Best Ninja air-fryers: a complete guide

Ninja is an industry leader in appliances, recently making headlines for the viral Ninja Creami ice cream maker, but its air-fryers are hard to beat. Our reviews experts have tested dozens of different air-fryers from numerous brands, and Ninja regularly comes highly recommended.

We've found its air-fryers to be stylishly designed, easy to use and great value for money. We've also been impressed by Ninja's sustainability credentials — the air-fryers we've tested have, for the most part, been packaged without plastic and in recyclable packaging which is fairly unusual.

But with so many models of air-fryer available from Ninja, it can be difficult to know which one is right for you. Read on for our guide to each air-fryer in the brands range. Looking for some recipe inspiration? Check out our best air-fryer recipes.

• Visit our friends at BBC Good Food for more tried-and-tested picks of the best air-fryers.

Jump to:

• A guide to Ninja air-fryers at a glance
• Best Ninja air-fryers to buy in 2023
• Ninja air-fryer accessories
• Which Ninja air-fryer is best for two people?
• Which Ninja air-fryer to buy for a family of four?
• How to clean a Ninja air-fryer?

A guide to Ninja air-fryers at a glance

• Ninja air-fryer AF100UK, from £125.71
• Ninja air-fryer MAX AF160UK, from £129.99
• Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 rapid cooker and air-fryer ON400UK, from £189.20
• Ninja Foodi Health grill and air-fryer AG301UK, from £149.99
• Ninja Foodi MAX Health grill and air-fryer AG551UK, from £269
• Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air-fryer AF300UK, from £219.99
• Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF400UK, from £169
• Ninja Foodi MAX Pro Health grill, flat plate and air-fryer AG651UK, from £229.99
• Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF451UK, from £269.99

Best Ninja air-fryers to buy in 2023

Ninja air-fryer AF100UK

Star rating 4/5

One of the first air-fryers produced by Ninja, this 3.2L model still holds up to the competition of newer models. It has the classic single basket design and looks sleek in dark grey and black. The sturdy machine comes with four functions; to air-fry, roast, dehydrate and reheat. As the most affordable of Ninja's models it's missing the bells and whistles that you might get with a pricier option — for example you'll need to manually pause the timer when turning or shaking food — but it does the basics really well.

When we tested this air-fryer we were impressed by the dehydrating function which produced intense cherries to go on our morning porridge. We preheated the air-frying setting for the recommended three minutes before cooking our chips, which were satisfying but not greasy, while the roasting function produced evenly cooked Mediterranean vegetables.

Ninja air-fryer MAX AF160UK

Star rating: 5/5

This single basket air-fryer impressed us on test. It features a round drawer with a 5.2L capacity which is large enough to fit a roast chicken. As well as air-frying there are functions to bake, roast, reheat, dehydrate and max crisp. When air-frying the machine prompted us to shake the drawer halfway through the cooking time which ensures even cooking and produced well sealed and fluffy chips.

We were particularly impressed by this air-fryer's ability to bake. The round tray accommodated the same amount of cake mixture as a standard tin and the non-stick edges meant it was easy to remove. Our apple and almond cake was evenly baked with a nice rise in the middle.

Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF400UK

• Available from Ninja Kitchen (£169), Currys (£179)

Star rating: 5/5

This large capacity, dual zone air-fryer was a joy to use. With a large capacity you get a large footprint, and there's no denying that you need a lot of counter space to accommodate this air-fryer. After a brief flick through of the manual we were able to get cooking pretty quickly thanks to the easy set up.

Our halloumi cooked in seven minutes and had a golden colour and crisp texture, although the shape of the tray made for some unusual grill marks. Using the Sync function, we cooked a salmon fillet in one basket and a chicken breast in the other. While cooking them at the same time, and there was no smell or taste transfer between the drawers. The salmon had a crisp skin while the chicken retained moisture and had a nice flavour.

Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air-fryer AF300UK

Star rating: 5/5

With a matte finish, bright interface and shiny metal handles on the drawers, this air-fryer makes an impressive feature in the kitchen. Much like the other Dual Zone offerings from Ninja, the large capacity also makes for a large machine which is an important factor to consider if you're limited on kitchen space. You can choose to use just one zone, both zones simultaneously to cook the same thing (like a large batch of chips) or each zone independently to cook two different things. While it took us a few tries to get our heads around these cooking options using the sync and match functions, once we were confident we found them easy to master.

We made thin and chunky chips in this air-fryer and both had impressive results. The thick chips kept a fluffy centre while the thin ones didn't dry out. Our duck breast was perfectly cooked to medium after 15 minutes at 180C with slightly crispy, golden skin.

Ninja Foodi MAX Health grill and air-fryer AG551UK

Star rating: 5/5

Differing from the draw design of classic air-fryers, this model has the feel of a pizza oven with a lid that opens upwards. As well as air-frying and grilling it offers great versatility with the ability to bake, roast, dehydrate and reheat.

To test the air-frying function we cooked chips which, despite having no oil, had a good flavour and while, softer than traditionally fried chips, weren't soggy. It comes with a cooking probe to help you ensure perfectly cooked joints of meat. We used this to help us cook a whole chicken which took 40 minutes and was juicy and flavourful, if slightly paler than we would've liked. We tried the grill function with strips of courgette which had attractive grill lines and didn't stick even though we didn't use any oil.

Ninja Speedi 10-in-1 Rapid cooker and air-fryer ON400UK

Star rating: 4.5/5

Notably different from most other models on this list, the Ninja Speedi is a traditional air-fryer rather a multicooker with the capability to steam, bake, slow cook, roast, dehydrate, air-fry and more. If you're interested in air-frying but want to prioritise versatility this could be a really good option.

The internal tray means you can cook in two layers inside the machine, essentially doubling the capacity of the 5.7L pot. To air-fry, the tray needs to sit on the base of the pot before you can use it as a normal air-fryer, or to air-fry elements before incorporating them in the rest of a dish.

Ninja Foodi Health grill and air-fryer AG301UK

Star rating: 4.5/5

Ninja's health grills look pretty distinct compared to its traditional air-fryers. This model has a lid that lifts where different elements can be used for various cooking functions. It comes with a grill plate, crisper basket and cooking pot making it super versatile for various cooking styles. As well as the ability to air-fry and grill, this model can also be used to roast, dehydrate and bake.

Once you've chosen a cooking function, a helpful progress bar lets you know how much preheating time is left. We air-fried our hand-cut chips for 22 minutes, and they were drier than we expected with very little fluffiness. Next time, we would have cooked them for less time and ensured they were thickly cut. However, the halloumi and aubergine we cooked both had very attractive grill marks with a golden colour and satisfying texture.

Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF451UK

Star rating: 4.5/5

The Dual Zone air-fryer looks impressive right out of the box with an elegant matte finish on the body and stainless steel handles on the drawers. It's size and stature make it eye-catching on a countertop but means that you need plenty of space. The large capacity makes this a great option if you're regularly catering for a crowd or want to use your air-fryer to cook two different dishes at once.

We cooked our chips for 20 minutes at 200C and they had a crisp outside while still retaining a fluffy middle. We used the cooking probe to cook chicken breast until the internal temperature registered 75C. This required some trial and error, with consultation of the manual to understand that the meat needs to be removed before it reaches final temperature and allowed to rest. Once we mastered it, the result was a well-cooked chicken breast.

Ninja Foodi MAX Pro Health grill, flat plate and air-fryer AG651UK

Star rating: 4.5/5

This model is certainly an investment. For just under £250 you get a range of versatility with the ability to air-fry, roast, grill, bake, dehydrate, reheat and cook with a flat plate. It also comes with a cooking probe which lets you choose from a number of presets depending on what you're cooking. We really liked the look of this model — a combination of matte black and stainless steel which didn't leave any fingerprints.

We used the grill setting for aubergine and halloumi which both had attractive grill lines and a concentrated flavour. It's worth noting that the grill plate sits at an angle which can mean food slides down if you don't keep an eye on it. To test the flat plate we cooked a salmon fillet which resulted in a super crispy skin. We used the probe to cook a chicken breast, which we didn't find very intuitive, but after close consultation of the manual we had success.

Ninja air-fryer accessories

Ninja has a number of accessories compatible with different models of air-fryers to help expand the cooking zones, enable a number of cooking functions, or to help clean the machine. Here are some of our favourites but you'll find the full range of Ninja air-fryer accessories online.

Silicone mitts

• Available from Ninja Kitchen (£9.99)

Oven mitts are an essential piece of safety equipment when handling anything hot, but unfortunately most regular pairs are too large to be used when handling an air-fryer. This pair of silicone mitts are specifically designed to be less bulky while still protecting your hands from heat, and the inner parts have deep ridges to help grip any hot trays of crisper plates without fear of slippage. Be aware though, these work better for those with hands on the smaller side.

Ninja Foodi Cook and Crisp rack

• Available from Ninja Kitchen (£7.99)

Adding a rack to your air-fryer can essentially double its capacity, allowing you to cook food on multiple levels. You can either cook double the amount of one food or increase the versatility of your air-fryer by cooking different foods on the two levels. Just note that to do this they'll need to cook at the same temperature. This rack is designed to fit into a single drawer air-fryer but there are also ones to fit every model.

Ninja cleaning brush

• Available from Ninja Kitchen (£7.99)

Cleaning your air-fryer is important to making it last for a long time. However, most internal elements need to be cleaned with a non-abrasive brush to make sure the non-stick coating isn't damaged. This brush has a scraper at one end and bristles at the other to help you get to any hard-to-reach spots.

Which Ninja air-fryer is best for two people?

Due to their capacity, most air-fryers will suit the needs of one to two people, so the most important thing to consider is what you want to use your air-fryer for. There are different types of Ninja air-fryers depending on your needs:

Single basket air-fryers: Single basket air-fryers have one compartment which slides horizontally from the main unit. These tend to be slightly more compact machines which can be useful if you're limited on kitchen space, but will easily cook enough food for two people. We've also found that Ninja's single basket air-fryers are better for baking than other models which we've tried as they have a round drawer so you can use a standard cake recipe.

Dual basket air-fryers: Dual basket air-fryers have two drawers which pull out from the main unit. These tend to be large capacity so might be too large for two people, but could be really useful if you're planning on cooking entire meals in your air-fryer.

Air-fryer grills: If you're after versatility, Ninja's Health grills could be a really good option. Not only can you air-fry using minimal or no oil, but you can also grill meat, vegetables and more. All the models we tested left halloumi and vegetables with attractive grill marks and a smoky flavour.

FlexDrawer air-fryers: The FlexDrawer is a new style of air-fryer from Ninja, featuring one large basket drawer which can be divided into two. It would work well for two people if you're looking to cook whole meals in your air-fryer or you like to meal prep at the beginning of the week. The large space means you can cook traybakes and one-dish meals. Find inspiration in our best easy traybake recipes.

Which Ninja air-fryer to buy for a family of four?

For a family of four, a priority is likely to be a large capacity as well as versatility. This means that the Dual Zone style of air-fryers will probably be best suited to your needs. These air-fryers usually have room to cook the largest amount of food, which is perfect for when you're regularly cooking for a crowd.

They also let you cook two different dishes at once, so whether the kids are having one meal and the adults another, or you want to cook protein in one drawer and carbs or vegetables in the other, you have the maximum amount of choices available.

• Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF400UK, from £169
• Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air-fryer AF300UK, from £219.99
• Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone air-fryer AF451UK, from £269.99

How to clean a Ninja air-fryer?

Because of their compact size, air-fryers are fairly quick to clean. We'd recommend cleaning the trays and/or baskets of your air-fryer before the first use and following every use to deter build up of grease and debris. Anything remaining in your air-fryer could also burn when you use it again, risking imparting this flavour into your food.

As the trays and baskets of most Ninja air-fryers have non-stick coatings, you'll need to avoid cleaning with any abrasive tools. Instead, once the trays have completely cooled, remove them from your air-fryer and clean using warm, soapy water and a gentle brush, sponge or cloth. If there are any stubborn, burnt-on bits of food or grease, combine baking soda and water to the texture of toothpaste and leave it to sit for 20 minutes.

The main body of any air-fryer cannot be submerged in water, so will need to be cleaned by hand if you're doing a deep clean. We'd recommend using a sponge or cloth and an eco all-purpose cleaning spray. It's important to always make sure you unplug the air-fryer before cleaning.

The removable parts of many Ninja air-fryers are dishwasher-safe, but it's important to check the manual of your particular model. When testing, we found it very quick and easy to clean Ninja air-fryers due to the high quality of the non-stick coating, so it shouldn't be necessary to use the dishwasher to clean it after every use.