All three heat food, but in very different ways. Once you know how each one works, it’s easy to see what it’s good and bad at.
How each one cooks
- Air fryer: a heating element above the food and a strong fan in a small chamber. Hot air moves fast around the food, which browns and crisps it quickly. Think of it as a small, very fast convection oven.
- OTG (oven, toaster, griller): heating rods above and below the food in a larger box. Some models add a fan (convection) or a rotisserie. Heat builds up slowly and evenly, which suits baking.
- Microwave: microwaves make the water molecules in food vibrate, which heats the food from within. A solo microwave only reheats and cooks; it can’t brown anything. A grill model adds a heating element for browning, and a convection model adds a heater and a fan so it can also bake and roast.
Side-by-side comparison
| Air fryer | OTG | Microwave (convection) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical size | 2–9 L | 9–60 L | 20–32 L |
| Typical power | 1,200–1,800 W | 800–2,000 W | 800–1,400 W (microwave) plus a heater for convection |
| Pre-heating | 2–3 minutes | 10–15 minutes | 5–10 minutes in convection mode |
| Crisp snacks | Excellent | Good, but slower | Fair |
| Baking cakes and bread | Small cakes only | Excellent | Good |
| Reheating rice, dal, curry | Poor | Poor | Excellent |
| Cooking with liquids | No | Limited | Yes |
| Cleaning | Easy (removable basket) | Harder (trays, crumbs, glass door) | Easy (wipe the cavity) |
These are typical ranges, not limits. Check the specific model you’re considering.
What each one is best at
Air fryer
Good for: frozen snacks, samosas, aloo tikki, cutlets, paneer and chicken tikka, roast vegetables, fish fry with a dry rub, makhana and peanuts, and reheating fried snacks so they’re crisp again.
Not good for: runny batters, curries or anything wet, large batches for guests, and rotis and parathas.
Choose it if you want crisp snacks on a weeknight without heating a big oven. See our air fryer buying guide for size and wattage.
OTG
Good for: cakes, cookies, bread, pizza, lasagne, tandoori-style dishes on a full tray, and roasting a whole chicken (with a rotisserie).
Not good for: quick snacks (the pre-heat takes as long as the cooking) and reheating.
Choose it if someone at home bakes regularly, or you often cook for six or more people. Look for separate controls for the top and bottom rods, and a convection fan.
Microwave
Good for: reheating leftovers and tiffin, steaming vegetables, quick khichdi or poha, melting butter and chocolate, and defrosting. Convection models can also bake and roast.
Not good for: crisp textures (even convection models are slower and softer than an air fryer) and rotis, which turn chewy.
Choose it if reheating is your biggest daily need. A convection model gives you most of an OTG’s abilities in the same box.
Running costs
All three use electricity only while heating, and the heater switches on and off once it reaches the set temperature. As a rough guide:
- Units used ≈ power (kW) × time (hours). A 1,500 W air fryer running for 15 minutes uses at most 1.5 × 0.25 = 0.375 units.
- An OTG at 1,500 W that needs 15 minutes of pre-heating plus 30 minutes of cooking uses up to about 1.1 units for the same dish.
- Reheating a plate in a microwave for two minutes uses very little.
At ₹7–9 per unit, the difference per dish is a few rupees. Choose by what you cook, not by running cost.
Which should you buy first?
| Your situation | Buy first |
|---|---|
| Small kitchen, mostly reheating plus occasional baking | Convection microwave |
| You want crisp snacks with less oil | Air fryer (4–5 L) |
| Someone bakes every week | OTG (25 L or more, with convection) |
| Large family that entertains often | OTG, plus an air fryer for snacks |
| Students or bachelors | Solo microwave, then an air fryer |
Many homes end up with a microwave and an air fryer: the microwave for reheating, and the air fryer for anything that should be crisp. Together they cover almost everything an OTG does, apart from serious baking.
Bottom line
There’s no single winner. Decide what you cook most often. If it’s snacks, buy an air fryer; if it’s baking, an OTG; if it’s reheating, a microwave. If you want one box that does a bit of everything, choose a convection microwave.
How we chose
We compared these appliance types by how they work, the specifications manufacturers publish for current models sold in India, and our team's own experience using them in everyday Indian cooking. We don't rank specific brands here, and no brand paid to be included.
Frequently asked questions
Can an air fryer replace an OTG?
For snacks, roasting and small batches, mostly yes. It heats faster and crisps better. For cakes, bread, pizza and large trays, an OTG is still better because it has more room and more even, gentler heat.
Can a convection microwave replace an air fryer?
Partly. A convection microwave can roast and bake, so it covers a lot of what an air fryer does. It is usually slower to pre-heat and less crisp, because the cavity is larger and the fan is weaker. If crisp snacks are your main use, an air fryer does them better.
Which uses the least electricity?
For a short job, usually the microwave, then the air fryer. An OTG draws similar power to an air fryer but takes longer to pre-heat and cook, so it uses more units per dish. For example, 15 minutes at 1,500 W is about 0.4 units, and 30 minutes is about 0.75 units.
What should I buy first in a small kitchen?
If you mostly reheat food and want quick snacks, a convection microwave covers the most ground in one box. If you rarely reheat but want crisp snacks with less oil, a 4 to 5 litre air fryer is the better first buy.
