Ninja Foodi Review: Pressure Cooker And Air Fryer Combo
PUBLISHED · MODIFIED September 14, 2021 · BY · 1058 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article.· This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases·
Are you curious about the Ninja Foodi, a pressure cooker, and air fryer combination? Recently I did a Ninja Foodi Review and wanted to share my results with you. It’s an air fryer pressure cooker combo so it piqued my curiosity. I knew I just had to see how it worked. This is my unbiased, non-compensated review of the Ninja Foodi.
I did a full Ninja Foodi review video you can watch to see how I used and cooked with the Ninja Foodi. using it both as a pressure cooker and as an air fryer and how that works in a single device.
Best With Pressure Cooker: Instant Pot Pro Crisp + Air Fryer
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Inner pot is stovetop- and oven-safe
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Convenient vent/pressure toggle
Fans of multi-functional kitchen appliances will want to check out this air fryer option from Instant Pot. It comes with two lidsone for air frying and one for pressure cookingthat enable the pot to function as both an air fryer and the classic multi-cooker the brand is known for.
The pot holds up to 8 quarts, which is enough room to air-fry a whole chicken, and is equipped with 11 cooking functions that are sorted by which lid they require. The pressure cooking lid functions are pressure cook, saute, slow cook, steam, and sous vide, and the air fryer lid functions are warm, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate. The pressure cooker performed well with pork ribs, steamed cauliflower, and sauteed potatoes in tests, while air-fried eggrolls and fries were also a success.
Our tester noted the inner pot has some upgraded features compared to other Instant Pot models, including side handles and a flat bottom for even cooking. It can also be used on stovetops and is oven-safe. It comes with a number of accessories, including a multi-use cooking rack, nonstick air fryer basket, dehydrate/broil tray, a protective pad for the lids, and a storage cover. The accessories fit inside the cooker for compact storage. Most of the accessories are dishwasher safe and the rest of the appliance is easy enough to clean.
The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Which Ninja Foodi Should You Buy Or Should You Get The Instant Pot Duo Crisp
I recommend getting either one of the 8 quart Ninja Foodi products or the Instant Pot Duo Crisp. While the 6.5 quart Ninja Foodi is a more manageable size for counter space, it isnt very big for air frying. I have found through my Instant Pot Duo Crisp that I would not want something smaller for air frying functions. You can fit a pretty big chicken in an 8 Qt!
Between the Ninja Foodi products, the 8 Qt OP401 is the best value. Then, at any given time, the Instant Pot Duo Crip might be cheaper. The products are so similar and both get good reviews, so I recommend checking the prices and getting the best bargain that you can find.
I happen to own the Duo Crisp, because I am a huge Instant Pot fan. That seems pretty obvious given the topi of this site right!?! But the Foodi is a great product too.
If you want to make yogurt without trying to figure out how to do it on a slow cook setting, then get the Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL. It is the only one that adds that as a preset. If you really want the Sous Vide function then the Instant Pot Duo Crisp is for you. In all honesty though, I recommend using a true sous vide product over doing it in the Instant Pot. Reports are that the Instant Pot does not maintain proper water temperature well for it. I still need to test that.
Read Also: All Clad Instant Pot
Some Provided Recipes Were Mediocre
The risotto and bread recipes that came in the Foodi’s manual were disappointing.
While some recipes in the Foodi cookbook were missing altogether, others were underwhelming.
The risotto, for example, was mushy and lacking in flavor. I was already skeptical upon reading that the recipe could be made in one pot in just 10 minutes, since risotto isn’t typically known for being quick and low maintenance.
Unsurprisingly, the rice was not al dente, and the recipe lacked ingredients that I’m used to adding in my risottolike onions, wine, and butterwhich resulted in a meh flavor. The consistency was also less creamy and more watery.
I was disappointed by the provided recipe for crusty bread, too. While it was easy enough to follow the instructionsthanks to the handy proofing functionthe results for the recipe underwhelmed. The loaf was flat, parts of the inside seemed undercooked, and the crust was thin and lacking any satisfying crunch.
If you want to get into making bread at homeand are looking for an easy beginner’s recipewe recommend using a Dutch oven instead.
How Is It Different From An Instant Pot
The Foodi is similar to an Instant Pot in some waysthey look almost identical, to start but there are a few key differences.
First, the Instant Pot has 13 functions, while the Ninja Foodi has 14. The Instant Pot doesn’t have any baking or air frying modes, but it does have a rice cooker mode, which the Foodi doesn’t .
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Personally, I also prefer the screen on the Ninja Foodie because it has less buttons than the Instant Pot does. And, the screen will only light up certain choices, so you’ll never be tempted to cross pick the wrong mode with the wrong function.
It’s also worth nothing that the Instant Pot is much cheaper than the Foodi, by a few hundred dollars. But with the added ability to air fry, I think the Foodi is well worth it for the right type of home cook.
You May Like: Instant Pot 6qt Duo Crisp
About The Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer
The latest Ninja Foodi multicooker offers 14 cooking functions.
The latest Ninja multicooker model builds off of its predecessor, with even more functionality and convenience.
It features 14 cooking functions:
This model also comes with four handy accessories: the Smart Thermometer, two layered reversible racks, an eight-quart cooking pot, and a Cook & Crisp basket. The racks, pot, and basket are all dishwasher safe, with the pot and basket featuring a nonstick ceramic coating that’s PTFE/PFOA-safe.
Instant Omni Plus 18l Toaster Oven And Air Fryer
The Instant Omni Plus is a high-performance countertop air fryer oven. With a large capacity to cook up to four servings, its perfect for growing families. The Omni Plus replaces 10 separate cooking appliances to help you create quick, delicious and healthy homemade meals. It features a grill function, EvenCrisp technology for a golden crisp finish and more. Omni Plus delivers the quality, convenience and versatility you expect from Instant and finds it amazing.
Also Check: How Do You Cook Rice In The Instant Pot
The Instruction Booklet Falls Short
I found myself struggling to get accustomed to how this machine works, at first. The provided booklet wasn’t as helpful as I would’ve liked. It doesn’t include photo diagrams describing each piece of the machine, so I had to dig through the Ninja website to find the full manual, which was more helpful.
There were other instructions that were lacking as well, like an explanation of how the steam knob works, and certain core recipes that disappointed me about the included booklet.
When you consider that some folks may not be as tech savvyor have access to the internet at allit’s much more crucial to include all the user information in the provided booklet, rather than hidden somewhere online.
Instant Vortex Vs Ninja Air Fryer
Fried food is a food that has a distinctive taste that is tasty and crunchy. Everyone always says that cooked food has a delicious taste like no other. Almost every fried food has a much more delicious taste than other foods.
The variety of food that is produced always comes with an extraordinary taste. These foods can be in the form of french fries, fried mushrooms, fried chicken, fried shrimp, chips, fried tempeh to fried bananas. All fried foods will be golden yellow and look very delicious.
Even though the resulting taste is so delicious, it turns out that fried food has a bad effect on health. This bad effect comes from the oil used to fry food. If fried foods are consumed too often, the saturated fat contained in cooking oil will trigger cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart disease.
So, to avoid this, many people have switched to using an air fryer instead of a normal frying pan. The air fryer helps everyone to minimize or reduce the bad effects of fried food so that they can launch their diet program without having to avoid favorite foods. One tablespoon of oil contains 120 calories and 10 grams of fat, but you can use less if youre cooking in an air fryer.
When you have to buy one, which one will you choose? Of course, choosing between Instant Vortex and Ninja air fryer is a difficult decision. But you dont need to worry because you can find the best of both through the following reviews. Lets look at the following reviews.
Recommended Reading: How Hot Does An Instant Pot Get
Pressure Cooker Function Of Ninja Foodi
I was very eager to test this out first because if I got rid of my Instant Pot, I would need the next pressure cooker to perform like the Instant Pot.
Im happy to report it worked just as well. I did have an issue with the seal/vent valve but it only happened once so it mightve been a fluke/user error.
Also Check: Emerils Air Fryer Cookbook
Why You Should Trust Us
To curate this list of the best air fryers for 2022, we did well over 50 hours of air fryer testing using a variety of models at every price point. Even the smallest details are taken into consideration when making our picks, and we aren’t shy about revising the list when newer, better models come into our test kitchen. For more, read about how we test products at CNET.
Don’t Miss: Travel Size Instant Pot
Pressure Cooker Air Fryer Combo
I bought the Instant Pot months after it came on the market, when there were NO recipes out there. People were still afraid to use it. SO, I started figuring it out and used it every day for months. Now I have 101+ Instant Pot recipes to show for it.
- Even though it says Instant Pot you can use all of these in the Ninja Foodi using the pressure cooker function.
- AND you can use all of our easy air fryer recipes for it as well, that means two for the price of one.
Should You Buy The Vortex Plus Or Ninja Foodie
Its time for the big recommendation, but first, lets recap:
- The Ninja Foodi has 10 functions while the Vortex Plus has 6 functions. There are both designed with a stainless steel finish.
- Both models have removable dishwasher safe compartments but the Ninja Foodis crisper lid is a bit difficult to clean.
- The control panel is the Ninja Foodi is much better because its easy to navigate and actually has a power button. You can also choose your own cooking times and still use the pre-sets if when you want to.
- Instant Pot has been around since 2010 and have become a reputable brand in its own right. SharkNinja started the kitchen appliance branch of the company in 2015. What they had over the Instant Pot in the beginning was the air fry function.
- Both models are overall in a middle range when it comes to air fryer prices but the Ninja Foodi is the more expensive of the two, costing $199 on Amazon. The Vortex Plus costs $159.99 with significantly less functions and more drawbacks.
The Ninja Foodi is definitely the one to add to your kitchen repertoire. It justifies its large size by being super useful to cook a variety of dishes way faster than more conventional means.
Also Check: How To Make Stew In An Instant Pot
What Is The Benefit Of A Ninja Foodi
- Combines two often used devices in one. Obviously, for me, the air fryer and pressure cooker are two devices I use often.
- Don’t have to move hot food around. Having an air fryer And a pressure cooker in one device means that you don’t have to move hot food from a pressure cooker to an air fryer, so it’s safer.
- Less storage than 2 devices. This is a large device, but since it’s two devices in one, even with its large size it still takes up less room than two devices would. This would also be convenient for small kitchens, dorm rooms, or for those who travel a lot.
- One less thing to clean. Plus it’s one less device you have to clean at the end of the night, which is a big plus for me. Efficiency is key.
- Bake/Roast function. So in addition to serving as a pressure cooker, an air fryer, a steamer, AND a slow cooker, this device is also a small portable oven. This could make the device quite a kitchen powerhouse device if you used all the features of the Ninja Foodi.
What Size Air Fryer Should You Get
While there are several features to consider, the size of your air fryer is likely the most important decision you’ll make. If you’re typically cooking for one or two people, a 2- or 3-quart air fryer should be large enough. Consider adding another quart of capacity to your air fryer for every person that you’re regularly cooking for. A family of five, for instance, should be fine with a 5-quart model. If you plan on regularly cooking full meals for a family including meat and veggies or sides, you might consider a larger, dual-basket air fryer like the Ninja we’ve recommended above.
All that said, the smaller the air fryer you can get away with the better. I’ve found that smaller air fryers such as the Magic Bullet 2-5-quart model and Instant Pot’s Duo Crisp net better results since food is going to get blasted faster and more often than inside a larger model. But smaller air fryers mean less overall capacity, so you may have to cook in batches.
You May Like: How To Cook Short Grain White Rice In Instant Pot
Why You Should Trust My Ninja Foodi Review
- Cookbook Author: I’ve written 5 Instant Pot Cookbooks that have been authorized by Instant Pot.
- Efficient: That’s the only way I know how to do things in the kitchen. Who has time to waste when you’re trying to get food on the table? I’m known for my ruthless efficiency and use the pot in pot cooking method every chance I get.
- Gadget geek!: I’m a self-proclaimed food tech enthusiast and have been known to purchase just about any kitchen appliance I can get my hands on.
The Dyson Pure Cool Purifying Fan Is $120 Off For Labor Day
Are you a ninja in the kitchen? Or a better question, do you want to be?
I certainly did, which is why I tested two brand new Ninja appliances to upgrade my kitchen and enhance my cooking game at the press of a button.
The new Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker and Air Fryer is a high-powered multi-tool that has 12 different settings to steam, bake, air fry and even proof bread to name just a few. It can also multitask, which should impress any home cook, with room on the bottom to make your veggies, rice or pasta and cook your protein to perfection on top.
The Ninja TWISTi High-Speed Blender DUO is another must-have, especially in the current heatwave when all you want is a cold smoothie or refreshing frozen treat. The blender is more than just a blender, as it has settings specific to smoothie bowls for a thicker consistency as well as others that extract nutrients of fruits and vegetables.
First, go order some groceries on or elsewhere online for the fastest delivery and then read on for our take on the two newest appliances in the beloved Ninja family.
This device seriously turns up the heat!
Although not literally, as this multifunctional rapid cooker and air fryer phenomenon didnt get too hot to the touch, even when dehydrating fruit for eight hours or grilling up juicy burgers on a high heat setting.
Features to note:
- Can be combined with oven-safe cookware, pots and pans
- 6-quart capacity and able to cook multiple dishes at once
- Crisper tray included
Also Check: How To Make Sambar In Instant Pot
What’s The Difference Between Air Fryers And Convection Ovens It’s All In The Basket
All of them actually use a variation on convection mode. When you turn on a convection oven or the convection setting to bake or roast in your regular oven, you activate a fan and exhaust system that circulates the hot air more evenly. Depending on your device, it may activate an additional heating element. This cooks your food faster and browns it more it also reduces the moisture in your oven so the food gets crispy and browned on the outside and stays juicy inside.
Countertop versions concentrate all this heat in a relatively small cavity, so food gets extra crunchy.
In an oven, the setting is basically the same as convection except you place your food on a perforated sheet pan or basket that’s designed to let air flow around it and give your food maximum crispiness.
