I cooked bacon with 4 different appliances to find the best method. After this, I'll never make it on a stovetop again.

I used three different types of bacon to ensure my tests were thorough.

To make sure I gave each cooking method a fair look, I used three different kinds of bacon across all four appliances.

I bought cherry-smoked, uncured bacon from Porter Road, sugar-free organic applewood-smoked uncured bacon from North Country Smokehouse, and Alewel's Country Meats "Sweet & Sassy Bacon," which was part of Harry & David's All About the Bacon Sampler.

I preheated my oven and air fryer, placed a large pan on the stove, and lined a large plate with paper towels before digging into the packs.

I already knew what to expect from oven-cooked bacon.

Since I cook bacon in the oven all the time, there was no guesswork here. I preheated my oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then placed strips of bacon on a sheet pan covered in parchment paper.

I let them cook for a bit longer than I usually would for omelets, since they wouldn't get any extra time in a frying pan.

I ended up pulling the pan out after 13 minutes.

If you're cooking for a crowd, the oven is probably the best option.

I don't like crispy or crunchy bacon. The oven is great for my tastes because the meat cooks gradually and rests in plenty of grease that helps prevent any singeing.

That said, oven-cooked bacon is often a bit, shall we say, floppier than one (even I) might like.

Cooking the bacon on a wire rack inside a sheetpan can help up the crisp factor, though. That way, the bacon won't sit in grease as it cooks.

Ultimately, the baked bacon turned out just fine. Since you can make a lot at once, I think this method is handy if you need a lot of bacon for a recipe or are serving multiple people.

Cooking bacon in a pan was a surprising letdown.

I find it best to start with a cold pan when cooking bacon on the stove. This lets the fats slowly break down into grease rather than burning the meat.

There's no need for oil or cooking spray; the fat has you covered there.

I brought the burner to medium-high heat, and within 30 seconds or so, the bacon started to sizzle — which smelled great.

After about four minutes, the rashers started curling, so it was time to flip them. I was a bit frustrated by how much effort it took to get each one lying relatively flat again without all of them falling on top of each other.

A couple of minutes later, the bacon was done, and I was so over the method.

Once the bacon was cooked, there was grease spattered across my stove and countertop.

Although one of the strips came out perfectly, most of the bacon was seared beyond my liking and was very greasy.

The stovetop is a classic way to fry bacon, but I don't think it was worth the effort and mess.

Microwaved bacon is so quick that it’s easy to forgive it being the worst method.

I used to cook bacon in the microwave often enough in my apartment days, but it's been a while. The one thing I remember clearly is that paper towels are key.

I laid out six strips of bacon on my lined plate, added another layer of paper towel on top (to avoid any grease splatters), and popped the plate into the microwave.

For a standard microwave, four minutes is the perfect amount of time for my texture preferences. I grabbed the plate (with an oven mitt) and pulled off the top layer of paper towels.

I quickly remembered remember why I stopped cooking bacon like this.

The microwaved bacon didn't look appetizing, especially with all the drippings running off the paper towels and onto the plate.

The strips were curled up — crisped in parts and soft in others — and there was a notable sheen of grease.

When I took a bite, I was met with more chewiness than tenderness, but I had to admit the flavor was all there. If you only have five minutes to get out the door, I guess microwaved bacon is better than no bacon at all.

The air fryer quickly became my favorite way to cook bacon.

Like many people, I went on an air-fryer kick a few years back. But lately, ours has largely sat at the back of a shelf.

After digging it out and preheating it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, I popped in the strips of bacon and set the timer for eight minutes (which many articles and videos on the internet seemed to agree was best).

The taste, texture, and grease level were all perfect.

The air-fried bacon was tender with a hint of crispiness that even I could appreciate. It wasn't bordering on crunchy and was remarkably low in grease.

The strips also didn't curl up nearly as much as with the microwave or pan. They held their shape, resulting in better-looking bacon. Looks don't matter as much as taste here, but I can appreciate a well-plated meal nonetheless.

It's safe to say we'll be using our air fryer more often again.

I’ll still cook bacon in the oven for ease, but the air fryer produced the best results.

There's no doubt I'll stick with the trusty oven method for our everyday bacon needs so that I can make big batches. However, the air fryer was the clear winner when it came to fewer strips.

Considering most air fryers heat up in less than a minute and the cooking time was under 10, it's not even a time suck.

As for the microwave, that approach is only worth considering when time is the main factor, since bacon can be ready in five minutes.

If you prefer pan-fried bacon, I wish you all the best. I acknowledge it's a classic approach, but it's the one method I'll be avoiding from now on.

This story was originally published on June 12, 2024, and most recently updated on July 30, 2026.