Why I Can’t Stop Using the New Ninja Crispi Air Fryer

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It made leftovers taste even better the second time.

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Since I cook every day, my home is always brimming with kitchen gear. Every countertop and shelf is full of cookbooks, appliances, cookware, food items, and more. For this reason, I have to be careful about what new pieces I add into the mix, which is why anything compact, stackable, or “all-in-one” immediately appeals to me. You can imagine my excitement when Ninja announced its new Crispi air fryer, a “portable cooking system” that delivers powerful heat within a very small space.

As a former professional cook and someone who loves using traditional cookware like cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens, I haven’t spent much time with air fryers. But when Ninja asked if I wanted to test out the Crispi, I didn’t think twice because it sounded so genius.

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First, the Crispi uses what Ninja calls the PowerPod, a central cooking apparatus that you can place atop 4- and 6-quart glass containers. That’s right: You simply put the food into the container (resting on an insertable grate if you want total air circulation), place the PowerPod above it, select your mode, and you’re off to the races. On that note, the cooking modes are re-crisp, bake, air fry, and max crisp — beyond picking one, the only other thing to do is program how long you want it to run. The glass containers are sturdy and easy to clean, with little plastic wings extending from the base so you can handle the dish immediately after cooking it (a genius touch, in my opinion). And if that’s not enough, you can stack the small container inside the large one for storage. They both have lids, so you can cook food and throw the leftovers into the fridge without even transferring containers.

I’ve been using the Crispi for all sorts of dishes and am really surprised at how… well… crisp the food is. This morning, I wanted to heat some leftovers from a brunch party we threw over the weekend. Using the re-crisp mode, I put a potato pancake in for about 10 minutes. The heating mechanism started immediately, and within seconds, I could see the surface of the pancake already bubbling. By the end, it was heated through, with a nice, crunchy exterior and a moist, flavorful inside.

Then, I wanted a slice of leftover quiche, so I used the re-crisp mode again for just a few minutes. I was especially interested in whether it would dry out the quiche and whether it would really reanimate the crust or just warm it up a bit. When the quiche was done, the crust was actually crispier than when I’d originally baked it in the oven. It was so crumbly and as if I’d just made it fresh, and the interior was soft and moist — all in all, it was tastier and more textually varied than it had been on its initial run.

Last evening, I wanted to make some crispy tofu. This is a dish I often make in the oven or a frying pan, depending on what other food I’m having it with, so I was wary of testing out a new way. I drained and cubed the tofu, tossing it in a bit of cornstarch and some spices. I set the fryer to crisp and let it rip. After around 15 minutes, the tofu was beautifully cooked, ready to be sauced, and then crunched away alongside some veggies and rice. I’ve found that the Crispi made some pretty delicious air-fried potatoes, and I can’t wait to cook some baked salmon tonight.

Whether you’re a seasoned air-frying pro or are considering trying one out for the first time, the Ninja Crispi is an incredible place to start. Not only is it a powerful air fryer that’s as good as any other I’ve tasted food from, but it’s also compact, easy to use, and full of genius design elements. And at $160, I’ll be gifting it to multiple air fryer skeptics over the holidays.

At the time of publication, the price was $160.

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