On trial: Ninja’s DZ400UK Dual Zone Air Fryer

There’s no denying the air fryer is a modern kitchen must-have. But why? For starters, they are easy to use, create healthier fried food (requiring less or no oil), use less energy, cook food quicker than an oven and are reasonably priced. Put simply, they are a fantastic alternative to a traditional full size oven.

That said, one is yet to take over my kitchen. So let’s see if Ninja’s latest dual drawer model, which lets you cook two different foods simultaneously, is the kitchen companion I didn’t know I needed.

It’s the best-selling American appliance brand’s latest updated design. The large 9.5L capacity is perfect for feeding up to eight people (it can fit up to 1.4kg of fries or a 2kg chicken in each drawer).

There are two separate cooking drawers – with separate cooking functions, times and temperatures. You can, however, use the ‘MATCH’ feature to duplicate the same function, time and temperature settings across both drawers; this is perfect for doubling your serving size or cooking two different foods with the same instructions.

It includes two non-stick, dishwasher-safe 4.75L drawers, two non-stick crisper plates (also dishwasher safe) and a recipe guide.

Firstly, there are six ways to cook – this is a surprising amount of variation for one kitchen tool.

Max Crisp: Quickly crisp frozen foods (think nuggets, fries and more)

Air Fry: The unique airflow allows you to crisp with little to no oil 

Roast: Cook and crisp vegetables to perfection with evenly circulated hot air 

Bake: Evenly bake bread, cakes and other sweet treats 

Reheat: Revive leftovers to their crispy best 

Dehydrate: Removes moisture from fresh ingredients to create healthy, dried snacks, crisps and more 

I used the recipe guide to make roast chicken with root vegetables (and later trialled speedy crispy roast potatoes). And there are lots of other dishes to inspire; from cheesy baked potatoes to fish and chips, roasted salmon, falafel, muffins, brownies and more… For best results, Ninja recommends shaking the drawer or tossing the food with silicone-tipped tongs during cooking.

I know tech can be intimidating, but this Ninja air fryer really is so easy to use, and at the risk of sounding dull, I love how easy it is to clean. After cooking I just whack the crisper plates into the dishwasher. Goodbye, grimy oven pans.

What’s more, it cooks up to 75 per cent faster than fan ovens. The Max Crisp technology can cook frozen to crispy in minutes, which means it's incredibly fast to get a meal on the table on office weekdays – and there’s no preheat time! The fact the Ninja DZ400UK Dual Zone Air Fryer can cook two foods, in two ways, and finish both at the same time proves to me the Ninja air fryer hype is real.

If you seek speedy cooking that’s also healthier (this air fryer uses up 75 per cent less fat than traditional frying methods), then yes, it is absolutely worth paying for a Ninja air fryer. And though this new model is big, it didn’t feel too large for my kitchen or home life (I live with my boyfriend and don’t have any more hungry mouths to feed). 

If you need to save on space, we reviewed (and loved) the Ninja CRISPi. But for me, the Ninja DZ400UK Dual Zone Air Fryer stands out for all the right reasons – it has an elegant design, is affordable and, best of all, it lets me cook healthy and substantial meals in record time.

★★★★★