Panasonic’s microwave air fryer oven can cook just about anything

For those who find standalone air fryers on the small side, countertop ovens that air fry are a more spacious alternative, but can have limited use. Not content with simply bolting on air frying to an oven grill, Panasonic has made the 4-in-1 Combi Microwave Air Fryer Oven NN-CD88.

Its four functions – microwave, convection, grill and air frying – translate into a countertop appliance that’s as versatile as they come. As well as an air frying basket that will fit up to 900g of chips, it boasts a 34-litre cavity, enamel tray for roasting and five combi cooking presets that blend microwaving for speed with conventional heat or grilling for crisp and crunch. Plus, there’s a built-in sensor so it won’t dry out a reheated dinner.

You can see how this model stacks up against our top recommendations in our round-up of the best air fryer ovens we’ve tested. We’ve also got recommendations for the best dual-drawer air fryers, the best Ninja air fryers and the best air fryers overall.

Design and Build

• Stainless steel build
• The open door will overhang a standard countertop
• Dishwasher-safe accessories

Despite Panasonic designing the NN-CD88 to be apparently 15% smaller than conventional combi ovens, there’s no getting away from the fact that it’s still rather big (H34.3 x W56 x D45cm).

Placed on a standard 60cm-deep worktop, when the door is open, it’ll overhang, and there’s limited space in front to place dishes. It is also heavy at 18kg, so it’s best to pick a place for it to live and leave it there. On the plus side, if you don’t have the countertop space to spare, it can be built in to kitchen cabinetry.

A countertop appliance that’s as versatile as they come

It’s spacious inside, with a 34-litre cavity, 36cm turntable, and similarly sized enamel tray, wire rack and air fry basket. The accessories are dishwasher-safe, although hand-washing is recommended for the air fry basket.

Both the exterior and interior are clad in stainless steel – making it more hygienic and easier to keep clean than similar models. Unsurprisingly, packing in so many functions has led to a pretty confusing control panel that’s ill-explained by the quick start guide and basic instructions.

An LED display goes some way to guiding the user, but it’s far from comprehensive. The main dial, for example, serves many purposes, from altering settings to reheating, while the air fry button also offers combination programmes once it’s pressed a few times.

Performance and Features

• Lack of comprehensive guidance for auto programmes
• Quick start guide handy for basics
• Only three air frying temperatures

For testing, I concentrated mostly on the NN-CD88’s combi and air frying functions, partly because that’s what the quick start guide focuses on, and also because air frying is much of what sets it apart from a basic micro grill.

As an appliance with multiple functions and presets, I was surprised at the lack of guidance in the box – the quick start guide, stickers on the machine and simple instructions don’t cover the auto programmes (there are 30) or how to use them, or suitable weights for combi cooking. This means there’s guesswork involved if you don’t download the full instructions, and you may not get the most use out of it without them. Instead, you’ll be largely guided by the display.

The quick start guide is helpful for the basics, covering which accessories can be used for which type of cooking and recommended temperatures for everyday foods. I especially liked the one-button reheating option, which uses humidity in the cooking zone to adjust the microwave power and time, and used it several times during the test period.

I was surprised at the lack of guidance in the box

Unlike a standalone air fryer, the air fry settings only offer three temperatures – 180°C, 200°C and 220°C – although you can control the timer minute by minute. While it’s cooking, you can add and subtract minutes, which is handy should it look like food needs more or less time.

I started by cooking frozen hash browns using air frying and the wire rack. As there was no suggestion of settings for air frying frozen food – a common use – I chose 200°C for 15 minutes. After the time had elapsed, they were quite soft, so I gave them an additional five minutes. This time, the browning was better, and they were crisp on top but still soft underneath.

Next, I chose one of the combination programmes (using microwave power and convection) that was recommended for chips from scratch, using the air fry basket raised on the rack. The time suggested 7-9 minutes, which felt too short for this kind of dish, so I increased it to 25 minutes at a temperature of 220°C.

There was no suggestion of turning the chips, but halfway through I did. I liked that the basket was deep enough to give the contents a good shake, which is more practical than turning with tongs, and that none of the potato stuck to it. However, the finished chips were a mixed bag, with many pale pieces and most of them soft. Some had browned and crisped properly, but most would have benefitted from a longer time.

I also cooked a roast chicken using another of the combi programmes and the enamel tray. This used a lower temperature of 200°C but the suggested timing ranged from 40-60 minutes without an idea of the weight of the bird. I chose one hour for a 1.5kg chicken, which fitted inside easily – the space could accommodate a larger one.

There was a lot of spitting and splashes during the cooking, leaving the interior messy, and a fair amount of fat/juice run off in the tray afterwards. The chicken had golden brown bubbly skin, and was very well cooked inside, with no pink remaining – but the wings and drumsticks were overdone and dry. This could have benefitted from less time.

Price and Availability

This combi oven is available in the UK from Amazon and Panasonic for £379.99. It’s not yet available in the US, but you can buy the similar, earlier NN-CD87 model, which as the same capacity and functionality but slightly different features, again from Amazon and Panasonic for $499.99.

If this isn’t the right model for you, check out the competition in our round-up of the best air fryer ovens.

Should you buy the Panasonic Combi Microwave Air Fryer Oven?

Overall, the Panasonic 4-in-1 Combi Microwave Air Fryer Oven NN-CD88 is a good package: there are many cooking options, some of which will be time-saving, and its accessories and interior were easy to clean.

However, it’s likely that you’ll have to test and adjust your favourite recipes for the best results, especially if you’re switching from a standalone air fryer – none of what we cooked came out as expected.

On the plus side, there’s enough functionality for the combi micro to supplement or replace a main oven, work as an air fryer, and replace a solo microwave, making it a decent buy for busy kitchens and keen cooks alike.