The Ninja Foodi DZ401, which I believe is functionally the same device as their popular AF400 model from the UK, is an intelligent 10-quart air fryer with dual baskets (5 quarts each) that lets you cook two foods at once, with completely independent settings and times, and still have them finish together.

Basically, if you need to whip up a big family dinner in a flash, this is the gadget for you.

I know some readers will wonder why I didn’t write about the company’s new “DoubleStack XL” (model SL401) that just released a week ago. And yeah, that one does look interesting at first glance — until you realize both its heating elements are located at the backs of the drawers rather than above the food, which to my mind will undoubtedly result in slower and more uneven cooking. Not to mention the accompanying rear vents that would prevent any amount of liquid from sitting in either drawer when cooking or washing up. I’d be happy to be proven wrong though!

Each side can be set to one of six cooking modes: Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. From there you can choose the “Smart Finish” feature to achieve what I mentioned earlier — cooking two foods with different modes/temperatures/times and have them finish at the same time — or use the “Match Cook” feature to have them both cook exactly the same, essentially treating them as a single 10-quart drawer.

Both zones are self-contained, with separate heating elements and fans, so you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination. Feel free to cook fish on one side and veggies on the other without fear that the latter will take on fishy flavors.

The 5-quart capacity of each drawer makes them big enough to roast an entire chicken whole, which is crazy convenient. Just make sure you keep a big pair of tongs around to turn it halfway through and more easily remove it at the end.

Get the Ninja Foodi DZ401 air fryer for $230 on Amazon.

  + Another excellent option in this category, and of comparable price — although it’s only an 8-quart model — is the Instant Vortex Plus XL we featured a couple years ago.
  + Also worth mentioning is the upgraded Ninja Foodi DZ550 which has mostly the same features plus an included temperature probe for accurately cooking meats. However, as I write this on May 15th, 2024, Amazon seems to be out of brand-new ones and only has “used—like new” versions for sale.

Posted By Chris Gonzales