Head-to-Head · Kitchen Appliances
Air Fryer vs Microwave: Which Should You Buy in India?
By Bikram Nath · Updated 2026-08-01 · How we pick · Affiliate disclosure: links earn a small commission
The short answer
The honest answer is that it depends on the job you most need done, because an air fryer and a microwave aren't really substitutes.
Best on features
Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Digital Air Fryer| 80% less Oil Consumption | 8 Preset Menu | Fry, Grill, Roast, Bake, Reheat | Digital Display | 1200 Watts | Easy to Clean | 1Y Warranty | ISI Certified
Best on value
LG 20 L Solo Microwave Oven (MS2043BP, Black, Health plus Menu, I-Wave Technology, Indian Cuisine, Even Reheat & Defrost, Auto Cook Menu, Anti-Bacterial Cavity & Steam Clean)
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, PakkaPick earns from qualifying purchases. This comparison contains Amazon affiliate links — we may earn a commission, but it never changes our verdict and your price is unaffected.
Air fryer and microwave both promise faster, easier cooking, but they win Indian kitchens for opposite jobs. The Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Digital Air Fryer uses rapid hot-air circulation to fry, grill, roast, bake and reheat with up to 80% less oil, so it delivers crisp, golden results a microwave simply can't — but its 4.5L basket is small and it isn't built for quickly heating a bowl of dal or a large dinner plate. The LG 20 L Solo Microwave (MS2043BP) is the everyday workhorse: fast, even reheating and defrosting plus auto-cook menus tuned for Indian cooking, with a roomy 20L cavity for full plates and bowls — but a solo microwave doesn't brown, crisp or fry. In short, the air fryer is the healthy-crisping specialist and the microwave is the fast-reheat, everyday-cooking all-rounder. Because they solve different problems, plenty of Indian homes end up owning both — so the real question is which job matters most to you first.
Prestige
Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Digital Air Fryer| 80% less Oil Consumption | 8 Preset Menu | Fry, Grill, Roast, Bake, Reheat | Digital Display | 1200 Watts | Easy to Clean | 1Y Warranty | ISI Certified
Check price on Amazon →
LG
LG 20 L Solo Microwave Oven (MS2043BP, Black, Health plus Menu, I-Wave Technology, Indian Cuisine, Even Reheat & Defrost, Auto Cook Menu, Anti-Bacterial Cavity & Steam Clean)
Check price on Amazon →Specs compared
| Spec | Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Digital Air Fryer| 80% less Oil Consumption | 8 Preset Menu | Fry, Grill, Roast, Bake, Reheat | Digital Display | 1200 Watts | Easy to Clean | 1Y Warranty | ISI Certified | LG 20 L Solo Microwave Oven (MS2043BP, Black, Health plus Menu, I-Wave Technology, Indian Cuisine, Even Reheat & Defrost, Auto Cook Menu, Anti-Bacterial Cavity & Steam Clean) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Digital air fryer (rapid hot-air) | Solo microwave oven |
| Capacity (L) | 4.5 L frying basket | 20 L cavity✓ |
| Best for | Crisp, oil-free frying, grilling, roasting & baking | Fast reheating, defrosting & everyday cooking |
| Cooking method | Rapid hot-air circulation, 80°C–200°C | Microwave (I-Wave) heating |
| Crisping/frying | Yes — air-fries with up to 80% less oil✓ | No — reheats and cooks but doesn't crisp or fry |
| Reheating | Yes — Reheat/Defrost preset (slower for liquids) | Yes — even reheat & defrost (its core strength)✓ |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year |
Pros & cons
Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Digital Air Fryer| 80% less Oil Consumption | 8 Preset Menu | Fry, Grill, Roast, Bake, Reheat | Digital Display | 1200 Watts | Easy to Clean | 1Y Warranty | ISI Certified
Pros
- +Air-fries, grills, roasts, bakes and reheats with up to 80% less oil
- +8 preset menus (fries, grill, samosa, pizza, chicken, cake, veggies, reheat/defrost)
- +Digital touch panel with 80°C–200°C temperature and timer control
- +Non-stick 4.5L basket, easy to clean, with a 1-year warranty
Cons
- −4.5L basket is small — a family cooks in batches
- −Slower than a microwave at reheating liquids and large plates
LG 20 L Solo Microwave Oven (MS2043BP, Black, Health plus Menu, I-Wave Technology, Indian Cuisine, Even Reheat & Defrost, Auto Cook Menu, Anti-Bacterial Cavity & Steam Clean)
Pros
- +Fast, even reheating and defrosting — a solo microwave's core strength
- +Roomy 20L cavity suits singles, couples and small families
- +Indian auto-cook menus (Indian Rasoi, Health Plus, Utility Corner)
- +Anti-bacterial cavity with steam clean and a 1-year warranty
Cons
- −Doesn't brown, crisp or fry — no grill or convection
- −Costs more here than the air fryer, at around ₹7,889
Our verdict
The honest answer is that it depends on the job you most need done, because an air fryer and a microwave aren't really substitutes. For a first, do-most-things appliance that handles the everyday reality of an Indian kitchen — fast, even reheating, defrosting, warming liquids and quick cooking in a roomy 20L cavity with Indian auto-cook menus — the LG 20L Solo Microwave is the practical everyday pick. For the buyer who specifically wants healthy, oil-free crisping and frying, the Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Air Fryer is the standout: it fries, grills, roasts, bakes and reheats with up to 80% less oil across 8 presets, doing things a solo microwave simply can't. Both carry a 1-year warranty, and here the air fryer is actually the cheaper unit. Because they solve different problems, the right choice comes down to your most frequent task — and many Indian homes eventually keep both.
Best for value
LG 20 L Solo Microwave Oven (MS2043BP, Black, Health plus Menu, I-Wave Technology, Indian Cuisine, Even Reheat & Defrost, Auto Cook Menu, Anti-Bacterial Cavity & Steam Clean)
Best for features
Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Digital Air Fryer| 80% less Oil Consumption | 8 Preset Menu | Fry, Grill, Roast, Bake, Reheat | Digital Display | 1200 Watts | Easy to Clean | 1Y Warranty | ISI Certified
Prices and availability on Amazon.in change frequently — the price on the Amazon product page at the time of purchase is the one that applies. As an Amazon Associate, PakkaPick earns from qualifying purchases; your price is unaffected.
Editor's take
Buy the Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L Air Fryer if your goal is healthier, crispier food — it air-fries with up to 80% less oil, and its 8 presets plus fry, grill, roast, bake and reheat modes make it a genuine mini-oven for snacks, roasts and bakes rather than just a fryer. Buy the LG 20L Solo Microwave if what you actually do most is reheat leftovers, defrost, warm liquids and run quick everyday cooking — its 20L cavity and Indian auto-cook menus handle that faster and in bigger portions than any air fryer. For a first, do-most-things appliance that earns its place on a busy Indian kitchen counter, the microwave is the safer everyday pick. For the buyer who specifically wants oil-free crisping and frying as a standout capability, the air fryer is the one to get. They're not substitutes, so if you can, own both — the microwave for daily heating and the air fryer for healthy frying.
Editor's read
On paper these two aren't really competing for the same slot. The Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L is the more versatile cooker of the pair — it fries, grills, roasts, bakes and reheats with hot air and up to 80% less oil across 8 presets, with digital temperature control from 80°C to 200°C — but its 4.5L basket limits batch size and it can't quickly heat liquids or a full plate. The LG 20L Solo Microwave does fewer kinds of cooking but nails the ones most households do every day: fast even reheating, defrosting and auto-cook programs like Indian Rasoi and Health Plus, in a roomy 20L cavity that's easy to clean. Both carry a 1-year warranty, and interestingly this particular air fryer is the cheaper unit. The honest read is that neither replaces the other — the air fryer wins on healthy crisping and cooking variety, the microwave wins on fast everyday reheating and capacity — which is exactly why so many Indian kitchens keep both on the counter.
— Bikram, editor
How we compared these
This head-to-head is researched from each product's published specifications, manufacturer documentation, expert reviews and the aggregate of genuine Indian buyer feedback — not hands-on lab testing. We weigh the specs that actually matter for Indian conditions (voltage variability, hard water, monsoon humidity, service-network reach) and tell you which contender suits which buyer, rather than claiming to have bench-tested either unit. We do not accept paid placements — our only commercial relationship is the Amazon affiliate link. See our full methodology.
What to look for
- 1Start with the job, not the gadget: an air fryer and a microwave are specialists more than rivals. The Prestige Nutrifry air-fries, grills, roasts, bakes and reheats with hot air, giving crisp snacks and roasts using up to 80% less oil. The LG solo microwave is built for fast, even reheating, defrosting and everyday cooking. If your main need is crisp, oil-free frying, the air fryer wins; if it's quickly heating leftovers and daily meals, the microwave does.
- 2Match capacity to your household: the Prestige air fryer has a 4.5L frying basket — enough for snacks or a meal for two to three, but a family cooks in batches. The LG microwave offers a 20L cavity, roomy enough for full dinner plates and bowls and suited to singles, couples and small families. For reheating large plates the microwave's bigger cavity is more practical; for frying portions the air fryer's basket is the right tool.
- 3Weigh healthy cooking against everyday convenience: the air fryer's headline is up to 80% less oil, turning fried favourites like fries, samosas and chicken into lower-oil versions across its 8 preset menus. A solo microwave doesn't fry or crisp at all — its strength is reheating and defrosting without added oil and running auto-cook programs tuned for Indian food. Health-focused frying points to the air fryer; fuss-free daily reheating points to the microwave.
- 4Think about speed and what you're heating: for a bowl of dal, a glass of milk or a large plate of leftovers, a microwave reheats faster and more evenly — that's its core job. An air fryer can reheat too via its Reheat/Defrost preset, but it's slower and better suited to restoring crispness to fried food than to warming liquids. If quick, even reheating is your daily reality, the microwave has the edge.
- 5Factor in price and the 'buy both' reality: at around ₹3,779 the Prestige air fryer here actually costs less than the ₹7,889 LG microwave, so budget alone won't decide it — the appliances simply do different things. Many Indian kitchens end up with both: a microwave for everyday reheating and cooking, and an air fryer for healthier crisping and frying. If you can only buy one now, pick the one that solves your most frequent kitchen task.
Also worth a look
Convection microwave oven
If you want one appliance that both reheats and crisps or bakes, a convection microwave combines microwave reheating with a grill and convection oven — a middle path between a solo microwave and an air fryer, usually at a higher price.
Grill microwave oven
A grill microwave adds a heating element for light browning and grilling on top of standard microwave reheating, useful if you want occasional crisping without buying a separate air fryer.
Larger-capacity air fryer or air-fryer oven
For bigger families who like the oil-free crisping approach, a higher-capacity air fryer or air-fryer oven cooks larger batches than a 4.5L basket in one go.
Frequently asked questions
Should I buy an air fryer or a microwave in India?
It depends on the job you need done. Buy the air fryer, like the Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L, if you want crisp, oil-free frying, grilling, roasting and baking with up to 80% less oil. Buy the microwave, like the LG 20L Solo, if your priority is fast, even reheating, defrosting and everyday cooking in a larger cavity. They solve different problems — an air fryer crisps and fries, a solo microwave reheats and cooks but doesn't brown — so the right pick comes down to your most frequent kitchen task, and many homes end up owning both.
Can an air fryer replace a microwave?
Not fully. An air fryer like the Prestige Nutrifry can reheat food using its Reheat/Defrost preset and cook a wide range of dishes with hot air, but it's slower at warming liquids and large plates and isn't designed for quick everyday reheating the way a microwave is. A solo microwave like the LG 20L heats a bowl of dal or a glass of milk fast and evenly. If you mainly reheat leftovers, a microwave is hard to replace; if you mainly want crisp, fried-style food, the air fryer is the better tool.
Can a microwave crisp or fry food like an air fryer?
No. The LG 20L is a solo microwave, built for reheating, defrosting and everyday cooking — it doesn't brown, crisp or fry. Getting crisp, golden fries, samosas or roast chicken with up to 80% less oil is exactly what the Prestige Nutrifry air fryer's rapid hot-air cooking is for. If crisping and frying matter to you, that's the air fryer's job, not a solo microwave's.
Which is cheaper, an air fryer or a microwave?
It varies by model, so compare the actual units rather than assuming. In this comparison the Prestige Nutrifry 4.5L air fryer is around ₹3,779, while the LG 20L Solo Microwave is around ₹7,889, so here the air fryer is the cheaper of the two. But price shouldn't decide it on its own — they do different jobs, and the better value is whichever one matches the cooking you do most.