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I boiled, grilled, air-fried, and microwaved hot dogs to find the best way to make them.
Microwaving hot dogs turned out to be a giant nuisance, and I ended up with soggy sausages.
Out of all four cooking methods, the grill produced the juiciest hot dogs.
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. But I wanted to find the easiest and tastiest technique, so I tested preparing hot dogs in a microwave, in an air fryer, in a pot of boiling water, and on a grill.
I used Sabrett skinless beef frankfurters from Stop & Shop, which came in a bundle of 20 for $11. The hickory-smoke-flavored franks came fully cooked.
Here's how the appliances stacked up.
First I filled a medium pot with water and set it on my stove
I placed three hot dogs in my pot and set it to boil.
Carolina Gazal
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, but it also helped me distinguish the different hot dogs at the end.
The boiled hot dogs were easy to make.
The hot dogs boiled in a matter of minutes.
Carolina Gazal
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.
The end result of boiling three hot dogs.
Carolina Gazal
Although this was an easy process, I think boiling the hot dogs drained the flavor out 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 used an air fryer to make a few hot dogs.
Carolina Gazal
I've 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 placed three hot dogs in the air fryer's basket.
Carolina Gazal
I sliced three lines down the center of each hot dog and placed three into the air-fryer tray.
Once it preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I let the hot dogs cook for three minutes.
The air-fried hot dogs were crispy and juicy.
The end result of air frying hot dogs.
Carolina Gazal
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 size of my air fryer — not ideal for a barbecue or party.
I fired up my grill to try the beloved way to cook hot dogs.
I used my grill for this popular cooking method.
Carolina Gazal
I was hesitant, but curious, to see just how crispy the hot dogs would get compared to the other cooking methods.
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.
After a few minutes, the skin charred nicely.
Carolina Gazal
I shut the hood of my grill for a few minutes. I couldn't resist looking in though, and I used this opportunity to flip the hot dogs and let them char further.
The smell wafting from the grill was incredible, unlike any of the other cooking methods.
I couldn't resist throwing a few extra hot dogs on the grill.
The end result of grilling the hot dogs.
Carolina Gazal
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.
I chose to individually wrap each hot dog in a paper towel before microwaving.
Carolina Gazal
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.
The end result of microwaving hot dogs.
Carolina Gazal
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.
I topped the winning grilled hot dog with all my favorite toppings.
Carolina Gazal
Grilling was my favorite cooking method by far.
Though 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 July 3, 2024.
Click to check out the other appliances we've put head-to-head so far.
