Professionals
- Cook dinner, serve, and storage capabilities
- Simple to scrub: virtually every part is dishwasher-safe
- Intuitive operation
- No concern about PFAS
- Potential to see cooking in progress
- Should buy further glass vessels for optimum meals prep
- Small storage footprint with nesting capabilities
- Moveable
Cons
- Value is on the excessive aspect for air fryers
- Some uncovered scorching parts throughout operation
Air fryer ovens have developed from a passing pattern right into a once-in-a-lifetime kitchen phenomenon. Evaluating air fryers is a rigorous, ongoing dedication at CNET — one pushed not simply by enthusiasm for these high-speed countertop convection ovens, however by a disciplined pursuit of one of the best in the marketplace.
A number of giant and budget-conscious choices have proven ample benefit to earn a spot on our best air fryers list, but just one has earned the excellence of finest total — two years operating. That distinction belongs to an progressive glass-bowl air fryer from Ninja. It holds its personal towards each mannequin we’ve examined, and its clear glass-bowl development gives a significant practical benefit over standard basket-style designs.
The Ninja Crispi has spawned a sea of imitators however the authentic glass-bowl air fryer remains to be my high choose.
After cooking with Ninja’s Crispi glass air fryer for greater than two years, we have but to search out one other that mixes ease of use, unhazardous supplies and pure cooking prowess fairly like this one. The Crispi makes air frying enjoyable, and the glass chambers with tight-fitting lids act as extra than simply vessels for scorching wings, fries and mushrooms. Plus, the complete unit breaks down for simple storage after use—a characteristic 99% of different air fryers lack.
Learn extra: Air Fryer Fails: 8 Foods That Just Can’t Handle the Heat
This is why the Ninja Crispi glass air fryer is one of the best air fryer purchase in 2026.
Ninja Crispi glass air fryer at a look
- Fashion: Modular air fryer with two sizes of glass cooking vessels and a separate cooking pod in three colours
- Dimensions: 13.5 by 12 by 13.5 inches
- Energy: 1,500 watts
- Weight: 15.74 kilos
- Value $180 (at present on sale for $160)
Ninja Crispi operation: The way it’s completely different
With the ability to visually observe progress is among the huge attracts for Ninja’s air fryer.
The cooking pod itself contains crisp, bake, air fry and max crisp features. Crisp is meant to revive leftovers, whereas Max Crisp is the best setting for packaged frozen meals. Whereas it’s tempting, given their baking dish look, the glass TempWare bowls should not supposed for use because the precise cooking vessels for batters in bake mode, as a result of air nonetheless must flow into beneath the cooking vessels to be efficient. (Will I attempt anyway? The temptation is actual.)
Urgent any button will activate a digital timer, permitting you so as to add or subtract minutes. (The timer defaults to 10.) When the timer is beneath 1 minute, it switches to seconds, and the system beeps to warn you when the cycle is full. General, the Ninja Crispi’s sound stage was much like that of standard air fryer fashions, with a average whirring noise throughout operation.
4 causes to like the Ninja Crispi glass air fryer
1. I can examine the progress of my meals with out shedding warmth
You’ll be able to observe cooking progress with out stopping the machine.
As anticipated, the flexibility to see the cooking in progress was actually satisfying, from a nerdy perspective and as a approach to search for visible cues to find out when to flip gadgets or assess doneness. Rooster components and Brussels sprouts had been cooked evenly and effectively, with little danger of overcooking, given the 360-degree view into the proceedings.
As a result of I can observe progress with out opening the basket or stopping the machine, meals cooks sooner. Who would not love that?
2. Glass bowls are unhazardous and straightforward to scrub
We discovered the glass cooking chamber superior on a number of fronts.
Most air fryers use aluminum cooking baskets with a nonstick coating. These coatings are inclined to chip and break down in case you’re not cautious. Many individuals are involved concerning the well being ramifications of ingesting nonstick chemical compounds that chip off cookware. With a glass-bowl air fryer, there is no fear.
If that is not sufficient, glass is far simpler to deep-clean than nonstick surfaces and you need to use the dishwasher with out challenge.
3. The glass bowls double as meals storage containers
The cooked meals is able to be packed away or delivered to a celebration as quickly because it’s executed.
The flexibility, nevertheless, makes the Ninja Crispi tremendously attention-grabbing, particularly for avid meal preppers. Full meals or particular person cooked parts will be saved instantly from the cooking course of within the fridge, because of the included lids for simple storage. (Though I’m sure by fridge logistics to let you know to let all of it cool first, so you do not inadvertently increase the temperature inside your fridge.)
Extra cooking bowls in numerous sizes will be bought individually, permitting for the preparation of a number of individually cooked meals with no cleanup required between makes use of: merely switch the cooking pod from one cooking vessel to the subsequent, assembly-line fashion. Sunday meal prep has by no means been simpler, nor required fewer dishes.
4. It breaks down for simple storage
Not many air fryers break down for simple storage the best way the Crispi does.
The Ninja Crispi can be straightforward to retailer, with a footprint and top requirement that’s far lower than a variety of standard fashions. It additionally makes for simple portability — supreme for a potluck and even only a self-care scorching meal — and you may even justify cooking on web site. Both of the cooking bowls or the cooking pod may simply slot in a shoulder bag. If I labored in an workplace, it might thrill me to carry the entire thing with me so I may have a scorching, wholesome lunch with out reheating. Though in case you’re considering being the individual to cook dinner fish instantly at your desk — possibly do not.
Not solely can the bigger 4-quart bowl be used instantly as a family-style serving vessel — whose sensible ft preclude the necessity for a trivet or pot holder — however one may additionally argue that the smaller 4-cup vessel can be utilized to eat instantly from, considerably decreasing the variety of dishes to scrub. Talking of washing, every part besides the cooking pod itself is dishwasher-safe.
Ninja Crispi setup
Handy because it, the glass cooking chamber does get hotter than your common air fryer base.
Though it would not resemble a typical air fryer, the Ninja Crispi was intuitive to arrange and use. Every glass cooking vessel has a built-in stand with ft that retains it off the counter. Facet handles are additionally fitted to the bowls’ stands, permitting straightforward transportation between the counter and the desk (because the vessels will also be used for serving) and making it straightforward to shake the contents as wanted throughout cooking.
The nonstick crisper plates had been packaged individually and had been straightforward to put within the bowls and take away for cleansing. Lids for the 6-cup and 4-quart bowls had been additionally included: a snap-on lid for the smaller and an easier press-on lid for the bigger.
The cooking pod options an ergonomic form for simple lifting and contains ft for safe placement on the counter when not in use. The cooking pod sits simply on high of the 6-cup bowl, and a big-batch adapter body suits the cooking pod onto the bigger bowl. Between unwrapping and rinsing the entire washable components, I used to be able to go in about 2 minutes.
The large-batch adapter body suits the cooking pod onto the bigger glass bowl.
What I did not like concerning the Ninja Crispi
As a modular system with quite a few built-in practicalities and flexibility, the Ninja Crispi is a game-changer within the air fryer market. That mentioned, at $160, it is on the more-expensive aspect for an air fryer.
These with little ones in the home may need to word that when the cooking pod is used with the adapter for giant batches, the adapter can change into scorching and probably expose them as soon as the heating pod is eliminated. By no means thoughts little ones; in case you’re an absent-minded cook dinner your self, it may be a hazard.
Learn extra: 8 Foods That Go From Good to Great in an Air Fryer
Remaining verdict on the Ninja Crispi
When you’re a disciple of air fryer cooking and, particularly in case you have a severe dedication to meal prepping, the Ninja Crispi is arguably one of the vital versatile fashions in the marketplace. It is satisfying to make use of, and straightforward to retailer and clear. You could need to search for it on sale throughout Prime Day or the same occasion, however even and not using a low cost, its utility and the Ninja model’s fame justify its price ticket.
