Skilled’s Score
Professionals
- 3-in-1 equipment
- A number of preset programmes
- Grill racks and oven tray
- 25-litre cavity
Cons
- A lot slower than standalone air fryer
- Giant worktop footprint
- Restricted steering for programmes
Our Verdict
Drew & Cole’s Microwave Air Fryer Oven Combo has the potential to supply quite a bit: convection oven cooking, a grill operate, air frying and naturally, speedy microwaving. This, plus quite a few presets and helpful equipment, give it extra flexibility than your common micro. Nevertheless, you’ll want persistence to get the very best from it: regardless of some steering, we had unanswered questions on its performance and capabilities.
Until you’ve been dwelling in a cabinet, you’ll know that air frying is the cooking operate du jour. It’s no shock that it’s popping up on ovens and combi microwaves as an extra characteristic, supplying you with the choice of preserving valuable worktop house.
That’s actually the purpose of Drew & Cole’s Microwave Air Fryer Oven Combo, for not solely does it oven prepare dinner, grill, microwave and air fry, its helpful presets can mix a couple of of these strategies for sooner, crispier outcomes. Plus, there are many presets, comparable to defrost and reheat, which are perfect for busy existence.
Design & Construct
- Button and dial operation
- Giant measurement: 28 x 49 x 38cm
- Comes with cooking equipment
Whereas it may need a number of capabilities, from the skin, the Microwave Air Fryer Oven Combo seems to be like every other microwave. Completed in shiny black, it’s fairly giant (H28 x W49 x D38cm), taking on a lot of a mean worktop that there isn’t a whole lot of house in entrance to place down dishes. And whereas it will possibly butt up in opposition to a wall on the rear, you’ll must think about 20cm both aspect and 30cm above. As soon as positioned, it’s finest to depart it there because it’s additionally heavy at 16.1kg.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Inside, there’s a glass turntable, which is dishwasher secure. It’s equipped with three equipment, though it’s not clear if any of these are dishwasher secure: a perforated non-stick aluminium oven tray, plus a brief and a tall wire rack for elevating meals in the direction of the grill ingredient on the roof of the 25L cavity.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
There’s a second ingredient on the rear for convection cooking, and the microwave part on the proper. The controls are pretty easy contemplating the variety of presets accessible: seven named buttons mixed with a dial that can be utilized to pick out each weight of meals and modes.
Efficiency & Options
- Low air fryer energy (1000W) means gradual cooking
- 25L capability
- Vary of presets
Air frying is likely to be this Microwave Air Fryer Oven Combo’s most eye-catching characteristic but it surely’s not what it excels at. The rationale for this, as turned clear throughout testing, is that the air frying energy is decrease than standalone air fryers, at simply 1000W.
In comparison with the potential energy consumption of a mid-sized 5-6L air fryer, which is normally a minimum of 1500-1700W, and the equal 1000W of a compact (round 2-3L) air fryer, heating a 25L cavity seems to gradual the method down.
We examined it utilizing uncooked chipped potato, washed and dried then tossed in a small quantity of oil, utilizing the corresponding air frying programme for fries/wedges. The perforated oven tray lent itself effectively to this operate, though the directions made no suggestion of utilizing it for this objective.
It wasn’t clear if this programme was supposed for pre-cooked chips, and there was no information to what temperature the meals was being cooked at, or what an appropriate quantity is likely to be, though there was a preset time of twenty-two minutes. There was no choice so as to add further minutes whereas cooking.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
After the time had elapsed, the potato was delicate and pale, so we ran the programme once more after turning the items over. This produced higher outcomes – crispier items across the fringe of the pile and browner items within the center. Nevertheless, a complete working time of 44 minutes for one batch is much longer than a standalone air fryer (20-Half-hour). When you do a whole lot of air fryer cooking, this equipment will price you time.
There’s a good vary of 9 air fry presets although, which incorporates steak, burgers, greens and fish/prawns. Nevertheless, not like standalone air fryers, there’s no prompt air frying temperature for each – or in its handbook air fry mode (adjustable in 5-minute increments) – which means it’s tougher to transform your favorite oven recipes, and there’s extra test-and-adjust cooking concerned.
The opposite capabilities have extra energy: it contains a 900W microwave and a 2100W convection oven and grill. We examined the grill by cooking hash browns from frozen on the tall rack. There was no alternative of excessive or low grill, and cooking took longer than anticipated, 35 minutes utilizing the non-microwave combi setting.
This was extra time than it might usually take underneath our normal grill, and the hash browns lacked crunch. Nevertheless, the grill did higher with toasted objects, and we favored that minutes may very well be added because it grilled.
When you do a whole lot of air fryer cooking, this equipment will price you time
We had essentially the most success with cooking rooster on an auto preset, of which there are 10, together with reheat, potato, cake, soup and pizza. These will be diversified by weight, however they’re fairly tightly outlined: rooster presents 4 weights of 500g, 750g, 1kg and 1.2kg, with little data within the directions about how lengthy every programme is or what kind of cooking it entails.
For instance, the rooster programme used microwaving and convection warmth, whereas the reheat alone was solely microwaving. Contemplating that steel equipment can solely be used on non-microwave programmes, this type of data is salient. The rooster legs emerged with golden and bubbled pores and skin, and the meat cooked by means of to the joint.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Worth & Availability
This microwave air fryer combo is on the market within the UK from Amazon, the place it’s at present priced at £179.99 – £20 decrease than its RRP. Nonetheless, this places it at across the similar value level as many Ninja air fryers – that are broadly thought of to be among the many finest accessible. For our high picks from this model, take a look at our round-up of the very best Ninja air fryers and cookers.
But when counter house is at a premium and also you’d like a mixture air fryer and microwave, this Drew & Cole equipment may very well be value it – it’s not over-priced for its glorious characteristic set. When you suppose an air fryer oven combo would serve you higher, you may take a look at our high air fryer oven suggestions.
Must you purchase Drew & Cole’s Microwave Air Fryer Oven Combo?
If it’s principally air frying you’re after, Drew & Cole’s Microwave Air Fryer Oven Combo most likely isn’t the suitable match: it prices greater than mid-sized standalone air fryers, and takes longer to get the job executed.
It really works higher as a mixed microwave oven, the microwaving trimming cooking time whereas fanned scorching air crisps up meals. You’ll have a couple of disappointing outcomes till you turn into acquainted with its processes however for those who’re keen to keep it up, this 3-in-1 may very well be a helpful helper at dinner.
Not the suitable air fryer for you? Take a look at our high picks in the very best air fryers we’ve examined.
