t happen in one dramatic gesture where you throw it out. It happens the first time you reheat yesterday’s roast chicken in the air fryer instead of nuking it. Start simple: set 170°C, place the pieces in the basket, and let them go for 6–8 minutes. The skin crisps back up, the meat warms without drying, and suddenly “leftover night” doesn’t feel like a punishment.
For pizza, go a bit hotter: 180–190°C for 4–6 minutes, depending on the thickness. Directly on the basket or on a perforated tray, no foil. The crust comes back to life, the cheese melts slowly, and the cardboard texture you knew from the microwave becomes a bad memory.
The most common fear is time: “Won’t this take longer than the microwave?” On paper, yes, a little. In reality, those extra three or four minutes are the difference between “I’m just feeding myself” and “I’m actually eating something good.” If you’re tired, start with small swaps: fries, roast potatoes, pizza, quiche, pastries. Let your microwave handle coffee or soup for a while if you like.
We’ve all been there, that moment when you stare at leftovers and feel zero motivation. The trick is to create new reflexes. You come home, you drop your plate in the air fryer instead of on the microwave tray. You press one button, then go take off your shoes, grab a glass of water. By the time you’re back, your food smells like dinner instead of compromise.
“Once I started reheating everything in the air fryer, my microwave turned into a glorified bread box,” laughs Sara, 32, who lives in a tiny studio in Lisbon. “I didn’t plan on replacing it. It just… stopped being useful.”
- Best foods to reheat in an air fryer
Roasted vegetables, potatoes, meat, fish fillets, pizza slices, savory tarts, puff pastry, spring rolls, gratins, and anything breaded get a second life with real texture. - What to avoid or adapt
Very saucy dishes, soups, stews, and super liquid leftovers fit better in a small pan or pot. Some air fryers come with trays or ramekins that help, but the microwave can still have a role here if you want. - Why it quietly changes your routine
You cook more at home, waste less, and feel less guilty about leftovers. You also tend to reach less for ultra-processed ready meals, because real food stays appealing for longer.
What future kitchens might look like without a microwave
Walk into a newly furnished kitchen today and you’ll often see three things in a row: a built-in oven, a coffee machine, and, on the counter, a chunky air fryer elbowing for space. More and more, the microwave is missing from the picture. Some people keep a small one hidden in a cupboard “for emergencies”, like an old habit you’re not quite ready to break. Others skip it entirely when moving into a new place, and realize months later they don’t miss it at all.
The shift is cultural as much as technical. The air fryer fits the era: small, efficient, lower energy use, and compatible with an appetite for food that is quick but still feels “real”.
| Key point | Detail | Value for the reader |
|---|---|---|
| Air fryer as a microwave replacement | Crisper, tastier reheating of most everyday dishes in under 10 minutes | Transforms leftovers into meals you actually want to eat |
| Gradual switch, not a radical break | Start with pizza, fries, roasted foods, then expand to full meals | Makes the transition easy, without adding stress or complexity |
| New kitchen habits | Less food waste, fewer sad ready-meals, more home-style cooking | Better everyday eating without spending more time or money |
FAQ:
- Question 1Can an air fryer really replace a microwave completely?
For most solid foods, yes. For liquids like soup or reheating coffee, a microwave is still faster and more practical, so some people keep a small one just for that.- Question 2Does an air fryer consume more energy than a microwave?
Per minute, the power draw is higher, but cooking is short and focused, and you avoid preheating a big oven. For reheating and small portions, the overall energy use is often comparable or lower.- Question 3Are air fryers really healthier?
They let you cook and reheat with little or no added oil, especially for “fried” style foods, which can lower fat intake compared to deep-frying or greasy ready meals.- Question 4What size should I choose for a small kitchen?
For one or two people, a 3–4 liter model is usually enough and fits most countertops. Larger families often prefer 5–6 liters so they can cook full meals in one batch.- Question 5Do I need special accessories or recipes to start?
No. A basic basket model is enough. You can begin with your usual oven recipes and leftovers, just reduce the time a bit and keep an eye on them the first few tries.
