Air Fryer Pros and Cons
The day came when I finally received my Ninja Foodi Air Fryer from Amazon! I am now able to give honest to goodness Ninja Foodi air fryer reviews that will help your decision in buying one. Packaged well in a huge box, this baby got the attention and stares from everyone who passed by the lobby of my apartment, curious at how this kitchen appliance works. Even the courier who personally delivered this asked my hubby how much this costs and where we got this from! I have to admit we got attracted to this gadget due to the positive reviews online and claims of how easy it was to air fry without the use of any oil. We purchased this without thinking twice because it’s an 8-in-1 kitchen appliance that will save us a lot of time and money in the long run.
Unboxing the Ninja Foodi
The Ninja Foodi comes with a couple of manuals, namely the owner’s guide, a recipe book, and a cooking cheat sheet.
Parts and accessories include the reversible rack, the cook and crisp basket, detachable diffuser, and the 6.5-quart removable cooking pot (the volume will depend on what you ordered).
Take note though, that the contents included are the basic parts and accessories. If you would like to have other accessories for baking and dehydrating, you will have to buy the following separately:
Features of the Ninja Foodie
I started off reading the owner’s guide and it took me roughly 10-15 minutes to understand the basic functions and operations. It’s pretty straightforward and the cooking cheat sheet gives you an idea of how to cook different kinds of meat and vegetables.
Be warned though that if you get the 6.5 quarts, this will take half the space of your kitchen counter. I had to clear the condiments to give way to this baby. Give some ample space on all sides for proper air circulation. Avoid keeping it in close contact with the stove or any other kitchen appliance that is hot.
The Ninja Foodi comes with 8 options for cooking, namely:
pressure cooking
steaming
slow cooker
saute
air crisp
roast
broil
dehydrate
It comes with a temperature control of 300-400 degrees, with the cooking time in minute increments up to 1 hour.
It comes with 2 lids, one which is detachable and is used for pressure cooking and slow cooking, while the other lid is attached to the body of the appliance for all the other various cooking functions.
The nice feature of this Ninja Foodi air fryer is the ability to pressure cook and air fry within a short time span. To put it to the test, I tried roasting a whole chicken for 30 minutes. Using the pressure cooker lid, I pressure cooked the chicken for about 15 minutes. After which I used the air fryer to roast the chicken, turning on both sides every 7 minutes on high heat for a total of 15 minutes. If you have a smaller piece of whole chicken you can lessen the cooking time for both. The result was amazing, it was juicy on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
I tried different recipes using the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer, and these are my favorite features:
slow cooker – you can simply saute and slow cook your favorite stew dishes overnight for a succulent and flavourful taste.
pressure cooker – comes in very handy! if I am in a hurry, pressure cooking the meat in just 15 minutes (or less depending on the type of meat) saves me a lot of time!
air frying – this is the most common feature I use, from air frying fries to reheating fried foods, I use this function almost every other day! Take note however that when you air fry, you can use a small amount of cooking oil spray to make food crispier and create the caramelized look on your fried foods.
Overall, the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer is a convenient way to cook and reheat food in the shortest time possible. Using only one kitchen appliance, you can save a lot of time and money preparing different dishes. Fewer pots and pans to wash in basically one convenient cooking appliance!
So we go back to the main question, is the Ninja Foodi Air fryer worth the purchase? Let’s look at some pros and cons of the air fryer.
Pros
If you want to have less clutter (kitchen appliances) in your kitchen, consider purchasing the air fryer. The 8-in-1 tool is very convenient since you don’t have to buy a griller, pressure cooker, slow cooker, or a steamer.
Less cooking time. The pressure cooker can cook in less than 20 minutes. I just have to change the lid and voila, instant air fryer to achieve crispy skin!
Slow cooker is very useful in cooking meals overnight. After I use the saute function, I add all ingredients in the pot and slow cook it overnight on low mode. It’s great for slow cooking stews, meat, and beans, just remember to add the vegetables last or else it might become mushy and limp.
Since you use less oil using the air fryer, it’s very good in promoting weight loss, turning every fried dish into healthy ones. Say goodbye to your deep fryer and save a lot of money buying litres of cooking oil.
It’s useful if you want to grill meats without the added smoke and heat that comes from traditional grilling. It’s less messy if you ask me.
Cons
It comes with a hefty price tag. The 6.5 quarts costs around 200 dollars. If you are satisfied with your other kitchen appliances like your turbo broiler or pressure cooker, it might be worth skipping this. Unless you plan on disposing your other kitchen appliances, then it’s worth the purchase.
If you are used to having deep fried foods, you may need to still use some cooking oil spray while air frying, otherwise you may find it odd or weird that it doesn’t have the exact fried flavour you are looking for.
This appliance is a bit bulky, so you need to allot a permanent space for it. You may want to keep away other things on your counter to free up the space. Remember to keep it away from the stove to avoid heat.
In terms of cleaning, I struggled cleaning the cook and crisp basket. Once it becomes greasy and oily, you need to soak it in soap and water for a long time before removing the residue. Otherwise you may end up scraping the non-stick enamel destroying the non-stick coating.
The Ninja Foodi Air fryer may not be for everyone. But if you enjoy the convenience of cooking meals conveniently and with little to no oil, then I highly recommend this. The 8-in-1 option is ultimately a win for me, but if it only has the air fryer option, I would probably go for a cheaper turbo broiler that does the same thing.
