Cons
- Price is on the high side for air fryers
- Some exposed hot elements during operation
Ninja just released a glass-bottom air fryer and, after testing it for a few weeks, it has me wondering why all countertop cookers aren’t built this way. While it’s not technically the first air fryer with a glass cooking chamber to hit the market — we’ve tested this self-cleaning air fryer and found it OK, for instance — it’s by far the best.
Ninja’s Crispi, available for $180 for the full-sized model, solves two problems we’ve had with other models: the wearing out of nonstick surfaces and the potential for release of chemicals from those surfaces into food. As a bonus, the Crispi’s glass is easier to deep clean than most metal baskets. (Although, cleaning air fryers has never been a big hassle.)
Here’s everything that comes with the Ninja Crispi.
Despite not looking anything like a typical air fryer, the Ninja Crispi was intuitive to set up and use. Each of the glass cooking vessels has a built-in stand with feet that keeps it off the counter surface. Side handles are also fitted on the stands of the bowls, which allow not only for easy transporting between the counter and the table (since the vessels can also be used to serve) but also make it easy to shake the contents as needed during the cooking process.
The nonstick crisper plates were packaged separately and simple to place inside the bowls and to remove for cleaning. Lids for both the 6-cup and 4-quart bowls were also included: a snap-on lid for the smaller and a simpler press-on lid for the larger.
The cooking pod itself has an ergonomic shape for easy lifting and also has feet for safe placement on the counter when not in use. The cooking pod sits easily on top of the 6-cup bowl, and a big-batch adapter frame fits the cooking pod onto the larger bowl. Between unwrapping and rinsing all of the washable parts, I was ready to go in about 2 minutes.
Ninja Crispi operation
The cooked food is ready to be packed away or brought to a party as soon as it’s done.
As expected, the ability to see the cooking in progress was really satisfying, both from a nerdy perspective and also to be able to look for visual cues in terms of when to flip your items or to assess doneness. Both chicken parts and Brussels sprouts were cooked evenly and efficiently with very little risk of over-cooking given the 360-degree window into the proceedings.
The versatility, however, makes the Ninja Crispi tremendously interesting, especially for avid meal preppers. Full meals or individual cooked components can go right from cooking into the fridge, with the included lids for easy storage. (Though I am bound by refrigerator logistics to tell you to let it all cool first, so you don’t inadvertently raise the temperature inside your fridge.)
Additional cooking bowls in a variety of sizes can also be purchased separately, allowing for the possibility of a multitude of individually cooked meals with no cleanup required in between usage: just transfer the cooking pod from one cooking vessel to the next, assembly-line style. Sunday meal prep has never been easier, nor required fewer dishes.
Convenient as it, the glass cooking chamber does get hotter than your average air fryer base.
As a modular device with a ton of built-in practicality and versatility, I do think the Ninja Crispi is a game-changer in the air fryer market. That said, at $160 it’s on the higher side, price-wise, for an air fryer.
Those with little ones in the house may also want to take note, when the cooking pod is being used with the adapter for large batches, the adapter can become hot and is potentially exposed once the heating pod is removed. Never minding little ones, if you’re an absent-minded cook yourself, it can be a hazard.
Read more: 8 Foods That Go From Good to Great in an Air Fryer
Final verdict on the Ninja Crispi
If you’re a disciple of air fryer cooking, and especially if you have a serious commitment to meal prepping, the Ninja Crispi is arguably one of the most versatile models on the market. It’s satisfying to use and easy to store and clean. I may look for it on sale during Prime Days or the like, but even without a discount, its utility and the reputation of the Ninja brand merits its price tag.
