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Ninja's presence within the air fryer space is well known but one of the brand's best air fryers is the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Drawer.
This 9.5l capacity air fryer is well suited to small families or couples and has two separate cooking drawers, making it ideal for cooking different things at the same time.
As well as air frying this Ninja air fryer can roast, bake, dehydrate and reheat. It also features a Max Crisp setting, which allows you to bump the temperature up to a toasty 240C for even faster cooking on thinner oven foods such as nuggets and fries.
I've been testing air fryers like this for seven years now, putting them through a series of cooking and performance tests.
This model is still by far one of my favourites, with the only downside being the slightly above average price - though depending on your needs and budget, it might very well be worth every penny.
| Ninja Foodi Dual Drawer Max | ★★★★★ |
| Capacity | 9.5L |
| Number of functions | Six |
| Dishwasher-safe basket? | Yes |
| Approximate cost per hour | 36p |
| Dimensions | 41.5 x 27 x 32.5cm |
What we love
- Large capacity: Total 9.5L capacity
- Separate drawers: Two drawers for cooking different items
- Great results: Quick and consistent cooking in our tests
What could be better
- Very big: Takes up a lot of space on the worktop
- Expensive: Cheaper models available
Our verdict
The Ninja Foodi Max is the air fryer I'd recommend to most homeowners. It has a good capacity, six cooking functions and dual drawers, so you can cook two things at the same time, even at different times and temperatures.
This is ideal for smaller families or couples who want a quick way to cook weekday lunches and dinners without turning on the oven.
In my cooking tests, the Foodi Max impressed me with fast, consistent results across chips, chicken, vegetables and all your classic oven foods. Though, I wasn't as impressed with the dehydrate function.
The Foodi Max is also a the pricier side but luckily you can often find this model on offer during sales periods.
If you need a cheaper right model now though, I also highly recommend the Instant Vortex dual drawer.
It doesn't feel quite as premium as the Foodi but has viewing windows and retails for £150 or less.
How we test
We test all our air fryers out for a week, often longer and put them through a series of real world trials to ensure they're up to scratch. This includes performance, cooking and usability tests so we can compare and collate the best products. As well as specific tests, we use all the products in our own homes, cooking lunches and dinners as you would.
Why trust us
Danielle specialises in home and garden product testing and has been reviewing air fryers, coffee machines and more for seven years, testing over 60 different models.
Like all of our expert testers, her reviews are impartial, unbiased and offer a true representation of an air fryer's ability - good or bad.
Performance
I was really impressed with how quickly and how well my food cooked in the Foodi Max. Using the air fryer setting, I was able to cook an entire small 1kg chicken in one the drawers in just 45 minutes at 180C, while my homemade chips came out crisp and browned in around 25 minutes.
You can parboil your potato first for a slightly fluffier interior but for a low effort meal, just skip this step.
The Max Crisp function is also incredibly useful if you're in a hurry. I cooked 200g of frozen lattice fries in just under 12 minutes and while they weren’t as evenly browned as they are when using the standard air fry setting, they were pretty good and much quicker than using my oven.
For gentler cooking, the bake and roast settings are ideal. Here, the air fryer’s fan doesn’t spin as fast, resulting in a less crispy exterior. After some trial and error, I made some fairly impressive muffins using the bake setting that were moist and not overly browned on top.
One setting that didn't impress me was dehydrating. It's a long process and even following the steps suggested by Ninja in the guide, I couldn't get my dried fruit to come out how I liked.
If you want fruit and vegetable crisps, I'd suggest just buying a dedicated machine or buy it from the shop - it's quicker and probably cheaper too.
Design and ease of use
The Foodi Max is pretty big, so you'll need a lot of countertop space to accommodate it but it has a nice design and I don’t think it’s an eyesore.
Both baskets are removable and dishwasher-safe, though I’d personally clean them by hand, as I think it’s easier and better for removing grease.
If you’ve used an air fryer before, you’ll have no problem with the Foodi Max. If it’s your first one, you might need to refer to the instructions but they are very clear and you’ll pick it up quickly.
The biggest setting to get your head around is the useful sync and match functions. These allow you to either match the time, temperature and setting of both baskets or sync them to finish at the same time, even if you’ve selected a different time and temperature.
This in theory allows you to cook an entire meal in just one air fryer, with your mains in one basket and sides on the other.
Value for money
At £229.99, there’s no denying this is an expensive air fryer. However, having tested air fryers for several years, including plenty of Ninja air fryers, I can safely say they are some of the best both in terms of performance and build quality.
If you’ve got a bit of money to spend and you want a larger capacity air fryer, this is going to be worth splashing out on especially if you keep it in good condition by cleaning it regularly.
Another thing to consider is energy efficiency. In my tests, the Foodi Max used just 0.76kWh of energy at 180C when run for 30 minutes, which will cost you approximately 10p - depending on current energy costs.
How does it compare to similar products
The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Max is essentially a larger version of the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone AF300UK, which I've also reviewed and rate favourably.
The main difference is the size; the Max offers 9.5L of cooking space versus 7.5L on the original. The latter is also a bit cheaper at £200 and can often be found on sale for less.
Ninja no longer has a hold on the dual drawer air fryer market though; there are plenty of other options to choose from. A good example of this is the more affordable Instant Vortex Dual drawer, which is my favourite mid-range option.
This model is great value for money at £150 and performance-wise is very similar. It doesn't feel quite as luxe but if you're looking for something to get the job done, it's a good alternative.
Other dual models that I'd consider that offer similar functionality include the Tefal EasyFry Dual XXL or if you're looking to save counter space, the vertical standing Salter VertiCook View.
How does it rate online
The Ninja Foodi Max gets a solid 4.9/5 on the Ninja website, with users praising its ease of use and great cooking results.
Some users have stated issues with the non-stick coating wearing off too quickly, but this seems to be a rare occurrence.
Outside of the Ninja website, this model tends to review pretty well. Most people agree it's a good all-rounder, albeit a bit expensive.
FAQs
Can you fit a chicken in a Ninja AF400?
In my tests I was able to comfortably fit a whole 1.2kg chicken in one basket of this air fryer. The chickens I use for testing tend to be around 1-1.5kg. Ninja claims you can fit a 2kg chicken in each drawer but I've found this can lead to a slow cook time and uneven result.
What is the difference between Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone air fryer AF400UK and AF300UK?
The AF400UK is the Max model reviewed here and has a larger 9.5L capacity versus the AF300UK which has a 7.5L capacity.
This extra space makes the AF400UL great for a smaller family or couple who want to be able to prepare whole meals in the air fryer.