Ninja Crispi Air Fryer, Microwave, Freezer & Dishwasher Safe, Non Toxic Glass Portable Cooking System, 4 QT & 6 Cup Glass Containers with Storage Lids, Easy Meals, Air Fry, Bake, Stone, FN101ST

Judy L.

I am a Ninja fan and have quite a few of their product which I love. When I discovered the Crispi air fryer, I was hesitant to buy it since I have the dual air fryer and a couple of other Ninja appliance that also do a good job at air frying. Even so, I was intrigued by the price that is lower than most Ninja appliances, and decided to try it. I figured I could return it if I didn't like it.As it turns out, I love it. Since I have other appliances that perform the same functions, it's not something I will be using every day. Yet the smaller size of the containers are very useful when you don't need a larger oven or other appliance for the cooking task. So, what are the pros and cons of this air fryer and would it be useful for you.Pros: 1) It includes two glass cooking containers, 6 cup and 4 quart, that can withstand temperatures of up to 450 degrees. I have used both containers and it not find any problems with maintaining temperature in the larger container as reported by another buyer. 2) Lids for both containers are included for storing leftovers, but I doubt I will ever use the lids. 3) Both containers include crisper plates that elevate food from the bottom of the containers so that air circulates around the food for even cooking. 4) The entire unit with all of the accessories nests together, so it really doesn't take much storage space. 5) Since the containers are smaller than an oven, they heat up much more quickly and cook food faster. 6) Includes a recipe book with recipe ideas and charts for cooking a number of foods in both container sizes. Personally, I doubt I will use the recipes, but the cooking charts are very useful since this unit heats fast and maintains temperatures better than some other cooking options. 7) The glass containers and crisper plates are very easy to clean. Warm soapy water and a wash rag is usually all that is needed for thorough cleaning. In addition, these items are all dishwasher safe. 8) Super easy to use. Select a mode, recrisp, bake, air fry, or max crisp.Cons: 1) Since the bases cannot be separated from the glass bowls, it could be difficult to clean the underside of the bowls around and above the base. So far, I have not had anything get onto the underside of the bowls, so this hasn't been a problem. I have been cleaning the bowls by hand since they are so easy to clean. Since the bowls and bases are dishwasher safe, washing in the dishwasher would resolve this problem. 2) Specific cooking temperatures cannot be chosen. Each mode has a temperature range that can't be changed. So far, this hasn't been a problem for me since I choose the mode by temperature range rather than by function. Bake has the lowest temperature range and is supposed to supply gentler heating. This mode works best for foods that you don't want to use the higher temperatures used for air frying, such as seafood.Tonight, I reheated a large stuffed pepper that had been cut in half when it was partially thawed. In the past, I reheated these peppers cut in half in an oven and in a small casserole dish. As the peppers reheated, they sat in the juices released by the peppers and meat in the peppers. I used the 6 cup container, put the pepper halves on the crisper plate, and the juices were collected below the plate. I heated the peppers using the bake mode for 10 minutes to complete the thawing. After we ate our salads, I baked the peppers another 10 minutes to reheat them, and added BBQ sauce in the last 5 minutes. They came out wonderful. Some of the top of the meat was a bit crisped, and the BBQ sauce was well heated. Judging from this experience, I don't think I would recommend cooking a 4 lb. chicken in this cooker since it would be so close to the heating element, but a 3 lb. would work fine. It should be baked first on the back side and then turned to cook on the top side. When almost to 165 degrees, it should be air fried a few minutes to crisp the skin.This appliance shines for so many uses, and would be perfect when cooking for 1-4 people depending on what is being cooked. My husband's cooking abilities are limited to the microwave and the toaster, and even he could use this appliance without feeling challenged.UPDATE 12/05/24:Tonight, I made a couple of lemon pepper chicken thighs for dinner. Since the thighs were small, I decided to use the small bowl of the Crispi to air fry them, and used a wireless probe to monitor the internal temperature of the thighs. I set the done temperature on the probe app to 165 degrees, used the air fry mode on the Crispi and set the time to 15 minutes since I wasn't sure how long it would take to cook the thighs. I started the cooking with the skin side down and turned the thighs when the internal temperature was at 100 degrees to brown and crisp the skin.It took 13 minutes to fully cook the thighs. They were well browned and very moist. I will definitely be using the Crispi in the future for cooking foods that don't require the space of a larger oven.I will update this review if my opinion changes. At this time, I would recommend this air fryer if you feel it would be useful for you.I hope this review was helpful for you.