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We’ve often heard of one pot wonder meals that require nothing of you more than tossing your ingredients in an electric cooker and come back to a nicely cooked meal. Although this is nice, those cookers often limit you to certain meals or certain quantities. There’s also the multi-cookers that offer different ways to cook your meals, but none seem to offer the combination the Ninja Foodi offers (not as of the time of writing this post, at least).
The Foodi Multi Cooker is a pressure cooker, slow cooker, steamer and AirFryer all in one. With the all new TenderCrisp technology that cooks your ingredients then crisps it to the perfect golden crispy finish by combining pressure cooking with air frying.
Features of Foodi TenderCrisp Pressure Cooker:
- Multi cooking functions include: pressure, slow cooker, steam, sear/saute, air crisp, bake/roast and broil. 1400 watts power.
- 5 quart cooking pot. 3 quart air frying basket.
- Cooking pot is ceramic coated.
- TenderCrisp technology uses pressure cooking and air frying combination for perfectly cooked and golden crisp food.
- No need to thaw frozen food.Your ingredients can go from frozen to cooked evenly and crisped using pressure cooking then crisping.
- Includes a crisping lid to use for air frying, baking/roasting, dehydrating and broiling.
- Select from 5 stovetop temperature settings.
- Easy to use touch control panel with pre-sets and customization options.
- Stay Warm option allows to keep food warm for up to 12 hours.
- Double your cooking capacity by using a layered that allows you to cook on bottom and top layers
What Is TenderCrisp Technology?
When you cook tough meats and ingredients using pressure cooking, it turns into delicious and tender food. Air frying, on the other hand, creates that beautiful crispy crust that we all love. TenderCrisp Technology in the Ninja Foodi makes these two functions work together to create a juicy and tender meal that is also crispy on the outside. So the process starts with pressure cooking, then your choice of Airfrying level for your desired crispiness.
Watch How It Works:
Ninja Foodi vs. Ninja Foodi Kitchen Collection, What’s The Difference?
The Ninja Foodi is available in two versions, Foodi and Foodi Kitchen Collection, both are the same appliance but the difference is in the included accessories.
Ninja Foodi includes:
- Pressure and Crisping lids
- 4-qt Cook and Crisp basket
- Reversible rack, which can be used for steaming/pressure cooking vegetables and starches or can be flipped to use for broiling meat.
- 45+ recipe book
- 1 year VIP warranty.
Ninja Foodi Kitchen Collection includes:
- Pressure and Crisping lids
- 4-qt Cook and Crisp basket
- Reversible rack.
- 45+ recipe book
- Ninja Express Chop, used for Chopping, Mincing and Pureeing ingredients into soups, sauces, dressings, toppings, dips & more.
- Cook and Crisp layered insert
- Silicone mitts.
- Roasting lifters.
- 3 years VIP warranty
Foodi OP301 vs. OP401:
Ninja Foodi OP301 vs. 302 vs 305:
These are all actually the same cooker. The model number only refers to the type of included accessories or the size. For example; OP302 and OP305 all refer to the 6.5 quart version of the Foodi, but the 302 does NOT include the cook and crisp insert that the 305 comes with.
Ninja Foodi vs. Ninja Instant Cooker, What’s The Difference?
- Cooks food up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. * *versus slow-cooked, braised, or low-simmer recipes
- Digital, programmable control panel with 5 built-in cooking functions: pressure cook (High and low), slow cook, steam, sear/sauté, and keep Warm.
- 5 sear/sauté settings allow you to sauté and sear from low to high.
- This pressure cooker includes a 6 quart Ceramic-Coated nonstick pot and steam rack (both dishwasher safe).
- 11 levels of safety: passed rigorous testing to earn UL safety certification, giving you confidence and peace of mind while cooking.
Like the Foodi system, the Instant Cooker by Ninja combines a multi cooker with a pressure cooker. However, it has less functions and capabilities:
- The Instant Cooker does not feature TenderCrisp technology of Foodi which combines pressure cooking with air frying to crisp your ingredients.
- Foodi has Airfrying functions for crisping, baking/roasting, broiling and dehydrating. Instant Cooker does not have this feature.
- Frozen to Crisp feature which lets you cook food straight from the freezer without thawing is only available in Foodi.
- Manual programs of Foodi are 8. For instant Cooker it’s only 4 programs.
- Capacity wise, Foodi is available in either 8 or 6.5 quart capacity. Instant Cooker is available in 6 quart capacity.
- Inner pots of both Foodi and Instant Cooker are ceramic coated.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker vs. Ninja Cooking System, What’s The Difference?
- 1 pot with 4 cooking functions: Stove Top, Slow Cook, Oven, and Steam.
- Unique heating elements let you sear, sauté, and slow cook—all in one pot—for easy cleanup.
- Bake in oven mode. Dry Bake for chicken and roasts, and Steam Bake for delicious, moist cakes.
- Steam delicious and healthy vegetables, fish, and other delicate foods.
- Includes: 6 qt. nonstick cooking pot, glass lid, steaming/roasting rack, multipurpose pan, and cookbook.
Ninja Cooking System is also a multi-cooker that allows you to prepare a large variety of meals. The biggest difference between it and the Foodi is Pressure cooking.
- Ninja Foodi is a Pressure Cooker and Multi Cooker
- Ninja Cooking System is a Multi Cooker with no capability of Pressure cooking or air frying function.
Let’s look at the details…
Functions:
- Foodi: Pressure, slow cook, steam, saute, bake, broil, air fry/crisp. Frozen to Crisp which allows you to cook frozen food without thawing.
- Cooking System: Steam, slow cook, bake, sear/saute, bake.
Manual programs:
- Foodi has 8 manual programs in addition to the pre-sets.
- Cooking System has 4 manual programs.
Capacity:
- Foodi is available in two sizes, 6.5qt and 8 qt.
- Cooking System is available in one capacity, 6 qt.
Coating:
- Inner pot of the Foodi is ceramic coated. Ceramic is known to be more durable and doesn’t peel.
- Inner pot of the Ninja Cooking System has non-stick coating.
Wattage:
- Foodi is available in two models, one is 1400 watts and the other is 1700 watts.
- Ninja Cooking System is 1200 watts.
Ninja Foodi Compared To Other Brands:
Ninja Foodi vs. Instant Pot DUO60:
- 7-IN-1 FUNCTIONALITY: Pressure cook, slow cook, rice cooker, yogurt maker, steamer, sauté pan and food warmer.
- QUICK ONE-TOUCH COOKING: 13 customizable Smart Programs for pressure cooking ribs, soups, beans, rice, poultry, yogurt, desserts and more.
- COOK FAST OR SLOW: Pressure cook delicious one-pot meals up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods or slow cook your favorite traditional recipes – just like grandma used to make.
- QUICK AND EASY CLEAN UP: Finger-print resistant, stainless-steel sides and dishwasher-safe lid, inner pot, and accessories.
- SAFETY FEATURES: Includes over 10 safety features, plus overheat protection and safe-locking lid
Instant Pot is about the most popular multi cooker with pressure function available right now. It’s an affordable option that does not lack in features. In fact, it has some impressive features for the price. So how does the Ninja Foodi compare to it?
- Instant Pot DUO60 has 7 functions: pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, saute, steam, warm and yogurt maker.
- It is available in three capacities: 3 quart, 6 quart and 8 quart.
- Features 14 pre-set programs, dual pressure, and manual programs.
- Stainless steel inner pot.
- Timer with 24 hour delayed cooking.
So far, the Instant Pot looks like it might just have more functions and features than the Ninja Foodi, but it still lacks one of Foodi’s best features, the air fryer.
While the Instant Pot is a pressure and multi cooker, the Ninja Foodi is a pressure cooker, multi cooker and an air fryer. Air frying is important for a few things:
- It’s an integral part of the TenderCrisp Technology which combines pressure cooking with air frying to make sure your food is thoroughly cooked and perfectly golden crisped.
- When used alone, the air frying function is used for preparing usually fried meals but with 75% less fat. You can also use it for baking, roasting and broiling. Lastly, it can be used for dehydrating which is what you use for creating delicious fruit or vegetable snacks.
Which Cooker Do You Buy?
Making the right decision when it comes to a new appliance always comes down to breaking down your needs:
- Is pressure cooking something you need from your cooker?
- Are you trying to buy an appliance to replace multiple ones in your kitchen? What kind of meals are you trying to prepare?
The Ninja Foodi is a pressure cooker, multi-cooker and an Airfryer. It’s the only pressure and multi cooker with this capability (as of the time of writing), and this function is used on its own or in combination of pressure cooking, for tender yet crispy ingredients.
The Instant Pot, while it lacks the Air frying function, it still provides a whole lot of great features. It’s an excellent choice for the money, so if air frying is not a priority to you, it makes a great purchase.
If pressure cooking is not something you need, then you’re better off buying a multi-cooker.