Ninja - Foodi Dual Zone FlexBasket 11QT MegaZone

I know Instant Pot people troll and monitor this subreddit, so I expect to get botted to hell and back as well as attacked for this. That being said, I ordered the Instant Pot Vortex with Window due to the America's Test Kitchen recommendation and people here saying it is good due to that review. I had it for 2 years almost. In that time, the light for the window died, and the LED display also died. Luckily, Amazon let me get my money back. That being said, these defects weren't showstoppers, and it didn't fully die ever. Great right? Well, after the second death I got my money back and got a Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer. I have to say, having now used it for 1 month, using the Instant Pot was like living in the dark ages. Food comes out crispier faster. Max Crisp 240 C is a game changer. My wings went from mid and barely decent to as good as oil fried. I am truly amazed at how much better it is and wanna spread the gospel to avoid the Instant Pot one. To prove I am not a bot or have an agenda benefitting either company, I will say the Instant Pot itself is hands down the best electric pressure cooker system in existence, and I'd fully recommend you buy that over any other one. Also on the flipside, I'd say Ninja devices aren't always amazing because I had their blender / food processor combo and that thing died from normal use after 1.5 years. If you have trouble deciding on your Air Fryer go for any of the Max Crisp Ninja ones. It's a game changer truly. Will post pictures of my wings next time I make them.

get a ninja 10.4l. it has a large single tray that has a removable divider. if you get a dual tray you will find that neither one is big enough.

I got the ninja megazone 11 quart , has a divider do can cook 2 different foods and programs to have both cooked at the same end time. Easy to clean no complaints. Was on sale at cosco

I got the ninja megazone airfryer works great

I got the Ninja AF500 for 149 Euro. Should be around the Same in $. I don't even know where to start of how much I love that thing. U have an insane amount of settings to choose from. And u can go for one big 10,4l Basket or divide them into 2 smaller ones. I made chicken breast with vegetables the other day at the same time. U can choose the temp and time for both sides separately. Worked really well. Not sure if it's the best for that price, but I am well pleased and would buy again. I dont even use the dishwasher because the coating is just insane. Just warm water and a paper towel and that thing is clean and looks as good as new.

Ninja 10l with divider.For best results spatchcock your whole chicken, I cook 2 at the time in an hour.

Love it / easy to clean

I love it! It works great and I use parchment baking paper when I don’t want to clean it. It’s an additional expense but you can get this paper cheap at Dollarama. You can also reuse the paper if it’s not too oily.

We have it. Works great. It’s really big though.

It's a monster, we love it. A teaspoon of oil added and fries, wings , fish all comes out like food pub food

Yes!! It's awesome! One of the best kitchen things I bought.

I have one and find it really versatile.

I love mine. It's great to be able to cook two different things and have them ready at the same time. I was using a single basket one and found cooking multiple batches of something was so annoying.

Use it a lot and love it. Find it very easy to clean

Love it we use ours a lot my wife got those silicone pads to fit in them from Amazon makes cleaning alot easier we mostly use it to cook frozen homemade patties and for chicken breasts and thighs

I love the one we have, it holds a lot.

I love it so much. Super easy to clean

It’s great. Not sure what the gripes about cleaning are? I find it extremely easy to clean Would recommend

I got 2 basket (Ninja DZ401 Foodi) and i love it. I can cook 2 differents meals with their own temperature and time If you hesitate you can go with a model that got a removable divider Ex: Ninja Foodi FlexBasket Air Fryer with 10.41 L (11 qt.) MegaZone

Ninja Flexidrawer Love the optional big drawer For large legs of lamb

Have to ask. Why an air fryer. I have bought one myself. Ninja 10.4 litre jobby . Although I find it useful in some cases it is no sub for my real oven. In fact, air fryers are just small convection ovens. They are not fryers. Steak should not be cooked in the oven 😀Always pan fry. I’m cooking what do you want to achieve? Is it to save money on electric? Air fryers are good at that. Do you want to cook a joint? They are not good for that. Lots to look at. I do use my Ninja but it’s not the be all.

Yeah. Need to adjust timings and heat settings. As someone else said it’s just a small convection oven (no frying takes place 😀) . I have a ninja 10l one with two separate zones. Still use my regular oven as somethings just won’t fit in it. Someone said they cooked a whole chicken in theirs. Small chickens are raised badly so the chickens I use wouldn’t fit in the Ninja. Like with all kitchen equipment, you choose the right one for the job in hand. They are useful but not the nirvana of cooking. They also prove difficult to clean under the heating element so make sure you clean it every time you use it.

LOVE THE [Ninja Flex Basket](https://amzn.to/4fUPeqb)!!

We are also a family of two adults and a toddler, I'm veggie so we mostly eat veggie. And I do like to cook so it's not just throwing in frozen food but it's really good for that too. The only time I use the oven is for baking and I'm pretty sure you can do that in the air fryer but just not got round to it yet. We just upgraded ours to a Ninja that's got a double basket that can do different times and things but you can turn it into one big basket. If you have a really good oven and if it works fine for you then I'm not sure I would bother but if you don't then it's great.

If you can get one we just got the Ninja with a dual basket but you can take out the bit the separates the two baskets to make one mega basket. Best of both worlds!

Yes you can! It's [this](https://ninjakitchen.co.uk/product/ninja-foodi-flexdrawer-dual-air-fryer-10-4l-af500uk-zidAF500UK?gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAnpy9BhAkEiwA-P8N4qstW55BGMIEfemMzTtsr5zqwNiDRcyHAN8s9TKpRlFtoqSRb00U2xoCGI8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) one.

I love the Ninja flexdrawer AF500 it’s a big piece of kit but it’s amazing

I had the Gourmia some years ago and all the basket finished peeled. Then went for a Cuisinart air fryer toaster oven (died quickly) and exchanged it for a Kitchen Aid Air Fryer (great appliance, fair air fryer, very difficult to clean). After days of deep research, I bought the Ninja Flexdrawer 11qt renewed from Amazon and it’s amazing! Amazon recommended a set of silicone inserts which makes cleaning a breeze.

We upgraded from a honky aldi one to a ninja flexidrawer and its been a game changer. Its a dual zone which can convert to one massive zone, and it's got plenty power to crisp up anything you put in it. It can also cook two separate things obviously, but one savage feature is you can set one zone to come on after the other, such that they both finish at the same time

I returned mine. When using both burners it cooks more like a basic oven where things don't get crispy. Apparently this is an issue with all dual air I got a gourmia one at it's way better, is a single burner though so not as big

I have it and used it about 30 times. Homemade chicken fingers are great but quite a bit of work. Everything else seems to work as advertised. Cavendish fries are great and you should see the amount of grease / oil that comes out of them. The dual aspect is ....meh but it does work. --- The size is wonderful though. no crowding of food Would recommend. (secure paper and foil ... the fan will blow things into the burner.....)

My biggest complaint is that it takes forever when using both zones. It brags that you don’t have to batch cook, but at least with batch cooking I’d have something hot on the table while the second half cooks.

I purchased one a while ago. I've only used it twice, and I find it awkward to clean. The divider and the things the food sit on are fine, but the bucket is pretty big, so it's just awkward for washing.

Second this. Very happy with it and replaced my Corsaira. I think people that are unhappy about cleaning are people that think air fryers don't need to be cleaned? Every air fryer needs to be cleaned often, sometimes less frequently if you're air frying dry rubbed foods. This is one of the best air fryers for the price out there.

I absolutely love the Flex Basket. I thought it might be gimmicky and that I'd end up either never taking the divider out, or never putting it in. Nope, it's about 50-50 for us.

The flex drawer requires one to remove the entire basket to attend to one basket. It is awkward, and you need to be prepared to place it somewhere else before you accidentally spill things on the floor (ask me how I know). The big dual basket is handy. If I want to prepare a big hunk of whatever, the oven is available as always, and can do a great job.

We recently bought the Ninja Foodi flex drawer, and we havnt used our oven since! https://ninjakitchen.co.uk/product/ninja-foodi-flexdrawer-dual-air-fryer-10-4l-af500uk-zidAF500UK We picked ours up for £185 with the sale and blue card discount. On Sunday we did a roast pork shoulder for four. Roasted the park for a few hours first in one side of the air fryer, then while the meat was resting I took the divider out and roasted the potatoes while doing the veg on the hob.

You can still shake it as the handle goes round to the sides. I tend to use silicone tongs though.

Yes, that looks close to mine and the knobs say it does the same thing as mine. Good luck in your search and I hope I helped a little bit.

Get the widest basket you can. Depth means nothing, you want surface area to spread more food out in one layer. The Gourmia one on sale right now stands out in that it can be set to 450 degrees where most top out at 400. The dual basket ones are useful to cook more than one thing at a time but I've found my Ninja model to be inconsistent in temperature between the two chambers and not large enough baskets overall. I am actually planning to go get one of Gourmias today before the sale ends as my larger single fryer died last week! I find that I don't use the bottom tray preferring to just line the bottom with an aluminum foil sheet (the ones at Costco, wonder of wonders, are the perfect size precut sheets) so that I almost never have to wash the basket. I never really make french fries though and for that I would use the insert so that there is hot air forced under the fries and up through them. None of them have plastic cooking surfaces touching food because it would melt at cooking temperatures, while all of them have nonstick coating. If you use the aluminum foil sheets that would prevent contact with that for the most part.

Bought one of those dual zone ninja's a couple of months ago from powerbuy. It's a great bit of kit.

I have a dual basket Ninja air fryer. Best money spent ever. I rarely use my oven anymore.

It's not advisable to make anything "wet". But I have an air fryer and use it religiously, think of it as a mini oven more than anything. I've cooked gammon joints, whole chickens, steak, pork chops, all the veg. Get a duel zone one for sure as they give you more versatility. Martin Lewis often gets mega discount codes on the ninja products if you want to get a decent quality one.

got a ninja 2 compartment air fryer from target for like $100-120, enjoy the helll out of it. completely changed my diet, only thing i dont recommend cooking in it is raw ground meat. you dont get a good sear so its just a mushy mess. i do hard boiled eggs, chicken, and veggies frequently in it. lmk if u have any questions

I have the Ninja - double. Highly recommended it!!

I personally prefer the dual - then you can cook different kind side by side. For me more flexible.

I love the dual because as told more freedom cooking different in both compartments. Flexible. Well I think you can do pizza i haven’t tried that out -if pizza I use my pizza oven 🥰😋 but I can highly recommend to two compartment Ninja. I think in the long run you’ll get tired of the lack of freedom- always planning- the time and temperature. I love my air fryer ❤️ I haven’t cooked in my oven since I got it. Easy to clean as well hallelujah! I hate oven cleaning!! 🫣😅

Yes, the Ninja Foodi is one of the best air fryers. It has great feedback and reviews.

Dual basket Ninja is the bees knees

Use it every week - sometimes everyday

I own a double basket Ninja. I use one basket most of the time but for about 1 in 4 meals, I use two baskets, eg burgers on one side and fries in the other

On my Ninja, each basket is separately controlled. So, YES

It’s amazing! ETA: this is our second air fryer and it has worked amazingly. Being able to cook 2 different things at once has worked perfectly and having the option to remove that divider and make one big airfryer has also been a giant help. Everything comes out great, have had zero complaints about this model.

I have a Ninja dual basket air fryer and it’s great for my needs. We keep one basket for veg or other vegetarian foods; meat and fish goes in the other. Someone has commented on extended cooking times when using both baskets at the same time but that depends on where you are; it may be a factor worth considering if you’re in the US but it’s not the case for the UK (or the rest of Europe).

Same, I did just purchase a stainless steel pot because my nonstick coating was starting to chip. Otherwise the things been trouble free.

Have it. No issues at all. Would buy again.

Everyone is saying go big... i downsized from a dual basket ninja to a cosori pro le. they had it in white that matched my kitchen. it also goes to 450, which i like.

Ninja Foodi, has an air fryer function built in that works great

I've owned several different brands, I too now own this Ninja with the double basket, best most reliable and longest lastest one I have owned so far... Definitely would recommend it

I have both Ninja types. For the flexi with megazone, you can still use it like the dual, in the picture you can see the lady sliding in a divider that creates a barrier between the two zones. The settings are for zone 1, zone 2 or megazone. It has the functionality of the dual zone for being able to match or sync zone one & two so if cooking two separate things they can be timed to cook together. The real advantage it has over the dual is if you’re cooking something larger, I recently did a 2.2kg bone in leg of lamb and there was no way that would fit in the dual, but remove the divider in the flex and use the megazone and it was perfect. Only downside (& it’s small) is if I use the flexi for example to cook a few fish fingers for a quick sandwich, I can just use zone 1, same as a dual, but to clean I have to do the whole larger basket not just one smaller one of the dual. But they are easy to clean, you can put parchment paper under the crisping trays or Amazon sells accessories like silicone liners, racks that fit etc.

Ninja Foodi!!

Love my Nina foodi, aside from the size of it

No, there is another model that has a large single drawer that can also be divided, but the standard two drawer model has a solid element in the middle that would prevent a single drawer

I just got a Ninja Foodi Megazone as a gift. I've been loving it!

Ninja dual baskets, the larger size one!

Nice! I got the Ninja dual zone for Christmas and love it!

I’ve made chicken wings, chicken tenders, and hard-boiled eggs so far. My husband will be making a steak tonight for the first time so we’ll see how that’ll turn out. 😊

No, the taste didn’t change, but the texture of the chicken wings is a lot better than baking them in the oven. Also, I heated up so frozen fries, and they were so crispy in the air fryer. 😋😋

Me and my bf just got this recently and we LOVE IT! We got the dual basket ninja foodie

Second this. I have the kind with two baskets. Not only does it allow you to do two things at once, but also it’s on the upper range of total volume you can cook as well if you’re making a large portion of something

Got the Ninja dual basket for Black Friday. I freaking love it. Great for chicken and fries at the same time.

We love it and use it much more than the oven. We're a family of four and started with a supermarket cheap one then decided to get a ninja one with a double basket, it's the best appliance I've ever bought. It was also really helpful when cooking a million different things over Christmas and boxing day.

I have both the Ninja twin basket and the Insta. There is convenience in the Ninja and it does a good job nut the Insta is better in terms of cooking plus it comes with a rotisserie and a spinning basket. It also wants to warm up before you put in the food. However, for your parent who would be new to the device, the Ninja might be better.

I love my Ninja Foodie, not only is it a fantastic air fryer, it has so many other functions that I use

We got the ninja foodie and got rid of our slow cooker.

I have a double basket Ninja, it can definitely cook enough wings for 4 people. Or wings and fries for two. I cook veggies in there all the time, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, carrots- toss them in olive oil first.

Same. I bought the Dual basket Ninja foodie and immediately regretted it. Shortly after I bought a cheap 8 qt from Stokes for under $100 and now use it almost exclusively. Should have sent the Ninja back while I could, but now it's a backup for the day the cheap one dies I guess.

I LOVE my Ninja Flexbasket!

I have the ninja speedi and love it. It's got so many settings that I barely use my oven anymore. I proof bread in it, cook bread in it I've dehydrated fruit, it has a sous vide function, and a steam setting (I steam veggies and dumplings), and even a saute function so I've cooked things I'd otherwise cook on the stovetop when I don't feel like dirtying another dish. If you go with the ninja 2 basket, there's a model out there where you can remove the centre to make it one big basket in case that might be of interest to you.

I have the ninja speedi. We use it for so many things, air frying, proofing and baking bread, steaming veggies, I've even used the dehydrate setting to dehydrate fruit. We use it daily. Mine did break outside of warranty and I immediately ordered a new one, same brand and model. Edit to add: I have a few friends who have the ninja foodi and really love that too. I've read a lot of reviews on the two models. It seems the speedi has a slightly better air fry feature, but the foodie has a pressure cooker setting, so it depends on what people are looking for. I know some who really love their regular ninja air fryer as well. If I was in the market for a new air fryer I'd honestly check out the ninja ones, they really do seem to make a product worth investing in.

I have the ninja double cooker and I love it! Anything Ninja-brand is always a worthy investment for me

We have the ninja dual basket.... I regularly use basket 2 alone. Just turn the power on, then click the 2, and then do the settings.

I just bought a Ninja Foodi, love it

That's what I have. It's amazing.

Treat yourself to the double cooker Ninja, I think I’d cry if it died on me, I would seriously go into debt to buy a new one

There would definitely be a small period of mourning!

That’s the one, I use mine everyday!

Just upgraded to the double cooker ninja and I'm in love. Managed to snag a gently used one for $70 on a marketplace app. Definitely feels like a score

Ninja Foodi I love mine so much.

That's the Ninja with the FlexBasket. Use it as two baskets or remove the divider and use it as one big basket. It's a game changer.

Honestly, I never wanted an air fryer, then my bf bought a Ninja. It does take up a decent amount of space on the counter, but I removed my toaster oven, which took about the same amount of space. It has 2 baskets that can cook on separate or the same temps, and it will regulate the time so they finish cooking together if cooking on different temps. It may be more than you're looking for, but I'm pleasantly surprised.

Air fryer. Have a double sided Ninja. It’s amazing for wings. If you get an air fryer just make sure you get a big one. And being able to shake the basket is clutch!

We also really like our Ninja dual basket. I like having the ability to cook at different temperatures and for differing times, as I'll often bake a potato on one side and roast tofu on the other.

I've used both oven door and basket and I like basket for daily use and to me its crispier with less oil and clean up is easier. If you dont use it very often oven style ok too. They do have ninjas that convert the 2 baskets into one I think that may be worth the investment.

Really? I've never noticed that with my Ninja! I'll have to pay closer attention next time.

I did! I use it all the time, but I never noticed a difference... That being said I always preheat my baskets

Glad to see this and I wanted to echo the same. We’ve had our Ninja Foodi for 6 years and use it 2x a week at a minimum. It will die eventually, but I definitely feel it’s a worthwhile buy.

Same. It's fabulous. If my wife had met it before she met me, she'd have married it.

Yes, I have this one, and I absolutely love it.

Double sided ninja. Get the biggest one you can afford/fit.

The double sized Ninja one with the removable divider. It's great, we use it far more than the oven.

My Ninja Foodi came with a non-stick pot, but I bought a replacement stainless steel pot on Amazon. I also replaced the non-stick rack with stainless steel. If anyone is concerned about the inner pot it’s easy to replace. Worth a little extra investment to protect our birds.

Same here. Just buy a replacement pot and the problem is solved.

I have a ninja air fryer and I absolutely love it. I’m with you on the extra functions as I don’t ever use anything but air fryer mode but the model I have and the reason I bought it is because it has a smart finish and match cook functions. Mine has two baskets and if I set the first basket and then push match cook on the second one it automatically programs it the same which is great for making a lot of the same thing like French fries. The smart finish function is awesome because if I’m making lunch for my kids and they want chicken nuggets and French fries and they both cook for different times at different temps that function will sync the times up so both things finish at the same time. It’s amazing and I highly recommend that function exist regardless of what you buy. Having two bins alone is amazing but I use the shit out of smart finish. I got my ninja air fryer at target. I don’t recall the price.

Ninja Foodi which is both. Both things are very nice to have and very different, to be honest.

Ninja Foodi! I, too have a very small kitchen and I use my ninja every single day. You can cook just about anything you want in it. I don’t even own a microwave anymore because it’s just as easy to use the Foodi for everything.

Ninja foodi is amazing. I love the pressure cooking/steam and crisp for frozen chicken breasts, slow cooling big beef roasts on sale, air frying frozen processed foods like nuggets etc etc It can be a little annoying to clean but it’s worth it. My most used household cooking appliance by far

I have an air fryer and I have never had better wings and left over pizza in my life! I have the ninja one with the 2 baskets.

We have this one as well. The one thing that bothers me is that I can't take a drawer out to tip the contents onto a plate as I would with the other model

I’ve never had any problems with any of my Ninja products (bullet, double stack XL, or slushi), but I will say that their instructions are more detailed than most, plus obviously they are more expensive, but I think that has to do a lot with product reputation.  The only thing I don’t like about the double stack is that the top rack is so narrow. After finding[ this thread on Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/user/No-Competition-5766/comments/1i5jdq2/air_fryer_models_comparison_spreadsheet/) and comparing the different Ninja models, I think that the Foodi might be a better fit for me. I thought I’d share, though, as you can compare all the different brands.

A little late to this party, but Ninja Foodi(I think) changed my life. Air fryer, saute, slow and pressure cooker all-in-one

I have the Ninja dual basket. If we're using both at the same time, the cooking times jumps up like 50% Don't know about "cross contamination" but there is a wall between the two baskets

I have the Ninja dual basket and use the match cook feature all the time, Works great. Different temps on each side, no problems at all. I use it so much it stay on the counter every day.

I just got the ninja foodi and it's been great so far.

I love my Ninja Foodi air fryer

That's what we have. I'd love the one that's stacked, though. Mainly because it takes up less counter space and can cook 4 different things at once.

I would want to get a stainless steel one, and r something without teflon/non stick. I have the two basket ninja and I really Like it but the non stick bothers me

Coming back. As someone with two ninja foodi's and have recommended them for about 2 years now. Mine died just recently at the 2 year mark and they wont do anything about it. I have the big one remaining with the thermometer and I hope it lasts.

The Ninja Foodie Flex Basket. You can have it be a dual fyer with different temps on each side or you can take out the divider to cook more or something bigger and make it a "megazone" with utilizes both sides at the same time.

I have a Ninja Foodi air fryer that is still going strong after 5 yrs of usage and it is still geting use multiple times a week.

I just got mine last year after my instant pot went kaput and I love it! I was without an oven for thanksgiving and I roasted a chicken in it!

My first foodie lasted 4 years, 2nd one 1 year 😔

Just get a ninja they’re cheap and amazing. Get the one with two baskets.

I like the ninja mega zone. It has a split basket design with a removable divider and two heating and fan units

Yeah, our sockets give out 3kW. I was amazed when I learned that the US models have to throttle the heating elements when using both sides! I can't fathom how confusing that must be for timings.

This is the issue: in the US kitchen sockets don't give out enough juice to use both sides at the same time. This isn't the case in most of the world, so our dual draw airfryers aren't limited. I can't imagine how confusing it must be too have to use different cooking times depending on if you're using one drawer or both!

Yep, I'm off-grid so can see the power draw very easily. Crazy to think that our regular 13A sockets are all 3000W, with ovens etc. often being 3,840W (16A), whereas the in the US kitchen sockets are only 1800W.

What's it say in the manual? Something along the lines of "if using both baskets add 50% to the cooking time"?

I'm guessing you're in the US? Your sockets can't give out enough juice, so if using both baskets they get throttled down. Outside the US we don't have that problem. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to cook when the time and temp settings change depending on if you're using one or both baskets! Ninja should have made the US model with two separate plugs, one for each side.

I got the same air fryer as you and yes I was disappointed as well. I still use my single use one.

The Ninja dual zone is great. You can cook a protein in one side and a veg or starch on the other. Look for sales at Canadian Tire and Amazon - they often have good discounts available.

I considered it but opted for the two basket version because the two basket version was on sale at the time. I’ve since wondered if the flex would have been better … still curious. I’ll be watching here to see what others have to say.

That was my thinking when I opted for the discounted 2 basket version. I’ve cooked bone-in skin-on chicken breasts using the sync function. It fits two breasts per basket. They turn out amazing. I’ve wondered if I could fit 6 breasts in the flexi basket because without the dividing wall I think you would gain a fair bit of space … not sure though.

Thanks for the info. When my son moves out of a dorm and into somewhere he needs to cook I might send him with the dual basket ninja with a tray type.

I considered it but opted for the two basket version because the two basket version was on sale at the time. I’ve since wondered if the flex would have been better … still curious. I’ll be watching here to see what others have to say.

That was my thinking when I opted for the discounted 2 basket version. I’ve cooked bone-in skin-on chicken breasts using the sync function. It fits two breasts per basket. They turn out amazing. I’ve wondered if I could fit 6 breasts in the flexi basket because without the dividing wall I think you would gain a fair bit of space … not sure though.

Best one out there!

Highly advise the dual basket version

I assume the two basket version has the sync? In that case I don't see you much if a functional advantage to the flex. Obviously one large basket could help you bake something of a greater length, but basket air fryers aren't generally good for large single items anyway.

I have a Ninja Foodi that has been my primary device for years, bought one of these to combo with it as I couldn't pass up the pricing, and I actually use it more often my Ninja now! Of course there are certain functions that only my Foodi is capable of, but when it comes to plain ol' air frying the Gourmia is great

Ninja Foodi, used multiple times a week since April of 2020

Double basket ninja. It's the best I've ever owned. Do not go for the cheap recommendations, I used to have a cheap gournia and another cheap brand (both were ~50 bucks), not very consistent, didn't cook all parts at same speed, etc. I love to cook everything in my ninja, lately I've been into cooking frozen steaks, better than sous vide etc and much easier and leave the best crust

If you’re dropping up to $300 on an air fryer, you’re in prime territory for getting something that’ll genuinely make your life easier (and make you wonder why you didn’t upgrade sooner). The Breville smart oven air fryer is definitely a high end choice. It’s basically an air fryer + toaster oven hybrid, so if you want something that looks sleek and does more than just air frying then go for this! But if you want a straight up air frying powerhouse, the Ninja foodi dualzone is AMAZING. Two independent baskets mean you can cook different foods at different temps at the same time (no more waiting for round two of fries!). The Cosori dual blaze is is also really nice. It has heating elements on both the top and bottom so you don’t even need to flip your food mid cook. I actually came across [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/airfryerhacks/comments/1izsvbo/confession_my_air_fryer_might_be_my_soulmate/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) that breaks down different models and why an air fryer is pretty much a kitchen essential. Might help you narrow things down!

Okay so ignore me if this is out of budget. Get rid of the slow cooker and instant pot and get the ninja foodi. It has an air fryer, slow cooker, and instant pot settings. Frees up some space and you have a gadget that does all of them.

I have a Ninja Foodi and I use it a lot! It has an air fryer, pressure cooker, steamer etc and I use most of the functionality it has and it saves me so much time!

There are a few, if you have an instant pot they make their own air fryer lid if you want to save space but if you just want a dedicated one: ninja, cosori, and instant are solid brands that have dual basket models. That being said I’m still using a cheap 35$ chefman with rotaries that I’ve had for over 5 years that I’ve been waiting to break so I can upgrade but it keeps on ticking

I recently upgraded air fryers from my old trusty ninja foodi (the pressure cooker combo) to a Instant Pot Vortex XL with the dual basket. its opened up a bunch in terms of useability & ease of use. However to do again I would of gone for the Foodi with the Flex Basket. Id give up the extra quart of capacity to get the flexability of that big basket for when I am doign something that doesnt fit well in the smaller side by side baskets.

We use our Ninja Dual Basket every day, best purchase ever

The foodi is the best!

Check out the Ninja Foodi. We love ours. Makes perfect rice and so much more. Insta pot/pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker and rice cooker all in one. The only downside is it’s kinda big because of the extra air fryer lid. The pressure lid is always attached. Also the pot is dishwasher safe and is more ceramic like. Makes better rice than a rice cooker and better pulled pork than a slow cooker.

I got this for Mothers Day (my choice lol) the very first year it came out. It’s literally our most used appliance in the kitchen. The two baskets are so great, it LOOKS nice on the counter too! It saves so much time, especially on snacky-packy night (when we just air fry all the left overs and half empty bags of whatever in the freezer, it’s fun and free!) I’m totally biased FOR the Ninja brand though. I love them, their customer service, and allllll of their products! We’re moving in with my in laws while we build our house and that’s one thing she’s asked me to *not* put in storage 🤣

I have the Ninja with 2 baskets. I also have a single basket Cosori. I like both of them. Cosori just wasn't big enough. The only thing I don't like with the Ninja is that it doesn't have a preheat function. You can preheat, but just have to do it manually. Easier with the Cosori. I am happy with both of them. Just depends on if you want to cook 2 different things at once. I often make fish or chicken in one basket and veggies in the other.

I agree. Our big oven took a dive, but when I saw I could convection roast a whole chicken in this thing, I went for it. Haven’t even looked at the oven in three months. Got rid of the Gourmia air fryer and my toaster and couldn’t be happier. It does everything, and well.

Not BIFL but Ninja Foodi took an absolut beating from us. It's slowing down but considering how much use we've got out of it I am damn impressed.

We use ours literally everyday. Prob like 6 years too. I find it takes a while to heat up now it's on its way out but we rely on this so much.

Yeah, this is weird - Ninja in the US has always said the opposite and people recommend them highly for that reason. I can even feel that mine are not like non-stick pans, it's definitely ceramic and not fully non-stick. I wonder if something changed, or if this is one of the things Europe/UK have less health restrictions compared to the US? We have a huge movement of objects being healthier for us, including pans and bakeware made without these chemicals. I feel like I mainly see the PTFE/PFOA-free pans compared to those with, now, even in cheap places like Walmart.

I vote slow cooker because most things you make in one reheat well and often taste better as the days go by. I have three air fryers, one is a Ninja Foodi which functions as an air fryer, pressure cooker, slow cooker, yogurt maker. It does a great job air frying and pressure cooking, but leaves a lot to be desired as a slow cooker and yogurt maker because it gets too hot. I also have an Instant Pot I use a lot, but not as a slow cooker, it’s just not the same.

FYI, the Ninja Double Stack is designed much different than normal air fryers as [the heating elements are on the back](https://imgur.com/HN1HDHI) instead of the top. So instead of flipping or shaking the food half way through, you'll have to rotate 180°. Which means you have to pull the racks completely out. I think it's a bad design and there's several posts on this sub and on Youtube of people complaining that it doesn't cook evenly. I personally have the Ninja FlexBasket and really like the flexibility of two separate cooking zones or one large one. [Here's a good review video pointing out some of the pros and cons.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0lyrk2ayPg)

For a beginner the main things to know is that an air fryer is just a fan blowing hot air on your food from above. They work best when the food is spread out in a flat, shallow layer. So you're better off to go with more surface area than depth. I also cook for just myself and I have the Ninja FlexBasket. It has a large basket with a removable divider allowing you to make two things at once at different temperatures, or just one item in either one side or using the entire basket. Whatever you get you'll love it. They're as easy to use as a microwave and you can throw just about anything in them.

Second the ninja foodie. I use mine all the time and the air fry function is great.

Ninja Foodi - probably not as good/convenient as a dedicated air fryer for the actual air frying part, but it can also sauté/simmer, slow cook, pressure cook, steam air fry (good for chicken breasts so don’t dry out), dehydrate and apparently 8 other functions but I’ve not used them lol. Makes for a very useful gadget! Negative is it’s a pretty big unit of a thing, so storage can be an issue. Also the lid flips open so you need room above to be able to open it which may limit where you can use it if you have cupboards above all your sides.

I have the Ninja dual basket and yes they work independently. But they don't both work at peak heat at the same time- stuff takes longer when both are running. >like vapors or whatever floating between the 2 baskets The two compartments are not air tight but they are completely separated. I would say zero cross-contamination happens, but if "vapors" scare you I don't have an answer as "vapors" will permeate the entire room regardless. Vapors are largely smells and she will always be able to smell what you are cooking.

So, I started with one of these dual basket fryers a few months ago. What I noticed was that I almost always ended up using both baskets because they’re deep but not wide, and since you want one layer for maximum crispiness, I needed both baskets to get in all my food without stacking. Because I was using both baskets all the time, it cooked significantly slower - the dual basket Ninjas only run at full power if you are using one basket. I realized pretty quickly that I’m not going to cook whole chickens or other items that require a lot of vertical room - I have nice convection double ovens for that - so the deep baskets were pointless. What I needed was a big, wide, flat air fryer, so I got the Typhur Dome and have been very happy.

I have same and have always wondered why the cooking time jumps so dramatically when using both sides ….. in theory they have separate fans and heating elements so I don’t really get it

Ok thanks - that makes sense now

Is this an American thing because my dual Ninja cooks in the same time regardless of how many baskets are used, must be the voltage difference.

I think it depends where you are, I'm in the UK and I have not noticed this phenomenon at all?

13 amps, just had a look and my AF300UK is rated at 2400 watts.

Word of warning though, mine just stopped working when I had both trays running on max crisp setting. I found out one of the thermal cutout fuses had blown because it had gotten too hot, I replaced the fuse (absolute pain in the arse) and got it working. I'm not using max crisp again!

Yeah I've used it regularly with one draw with no issues, mine is under some cupboards on the countertop so maybe the ventilation wasn't adequate for double max crisp!

Ninja Dual Basket. I forget the model name.

We had one, we ended up giving it to my dad and kept two basket fryers. The ninja dual and the one from Costco. For us personally, we like the basket ones a lot more.

Honestly, the food we cook and the clean up. It seems to be taboo, but I throw our baskets in the dishwasher and have for years without issue. The tray had the rack and the under tray that seemed to get dirtier based on what my spouse cooked sometimes, and maybe some of what I cooked. But overall I found the dual baskets to be a lot more convenient. We cook different things in the baskets, at different temps and times, and it saves a lot of time. I would say it depends on your needs. The tray one we had also had a rotisserie function among other things, but we didn't use it. but it was a neat addition for those who may.

I have 2 Ninjas. Single and double basket. Going for a third front load. Had them before Covid and ran them consistently. Would buy again and I will.

I have both a single and a double basket. You can debate the use of a double vs a single basket BUT, what is undeniable is the engineering behind each. Hear me out: Assuming both units have 1650 watts power the single basket will have one motor and one heating element to handle the full force of 1650 watts. The dual basket will have 2 smaller motors and 2 smaller heating elements to share the 1650 watts of power. In short, the single basket will give you more performance for your dollar. But, that’s just my take on it. Ask around but my next Ninja will be a single basket front load. Enjoy.

Had a PowerXL one that worked great for about 5 years of near daily use before it bit the dust last year. Got a Ninja Foodi to replace it and have been pretty happy with it. I really like that it folds away when not using it to save on counter space and that its big enough to make a meal for the whole family.

It’s amazing honestly I love it it has so many options, 2 racks, a light, half way turnover timer, tons of cooking options such as baking, roasting, broiling etc. it also doesn’t have PUFAS/ PFAS or whatever all that stuff everyone is concerned about. The top rack also doubles as a cooling rack. It’s a bit of a pain to clean but that’s the same thing with most air fryers since they need ventilation holes in the surfaces to effectively circulate the hot air. The window is nice to be able to see your food. It’s a pretty nice size, enough to put enough food for 2 adults and 2 kids. It also comes with a cool little laminated air frying guide that shows about 60 different foods and how long to cook them for, what temp etc. it’s definately better than your typical chef man and lower end fryers priced at this range but if you’re looking for something a bit nicer around $120 I recommend the ninja foodie.

I've got gifted Ninja Foodie which can air fry and do a bunch of other stuff. I only use it for the other stuff (like baking, toasting, or pizza) because it's a pain to clean up after frying. For that stuff, I still use the old cheap air fryer I bought years ago off Amazon with a plain square non-stick pull out basket drawer and 2 manual dials (temp and timer) for controls. It continues to do the job well. Couldn't tell you the name. Never cared. Point is, don't overthink it. A dedicated purpose-built air fryer is the way to go for anything greasy or messy.

Just purchased a new air fryer as our 4 year old one was dying. I did a lot of research, as I do with most things I buy. I was already leaning toward one that had 2 sides and could be programmed differently. I don’t know how many times I made more than one food item and had to cook them one at a time. I purchased a dual zone Ninja and I love it. It can also be programmed so that both side cook on the same setting if you cook one thing and need both sides. Highly recommend.

I love mine. The match cook function and smart finish is a game changer

No double heating here as well

It makes it so both baskets finish at the same time.. i.e. Steak at 400 degrees for 10 min and potatoes at 350 for 20 min.. they both finish at 20 min

I do have issues with the smart probe.. never seems to get the desired doneness

I have noticed like you, it takes a bit longer, but being able to 2 things in separate basket is amazing. With a family it is just needed imo, but when I was single I did everything in it and only used the oven for pizza and roast potatoes. There is only so much power ot ca take from a plug.

Yeah, it should be like your old one if only using one side, that what it feels like to me. I could never go back to a single draw.

We’re on our 6th air fryer, 3rd Ninja, due to “upgrading” and I still say my favorite of all is the Ninja with double baskets. The cool “indoor grills” and 20 in 1 devices are nice and all but I miss our regular old air fryer.

I tried this one briefly but felt the baskets were a little too small compared to what I was used to. Went with the Instant which has 4.5 qt baskets instead of 3.5 qt and I'm very happy with it. [Amazon.com: Instant VersaZone 9QT Air Fryer, 8-in-1 Functions with EvenCrisp Technology, Crisps, Broils, Bakes, Roasts, Dehydrates, Reheats at Same or Different Temperature, from the Makers of Instant Pot, Black : Home & Kitchen](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B18VW7VS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1)

Yes, that would be plenty big enough and a great addition. The one you posted was only 7qt which may be sufficient, but I recommend getting the biggest one you can afford/have space for as it makes the device much more useable.

I’ve had a Ninja Foodi for years. Usually more than £100 but think you can get manufacturer refurbs off of eBay for close to that price. It’s more than just an air fryer. It also has pressure cooker, sauté, roast, dehydrate as well as other functions I don’t use. Best use for me is for sausages, can get up in the morning, chuck them in there for 13 minutes and they’re done without having to tend to them. Also use the pressure cooker for curries, and you can brown the meat in there first before switching to pressure. Mrs even used it to dehydrate orange slices to make her own Christmas wreathes. We wouldn’t be without it.

I have it and I use it all the time. Best air fryer I ever had.

The Ninja Foodi and Cosori Pro are two of the best air fryers for even cooking, large capacity, and versatility. Instant Vortex Plus is another great choice with multiple functions like roasting and dehydrating. If you want something high-end, Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer is excellent.

Ninja Foodi Dual Zone for multi-cooking, Cosori Pro LE for a compact design, Instant Vortex Plus for versatility, Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for premium features, and Philips Premium XXL for large portions.

Top air fryer picks include Ninja Foodi Dual Zone for multi-cooking, Cosori Pro LE for compact efficiency, Instant Vortex Plus for versatility, Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for premium features, and Philips Premium XXL for large portions.

I bought a Ninja Foodi on sale for $189 and it lasted 4 years until the lights wouldn't come on in it anymore. It still fried and toasted at least 2 times a day everyday though. So we bought the same model again since the lights are not replaceable. Not technically BIFL, but we think it is worth every penny and inch of counterspace it takes up.

Ninja foodi is my holy grail. I’ve had it for 5 years. I do everything with it. I couldn’t recommend a better one. Super plus is you can remove the cooking basket and wash it. It’s not connected to plastic. Easy to clean. Lots of function. Pressure cooking, baking, dehydrating, slow cooker, air fryer. List goes on.

I was against getting an air fryer because I figured it would just be one more appliance taking up space but my partner bought one anyways and we use it multiple times a week. It isn't just awesome for stuff that would normally be fried, or for reheating crispy stuff. It also cooks lots of other stuff faster than an oven or stove. We got a double basket Ninja air fryer so we can do potatoes or veggies or whatever in one and meat in the other. It's awesome. It's worth it just for how quick and easy it is to make perfect potatoes in multiple styles alone lol ETA: you don't say how many people you're cooking for though. I'm in a 2 person household so it's easy to cook an entire meal for the two of us just using the air fryer. If you're cooking for multiple people, it'll probably be best to get a double basket one but you'll probably need to use both baskets to make enough of just one thing and then make the rest of the meal conventionally.

I think it depends what style you buy. My mom had a toaster oven type one and I don’t like it as much as my own. Plus gotta wait for it to preheat. I have a ninja foodie that doesn’t need to preheat and it’s what started getting me to cook more. However, cleaning it is a bitch so there might be that regret.

I have a ninja foodi that’s like an air fryer plus a small oven plus a toaster oven (does some other stuff I don’t use too). I use it almost every day. Sometimes I use it multiple times a day. It preheats essentially immediately, so anything that can fit in it (which includes most frozen pizzas) goes in it instead of the real oven. It makes cooking feel like less of a commitment.

yeah, the ninja foodie is Teflon free and it air fries, slow cooks, sous vides, it's like a 12 in 1 gizmo, I love mine.

We have the same one

I have the instant oven and it’s worked amazing. Have had it forever but it’s not easy to clean the inside. So I just bought a basket style. I initially bought the Ninja dual basket and i was not impressed at all. I returned it. It just didn’t cook the food well. Not anywhere near as good as my other one. It shows you can out quite a bit in the baskets but it took forever. So I got the Instant basket 6Qt. It’s so much better. I’ve heard good things about Cosori but never tried one.

I recently bought the Cosori Pro 2 and it completely blew my ninjas out of the water. I had a Ninja Foodi and the Ninja AF101 and Dual Zone (endless cycles of upgrading and gifting to friends who didnt have an air fryer). Got a Cosori as an extra air fryer. It was $48 on clearance at walmart due to the red color not being very popular. The Cosori performs better than the Ninja in a very key aspect, the removable basket design. Since the sides are also detachable from the overall basket, they can add vents to the side of the basket. This allows the circulation of air to the underside even if the basket is completely full. Ninja's removable plate design would always result in a soggy underside if I overfilled due to the air being unable to circulate. In a scenario where both are half empty, they perform the same - slight edge to the Ninja.The removable basket vents no longer makes me afraid of just dumping a bag of fries This is not worth selling your Ninja and buying a new Cosori. These downfalls can be easily solved by preheating, shaking or simply not overfilling. But it's nice to just set it and forget it And just a preference, I infinitely prefer cleaning the dual basket than trying to remove a hot plate from the bottom

I recently bought the Cosori Pro 2 and it completely blew my ninjas out of the water. I had a Ninja Foodi and the Ninja AF101 and Dual Zone (endless cycles of upgrading and gifting to friends who didnt have an air fryer). Got a Cosori as an extra air fryer. It was $48 on clearance at walmart due to the red color not being very popular. The Cosori performs better than the Ninja in a very key aspect, the removable basket design. Since the sides are also detachable from the overall basket, they can add vents to the side of the basket. This allows the circulation of air to the underside even if the basket is completely full. Ninja's removable plate design would always result in a soggy underside if I overfilled due to the air being unable to circulate. In a scenario where both are half empty, they perform the same - slight edge to the Ninja.The removable basket vents no longer makes me afraid of just dumping a bag of fries This is not worth selling your Ninja and buying a new Cosori. These downfalls can be easily solved by preheating, shaking or simply not overfilling. But it's nice to just set it and forget it And just a preference, I infinitely prefer cleaning the dual basket than trying to remove a hot plate from the bottom