Cuisinart vs Ninja Air Fryer (2022): How Do Their Air Fryers Compare?

Air fryers are hugely popular when it comes to benchtop cooking. With more people wanting to cook fast and potentially healthier, too, they’ve become a staple in the kitchen. Cuisinart and Ninja are just two brands offering this trendy appliance. Between the two, you’ll find top-of-the-line, mid-range, and compact models. How do these air fryers stack up against one another? Check our review below to find out.

Cuisinart vs Ninja Air Fryer Comparison Chart

Cuisinart and Ninja Air Fryer Ovens

Both Cuisinart and Ninja offer several models of their air fryers.

Before diving deep into comparisons, it’s worth mentioning a few things about both brands. Cuisinart air fryers, for instance, are available in four models. Its top-of-the-line air fryer is the Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven or TOA-65. This is followed by the standard Air Fryer Toaster Oven (TOA-60), the Compact Air Fryer Toaster Oven (TOA-28), and the Compact Air Fryer (AFR-25).

Except for the AFR-25, these are fairly large fryers that will take up considerable countertop space. All models resemble your standard ovens, too, and brandish an industrial aesthetic. Operations and cooking setups are typically managed through dials, although the Cuisinart TOA-65 comes with an LCD screen.

Meanwhile, Ninja’s catalog is a bit more spread out across its category of appliances. When strictly looking at air fryers only, you’ll find three options: the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 2-Basket Air Fryer (DZ201), the Air Fryer Max XL (AF161), and the regular Ninja Air Fryer (AF101). But there are also models listed under Ovens, including the compact and best-selling Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven (SP101).

Unlike Cuisinart and except for the SP101, Ninja’s air fryers are barrel-shaped. Although they vary in capacity, they take up less space because of their vertical profile. All models feature an LCD screen, too, along with sleek-looking multi-button control panels.

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High-End Cuisinart and Ninja Air Fryers

The Cuisinart TOA-65 and the Ninja Air Fryer 6-in-1 DZ201 are the best air fryers to get.

Based on their price and features, the Cuisinart TOA-65 and Ninja DZ201 Foodi are the best air fryers to get from the two brands. Cuisinart’s high-tech air fryer comes with all the cool features of a toaster oven. There are 9 cooking functions available, too, including broil, bake, and roast. The Ninja DZ201, on the other hand, comes with 6 customizable programs. It also features two cooking zones or baskets, each with a 4-quart capacity.

A key advantage of Ninja’s flagship air fryer is the ability to cook two types of meals at once—known as DualZone Technology. The two cooking baskets are independent of each other, although users can copy cook settings across both zones. Cuisinart’s TOA-65 air fryer oven, on the other hand, takes the lead when it comes to capacity. This behemoth offers a roomy 0.6 cu. ft. interior. That’s large enough to bake a 12-inch pizza or 4-pound chicken.

Cuisinart’s flagship air fryer also has a wider temperature range. On the Cuisinart TOA-65, you can adjust temperatures between 80°F to 450°F compared to the DZ201’s 105°F to 450°F range. However, Ninja’s 6-in-1 air fryer is more manageable, thanks to dishwasher-friendly crisper plates and easy-to-clean baskets. Plus, it’s lightweight enough to move around the kitchen.

Mid-Range Cuisinart and Ninja Air Fryers

Cuisinart’s TOA-60 Air Fryer and Ninja’s Air Fryer Max XL are great alternatives over their pricier flagship siblings.

If you don’t want to splurge on an air fryer, then mid-range options are worth looking into. Here, the Cuisinart TOA-60 and the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL (AF161) are your best bets. Cuisinart’s mid-range model trades some of the TOA-65’s cooking functions and digital readout for a less intimidating price point. Ninja’s AF161, on the other hand, comes with a lower capacity compared to DZ201 but does offer more cooking programs and cooking power.

Instead of the DualZone system, the Ninja AF161 uses Max Crisp Technology. It’s a feature that blasts superheated air to cook foods up to 30% faster. Meanwhile, the Cuisinart TOA-60 is a kitchen workhorse with 7 cooking functions and 1800-watts of power. Users can bake, broil, warm, and toast, among others with this heavy-duty appliance.

For a complete cooking experience, there are several Ninja Air Fryer Max XL accessories available. Mid-level racks and multi-layer inserts create different cooking zones for dehydrating snacks or roasting food. The TOA-60 also has a few compatible accessories, including an oven rack, baking pan, and air fryer basket.

Compact Cuisinart and Ninja Air Fryers

The Cuisinart Compact Air Fryer and Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven are great options if you want to save on countertop space.

One of the downsides of air fryer ovens is their size. Fortunately, Cuisinart and Ninja both offer compact and space-saving options. The Cuisinart Compact Air Fryer (AFR-25), for instance, is only about 12-inches tall and wide. For a compact model, you still get a generous 2.5-pound capacity. The oven also boasts a brushed stainless steel exterior. Aside from air frying, the AFR-25 can be used for baking, broiling, roasting, and toasting.

The Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven (SP101), on the other hand, differs from its barrel-shaped siblings. Closely resembling a toaster, it’s best known as the Ninja air fryer that flips up. When in use, the Ninja SP101 can air fry up to 4 pounds of ingredients. There’s enough space to bake a 13-inch pizza, too. The 1800-watt appliance also comes with 8 cooking functions. When not in use, the Ninja SP101 can be flipped up for storage, dramatically reducing its footprint.

Similar to its full-sized counterparts, the Cuisinart AFR-25 uses dials for operation. In contrast, Ninja’s flexible air fryer features an LCD screen, multi-function dial, and physical buttons.

Verdict

Among the air fryers reviewed and compared, the Cuisinart TOA-65 and Ninja SP101 Foodi are clear standouts.

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Cuisinart’s air fryers share similar design footprints while differing mainly in size and capacity. As models get larger, however, so do the feature set one gets. With this in mind, the Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven (TOA-65) is the best one from the brand. The large-capacity air fryer has more built-in cook functions than the Cuisinart TOA-60 or AFR-25. It also comes with an intuitive control panel and LCD screen that takes out the guesswork in cooking.

The Ninja SP101, on the other hand, is a best-seller for a good reason. Part of Ninja’s Foodi lineup of innovative kitchen appliances, this flexible toaster oven is a game-changer. While it doesn’t come with two cooking zones like the Ninja DZ201, it’s still a large capacity oven packed with multiple cooking functions. It also flips up when being stored, taking only ample countertop space that makes it comparable to the mid-range Ninja Air Fryer Max XL.

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