The new 4-in-1 air fryer microwave goes further, all while saving space with a slimline design
Our Panasonic Slimline Air Fryer Microwave review
The humble microwave’s cooking capabilities have increased considerably in recent years, so perhaps it’s little surprise Panasonic’s new microwave has a 4-in-1 design with air fry, convection, grill and microwave power. Panasonic has 60 years of microwave innovation, so I really can’t think of a better brand to trust with bringing to life my meals in minutes. You’ll find my honest review below.
What is the Panasonic Slimline Air Fryer Microwave?
Following the success of Panasonic’s large and premium 34L Panasonic NN-CD88 microwave (we reviewed it here), the brand has released a slimline, 27L series of four models. I’m testing the NN-CT56RB (black model). There’s also the stainless steel, white and a silver model. It’s a freestanding appliance, with a large glass turntable (34cm/14 inches) for cooking food evenly. It slotted perfectly into my kitchen’s space design, but it looks just as good on the countertop.
What makes the Panasonic microwave special?
As someone who lives in a small flat in London, the slim yet capacious design really meets my needs. The new design reduces the overall countertop footprint by 20%, and yet it still has a 27L capacity (enough to cook 800 g of frozen fries in one, or a whole crispy roast chicken). In a conventional microwave oven, the fan is located at the back, in this model, the fan is located at the top, which reduces the overall size (it’s 14.1-inch (W) × 13.8-inch (D)).
I also love the multipurpose use with the air fryer functionality – so much so, I’ve dedicated a section to it below.
How does the air fryer functionality work?
Air frying has become one of the biggest cooking trends in recent years, and Panasonic’s research has discovered that 81% of users use their air fryer more than three times a week. So, what’s better than combining appliances to create one slim, space-saver? The unique fan at the top circulates hot air to quickly and evenly crisp up the food. All you have to do is assemble the wire basket on the stand and over the black tray (to catch any grease/oil). Spread your frozen food bits out (I used frozen sweet potato fries), place in the microwave, select the air fry button and choose 20-30 minutes (and don’t forget to use oven gloves to take the food out)!
What does combination cooking in a microwave mean?
‘Combi Cooking’ means the microwave cooks your food thoroughly, without the need for preheating. It cooks in about half the time compared to conventional ovens because it uses two heat sources (Microwave or Grill). Plus shorter cooking time leads to energy saving. Win win.
How does the defrost function work on the Panasonic microwave?
Simply select one of three functions – Bread, Big Piece (big pieces of meat, whole chickens 600g-1,600g) and Small Pieces (sausages, fish fillets etc, each 100g-400g). Food is automatically optimally heated according to weight and defrosts without losing its texture or flavour.
Is the Panasonic Slimline Air Fryer Microwave actually worth it?
Traditionally, all-in-one products receive a lot of hate, such as "You’re sacrificing quality for convenience!" and "one product can’t do it all!" But in this case, Panasonic’s new microwave does its primary job (cooking food fast) so well, but it also crisps frozen food and grills veggies to perfection. That plus space-saving, and priced at £249.99, makes it a really solid buy.
★★★★★
