Ninja - Air Fryer XL (Model AF150WMC)

Make sure you get a decent fan to blow at your fire detector while you use the air fryer. And have the air fryer backside pointing towards an open window. I really like the Ninja pro XL 5 quart. ($79) Super easy to use and clean. And extra insert trays are available on Amazon for like nine bucks, for when yours gets too hard to clean. Don't worry about using liners or anything like that. Just make sure you invest in a good avocado oil spray. If you or your parents have a Costco membership, they've got large avocado sprays in a two pack for a pretty good price.

I imagine “best” is a matter of trade offs and perspective, just like most things. Our Ninja XL has completely replaced our full-size oven, we love it and use it almost every day. There’s a really cheap air fryer in my office’s break room, I realize sometimes budget is the most important thing for some people, but I would never buy something like that one that rarely works, cooks uneven, and looking at the melting plastic parts it looks like it’s going to cause an emergency someday.

I have the Ninja XL and love it, however, you might want to consider just buying one you like with an extended warranty. Normally I avoid those like the plague but they make sense for something like this. Get a 4 year warranty on a $150 AF, knowing with high usage you will cash in.

I love my ninja XL or whatever it is.

I have a Cosori toaster oven style air fryer (some of my kids are all bougie and have Breville and the other a Ninja). All are terrific because they can all make a frozen pizza to perfection. Yes, longer pre-heat compared to a basket...by maybe a minute. My kid with the Ninja XL can make a full dinner with sides all at once for her and her husband, so that versatility is off the charts. I find with the mesh basket tray on my Cosori that I don't have to flip foods and they're much easier to space out to allow the circulation that is the science behind why an air fryer works.

I have the toaster oven style. Got the Ninja Flip one, loved it! Then I got the Ninja XL, love it even more! The Flip takes a bigger tray, but the XL takes two smaller trays. Flip would be great for a single person, the XL is great for my partner and I. I can't imagine trying to cook in one of those tiny basket type. They were never an option for me.

I have the Ninja XL whatever it is (the biggest one they make). Definitely worth getting the larger size. I cooked an entire 8 person Thanksgiving dinner without turning on my actual stove (and the turkey came out better than it does in my stove).

I second Ninja. I use my Ninja Foodi XL almost everyday. I’m almost ashamed. Feels like such a cheat to cooking haha! Gifted it to multiple relatives and they love it too.

I found some of my notes from the comparison. Here's the short version: Cuisinart toaster oven which we already owned \- yes it "does convection" but not really an air fryer. No programs. No probe **Ninja Foodi XL** Small baskets  Proprietary thermometer Loud beep Not too deep Wide At 400 front and sides 125.  Vent 145 Top 75 Loud switching on off.   Loud beeps Just shut off.  No success message Front panel an uneven sticker on buttons Lots of plastic inside and out 65 db Plastic smell when heating first two times **Dreo Chefmaker** Small outside  Big tray Tray with lots of airflow Front 125 Sides 72 Top 80 Says finished Stays cooler outside Small footprint Like the app and clearly picking things.  Quiet and cool Insert food and forget it Made an amazing steak when set on 400 Good steak on Chef mode **Nuwave** (note: this one was the one that looks like an over. EXTREMELY customizable but not very intuitive even for someone like me who normally gets it and can figure things out. I was confused by it.) Front 81 Sides 95 Top 105r Back ?? Big.  If setup 5 inches away from all it’s too big 65 decibels Lots of presets App is very foreign.  Lots of errors and goofy things like you must choose a food allergy Doesn’t tell time remains king to preheat.  Brussels sprouts recipe take 0 time Preheat for unknown time then have to wait around to insert food Cooking steak.  Says 14 min but there’s no way…. Can’t tell how long it will take.   Due to probe cover it’s a pain to. Insert the probe.  Evidently you have to have the probe in when you begin the program or it’s ignored.  Takes two hands to hold food and remove probe.  Also a pain on level 3 with grill insert which blocks it.  Steak was way over cooked and there’s no burger or steak that would ever take 15 min at 425.    Stinks up kitchen more than Dreo. Smells like smoke.  Drip tray is not nonstick and tough to clean Written rack directions differs from machine instruction  Grilled beef burger or steak Second steak.  Used app.  It didn’t do stages.  Why not?   Came out light brown and rare. Set to 125 but after 5 min was just 114. Fail 

I've had all kinds of air fryers including the Ninja Foodi Xl, Breville, Gourmia, and other cheap basket air fryers. The best one I've used so far is the Typhur Dome (currently on sale USD300 on Amazon.com). It produces the best results but its basket height limit of just over 2" is the biggest drawback. Otherwise it's very quiet, easy to clean and has been very reliable.