Ninja Foodi reviews 2019: What reviewers and bloggers are saying
So, you’ve heard a bunch of hype about the Ninja Foodi in your search for an air fryer and/or pressure cooker, but now you’re wondering if it actually lives up to it. You could pore over countless reviews online, but that gets overwhelming real quick. So, we did it for you.
Here you’ll find an aggregation of Ninja Foodi reviews, letting you know the important takeaways like functionality, price, and how it compares to competitors. If you want to see why the Ninja Foodie made our list of the top air fryers (and what else made the cut), then go here.
What is the Ninja Foodi?
You know how the Instant Pot claims to be a one-stop shop for all of your cooking appliance needs? Well, the Ninja Foodi takes that a step further by combining the power of a multi cooker with an air fryer.
The Foodi can pressure cook, slow cook, sauté, steam, and air fry. It also features TenderCrisp technology, which is a combination of pressure cooking and air frying that allows you to rapidly cook ingredients and finish off with a crispy texture. Admittedly, an Instant Pot can’t do that. Good Housekeeping notes that this feature makes the Ninja Foodi stand out from the crowd.
Owning a Foodi is supposed to untether you from having three separate appliances (a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, and an air fryer.) It does take up more space than an Instant Pot or an air fryer on its own, but overall, it reduces clutter.
What makes the Ninja Foodi great
First off, the fact that it takes the place of more than one appliance is a huge plus — that’s why we loved the Instant Pot so much when it came out. And even though it does have a ton of uses, Business Insider says it doesn’t cut corners on any of them.
Not only does Business Insider compliment the Foodi’s functionality, it sings high praise for ease of use as well, saying, “Cooking with the Foodi is pretty much fool-proof, whether you want to make a savory pork tenderloin that falls apart with a poke of your fork, or sweet potato fries that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.”
Image: ninja
It’s simple for entrees, sides, desserts, or whatever else you can think to cook with it. Even if you’re not a professional or following the included recipe guide, Good Housekeeping says the controls are straightforward and intuitive to use.
The position of the Foodi’s pressure release valves are clearly labeled and the control panel features easy-to-use buttons with presets and custom settings.
Where the Ninja Foodi can improve
While the Ninja Foodi is outstanding in tons of categories, there are a couple areas where it could be better.
The biggest complaint across reviews is the lid situation. Because the Foodi is essentially two different appliances, it needs two different lids to carry out the functions. The air frying lid is attached via a hinge and the pressure cooking lid is removable, coming into play only when you need it. TechGearLab calls the crisping lid “borderline comically large.”
While the large air frying lid does swing open to be somewhat out of the way while pressure cooking, Digital Trends notes that it’s not the most ideal design.
Many reviewers also point out that the Ninja Foodi is incredibly bulky, and while it does take the place of multiple appliances, it’s still not a super convenient machine to store.
How it compares to competitors
The Ninja Foodi is bulkier and heavier than other multi cookers and air fryers, but if you can look past that, it outperforms its competitors.
Reviewers rave about the tenderness of dishes they cooked under pressure, and the crispiness of their air fried food, or those finished off with the TenderCrisp setting. In terms of food quality, the Foodi ranks up with the best of them.
MyRecipes states that this machine is easier to clean than an Instant Pot because of the coating on the inner pot and the Foodi’s plastic exterior. TechGearLab agrees about the ease of cleaning, except when it comes to the air frying lid: “Since it's connected to the machine and has a grate that is hard to get into, it's a huge hassle to clean.” (They really dislike that lid.)
As for features, the Foodi really can do everything a standard Instant Pot can do. The added air frying functionality makes the Ninja Foodi a standout appliance that doesn’t really have many direct comparison competitors at the moment.
Is the Ninja Foodi worth the price?
The Foodi’s functions don’t come cheap — the appliance retails for $249.99. Is it worth it, though? If you’re going to use it regularly, the consensus seems to be yes. If you are big into multi cooking and air frying, it’s definitely beneficial to have just the one appliance that does everything you need.
Business Insider notes:
Where to buy
You can get a 6.5- or eight-quart Ninja Foodi at Amazon, Walmart, and Ninja Kitchen.
