We got a new air fryer, a Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer AF500, and we’re really excited about it!
Our old model, a 3.2l Zokura, turned out to be too small for our family’s needs. When our daughter was younger and we cooked separately for her, it was enough. Now, with three people at the table, it simply couldn’t keep up. So, learn from our mistake: if you’re considering buying an air fryer, go one size bigger than you think you’ll need – it will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.
Beyond the restricted cooking space, another major drawback of the Zokura was its maximum temperature of only 200°C. Whenever I tried roasting eggplants, they ended up scorched on the outside instead of evenly cooked.
This autumn I found a great deal on Ninja Kitchen and decided it’s time to upgrade – I bought the Ninja Airfryer Foodi FlexDrawer AF500 (EU plug version). It’s huge, almost the size of a microwave oven, measuring 33 cm high, 50 cm wide, and 32 cm deep.
The drawer has a capacity of 10.4 liters and can be divided into two cooking zones with the included divider. Without the divider, and with the crisping plates installed, the drawer’s internal dimensions are approx. 37 cm (length), 21.5 cm (width), and 12 cm (height). If you want to use the bake function with an oven dish, keep in mind that the corners of the drawer are rounded, so not all pans will fit perfectly.
It’s not tall enough for a full-sized roast chicken, but it easily handles two or three smaller birds such as coquelets (up to ~600 g each). For roasting eggplants, peppers, or baking apples, it’s perfect.
The crisper plates are enamel-coated rather than Teflon, which I consider a big plus for both durability and food safety – another reason I chose this model.
⚠️ One thing to note: if you remove the crisper plates, you’ll see a raised section in the middle of the drawer (where the divider locks in). Because of this design, the plates are always required, no matter which cooking program you use. A minor inconvenience, but worth mentioning.
With the divider installed, each zone is about 18 cm wide.
The Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer AF500 has a powerful 2470W heating system and reaches a maximum temperature of 240°C, which makes it very versatile.
The heating elements are located only at the top, which you can clearly see when looking inside. This setup means cleaning might require extra care, since any splatters (from fatty meats, sausages, etc.) can easily reach the exposed elements. I’ll be cautious when cooking foods that splatter, hoping to keep the unit clean and avoid hard-to-remove buildup.
In terms of functionality, this air fryer comes with seven programs, as follows:
- Max Crisp, a program with a maximum temperature of 240 degrees, ideal for crispy French fries or baking eggplant.
- Hot air frying (air fryer), for fast and healthy cooking with minimal oil.
- Browning, to give food a golden, crispy crust.
- Baking, similar to a traditional oven, ideal for cakes, pies, or other baked goods.
- Reheating, a program designed for quick and efficient reheating of already cooked dishes.
- Dehydration, a program for drying fruit, vegetables, or herbs, preserving their flavor and nutrients.
- Proofing, a function dedicated to preparing dough, maintaining a constant temperature of 40°C, perfect for proofing dough before baking. Make sure the dough doesn’t rise above the drawer’s height – it will be a messy adventure.
Another great feature: you can either use the full drawer or split it into two zones to run different programs simultaneously. A sync function ensures both sides finish cooking at the same time.
My First Tests
Even though I’ve only had it for a short while, I’ve already tested roasted eggplants – they came out perfect: soft and white inside, just like when cooked over a gas flame, but without the mess. I also baked apples in a ceramic dish that fits perfectly in the drawer. And I tried sweet potato cubes brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with smoked paprika – absolutely delicious!
So far, we’re really pleased with this purchase, and we plan to put the air fryer to even more use in the coming weeks. It’s a fantastic opportunity to experiment with new recipes – which I’ll be sharing on the blog soon.