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Thinking of buying an air fryer? Have your eye on a Ninja dual zone, but not sure if it’s worth the price tag? Or if it will adequately serve your needs? Learn everything you need to know before buying, right here in this Ninja air fryer review.
There are lots of reviews on Ninja Air Fryers out there. But, after using mine almost daily for a whole year, I hope I can give you some insight into what it’s really like to use a Ninja dual zone air fryer in day to day life. And that it helps you make the right decision for YOU.
Despite what you might think, air fryers can be used to make much more than just chips and chicken. In fact, I personally use mine multiple times a day for a variety of different things!
It warms my croissants in the morning, I boil eggs in it for lunch, make tasty family dinners, and even delicious cakes! (Yes really!) It truly is one of the best and most used kitchen gadgets I’ve ever had.
But if you’re still weighing up the pros and cons of buying a Ninja Foodie air fryer, keep reading. I’m going to deep dive into all those things you need to know, in order to make an informed decision. Welcome to my honest and thorough Ninja airfryer review!
Please note that all prices and information were correct at the time of publishing. This is NOT a sponsored post. I bought the machine with my own money, and all opinions are my own.
Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer Max 9.5l AF400UK Review
While I chose to get a bigger 9.5 litre version of the dual zone air fryer (the AF400UK model), it’s worth pointing out that you can get a smaller 7.6 litre version (the AF300UK air fryer). If space is an issue, or you only cook for 2-3 people, that might be a better option for you. The only other difference between these two models, as far as I can tell, is that there is a settings dial on the AF400UK, whereas it’s buttons on the AF300UK. The actual cooking modes themselves appear to be the same.
There are other models to choose from. The AF451UK is basically the same as the 9.5 litre AF400UK. But again, it has buttons rather than a dial for the cooking settings. This model also comes with a digital probe to keep a closer eye on those internal temperatures. Very handy for those of you who cook lots of meat, or maybe lack air fryer confidence.
If you want to get the Daddy of all Ninja Foodi air fryers though – the 10.4 litre AF500UK model is probably the way to go. Although I haven’t personally tested this one, I’m incredibly excited by the idea of the so called flex drawer. Giving you the choice to use either 2 separate drawers, or 1 huge drawer. Solving the problem of not being able to cook larger things in your Ninja air fryer double drawer machine, and making it much more versatile than it’s predecessors.
Setting up your Ninja Dual air fryer
Set up is really easy. Other than unboxing the unit, and washing out the drawers before their first use, it’s basically ready to use straight out the box. All you need to do is plug it in and start experimenting!
How to use the Ninja Foodi air fryer
Using your Ninja Foodi air fryer is really very easy. You simply choose your drawer, choose the setting (air fry, roast, bake etc), set the time and temperature, load it with food and hit start. Just make sure to check in a few times during cooking, to keep an eye on things.
While getting used to using an air fryer, and cooking things to your liking, can take a little time and experimenting, using the machine itself is really quite simple. Although, if you aren’t sure, there is a detailed instruction manual supplied with all Ninja air fryers.
What size is right for you?
I bought a 9.5 litre air fryer, which I think would comfortably feed a family of 4 or 5. If there are only 2 or 3 of you – I’d recommend going for a smaller model.
Unless you want to experiment with cooking bigger things, like baking air fryer cakes or large whole chickens. Then I would suggest still opting for the larger model.
How big is it?
The AF400UK model is 32.5cm high, 41.5cm wide and 27cm deep. The internal measurement of each drawer is 16.5cm wide, 21.3cm long and 14cm deep (11cm with the crisper plate in).
Are 2 drawers better than 1?
The answer to this depends entirely on what you’re going to use it for most. If you think you are likely to cook 2 things at once, that require 2 different temperatures, then I’d say go for a double drawer air fryer. But know that you are sacrificing drawer size to do it.
If you prioritize drawer size, so you can cook larger things like pizza and bread, then I’d probably opt for a single drawer air fryer. But you won’t be able to cook different things at different temperatures at the same time.
If you really can’t decide, then there is the AF500UK model – which can do BOTH. But it comes at a higher price point.
Is it easy to clean?
Yes! Ninja air fryers are incredibly easy to clean. In the year I’ve used mine, I’ve never had a problem with food sticking to the drawers, to the point where I can’t get it off. Not once. At worst, I’ve had to soak the crisper tray and drawers in hot soapy water for a short time. But the food always comes away cleanly after.
Do air fryers save you money on electricity?
I’m almost certain that I have saved money on my energy bills, as a result of utilising my air fryer more than my oven. Air fryers are smaller, take less time to preheat and reduce cooking times by about 20%. All in all, there are definitely savings to be made by using an air fryer.
Air fryer vs oven. Which is best?
Again, this depends on what you would use an air fryer for. And what kind of cook you are!
If you’re more of a batch cooker, or usually cook larger items – your oven will always win. Hands down. Yes, it might be larger and more expensive to run, but if you make the most of it and fill your oven while it’s on, this can help reduce energy waste and keep your bills down.
However, if you’re more of an ‘only cook what you need now’ sort of person – an air fryer might be the better option. They’re smaller than ovens, so they take mere minutes to preheat. They’re great if you’re short on time, as cooking times are faster. And you can cook things at different temperatures at the same time (if you go with a dual drawer air fryer).
Air frying is also often revered as a more healthy way to cook. Given that you need little or no oil.
AF400UK features and settings
The 2 main features of the max dual zone models (besides them having 2 drawers) are sync and match. The match setting automatically sets both drawers at the same timings and temperatures, so you don’t have to manually do it twice. The sync feature (a personal favourite), allows you to set different timings for each drawer, then automatically starts them so they will finish at the same time.
As well as those settings, there are also 6 different cooking modes. Max crisp, air fry, roast, bake, reheat and dehydrate. My most used settings are air fry and bake. Although I love to use max crisp for getting crispy skins on my jacket potatoes!
Pros and cons?
We’ve talked a lot about various points in detail. To make things easier at a glance, here’s a quick side by side comparison to help you make your decision.
Ninja Foodi air fryer review – at a glance
| Comparison | Air Fryer | Oven |
|---|---|---|
| Preheat | Takes 3-5 mins | Takes 15-20 mins |
| Energy | Uses less | Uses more |
| Size | Smaller, but takes up worktop space | Very large, but can fit lots in |
| Temperature | 2 temperatures at once | One temperature at a time |
| Product Cost | £180 – £260 | £500 – £1000 |
| Time | Cooking times reduced by 20% | Takes longer to preheat and cook |
| Batch Cooking | May need to cook in multiple batches | Can cook a lot more at once |
What can you cook in a Ninja Foodi?
As I’ve said before, you are certainly not restricted to just cooking chips! An air fryer can do SO MUCH more than that. There are already quite a few air fryer ideas on Kitchen Mason. And if you get fed up of finding nothing but American recipes on Google, you can always check out this UK air fryer recipes round up. It’s packed full of tasty inspiration, and I do add more to it from time to time.
My advice? Don’t be scared to experiment! But do try not to damage your air fryer in the process. Getting air frying cooking times right can be a great first step.
Speaking of damage, if you DO decide to buy one, make sure you get a cutlery shaped cork pot stand to go with it! They’re perfect for fitting underneath awkwardly shaped air fryer drawers, and preventing worktop damage (see pic above). Plus they look super stylish too!
Conclusion – is the Ninja Air Fryer worth buying?
In my personal experience, it’s been one of the best kitchen purchases I’ve ever made. For our family of 3, it fits perfectly into our daily lives. We use it for everything from making speedy dinners to quick treats, and baked goods to tasty snacks.
I can count on my fingers how many times I’ve actually switched on my oven this past year. That should tell you all you need to know!
So is the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400UK worth buying? For me, absolutely yes. For you? You need to really consider what you will use it for, and weigh up the pros and cons against your current lifestyle. At the £200 + mark, they’re certainly not the cheapest air fryers you can buy, but I do think they are one of the best on the market.
I hope you’ve found my Ninja Foodi air fryer review useful, and it’s helped you in your decision making!
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Recommended product
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I want to hear what YOU think!
Have you got a Ninja Foodi air fryer? Want to share a helpful tip? Recommend an accessory? Or just love this air fryer review? I’d love to know if you do! Tag me in your posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or email me at emma@kitchenmason.com.
About Emma Mason
Emma is a professional blogger. Utilising over 20 years of cooking experience, she’s passionate about making your life easier, one recipe at a time! Drawing on her 12+ year background in recipe research and development, photography, copy writing and marketing, Emma has turned kitchenmason.com into a successful career. Known as ‘the organisation queen’ among friends, she is passionate about creating easy to follow recipes that anyone can follow and enjoy. She lives in Nottingham (UK) with her husband, daughter and 2 naughty cats. In her spare time she can be found reading a good book, training at the dojo preparing for her black belt grading, or dreaming up the next crazy colour combo for her hair!