Ninja Foodi or other appliance

last month

I think I would like to have this appliance or something like it. I live alone and I cook at least a couple of times a week and hate turning on the oven for one baked potato or a couple of pieces of chicken etc. I do usually try to cook something extra for another meal but that doesn't always work. I think I might like a foodi or something similar but don't really know much about them. I am looking for being able to brown, saute and bake in addition to air fry. Is that even possible with one appliance? Anyone have suggestions? Thanks.

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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio

last month

last modified: last month

I have a neighbor who is selling a Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1, so I picked it up to have a look.

It may be XL, but I noticed right away that a regular sized frozen pizza will not fit in it. I could cut one up into 3 pieces to make it fit, I think. Neither will my glass deep dish pie pan fit, but my half sized pie pan will, and I think a typical aluminum foil pie pan (like those that frozen regular crust comes in) will.

It also can't accommodate a chunk of meat thicker than 3.5".

It does have an air fryer function, but otherwise it doesn't seem that it will be an all-in-one appliance for me. I think that I will stick to my convection toaster oven and Foreman Grill (which cooks filets of fish perfectly in a few minutes).

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Comments (9)

Fun2BHere
last month
last modified: last month
I cannot speak to the Ninja products, but I use my countertop oven all the time for baking, toasting and broiling. I saute on the stove top. Mine is from Zojirushi. I bought it to replace a 20-year-old Braun, but Braun was sold to DeLonghi so I couldn’t replace it with another Braun. I have other Zojirushi counter top appliances that have worked well for a long time.

It seems like all brands have hits and misses these days. The only things you can do to try to make a good decision are to read the negative reviews and try to buy from a vendor with a good return policy.
Mystical Manns
last month
I personally cannot speak to the Ninja Foodi. BUT ... my son lives in a 300 sq ft cabin, and does not have a typical stove/oven, plus minimal counter space. I bought him the Foodi for Christmas three or four years ago when they first came out. He loves it. Learned how to use the air fry feature, and makes most of his meals with it (til grilling season returns). He has baked brownies in it, says there is a learning curve there but they do turn out nice.

For me, I bought a counter top appliance with double doors, features are an air fryer (no basket, uses a shelf), toast, bake. This works well for me. This type of appliance is too big for the counterspace my son has.
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This is really goofy. I wrote a long post last night and now it isn't here........Wonder if I forgot to hit submit after preview. Or, did it disappear into cyber space? I really appreciate all of the advice, and I am still torn. Yesterday we went to talk to the Bluestar rep and to see it. It certainly is an impressive piece of equipment with those blazing hot burners, and yes there is even a visual difference between the flame size and level of the mega-sized 22K burners and the 15K. That said, I really need to spend some time reflecting on whether I truly need all of that fire power. The free color upgrade was offered to us and must be the incentive to get people in to talk to the rep. So, this would give me my color.....My husband was quite impressed with the build of the stove and the mechanics. But, I also keep thinking of all I've read of Bluestar problems with hot and sticking doors etc. For anyone else considering a Bluestar or other high-powered range, we learned some new things about installation and safety that we had never heard from any of the other sales people we've talked with. A high- powered range like this needs to have a fire proof/resistant back wall if it is installed with the standard island trim kit. We have white subway tile as a four foot high backsplash and had assumed we'd be fine as is, but apparently this is not sufficient unless it is fire proof tile (I have no idea how one would know this) AND the tile needs to go down 6" below the top of the range. Otherwise, you need to buy at least the 6" high backguard. This is what we'll be doing if we buy this. The dealer we visited yesterday had a cream colored Legacy on the floor. It was gorgeous and much more attractive than the white one we saw elsewhere. So, if you are looking for a light color Legacy, go for cream because it looked so much more rich and definitely not as cheap appearing as the white model. I still really like the Legacy a lot and can see pluses to it. First of all, it really is cute looking and would set an entirely different tone for our kitchen. We are empty nesters and those smaller ovens would be nice most of the time for what we cook for ourselves. But, I also know the burners are not as powerful as the more pro ranges (whether I need more power is a whole different story), and I really much prefer the open burners over the closed of the Legacy. While fine, I think the overall construction is a bit less sturdy than the Bluestar type models since the burners are aluminum rather than the brass of the Bluestar. And, one of the major concerns of ours is that the sides on this are not finished, so it can't stand with one side exposed. We would have to come up with having a carpenter build a teeny 4"-6" side piece to match our cabinetry. The appearance of a white stove as suggested by hollysprings definitely fits in, but I am really sick of the white top and how after a while, no matter how much you try to clean and scrub, there are just some stains and discolorations that are always there. So, even if I go with white, I want something that is not white on the cooktop. I have not even thought of reconfiguring and getting a new cabinet built to hold a cooktop and wall oven. My guess is that this would probably end up being even more expensive that a top end range. GWlolo mentioned being able to get prices less than retail. I'd like to know more about this since this is one thing that is frustrating to me about looking at all of these appliances. They are all quoting the exact same prices whereas nearly everything else we buy has dealer discretion on pricing. I am aware of online buying to avoid taxes, scratch and dent options (these just don't seem to be available for many different or high end lines though and floor models. What other ways are there to actually get a deal? The one thing I know is I refuse to put a stainless steel box in my kitchen! Thanks all. If you have any more thoughts, I appreciate them.
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raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
last month
I've got an Oster convection/toaster oven, and I do use it a lot to prepare many things that I might otherwise use the oven for - I have a metal basket (from the air fryer/toaster oven that quit in just under a year) which I set on the rack and which seems to allow the convection setting to act like an air fryer, for breaded fish fillets (as an example.)

I bake cookies, small cakes, some pies, pizza; roast vegetables, and bake/roast some single portions of meats. Sauteing gets done on the stovetop as does pot roasting and stewing (unless I haul out the multifunction pressure cooker for a larger amount of meat etc).

About the only things I use the main oven for over the course of a year are holiday dinners (ie turkey, dressing) and baking pumpkins to prepare for the freezer.
Lindsey_CA
last month
last modified: last month
We have a Cuisinart TOA-70W Air Fryer Grill with Oven. We like it a lot. The description on Amazon says:
- COOKING FUNCTIONS: This premium 1800 watt toaster oven and AirFryer, is equipped with AirFry setting plus toast, convection bake, bake, convection broil, broil, grill, warming feature, with a wide temperature range (Warm-450°F)
- CAPACITY: Large enough to toast 6-slices of bread, air fry 3-pounds of chicken wings, bake a 12-inch pizza or roast a 4-pound chicken
- SUPERIOR OPERATION: Equipped with an adjustable temperature dial, 60-minute timer/auto-shutoff and a toast shade selector to ensure your meals are cooked to your perfection
- INCLUDES: Oven light, oven rack, baking pan, AirFry basket, grill and a nonstick easy-clean interior to make cleanup simple
- LIMITED 3-YEAR WARRANTY: Refer to user manual for troubleshooting steps and questions surrounding warranty policies
Rho Dodendron
last month
Add me to the list of those who use a large toaster oven for cooking, baking, and grilling. Not a well known brand but it works great despite needing to be repainted a few years ago. I have a double oven--the top has a single rack that is used most. The bottom has two racks that are used mostly for baking batches of cookies, or large items like turkeys.
rob333 (zone 7b)
last month
I too came to love my countertop toaster oven. Kiddo took it to when they moved away. I knew I wanted the same one because it's also a rotisserie. LOVE that part. They've added an air fryer option to it. Supremely happy with it, and despite its cost, reliable.

Rotisserie, toaster oven, air fryer
Toronto Veterinarian
last month
I have a Breville Smart Oven (a countertop oven) and I love it - I use it 90% of the time, at least. I don't use the "Air Fryer" part, but it was on sale and at the time it was cheaper than without it. My regular oven is mostly used for baking and dishes made in a large Dutch oven.
Kathsgrdn
last month
I really like my combo microwave, air fryer, convection oven, crisper, and grill. My son gave it to me because he had no room in his apartment. I hardly use my oven at all anymore and my electric bill has plumeted. Today alone I made bbq ribs in it, a carrot casserole and heated up some frozen aseragus. Last night I baked some sugar cookies in it. When I get a craving for sugar cookies I'll make up some dough, roll it into two logs, freeze one and put the other in the fridge. I'll slice just enough to bake in my little oven, it's perfect when you live alone. Mine is a Toshiba. I no longer use my old air fryer, no need.

Ninja Foodi or other appliance

raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio

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Fun2BHere

Mystical Manns

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