I made a hot dog in 4 different appliances, and I’ll never use the microwave again

There’s nothing more satisfying than enjoying a hot dog at a summer barbecue, a baseball game, or a street fair.

It’s also the perfect, quick meal to whip up when you’re short on time.

To find the easiest, best way to cook a hot dog, I tried preparing them in a microwave, in an air fryer, in a pot of boiling water, and on a grill.

I used Sabrett skinless beef frankfurters, which came fully cooked. 

Here’s how the appliances stacked up.

First, I filled a pot with water and set it on my stove

This prep took a total of one minute, including slicing the ends of my hot dogs to help me tell when they were done cooking.

That’s a nifty trick my mom taught me, and it also helped me distinguish the different hot dogs at the end.  

The boiled hot dogs were easy to make.

All I had to do was plop three franks into the pot and wait five minutes for the water to boil.

Right on the dot, the hot dogs were ready to eat. I just had to wait a couple of minutes for them to cool off.

I wasn’t thrilled with the results.

Although this was an easy process, I think boiling the hot dogs drained the flavor out of them a little bit. They were bland, which was disappointing. 

As predicted, the hot dogs lacked a crispy outer layer and were instead rubbery, which downgraded the meal for me. 

Next, I broke out my air fryer.

I’d never used an air fryer before. I was nervous but excited to test out the beloved appliance. 

The air-frying process was also pretty simple.

I sliced three lines down the center of each hot dog so they wouldn’t burst and placed three into the air-fryer tray.

Once the air fryer was preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I let the hot dogs cook for three minutes.

The air-fried hot dogs were crispy and juicy.

There was a stark difference from the boiled hot dogs.

The slightly fried outer layer added a nice texture, and the inside was tender and tasty. I wish I’d made more. 

This process was incredibly easy and required no cleaning. The only downside is that I can only cook a handful at a time because of the small size of my air fryer — this method would not be ideal for a barbecue or party.

I fired up my grill to try the beloved way to cook hot dogs.

I’d never used my grill before, so I was a bit nervous. My Dyna-Glo grill has minimal settings, so all I had to do was crank up the fire. 

After a few minutes of sizzling, the skin charred nicely, and the smell was incredible.

I shut the hood of my grill for a few minutes to let the hot dogs cook.

After a few minutes, I opened the hood and flipped the dogs to let them char further.

The smell wafting from the grill was incredible — none of the other cooking methods produced such tantalizing scents.

I couldn’t resist throwing a few extra hot dogs on the grill.

The franks were succulent. They were bursting with flavor and had a crispy, smoky outer layer unlike any of my other attempts.

I was so glad I ended up making a few extras on the grill.

Lastly, I tried using a microwave to cook the hot dogs.

Though I assumed this would be the easiest method, it quickly proved me wrong.

I slashed each hot dog before individually wrapping them in a paper towel and placing them on a microwave-safe plate.

I also had to cook them in one-minute increments, unwrapping and checking each one to make sure it was cooked. I did this four times to ensure the meat was properly warmed up.

It was a big hassle and produced soggy hot dogs.

Although the microwaved hot dogs were tastier than the boiled ones, I don’t think the time I spent wrapping and heating the franks was worth it. 

They lacked the crispy exterior of the air-fried and grilled hot dogs. 

I’ve overcome my fear of grills, and I’ll definitely use this method all summer.

Grilling was my favorite cooking method by far.

Although boiling and microwaving the hot dogs took minimal time, nothing could beat the flavor, smell, and experience of grilling.

I would definitely use an air fryer again, too, but only if I were cooking for myself. And next time, I’ll try air-frying the buns, too.

This story was originally published on July 2, 2023, and most recently updated on May 13, 2025.

Click to check out the other appliances we’ve put head-to-head so far.

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