It prepares food without fat, saves on electricity costs compared to the oven and can often do more than just fry: the hot air fryer is a popular kitchen appliance. Models from the Ninja brand in particular are seen more often on Instagram and Co. They always have high ratings both in their own shop and from providers such as Amazon. The star therefore took a look for itself and put the Ninja hot air fryer to the test. What makes them so popular?
Stern tested the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer AF400EU (available from Ninja, Amazon or Otto, among others). The device is priced at around 250 euros, is on sale, but is often available for around 180 euros or even less. For the price, buyers can expect a large device that looks very high-quality at first glance. It is stable, attractive and the display appears clear and self-explanatory. The Air Fryer has a total capacity of 9.5 liters, weighs approx. 8.8 kilograms and is 41.5 cm wide, 27 cm deep and 32.5 cm high. The two chambers have a non-stick coating and two crisper plates are included. The maximum temperature is 240 degrees Celsius, the wattage is 2470 W. The Ninja hot air fryer is also said to be up to 75 percent faster and 55 percent more energy efficient than an oven, according to the manufacturer.
And the handling is actually as self-explanatory as it seems at first glance. There are basically six different functions that can be controlled independently in the two chambers via the digital display. The functions are:
With the “Sync” function it is possible to adapt the cooking processes to each other so that dishes with different cooking times can be served at the same time. With the “Match” button you can give identical settings to the same food in both chambers at the push of a button. A beep indicates that the settings have been applied. In addition to the automatically set modes, you can also adjust cooking times and temperature manually using the controller.
Positive: In contrast to other hot air fryers that I have already used, the Ninja hot air fryer from the test does not get hot everywhere on the outside, so you can easily touch it after use and put it in another place. There is also a booklet included that provides a practical overview in a table of which mode and cooking times are suitable for which dishes and foods. So basically nothing can go wrong. It’s super easy to use and works great, even with two different foods in the two chambers. The device is also very quiet and no smells come out – as is usually the case when deep-frying.
Cleaning afterwards with soapy water was also uncomplicated. The plates, which lie in the chambers so that the food does not stick and become crispy on all sides, can be easily removed and even put in the dishwasher. The very well coated containers can simply be rinsed with hot water. Only the cable is a bit short for my taste.
Of course, we tested different functions, dishes and modes when testing the Ninja hot air fryer. And the taste and consistency were not compared with food from a deep fryer, but with those from comparable hot air fryers. The conclusion: The Foodi Max Dual Zone performs very well.
With the “Max Crisp” function, fries become really crispy within about twelve minutes without becoming too dry. So actually much faster than in an oven. But what particularly impressed me was the “roast” function, as the meat becomes crispy on the outside and no fat splashes all over the kitchen. And: You don’t have to watch it or turn it – really practical. The meat stays nice and juicy inside. Each mode delivered the promised result. Even cinnamon rolls can be easily prepared in the device and cannot burn because the device stops the baking process itself. Food that is prepared quicker than the one in the basket next to it stays warm for a long time and serving at the same time works without any problems. A real relief in everyday life and much more practical than an oven in which such processes are not possible. Fast, uncomplicated and versatile.
Especially if you buy the device on offer, the price-performance ratio is absolutely fair and reasonable. Because there is a kitchen appliance for the price that is super practical even for large households. Instead of having to constantly heat up the oven, you can now put dishes, even up to 1.4 kilograms of fries, into the very efficient Ninja hot air fryer. It gets hot super quickly, has many different functions up its sleeve, can be cleaned quickly and easily and is easy to use even for those who don’t like technology. It’s also great that a recipe booklet is included in the delivery so that you can get immediate suggestions about what can be done with the device. There is even room for the fried chicken. The best air fryer I’ve had so far. Quality and possible uses are top.
As the name suggests, the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer is not a compact kitchen appliance that can be quickly stowed away. It takes up quite a bit of space in the kitchen – just like a small oven would. So you should only buy them if you use them often and have a permanent place for them. In my opinion, the cable should also be a little longer in order to be flexible in terms of space.
If you want to buy a hot air fryer with a double chamber, you also have other options in addition to the Ninja hot air fryer from our test that, according to customer reviews, are worthwhile – and that are in different price categories.
The cheapest alternative to the Ninja double chamber hot air fryer presented here is the model from Maxxmee. It has a double basket with a total capacity of 7.6 liters, so 3.8 liters per basket. The Air Fryer has six programs, 2400 W power and also the option of preparing food synchronously and bringing it to the plate at the same time.
Another alternative is the MasterPRO Rocket Duo 900. This air fryer offers a capacity of nine liters and 2100 W power. The hot air fryer comes with an LED touch screen and coating. It also offers eleven functions. It is also ideal for preparing a lot of dishes and having a lot of flexibility. It was also tested by Stern and can certainly keep up with the Ninja hot air fryer. It is also available even cheaper. In terms of the consistency of the food and in terms of cleaning, it is in no way inferior to the popular model. It has even more functions to offer and is therefore even more versatile. So if you are looking for a cheaper model with equivalent quality, you should buy this.
A more expensive variant is the Tefal hot air fryer EY905B Dual Easy Fry
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