Foodi FD101

I’ve use a Insta Pot 2 quart air fryer. It worked great for me for 5 years. I just replaced with a 5 quart Ninja. Besides being larger which is no biggie cause it’s just me, I have problems with stuff blowing around in the Ninja which wasn’t an issue with my Instant Pot AF. Also, the old Insta Pot AF had a roast option. I noticed most but not all portable models, no matter the brand, replaced the bake option with dehydrator. Perhaps there are folks who do dehydrate, but I personally don’t know anyone interested in such a feature. I’m thought about gifting the Ninja and going back to a Insta Pot AF EXCEPT the model Ninja I have has a ceramic coating which I love and is supposedly healthier than Teflon.

Yeah, a 5-quart Ninja sounds totally reasonable for what you described 👍 If you’re usually cooking stuff like 4 pieces of chicken, veggies on the side, or meals for two, that size is kind of the sweet spot. You get enough surface area so food isn’t stacked on top of each other (which matters more than total volume), but it’s not massive or annoying to store. If you were meal-prepping or cooking for 4+ people regularly, I’d say go bigger, but for a couple with normal portions, 5 qt is more than fine. That said, before you pull the trigger, you might want to compare it with a couple of other popular options. I’ve written reviews on: • [Cosori TurboBlaze](https://sharkfryer.com/air-fryer-reviews/cosori-turboblaze-air-fryer/) – really fast, strong airflow, great if you like crispy results • [Philips 2000 Series](https://sharkfryer.com/air-fryer-reviews/philips-2000-series-review/) – very consistent cooking and solid build quality Different air fryers handle airflow and basket shape differently, and that can matter just as much as size. The Ninja is a solid pick, but it’s worth a quick comparison so you don’t end up wishing you’d gone another route later.

That’s the one we have. It’s perfect for 2.

Ninja: easy to use, easy to clean. The New York Times also recommended the 5Q as the best one out there for quick even cooking. That’s why I tried it, and I love it,

I just picked up a Ninja Pro 10 in 1 and think it’s awesome so far. I’m picky about my kitchen equipment too.

After reading your post, I wouldn't get a standard air fryer. I also have a tiny kitchen and since I don't air fry every day, it was mostly in the way. However...I did get a Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 which is a bit larger buuut I use it almost daily, especially in the summer, for preparing some aspect of our meals, if not a complete meal. It's not always faster at cooking say French fries, but it preheats faster and contains the heat. Whereas my stove, oven, and previously owned countertop convection toaster oven that was also not used enough and therefore in the way, both radiate so much heat into the space which is great in winter but so extra costly in the summer. That said, I use my Ninja Foodi happily in the winter too when it doesn't make sense to use the oven due to portion size. I have slow cooked with it but prefer to use the pressure cooker in most cases. I also braise, broil, boil, roast, pan fry, air fry, and you could make rice with it but I would be a failed Asian if I didn't have a proper several hundred dollar rice cooker with all the bells and whistles. The only feature I have not used because I haven't taken the time to get myself educated about how to go forward is the sous vide function. I hear it takes a long time so it's not of particular interest to me at this time. I've had ours for almost a year and a half now. I fucken love it.

I love my ninja foodi. It's a 10-in-1. Little above your budget, but it's super worth it. Pressure cooker, sous vide, air fry, crock, all sorts of things.

The Ninja foodi 10-in-1! Its a pressure cooker, slow cooker, air fryer, bake/broil, dehydrator, so many different functions. I've had the pot for ~7 years and the grill for about 3. I reach for the pot more often, and theres a ton of accessories. Pot: https://www.walmart.com/ip/918898489 Grill: https://www.walmart.com/ip/540984234