All language subtitles for Air.Fryers.vs.Microwaves.Which.Is.Better.2023.1080p.HDTV.H264-DARKFLiX

PETER DICKSON: There's a battle
brewing in kitchens across Britain.

This is like making me choose
between my children.

For years, the trusty old microwave
has ruled the roost...

Basically, life changed
when we got our microwave.

...pinging out meals in minutes.

The microwave does something
that nothing else can do.

Heat up one item incredibly quickly
for a few pence.

But there's a new contender
in town...

One survey suggests that 45%

of British households
now have an air fryer.

That is an amazing revolution.

...hailing from a small town
in the Netherlands.

I'm called Mr Air Fryer
because of this.

It's the social-media slaying...

They've become
a bit of a social-media phenomenon.

...chip-crisping...

The key thing that we wanted it to
be used for is to cook French fries.

...dinner-roasting...

I don't think I'll ever go back
to using anything

other than this air fryer
from now on.

...air fryer.

But if you think
this battle is over...

Let's go, let's go.
..then you're in for a surprise...

But this is where
the real competition starts.

It's where the battle begins, man.

...because across seven rounds,

things are about
to really heat up...

Who wins the battle -
air fryer or microwave?

...as we crown
the new king of the appliances.

So, who's coming up
to give us the results?

Microwaves versus air fryers.

If you can't stand the heat,
get out of the kitchen!

It's 1945, and in the final throes
of hostilities,

two very surprising war babies
are being born.

Percy Spencer, an American -

1945, he is in his lab,

and he's working with magnetrons.

A magnetron,
used in enemy-detecting radars,

is an electron tube
that generates microwaves.

So, he walked past the magnetron
whilst experimenting with it,

and he realised that in doing so,

his chocolate bar
in his pocket melted.

He thought,
"Hmm, I'm on to something here."

And he wonders, "Oh, my gosh,
I wonder if the microwaves coming

"out of the magnetron
have cooked my chocolate bar?"

And that's where the innovation
and idea of the microwave started.

But initially, it wasn't popular.

It was humongous.
It was, like, the size of me.

It's sort of like
a tall fridge-freezer.

They weigh
three quarters of a tonne.

This is inconceivable

that any domestic kitchen
could have a microwave then.

It was three decades later

before it crossed
the waves of the Atlantic

and made it to the shores
of good old Blighty.

MAN: Developed in the States
and introduced in Britain,

a completely new approach
to preparing and cooking meals.

The microwave doesn't come over
to the UK until 1974.

Lakeland Plastics has this hotline
people can call up -

"How on earth do I use a microwave?"

This innovation
was ahead of its time.

It was going to revolutionise

the way
that the consumer cooked food.

But something else amazing
was about to happen back in 1945.

The air fryer is very similar
to the microwave,

in that it comes out
of a military necessity

during the Second World War,
and in 1945,

a guy called William Maxson,
an American,

invents something
he calls the whirlwind oven.

And the purpose of it
was to reheat food

for American servicemen.

One of the key discoveries
of this tech

is that the consumer
can cook food way quicker,

and in the post-war world,
time is a commodity.

The battle to provide
the fastest dinner is on.

They were built to save time,
so that's what we're testing first.

Fastest dinner wins.

Fighting out of the red corner,
from the USA,

with global annual sales
of £7.5 billion is the microwave.

And fighting out of the blue corner,
from the Netherlands,

with global annual sales
of £4.6 billion is the air fryer.

BELL RINGS

Let's go, Dad.
Let's go.

May the best parent win.
Me.

Me. Me.
Game on.

Mum versus Dad.

Air fryer versus microwave.

Both are tasked
with cooking macaroni and cheese

from raw ingredients,

but who will get dinner
on the table first?

Each appliance requires slightly
different cooking methods,

and dad Imran is not hanging around.

I'll put the pasta in the bowl,

put the water in,
and I'm cooking the pasta.

How exciting! Well done to you.

Where am I?

I am still putting
my ingredients together.

For the air fryer,
it requires mum Parveen

to mix all of her ingredients
in a baking dish.

Right, so I'm gonna get this
into the air fryer now.

Parveen's dish goes into
the air fryer at 185 degrees

for 20 minutes.

To be honest with you,

if you can put all the ingredients
in one dish and put it in,

then actually, that is really good,
isn't it?

For Dad Imran,
there's a bit more work involved.

No, it's still hard.

Was I given hard macaroni
instead of normal macaroni?

It's the exact same macaroni
I'm using.

Imran is having trouble softening
his pasta

and has to microwave it in the water
for a total of six minutes

before draining it.

Mine's is looking...

Honestly, it's looking really good.

It's looking really creamy.

On the other side of the kitchen,

Imran is combining
the rest of his ingredients

with the now softened pasta

and puts it back in the microwave
for a further five minutes.

It's now a race to the finish line.

What do you like -
microwaves or air fryers?

Well, I do my veggie burgers
in my air fryers.

Oh, my God,

Dad and his air fryer
veggie burgers.

I do my veggie burgers
in the air fryer,

and I heat up stuff in my microwave.

I don't actually cook it.
I know, don't actually cook in it,

but this is interesting.
It is.

MICROWAVE PINGS

Imran's dish is first to ping,
but is it cooked?

Looks a bit pale, doesn't it?

Does it, heck! It looks perfect.

It looks very, very pale.

This is what you get
in a Michelin restaurant.

It's done.
Hold on.

It's not bad.

I have completed my task.

Just 40 seconds later,

the dish in the air fryer
is ready to come out...

Whoa, look at that.

...but how do they compare?

So, which one do you think wins?
Well, that's obvious, isn't it?

Microwave versus air fryer.
Microwave, I think, for this one.

What? All the faffing about you did.
Yeah. It's just..

Air fryer.
Yeah, you just stick it in.

That's the easy part.

Yeah, yeah... While Praveen
and Imran need more time

to argue over whose was easier,

these kitchen heavyweights
cooked the macaroni in no time,

and whilst the air fryer
was a smidgen slower,

it's the microwave
that takes this one.

The whirlwind oven,
as it was in 1945,

is not the air fryer
we know and love today.

There was one big drawback
of the original air fryer,

and that was it only got
to 100 degrees.

But 60 years later,

inventor Fred van der Weij
found a way

to miniaturise the technology
and increase the temperature.

Then he pitched it to Philips.

I was the first person who met Fred,
that invented the air fryer.

The Netherlands is one of the
highest consumers of French fries,

and Dutch brand Philips

were looking for a healthier way
to cook the French fry.

Fred and his partner
approached several companies,

and also Philips in early 2009,

and they presented to us
the concept of the air fryer.

Fred and Hans at the demonstration

made, indeed, fries
and some other snacks.

But Philips have up to 500 ideas
sent to them annually,

and it's very rare
that one should be viable.

If I had said no at that moment

because they were not
convincing enough,

then there never would have been
an air fryer.

Inventor Fred had exhausted
all other possibilities.

Along with Philips,
he was also speaking to Tefal,

but they already had the Actifry.

So, they said no, and we said yes.

And so in 2010,
the air fryer was born.

What I remember about the first one

is it was really
a big, big revolution,

and a lot of us in the company
were nervous because,

particularly when we launched,

the key thing that we wanted it to
be used for is to cook French fries.

We were a bit like,
"Is this really gonna work?"

It also tells you...
We thought the market at that time

would be about 200,000 pieces
per year.

That's what we thought
the entire market could be.

Nowadays, we, alone,
sell more than five million units

of air fryers around the world,

so it tells you how much things have
changed and how it also has evolved.

While there are now many brands
making the air fryer,

none of them can have
Philips' unique feature.

Where our key technology lies,

and this is where
we hold the patents,

is on the bottom of the pan,
because what this shape,

which we call the starfish, will do

is this shape will reflect
and direct the air -

the hot air
that is flowing through the food

back into the food
from underneath and around it.

Philips bought
the starfish patent from Fred,

and he became
one of the few inventors

to see their idea come to fruition.

I think both parties look back
on a on a good product

and a good business doing together.

I'm called Mr Air Fryer
because of this,

and, yeah, it always gives a joy

that you were part
of a bigger story,

like the air fryer,
and that gives a lot of joy.

Coming up, the Friday-night takeaway
will never be the same again...

I don't think I'll ever go back
to using anything

other than this air fryer
from now on.

...and the battle is heating up.

Let's go.
Let's go.

PETER DICKSON: Britain is in
a cost-of-living crisis,

and the latest winter has seen some
of our highest energy bills ever,

but the air fryer and microwave
have got you sorted,

and our cash-strapped students
love them.

Back in the days
when you were a student,

the go-to kitchen gadgets
that you'd have to have -

kettle, toaster
and, of course, a microwave,

but I think air fryers
are now starting

to turn into
the must-have student gadget.

Almost 70% of 18-to-24-year-olds

say they buy food specifically
to cook in an air fryer.

What can you smuggle
into your own room?

Well, a lot of students are having
air fryers in their own room

and being able to cook
kind of fun meals.

Well, when I started university,

I was given a microwave
by my grandma,

and I charged my housemates
a pound a go

because it was
such an exciting piece of kit.

Now my daughter's at university,

and she's the one clamouring
to have my air fryer,

but she can go and get her own.

The first round
was about saving us time,

and this next round
is all about saving us money,

and there are two points on offer -

one for cost
and one for energy efficiency.

BELL RINGS

When I was a student,

it was all about the microwave
if you were going off to university.

Gadget-guru Georgie Barrett
is joined by three students

to look at some appliances.

But obviously, since then,
there has been a new gadget

that has started
to take over our countertops.

I'm a microwave girl,

but I've seen a lot of stuff online
about air fryers,

and I've always wanted to try them.

I already have a microwave. I mean,
can't be any better than that.

Is there room in your heart

for both the microwave
and air fryer?

That is the big question, isn't it?

So, what we have here is three
microwaves and three air fryers,

and they're all
at different price points.

The price points are based
on the size of these appliances

that can be found in
your average technology retailers -

small, medium and large.

But which one is cheapest to buy,
and which one is cheapest to run?

Everything seems so expensive
these days,

especially when you're a student
and you're on a budget.

Well, the one thing I can tell you
about the air fryer

is that it's cheaper to run
than your oven.

So if you're looking at trying
to reduce your energy costs,

an air fryer will save you
a lot of money

and will cook your food quicker
as well.

So, that's one of the things
that almost offsets

the price of an air fryer.

According to a study,

the air fryer could cost
as little as eight pence a day,

so it easily beats
the standard oven,

but the microwave
only costs five pence a day.

And that's the first point
to the microwave.

So, which is cheapest to buy?

They all think this microwave is
the cheapest appliance on the table,

but are they right?

I can reveal that the cheapest item
on this table is...

actually this air fryer.

I'm still quite surprised.

Like I said,
I thought the newer technology

would just, in general,
be more expensive,

but £30? No way, man.

Knowing that it's actually just £30,

I think I would probably invest
in an air fryer as well.

Especially since it's cheaper
to run it than the oven.

I most definitely will look into it.

The mid-range air fryer
is also cheaper

than its microwave counterpart,

but the top-end air fryer
is over £100 more expensive

than the microwave equivalent.

So, at the end of the round,
they take a point each.

You've actually being
more sustainable.

You're protecting the environment
because if you use less energy,

you'll have less impact
on the environment,

so it's a double win -
you save money and the planet, too.

So, they can save time,
money and the planet,

but how do they work?

Microwaves produce something called,

wait for it, microwaves.
SHE LAUGHS

Microwaves are actually
electromagnetic waves.

Those are transmitted
through the food.

The food then has to rotate

to make sure that it's kind of
evenly impacted by the microwave.

And it makes
the water inside food vibrate,

which, in turn, causes heat.

The interesting thing
about microwaves

is that they can
only really penetrate

about an inch into your food,

and that's why you can end up,
if you badly use a microwave,

with something that's charred
and boiling hot on the outside

but freezing cold in the middle.

And to find out
how the air fryer works,

there's no-one better to ask
than the team at Philips.

Now an air fryer works
with rapid-air technology.

The use of rapid air was a key
component to Fred's invention.

You can store
quite a lot of heat in oil,

and also transfer it
from the oil to food,

because you have a good contact
between the oil and the food.

If you use air,
the air has less heat capacity,

so you have to transfer

and to move far more air
along the food

to get the same heat transfer
into the food.

Your typical air fryer is basically
a device with a basket,

and inside of that basket,

there is normally a pan
that has a grille,

and the grille allows
the air to flow through.

The key thing about an air fryer

is it's a device
that pushes hot air into the food.

So, the food is sitting here
in the pan.

Now, some of that hot air will go
directly in contact with the food.

Some of the hot air will go
on the sides of the pan

towards the bottom,

and when it is on the bottom,
it will get redirected.

It's receiving hot air from the top,

from the sides, from the bottom.

That's why a lot of people also use
an air fryer instead of an oven,

because you can cook the food
very fast.

But what if you used an air fryer
instead of ordering a takeaway?

Last year, the great British public

spent over £640 per person
on takeaways,

with the average Brit
eating 12 takeaways per month.

As Brits, we love a takeaway.
We love takeaways cos it's easy.

Considering a whole swathe of
the population never have takeaways.

That means a lot of us,
particularly young people,

are having takeaways
on a very regular basis.

But with most of us
feeling the pinch,

these figures are on the decline.

But, of course, we are in
a cost-of-living crisis.

It's actually really expensive.
It's almost no cheaper

getting a takeaway
than eating in a restaurant,

so it is a really expensive thing
to do.

More and more of us will be avoiding
takeaways to save a few pennies.

The takeaway
is becoming a luxury for many,

and instead,
we're turning to our own kitchens

for that Friday-night experience.

The air fryer and microwave
can certainly replace the takeaway,

but the question is,
is it better than a takeaway?

Well, let's find out
if a fake-away can beat a takeaway.

Professional chefs Dean and Temi
have chosen their corner.

Dean is Team Microwave,
and Temi is Team Air Fryer,

but can either appliance
produce a winning fake-away?

What's your favourite takeaway?
Favourite takeaway?

Have to be Chinese, something Asian.
OK.

Chinese, pan-Asian,
something like that. What about you?

Mine would be something with spice.

I love a little chilli kick.
OK.

Hence why I'm cooking
my butter chilli chicken today.

I'm gonna do a little fake-away
on fish and chips today.

I feel like fish and chips

is another one
that's really expensive now.

There's a point each up for grabs
for beating the takeaway.

Let's get to it.

Temi adds a spice mix
of garlic granules,

smoked paprika, turmeric
and suya to cornflour.

He then covers the fish
in the flour mix, beaten egg

and, finally, the panko breadcrumbs.

Now, it's onto the chips.

Yeah,
I'm keeping the skins on today.

The chips go in at 190
for 15 minutes,

with a further two minutes
on a higher temperature

to really crisp them up,

whilst the fish is cooked
in a separate drawer

at 190 for 15 minutes.

And it's over to Dean.

Right, I'm gonna do
a little bit of cooking. So...

...into my dish
goes the fresh chilli.

Dean puts
all his other ingredients in,

including the all-important
clarified butter...

Gonna add
such a beautiful richness,

and this is what
we're trying to create -

this kind of takeaway feel.

...and gives it a quick stir.

And I guarantee you,
even the most basic of cooks

with no confidence...
Mm-hm.

...can put this together.

Dean wraps his dish in clingfilm
and puts it in the microwave

for nine minutes,
stirring it halfway through.

Nine-minute curry. Love that.

The fake-away is certainly quicker
than the takeaway,

but is it tastier?

With the arrival of the takeaway,

it's time for our chefs to plate up,

and there's no-one better
to taste the dishes

than our takeaway-loving students.

Right? Temi, you're first in.

Let's go. Good luck.
Wish me luck.

Good luck, man.

May the best appliance win.
THEY LAUGH

You guys hungry?
It's a blind taste test,

and none of the students know

that one of the dishes
was cooked in an air fryer.

What did you have for breakfast?
I hope not a takeaway.

THEY LAUGH

The Fakeaway fish and chips
is in dish A.

Why don't you guys have a taste,
and tell me what you think?

First up, Temi gets their thoughts
on dish B,

the takeaway.

It's a little soft, not as crispy
as I usually like it. OK.

But it's pretty all right.
Pretty decent chips.

Bland.
Bland? Fair.

Doesn't taste
like it's got any seasoning. Yeah.

The texture's a bit kind of soggy,
but it is a bit hard on the outside.

OK, yeah.

Usually,
when the potato's soft like that

it's cos it hasn't been cooked

to the right
internal core temperature just yet.

Blimey. Anyone would think they're
critiquing a fine dining restaurant.

So, where does that leave
the fake-away?

This one got good seasoning.
Oh, really?

I like the crisp. This is real good.
OK, fair enough.

Cooking process
has definitely been much better.

So, out of the two dishes
in front of you,

which one do you prefer?

I prefer this, A.

I like the crunchiness,
the seasoning.

Everything about this, A,
is the best.

Obviously, dish A.

So, it's a clean sweep
for the air fryer,

and they draw level at 2-2.

What if I told you that dish B
is actually from a takeaway shop?

Like, we actually paid for this.

And then
what if I could also tell you

that dish A was made
only using an air fryer?

Wow,
what?

I don't think I'll ever go back
to using anything

other than this air fryer
from now on. Wow.

Oh, yeah, matey.
Well, don't speak too soon

because the microwave might just
change your mind.

Do you know how much pressure
that's just heaped on top of me now?

I was already nervous.
Yeah.

Good luck. You've got this.

I believe in you. Bring it home.
You don't mean that.

Bring it home to the microwave.

Dean's nine-minute fake-away
is in dish B.

I love a curry.
OK.

That's good. I like that.

It's smooth, creamy.
I like this one.

It tastes like a really good curry,
like one that actually I would get

from a takeaway, but a good one.

The chicken's really, like, tender.

You know, the worst thing
you can do with chicken

is like when you start
chewing on it, and it's dry.

Oh, a pretty good start
from the fake-away,

but what about the takeaway?

The spice is actually quite nice.

I do think
that the curry in this one

is much more rich
and more flavoursome.

Oh, this is a tough one to call.

So, hit me with it.

Which one of these
do you prefer the most?

It would have to be B.

OK, so if you had to choose
a winner?

I guess, I would choose this one.

OK, so you've chosen curry B?
Yeah.

I would definitely go for dish B.
It was delicious.

I liked the richness
and the creaminess.

So, the microwave fake-away
also beats the takeaway.

So, one of these dishes
was cooked in nine minutes.

Yeah, I'm surprised.
So, I'm not talking a ready meal

I'm talking a microwave
using fresh ingredients.

Start to finish, nine minutes.

Would you believe me if I told you

that that particular dish
was dish B?

Really?
Yeah, I'm a bit surprised myself.

That's crazy,
what you can do in the microwave.

I don't trust you.
And it's another clean sweep.

Easy-peasy.
It wasn't easy, I'm kind of...

THEY LAUGH

I was kind of nervous, I can't lie.

Both the air fryer
and microwave fake-away

came out on top
against the takeaway...

Fake-away wins.
Come on!

...earning a point each,

which leaves the score at 3-2
to the microwave.

My worry is we're losing
a part of our essential heritage.

If I can't cook a curry
on the stove,

my mum's gonna be like, "Do you know
how to make a mudka chicken?"

Which is like a clay-pot chicken.

No, I stick it in the air fryer
and microwave.

It's not gonna wash with Mum.

But they're not just
for Friday night takeaways.

Many families up and down
the country

have both the microwave
and the air fryer in their kitchens,

and 20% of those who own
an air fryer cook in it daily.

People who have an air fryer
are really embracing it.

It's not just a novelty.

People who've got an air fryer

think of it as a key bit of kit
in their kitchen.

Air frying
has made my life so simple.

It literally is my best friend,

sat right next to me,
telling me what to do.

And microwave usage
is up 8% compared to last year,

and 100 million more meals
are cooked in our humble microwaves

compared to four years ago.

I think we need to get
with the times.

We've got the technology,

and we need to start looking
outside the box

about things we cook
in our microwaves.

Coming up,
here's looking at you, kid...

I mean, that's more than one
for every person on the planet

have seen a TikTok video
about air fryers.

...and the battle turns ugly.

Temi, you've had it in the kitchen.
You've had it in the kitchen!

You're gonna burn
in the kitchen today.

No way!
You're burning today.

Let's go!
Let's go.

PETER DICKSON: We're halfway through
our clash of the kitchen titans.

The microwave landed the first blow,
saving us the most time.

They both shared the honours
when it came to saving us money,

and so too when they cooked up
a takeaway-beating fake away.

That's crazy, what you can do
in the microwave.

Which means the current score
is 3-2 to the microwave.

It's all still to play for
as we enter round four -

an out-and-out beauty contest.

We eat with our eyes.

We eat with what we see online,
right?

These appliances,
they make decent grub,

but they often don't look pretty.

So let's see which is better
at turning out presentable grub

on social media.

The microwave isn't as sexy
or cool as the air fryer.

It's as simple as that.

And the young generation
of Gen Z consumers

haven't lapped it up
in exactly the same way.

Well, Dr Amna,

professional chef Dean
on Team Microwave

is going to show you exactly how
it can make things hot and steamy.

I'm gonna be making golden syrup
sponge pudding in the microwave.

Takes less than two minutes.

Absolutely delicious.

You don't need loads and loads
of ingredients.

What we've got here is
some self-raising flour,

a couple of eggs,
some powdered ginger,

which is gonna add
a lovely little bit of spice,

some caster sugar, butter

and of course, the golden syrup.

Ooh! Cream together
the sugar and butter.

Then it's in with the eggs,

ginger,

and flour.

Take a couple of these little pots.

Now, these were left over
from a microwave dessert.

And there's a reason for that.

These are perfect
for cooking your desserts in.

So, once you've eaten them,
clean them out,

and we've just buttered these
really nice and liberally.

Into the bottom of each pot
goes 20 grams of golden syrup.

Just take
some of your sponge mixture

and fill your pots
around two thirds up.

So, we just want to cover these
with a little bit of cling film,

making sure it's nice and tight.

Pop a couple of little holes
in the top

and then into the microwave
on full power for two minutes.

And that's it. Easy as that.

And once the microwave has pinged,

Dean lets the sponges rest
for two minutes,

which is nice of him.

Once they've had their two minutes,
just use a knife

and gently just cut around the edge.

This will just ensure
that they turn out beautifully.

Just turn it on to a plate.

With the addition
of a bit of custard.

Dean's dessert is fit
for any social media feed.

Your family and friends would
think you've been slaving away

for hours to create something
like that,

and it's taken me less than
seven minutes, start to finish.

That... is incredible.

Come on! Who said the microwave
couldn't be sexy?

The purpose of the microwave
in my kitchen is to heat food up

that's already been cooked.

I know that it's got
lots more features than that.

I've heard people say
they can bake cakes in it,

so it's a dream.

But also living the dream
is the air fryer,

and professional chef Temi Tyrese
on Team Air Fryer

is making his own viral dessert.

The recipe I have today
is Lotus Donuts.

Temi starts off by mixing flour,

a pinch of salt,
sugar and baking powder into a bowl.

Crack in one egg.

And then we're gonna go in
with our milk.

Up next is buttermilk.

A few ingredients, bish-bash-bosh,
throw it in an air fryer

and it's done.

Finally, Temi adds in
vanilla extract and melted butter.

So we're just gonna spray it
with some oil.

Now I'm gonna carefully...

I'm gonna try and carefully
pour this.

Lovely.

With the muffin tin fully loaded,
it's time to cook the doughnuts.

This one is a big one. that I can
fit my muffin tin into.

I'm gonna throw it into the
air fryer, up to 180 degrees.

So, now all we're gonna do
is click the start button...

...and we're ready to go.

A short 12 minutes later...

Got our nice little
air fryer donuts.

And just like the viral recipes
on social media,

it's all about the presentation.

It's fun. You can have
blueberries if you want.

You can have blackberries.
have cherries, raspberries,

whatever fruits you desire.

I love bananas and strawberries.

Today, I'm gonna use
some nice Biscoff.

Drizzle that over.

There you go. Bang.

12 minutes in an air fryer,

you've got these amazing
Lotus Biscoff donuts

with cinnamon, sugar, bananas
and strawberry.

Bang! But the proof, as they say,
is in the pudding.

Bon appetit.

Mmm.

I mean, can't get better than this.

Ooh.

So our chefs have made desserts
fit to grace social media,

and we've uploaded them to join the
countless other social media posts.

The air fryer
is a social media frenzy trend.

Consumers have gone crazy
for the air fryer.

This is one of the big factors

that made people
want to go out and buy it,

cos they can see what kind of food
you could cook in it.

They've become a bit
of a social media phenomenon,

because people are being
more and more imaginative

about what they do in them.

Social media is awash with people

attempting to cook anything
and everything in the air fryer.

There's something kind of magical
about putting something unexpected,

like pancake batter,
into an air fryer,

and magically, you get pancakes.

And the microwave is not shy
of the limelight, either.

There are all sorts
of very clever hacks

that you can do in a microwave.

People cannot believe the things
that are being cooked up

in these small appliances.

So, a microwave is far more flexible
than most people realise.

So which one of these appliances
is getting hit on the most?

The hashtag #Microwave generates

a whopping
two billion views on TikTok,

but the hashtag #AirFryer
generates over ten billion views.

I mean, that's more than one
for every person on the planet

has seen a TikTok video
about air fryers.

And that has been instrumental

in the way that the air fryer
has taken off.

So the microwave loses
its first round

and the air fryer
has pulled one back!

The microwave was invented when and
used when social media didn't exist.

It sounds like something
from my dad's generation.

They associate it with ready meals.

They say that it's ruining
the way that we cook things,

when it's just not the case.

The disadvantage of the microwave
and the air fryer

is you're not gonna get
a Michelin-starred meal.

Huh, you're wrong there,

because even some Michelin-starred
restaurants use microwaves.

I think there's an awful lot
of snobbism about the microwave.

Erm... And the air fryer,

I'm still a bit dubious
about the air fryer.

I'm not convinced it is superior
to the oven,

which is what it needs to be
to really take over my life.

Well, they've already taken on the
might of the Friday night takeaway

and came away triumphant.
LAUGHTER

And they've gone head-to-head
in a beauty contest.

But now it's time for things
to turn ugly

as we super size the challenge.

Who can cook
for an entire rugby team

and come away victorious?

It's time to go big or go home.
BELL RINGS

On Team Microwave, Dean Edwards,

and on Team Air Fryer, Temi Tyrese.

Both believe they can deliver
a knockout meal in their appliances,

and they're tasked with feeding the
bellies of Littlehampton Rugby Club.

But before they do,

the chefs want to make sure
the team works up an appetite.

Let's go.

Go, go, go, go.

Whoa!

Whoa.
Let's go.

LAUGHTER

Cooking is way easier!
I'm not even breathing.

Oh!

LAUGHTER

GRUNTING

You're gonna burn in the kitchen
today. You're burning today.

Let's go.
Let's go.

With the trash talk over,

Temi and Dean bring the ravenous
rugby players in for a huddle.

Guys, we're gonna head back
to the clubhouse,

we're gonna make something crazy,
exciting, delicious.

Hope you guys are ready.

And make sure you win!
Come on, let's go! Let's go!

Temi, I don't know about you, mate,
rugby is not for me.

I think I'm better in the kitchen.
Should we go and do this?

Yeah, let's do this, man.
Come on, let's go.

Let's go, bro. Back to the club.

The New Inn is home
to the rugby club.

But will it be the appliance
new in the kitchen

that takes the spoils,
or will it be the kitchen veteran?

This is where
the real competition starts.

This is where
the battle begins, man.

The chefs have a selection
of ingredients

to choose from to make their dishes,

and they're armed with
several appliances each.

I'm going to do something that
people absolutely wouldn't consider

they can do in a microwave.
Ooh.

I want to cook something

they're probably used to eating
after a game, especially,

erm... something that they may not
necessarily expect

to come from an air fryer.

I'm gonna do a rice dish
in the microwave.

Have you done something like that
before in the microwave?

Yeah... No.
LAUGHTER

Dean is cooking a butternut squash
and chorizo risotto,

and Temi is cooking prawn sliders.

So, look at this.

So what I've just done here,
chopped up some chorizo. Yeah.

I've just added a little bit of oil
into the bowl.

Now look at this.
That is liquid gold.

Just gonna transfer
our mix to this bowl here

so it's easier to incorporate

all those delicious ingredients
together.

Temi forms the sliders, or burgers,
in his hands,

and it's into the air fryer
for 15 minutes.

And for Dean, all his ingredients
are going into one bowl.

Normally,
if you're doing this classically,

you'd be ladling it in, you know,
one at a time,

waiting for it to absorb the rice.
Yeah.

You know,
it takes around 40 minutes to do,

and it's a bit of a faff,
to be honest with you. I agree.

So this is a great way of doing it.
Yep.

But the microwave recipe
only needs 15 minutes.

So, what will the rugby team
make of the post-match offerings?

Hey.
Welcome back to the team.

Hope you're feeling hungry.
This ain't your average pub grub.

I mean, me and Dean, we've been
slaving away in the kitchen.

Blood, sweat and tears
has gone into this.

You guys don't know who's
cooked what, but how does it look?

LAUGHTER

Well, you're not gonna know
who cooked what,

so we're just gonna leave it to you.

Enjoy, tuck in, and we can't wait
to hear what you think are.

That's good.

A lot more flavoursome
than your average risotto.

I would normally go for
the burger in this situation.

However, the risotto
would be also a very good option.

I'm gonna start with B,

cos I'm not gonna lie,
I did prefer it.

It's a lot nicer.

It seems to be some sort of prawn
or crustacean filling.

It's not normally what we have,
but I'll tell you what,

it definitely is better.
Don't tell our landlord or anything.

It is definitely a lot better.

Definitely not had better food
than this. No, no, no.

This is definitely the best food
we've had after a game.

I think you'll need
a new clubhouse after this.

And if the empty dishes are anything
to go by,

both were a success.

But which appliance has come out
on top?

So, would you believe me
if I told you

that one of those dishes was cooked
from start to finish in a microwave?

TEAM MURMUR
And one was cooked in an air fryer?

Never!

So, who's coming up
to give us the results.

Captain?
Come on, big dog.

Come on, come on.

It was a tough decision today.

On the field,
there was only one winner.

Wow.

It was...

the risotto.

Yeah!

APPLAUSE

Come on!

So, the microwave wins
the super-size challenge,

and it's taken the lead again
going into the championship rounds.

Coming up...
Thanks.

...it's Dad's turn to cook.

What do I do? These are frozen.

So, we have to cook them
in the microwave.

And what happens
when it comes to the crunch?

I'm quite surprised, to be honest
with you. Very surprised.

PETER DICKSON: We've seen the
professional chefs using microwaves

and air fryers to cook.

But what about the average British
family of four doing it at home?

Round six is the family challenge.
BELL RINGS

Hi, everyone.
It's Saturday, it's day six.

And the Marus have been
cooking using only the air fryer

and microwave for the past week.

The dishes that we normally make
on the oven and stuff,

it tasted quite different
for when it was in the microwave

or the air fryer.
Yeah.

Whichever they end up
hating the least, wins.

Is the base OK?

No?

OK, so | did double cook it,

but I don't think it will get
as brown as it does in the oven.

I don't think it works.

Is it a hit or a fail?

Fail.

Fail? Oh, dear.

The most positive part of using
an air fryer or microwave

has to be dishes which can go
straight into the dishwasher,

so for me, it was definitely
less washing up.

You mean a positive for me,
because I normally do the cleaning.

He does all the washing up.

Don't worry, Dad,
you've got a day off today.

You're doing the cooking instead.

Wait, wait, wait, wait.

Oh, oh, thanks.

What do I do? These are frozen.

So we have to cook them
in the microwave.

And he's about as far away from
a professional chef as you can get.

OK, so now you're gonna add
some seasoning to the rice.

So add some pepper,
some paprika, some cumin.

And I'll give you some salt.

But how much
how much do I need to put?

I want you to decide.

Yes, I'm not sure the microwave
can help rescue this dish.

Need to be quick.
The kids are hungry. OK.

Luckily, the microwave
can help with that.

So do you want to get this
into the microwave? Yep.

Do you know where the microwave is?
Well, it's one of these.

After a couple of minutes
in the microwave,

it's into the other magic box
with Dad's stuffed peppers

for four minutes.

Should we try it?
Yeah. OK.

It's OK.
It's OK?

Yeah, it needs a bit more seasoning,
but... We can put salt on top.

I think as a first attempt,
you've done really well.

Oh, cool. Good.

Well done, Dad.

So which appliance are
the family voting for?

The air fryer takes it,
and the scores are all level again.

One thing the Great British public

may not have thought to cook
in the microwave

is the bacon sandwich.

The microwave's reputation
precedes it -

it makes soggy food.

But is this unfair?

No, I don't think you can get
anything crispy in a microwave.

Generally, food in the microwave
was soft and uncrispy.

More than ten bacon sandwiches
are consumed in the UK every second,

but when every second counts,

they could be cooked
in the microwave.

When the lady came over
to demonstrate this first microwave,

she showed us
a particular type of pot

that you could use to replicate
your frying pan

and crisp up your bacon.

So we got some bacon,
we got some builders,

we bunged the bacon
in the microwave,

put it in a roll,

and then fed it to the builders,

who've all had a few bacon rolls
in their time.

Then we asked them whether
they could believe

it was from a microwave.

They couldn't.

Just tastes like a normal bacon
sandwich, just how I'd eat it.

No, I've never thought about
cooking it in the microwave.

Good. Crispy.
Really good.

I didn't think it would come out
$0... as nice from the microwave.

And well cooked. So, yeah,
I'm quite surprised,

to be honest with you.
Very surprised.

I'd always use a microwave.

My wife likes a frying pan.

She says I'm doing it all wrong.

But the microwave is just so easy.

I put it... I put it on a plate.

I'll put some paper on top,
kitchen paper,

I'll put a lid on that.

A minute 40, job done.

So, a microwave
can make things crispy.

But can it take the air fryer on
at its own game?

An appliance that was initially
made for the sole purpose

of cooking the French fry.
BELL RINGS

We've got a group of testers

to chomp down on chips made
in the air fryer and the microwave.

The winning appliance will
be judged by how loud the crunch is.

First up, the microwave.

CRUNCHING

It scores an average of 35 decibels.

Now it's the air fried chips.

And that scores an average
of 41 decibels.

So, when it comes to the crunch,
the air fryer takes the round

and that means
it's the overall winner!

I'm not remotely surprised
that the air fryer won.

I was in Camp Air Fryer all along.

I think that the air fryer
is a smart, savvy, magical device

that really has revolutionised
the kitchen today.

And the microwave has a legacy
of revolutionising cooking

for the last 40 years.

At the end of the day,
they're both winners, aren't they?

One has been around for 40 years,
90% of households have got them.

The other has just
really emerged very recently.

They're great appliances.

There's clearly a place for both
an air fryer and a microwave.

I think even in the short lifespan
of an air fryer,

it has proven to be more than
a novelty.

You know what,
why are we fighting at all?

We should be working together to
give Britain tastier meals, faster,

putting things in the microwave

and then finishing them off
in the air fryer.

Surely there's room
on the kitchen worktop

for these two absolute titans.

One of the most humble dishes
in the world.

The jacket spud.
Yep.

Start it off in the microwave.
100%.

And where did it finish?
Air fryer. Amazing. Perfect.

Just dead easy.

About ten minutes in the microwave
just to get it nice, soft, fluffy.

And then in the air fryer
just to crisp it up.

Little bit of butter,
salt and pepper.

Delicious, right?
You've got that nice crispy skin.

You've got that lovely fluffy potato
in the middle.

The best of both worlds.

So the future is looking bright

for both the microwave
and the air fryer.

The air fryer and microwave have
their own place within the kitchen.

Neither of them are replaceable
by each other.

They're distinctive, unique,
and every kitchen needs one.