Ninja - Foodi FD101

Given all the research you’ve already done, you’ve probably seen that giant comparison database of air fryers floating around Reddit [here, I bookmarked it](https://www.reddit.com/u/MaterialisticOcelot/s/AuYboNaNB6). It’s super handy if you want to line up the details down to the very last spec. I personally have the Ninja Foodi and really like it, but I wouldn’t really consider it a “budget” pick since it runs close to $200. That said, I do think you get what you pay for with these. I’d be careful about going under $50 on an appliance you expect to last.

Foodi pressure cooks just fine Depends. Any device with "air fry" mode is going to be a compromise compared to a real air fryer. Personally I find the Foodi's two lid system to be clunky and annoying to deal with. I pretty much just use my convection oven instead of the foodi. I use a stovetop pressure cooker myself. But I definitely wouldn't recommend the foodi for mainly pressure cooking because the air fryer lid is permanently attached. So that would be pretty much always in the way.

I’ve had mine for years can’t beat them

I have two Ninja air fryers that don’t have teflon. A Foodi and Foodi 6 in 1 (it toasts, air fries, etc).

Yes! I have the same one and it’s honestly been such a game changer - poke some holes in a potato and toss it in the microwave for 7 minutes then roll in a little oil and salt then 8 minutes in the air fryer (flip halfway) and it’s better than a restaurant baked potato. Frozen veggies? Toss them in the air fryer. Baked chicken thighs? Into the air fryer they go. I love the ninja because it’s the toaster oven shape (as well as being a toster oven) my sister has a non-ninja “bowl” type and I specifically got mine because I knew I would never use the other kind. I’m getting ready to upgrade to a larger ninja that can fit a whole roast chicken and I’m more excited than I thought I would be 😂

Any air fryer is a “convection cooker.” The “air fryer” name is a sales gimmick. Just like the “instant pot” label is a gimmick for a pressure cooker. I have owned a Breville Smart Oven for several years and would buy another one. I also have a Ninja upright in my second home. I like the Breville better, but the Ninja is fine. I cook a lot. I have a high end stove with a convection oven. If it were me, I would keep it. The Breville does everything that your toaster oven does, but better and faster. It also can roast and bake without having to use your regular convection oven. Of all the countertop “convection” ovens, it is probably the best. This was a very thoughtful gift from your relatives. As far as cooking with it, we love chicken wings. The Breville cooks the best chicken wings fairly fast and better than a regular convection oven and roasts vegetables beautifully. (Probably because of the smaller cubic area.) Also reheating on the Air Fryer mode is a game changer, much better than your microwave. To use it well, you do need to familiarize yourself on how it works. Watch some YouTube videos where the Breville is used. Read the instructions so you can learn how to use the various modes. Familiarize yourself with it before making a decision to return it and by all means, go ahead and treat yourself to a carbon steel wok as well. It is not an either or proposition. You deserve both!

I have the ninja foodie and it’s a 10 in 1. Bake, air fry and toast and pressure cook are the main functions I use. I just started to use the dehydrator, kinda neat

I have the Ninja Foodie. It can grill, bake, dehydrate, roast, and air fry. Nine times out of ten, I will be using it especially in the summer when I don’t want to turn the oven on.

I love mine and use it daily. I even bought a ninja combi because I wanted more options lol. I like the ninja foodi because it's also a pressure cooker, and makes perfect rice and hard boiled eggs. I use it for bagels/waffles/toast daily, and usually reheat things in it. If you make frozen foods like fries and chicken nugs, it's good for that, and if you like roasted veggies, it's perfect for that too. My oven has an air fry function, but it doesn't work as well as a standalone one.