Ninja Air Fryer (AF101)

I am sure we all have a cupboard full of useless kitchen appliances that either didn't do what we thought (looking at you pressure cooker) or were so impractical (looking at you juicer that takes $30 worth of fresh greens that need to be used so quickly I have to drink the same thing every day for a week). This is NOT one of them. I finally broke down after several friends said I should get an air fryer. I went online and found many that had more bells and whistles, but upon careful examination of their reviews, either found many suspect reviews or found recent reviews with lots of issues from control panels, to handles falling apart, and peeling nonstick surfaces. The complaints were so common across many brands that I am convinced one company is making them and branding them many ways. The Ninja had none of those complaints, and its ceramic coated cook surface did not have the failing nonstick complaints of the others, so I took the chance. I am so glad I did. Not since the microwave or grind-and-brew coffee maker have I added a kitchen appliance I am so happy with and used so frequently. A majority of food I used to re-heat or cook in the microwave is now being cooked in the Air Fryer with way better results. Basically if its something you might want browned or crispy, its the way to go. I have also made lots of food in int from dry rubbed wings that are as good as Wingstop or BW3, to crispy brussell sprouts like a gourmet restaurant, sweet potato fries and slices that are heavenly, perfectly cooked frozen treats like dim sum (that I used to microwave with barely tolerable results). I even used its dehydrator function to make my own beef jerky that turned out better than almost anything I have purchased. Cleanup is a snap, just washing out the nonstick drawer and its removable bottom plate. I would estimate 1-2 minutes to clean. I know this sounds like an over the top review, but I was frankly shocked at how much I use and love this appliance. Note that I am single so for cooking which require a "single layer" this doesn't make a lot, but is perfect for me. If you have a family you might consider getting a larger model. I truly believe everyone would benefit from an air fryer, but there are a lot of bad brands out there. I am very happy with my Ninja and recommend the brand. If you look at others, be sure to not just look at the "average rating" ( I have seen lots of obviously fake ratings with bad english and the rating being a cut & paste of the product description). I suggest sorting on the newest ratings, and negatives and if you are like me, you may see some trends that will lead you back to the Ninja brand. Pros: - Incredible results for any food you want crispy, not "microwave" rubbery - Very little to no oil needed - Much faster than an oven, heating is quick and the top heating element crisps things beautifully - Easy to use and cleanup - wash the drawer and removable bottom plate in about a minute. - Reheat foods quickly and while remaining crisp - Permanently attached handle (many units have a clip on with many complaints of it failing and dropping hot food) Cons: - Despite the rounded rectangular appearance, the drawer is round. That is not the best shape for cooking some things (like bacon, that has to be cut in half to fit) but all of the rectangular units I found had many quality issues, etc. so I am willing to accept it - The handle is permanently attached to the drawer. Many other manufactures had review complaints of clip on handles falling off so this is a plus from that perspective but makes cleaning a bit harder

I wasn't sure about getting an air fryer at first. I did the usual research, watched way too many YouTube videos, and went back and forth for months before finally pulling the trigger on this Ninja. And honestly? I'm glad I did. It's easy to set up, simple to use, and cleans up quicker than I expected. The ceramic basket is a nice touch, especially since we have a pet bird and wanted to avoid any Teflon concerns. Right out of the box, there was a bit of a plastic smell during the first run, but that faded fast after running it on the patio for a bit. As for cooking, it crisps up food way better than a regular oven fish sticks, chicken wings, even a bell pepper stuffed with turkey and cheese all came out surprisingly good. It doesn't hold a ton, but for two people, it's been more than enough. We've used it regularly for over a year now, and it's still going strong. Time and temp adjustments are easy mid-cycle, and while it doesn't beep to remind you to shake the basket, you get used to checking on your own. My only real advice? Don't try opening a wine bottle while using it, trust me on that one. But seriously, this thing has earned a permanent spot in our kitchen. If you're on the fence, I'd say go for it.

Ok, don't laugh - I'm old when I tried an Instapot (?) years ago that was too darn confusing so I've put off trying to use an air fryer figuring it would be the same. This is SO EASY to use and I eat healthy but my husband eats 3 things: morning hash browns, then dinner is chicken tenders with tator tots or fries. This saves SO MUCH time, and it doesn't heat up my kitchen to 100 degrees and I can sit down and cook and while its cooking, I make my food, which typically doesn't need cooking (fruit, salad). Also, it came refurbished and I was nervous about that, but it works great. Thanks to Amazon for having a refurbish/repackaged option on items for those on a fixed income. Great product!

Get it! it’s easy to use , the 4 quart is a great size it’s easy to clean ,it’s quick to cook with, you can cook endless possibilities in it, it dehydrates I just opened it today and have already used it twice!!

Great purchase - ease of use, cleans up quickly, and chicken was delicious (crunchy)

Bought the 4qt unit on 9/9/2024. The basket style air fryer is my favorite style and this unit works very well! I've used it for frozen items and fresh. Raw chicken legs, thighs and wings turn out crisp and juicy. Steak turns out browned and juicy. It makes awesome "grilled" sandwiches (grilled cheese, etc.). It's mostly easy to clean. Wipe out, rinse out and or dishwasher. At times, I've not placed the tray properly; so, the tray will fall out when dumping food if it's not seated properly. The coating on this machine started flaking off of the basket after the 1st month. Since it wasn't an area that touched food, I have continued to use it. A year later it is much worse, but it is still only the basket losing coating; the tray is good. I'm going to get a new machine and will probably end up with another Ninja. I've thoroughly enjoyed it.

Been having this fryer for 2 weeks now and it has NOT rested yet. I LOVE IT & wonder how I've gone this long w/out one. Before I start bragging on this thing, I am by no way endorsed by Ninja or getting paid by them. I've owned a few Ninja products blenders and still have one that's over 10 years old. They make quality machines. This fryer is a life & time saver...especially if you're a lazy cook. I have been researching air fryers for the past few months and nothing comes close to the Ninja. The basket size isn't the large 5+ quart capacity like the bigger fryers, (Ninja is only 4qt), but this thing cooks so fast you won't miss the extra 1 qt. It comes w/ a crisper that works perfectly, a recipe book and a multi-layer rack. The first night I had it I made wings and I tell you that I will NEVER buy fried chicken again!!! Yes, they were that crispy and tasted much better. I bought the Louisiana fried chicken flour from Walmart, battered the wings, spritzed w/ a little olive oil and had fried chicken in 10 minutes. No greasy mess, no 3rd degree burns from hot oil, and your house doesn't smell like a chicken joint for 4 days afterward. Because the Ninja uses a ceramic coating on their fryers the clean up is very easy. Next, I made sweet potato fries! Had a bag of frozen ones in the freezer and popped those babies in for 10 min. They were crispier than McDonald's. I tried homemade fries but the procedure takes too long. You have to peel, slice, soak potatoes, dry them...I'm just ready to pop them in the fryer and eat! It has been nonstop air fryer cooking in this house! I hit youtube to get a few recipes and it's been on ever since. What I like best about this fryer is it has a dehydrator feature and how fast it cooks. Frozen chicken wings? No problem! Throw them in the fryer for 10 minutes and they're defrosted. I've cooked pizza, fries, wings, reheated food, fried zucchini, and tonight I baked a chocolate cake. Everything came out perfect! Next up is donuts! The only thing I don't like about this fryer is 30 seconds after it finishes cooking it shuts off. I know this is a safety feature but I always have more items to cook. In 2 weeks, I have used my microwave twice, and that was to reheat coffee. Before I forget, I did cinnamon rolls too! I used the canned Pillsbury ones and it normally takes 20 min in the oven. In the Ninja? 8 minutes and that's if you like them brown. I actually could have stopped it at 5 min and they would be perfect. My house smelled like a Cinnabon factory!😛 I have used every feature on this fryer except the dehydrator but I'll be making beef jerky soon. Overall, I am VERY pleased! The best selling feature was the price & the size. The Ninja is much slimmer than some of the bulkier fryers and fits under my cabinet nicely. I'm also happy it only used 1500W unlike some of the larger fryers that burn 1800 which could kill your light bill. The outside of the fryer doesn't get hot so you won't have to worry about getting burned but do take caution when taking your food out. Is it loud? My exhaust fan on my stove is louder than the Ninja. The extension cord on it is long so you don't have to worry about being limited on where you can place it. I think I've covered everything? This thing is THE BOMB! If you're wondering what cookware you can use, just about anything you place in a microwave you can put in the Ninja. I went to the Dollar Tree and bought a few 7" foil pans I use to reheat food & bake in. Also, grab you some silicone tongs while you're there so you don't scratch the surface of your fryer. This thing has been almost as good as a kid getting a new bike for Christmas. You will NOT be disappointed w/ this purchase. Happy & healthy cooking!

It's my first air fryer, I got it a month ago and use it consistently since then. It's really is an improvement comparing to the oven, everything cooks faster and doesn't require a lot of oil. I know some people don't add oil at all but I prefer to spray my potato or brussel sprouts, it brings out more flavor. The size is very convenient, it took less space than a microwave, and I use air fryer more often. Nothing burns, everything is so easy to cook and to clean, I'm very happy with the purchase.