In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleNinja DZ401 Foodi 10 Quart 6-in-1 DualZone XL 2 Basket Air FryerHow It WorksCooking With the Ninja FoodiSmart Cook vs. Match Cook SettingsCleaning the Ninja FoodiThe Bottom LineCommon QuestionsOur Trusted Expertise
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Ninja DZ401 Foodi 10 Quart 6-in-1 DualZone XL 2 Basket Air Fryer
How It Works
Cooking With the Ninja Foodi
Smart Cook vs. Match Cook Settings
Cleaning the Ninja Foodi
The Bottom Line
Common Questions
Our Trusted Expertise
Photo: Bed Bath & Beyond
I got my first air fryer for the same reason most people do, for its promise of perfectly crisp foods that require less fat or oil, allowing me to cook fries and buffalo cauliflower wingsin a healthier way. I’ve had a small model for years, and it worked…fine. It was handy for reheating leftovers and crisping up a side of Brussels sprouts. However, its capacity was limited, and the rack-style interior made it difficult to clean—the grooves that held the racks were excellent at trapping grease, and cleaning the interior with a cotton swab (yes, really) honestly made me avoid using it. Plus, my house was built in 1950, a time of many things but definitely not of spaceous kitchens. If I use an appliance, it must be either worth keeping on my countertop or the hassle of hauling it up and down the stairs from its storage rack.
Then, I was given the opportunity to test the Ninja Foodi 10-Quart air fryer. Its sheer size promised something my current air fryer simply couldn’t deliver: The ability to make a full meal. The basket-style air frying system looked easier to clean and it had multiple settings that my other model did not. It is also huge. But, if the adage is to “go big or go home,” I decided to go big with the Ninja. Here’s what I learned.
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$230 at Amazon$230 at Walmart$230 at Wayfair
Dimensions:13.9” D x 17.1” W x 12.8” H |Wattage:1690 watts |Functions:Air-fry, air-broil, bake, roast, reheat and dehydrate
When the Ninja Foodi arrived, it was immediately apparent that this was not the relatively petite air fryer I was accustomed to. It’s about the size of your average microwave and comes with a booklet that includes instructions, cooking times for common food items and a handful of recipes. The unit has two removable baskets, and you can control the cooking method (your choice is between air-fry, air-broil, bake, roast, reheat and dehydrate) via a dial at the center. A button above each basket lets you adjust your cooking method, time and temperature for each.
EatingWell / Katie Tuttle
My original smaller air fryer could maybe handle two servings of most foods, tops. By contrast, each basket of the Ninja Foodi has a 5-quart capacity. The dual baskets expanded my repertoire considerably. While my original air fryer was handy for reheating leftovers and perhaps air-frying potatoes or vegetables, I could actually cook a meal with the Ninja Foodi as opposed to just side dishes.
The first time I tried this, the chicken wasn’t quite cooked, requiring an additional 10 minutes. This was a rookie mistake: For subsequent recipes, I used a meat thermometer (I usethis onefrom Meater) with more success. It’s also worth noting that you’ll have better results if you toss or flip your food halfway through its cooking cycle; I failed to do this with my first roast chicken, which was likely part of the issue.
To further test this unit, I also roasted broccoli, made green bean fries and prepared batches of chicken nuggets for my picky nieces. Provided I kept an eye on cooking times (food tends to cook more quickly in an air fryer) and remembered to toss the contents of the air fryer baskets halfway through, my food came out cooked to perfection, even when I used minimal or no cooking fat.
However, the two-basket design does have its limitations. This style is great for volume cooking, but the design makes experimenting with air fryer items that require a single layer, like theseoatmeal-raisin tahini cookiesormini pizzas, difficult. In my opinion, using a traditional oven or an air fryer with wire racks would be a much better option for recipes like these.
You Just Got an Air Fryer—Here Are the Recipes You Should Make First
The difference between these two settings was a little confusing to me at first, but each serves a distinct purpose. The Smart Cook setting lets you cook different foods in each basket, using different temperatures, times, and even cooking methods (you can set one basket to roast and the other to bake, for example). The machine will ensure both foods complete their cooking cycles at the same time, which is useful for making both a main and a side at the same time.
By contrast, the Match Cook feature evenly matches your chosen settings across both baskets, keeping your food at the same cooking time and temperature throughout. This setting is for situations where you want to cook big batches of the same item (such asBrussels sproutsorchicken wings).
The Bottom Line: The Ninja Foodi is Worth It, With One Caveat
So, is the Ninja Foodi worth the money? For me, yes. I like cooking a main and a side simultaneously or preparing a whole batch of sweet potato fries or green beans if I have company coming over. While it doesn’t earn a permanent spot on my countertop, I will haul it out for nights when I want to cook a meal with a minimum of fuss (and without preheating an oven and warming my entire kitchen).
I’m not the onlyEatingWelleditor who loves the Ninja Foodi. Former senior news and lifestyle editorJaime Milanpreviously reviewed this model. She and her husband found that the Foodi’s size was a plus for their household, allowing them to quickly prepare healthy, substantial meals. In fact, the Foodi earned a permanent spot on their countertop as a result.
However, if you’re also limited on space and primarily want an air fryer for preparing snacks or reheating leftovers, a machine this size may be overkill. If so, you may want to consider a couple of alternatives we’ve also tested, such as:
We Also Considered
Ninja Digital Air Fry Oven(at Amazon): Welove its compact profile, and its ability to flip up and sit flush against your backsplash makes it a good option for cooks who don’t have the real estate for an appliance the size of the 10-quart version.
Ninja DoubleStack XL Air Fryer(at Amazon): This machine removes our main gripe about the Foodi, using stacked baskets to create a slimmer profile without sacrificing capacity. Like the Foodi, the DoubleStack has a 10-quart design and Match Cook and Smart Cook features, along with numerous presets, making it a great alternative for smaller kitchens.
How do you use the Ninja Foodi 10-Quart air fryer?
This air fryer has multiple functions, including air-fry, broil, bake, roast and more, so you must first choose one of those. To get the best results, do not overcrowd the two baskets and place the food in a single, even layer if possible. To help it crisp up more evenly, toss the food using silicone-tipped tongs or shake it halfway through the cooking process. Also, make sure to add cooking oil when making potatoes and fresh veggies. Aninstant-read thermometeris a helpful tool for checking meat cooked in the air fryer to ensure it reaches the proper temperature.
What are the health benefits of using an air fryer?
There are ahandful of health benefitsto using an air fryer, especially compared to traditional frying methods. Air fryers use hot air circulation to cook food (similar to a convection oven), so you need little to no oil. Less oil can also mean a decreased intake ofsaturated fat, which has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, though more recent studies have challenged this assertion.
Regardless of these benefits, air-frying food doesn’t automatically make it healthier. However, if it helps you to use less oil (and perhaps evenconsume more vegetables), it can be a great addition to your kitchen.
Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?
In short, yes, you can put aluminum foil in an air fryer. An air fryer relies on circulating hot air to cook food, which does not react to metal like microwaves. In fact, you can use aluminum foil in an air fryer like in a traditional oven to keep certain items from browning too quickly.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Teicholz, Nina. “A Short History of Saturated Fat: The Making and Unmaking of a Scientific Consensus.”Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, vol. 30, no. 1, Feb. 2023, pp. 65–71.PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1097/MED.0000000000000791.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Teicholz, Nina. “A Short History of Saturated Fat: The Making and Unmaking of a Scientific Consensus.”Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, vol. 30, no. 1, Feb. 2023, pp. 65–71.PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1097/MED.0000000000000791.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Teicholz, Nina. “A Short History of Saturated Fat: The Making and Unmaking of a Scientific Consensus.”Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, vol. 30, no. 1, Feb. 2023, pp. 65–71.PubMed, https://doi.org/10.1097/MED.0000000000000791.
