Ninja OP401 8-Qt. Foodi All-in-One Multi-Cooker, 8-Quart, Black/Gray

Disappointment can be found in the previous update.   First and foremost, this review will not appear as a verified purchase because I purchased it directly from Ninja for a lower price, and I already own 6 qt. and 8 qt. Instant Pots and a 10-quart slow cooker are all you'll need. I debated for a while whether buying another pressure cooker just for the sake of having a browning lid was a good idea. I decided to take the plunge and try this unit when Ninja had a sale on them. br>br>I've had this cooker for a few months and I'm so glad I gave it a try. It lacks the preset buttons found on Instant Pots, but I've never used them. The controls on the Ninja Foodi are so much easier to use and understand than those on the Instant Pots. Simply select the method of cooking (pressure, steam, slow cook, sear/saute), the level of heat (depending on the method of cooking), and the cook time, or use the crisping lid to air crisp, bake/roast, broil, or dehydrate. There are different options for level of heat and cook time for each cooking method. br>br>There are a few features on the Ninja Foodi that I prefer over the Instant Pots. I cooked a pork shoulder in the Foodi pressure cooker in the same amount of time as I had in the Instant Pot in the past, but I was ecstatic to discover that the Foodi has five different heat settings for sear/saute vs. The Instant Pot has three settings. When I cook pork shoulder or roasts under pressure, I add onions, garlic, and other seasonings to the water. When the meat is done, I remove it from the pan, wrap it in Reynolds wrap to keep it warm, and blend the onions and garlic into the meat juices for gravy using a submersion blender. I can keep the gravy at a low simmer with the Foodi and it will never boil. br>br>In addition to steaming, I've been using the Foodi a lot. I have a couple of pressure cooker accessory kits, and the Foodi can steam more at once than any other cooker I own. What I like best about it is how simple it is to use. What could be easier than putting food in a steamer basket, pressing steam, selecting the number of minutes to steam, and pressing start? br>br>For two-person fries, fish, steaks, and a variety of other foods, the air frying function is ideal. I have a couple of other air fryers that I use when I need to air fry larger quantities, and I've ditched the NuWave Brio Air Fryer and the smaller Instant Pot. br>br>Although I usually prefer pressure cookers with stainless steel pots, I must admit that this Foodi has me spoiled. Because I am a stickler for water spots on stainless steel, I clean all of my stainless cookware with Barkeeper's Friend after each use. The pot in the Foodi has a non-toxic non-toxic non-toxic non-toxic non-toxic non-toxic non-toxic non It has a non-stick surface that is extremely easy to clean. When I use it as a steamer, all I have to do is drain the water that has accumulated in it and dry it while it is still hot. Cleaning with just soap and water is all that's required when pressure cooking foods. So far, no staining has occurred, and nothing has stuck to the surface. Although the gasket does retain some odors from the foods cooked, this is a problem that all pressure cookers have. This has no effect on subsequent cooking and can be removed by soaking the gasket in soapy water or a baking soda and water solution. br>br>Because I use it so frequently, this cooker has earned a permanent spot on my counter on a cart in my kitchen. Most kitchens don't have enough space under cabinets to open the lids, so keeping it on the counter isn't an option. It could be pulled out on the counter to allow the lids to be opened, but there's still the issue of released steam during pressure cooking, which could cause damage to the cabinets. I also prefer to keep it on my kitchen cart because it is lower than my counters, allowing me to see the tops of the lids and into the cooker more easily. br>br>08/12/19 UPDATE: br>I've only had this Ninja Foodi for a few months, but it's already been put to good use. I grow mushrooms outside and frequently harvest them to freeze in the Foodi. The Foodi and I put in a lot of effort today. Earlier in the day, I harvested three different mushroom species that needed to be steamed in batches. I immediately set up the Foodi to pressure cook a brisket for dinner after that was completed. I placed the seared brisket on a plate and used the saute' setting on high to saute' sliced onions and garlic after searing the brisket on high. Then I added red wine, water, spices, and ketchup, and used saute' on high to bring it to a boil. The brisket was then returned to the pot and pressure cooked for 50 minutes on high pressure. When the brisket was done, I removed it from the pot and wrapped it in aluminum foil to keep it warm, then poured the rest of the contents into a gravy and fat separator with a strainer on top. br>br>After the fats rose to the top of the separator, everything in the strainer was poured back into the Foodi pot, and the liquids in the separator were poured back into the pot. I blended everything in the pot with an immersion blender until it was completely smooth, then thickened the gravy with water and corn starch. The five saute' levels come in handy in this situation. Bring the gravy to a boil on high, then reduce to a low heat to keep it warm. This is something I'd never be able to accomplish with my Instant Pot. Pot. I can confidently recommend Foodi because I use it almost every day. If the Kitchen Gods told me I could only have three kitchen appliances, I'd choose this Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker as one of them. br>br>UPDATE: 03/04/20 UPDATED: 03/04/20 UPDATED: 03/04/20 UPDATED: 03/04/20 br>I had to share a new use for my Ninja Pressure Cooker. Until recently, I always sauteed the leafy greens I grow in bulk with chopped onions and garlic, as well as other flavorings like broth, to avoid the bitter aftertaste that leafy greens are sometimes known for. This was a time-consuming task because the stems had to be cooked for longer than the leaves, and the leaves had to be added to the pan in batches to wilt. I grow a variety of leafy greens indoors and frequently process large batches of leaves before freezing them. I attempted to steam a large batch of Tri-tip tonight. I had harvested some color Swiss Chard. My husband and I had cut the stems and leaves the night before, rather than separating them as we usually would, so that the stems could cook longer with the onions and garlic. Tonight, I stuffed the steaming basket with a mix of cut leaves and stems and steamed them for four minutes in the Ninja. I was astounded to discover that all of the leaves had been evenly cooked and that the stems were tender but still a little crunchy. Instead of brown, the leaves were a vibrant green. When I sauteed them, they turned green, and the stems stayed the same color. I cooked the Swiss Chard in four batches because I didn't have time to stand over the stove for 30 minutes. It took me 45 minutes to turn them. There was no bitter flavor at all, which surprised me. They were delicious and fresh, with no added flavoring. The stems of the tri-color tri-color tri-color tri-color tri-color tri-color tri-color tri The color of the Swiss Chard I used remained, unlike the sauteed stems, which lost all color. After this, I'll never cook my leafy greens any other way. A photo of my steamed Swiss Chard has been added. br>br>UPDATE 07/02/20: br>I recently came across the Ninja Foodi Skewer set for the 8 quart Foodi on Amazon and decided to purchase it. This has given this appliance a whole new level of functionality. You can bake kabobs, chicken legs and thighs, and chicken wings with this skewer set before browning them in the crisper lid. I've made BBQ'ed chicken wings with the skewer set, and they're delicious. You don't have to stir chicken parts to brown the ones on the bottom when baking and crisping them. My Ninja Foodi Skewer set review includes photos of the BBQ'ed chicken wings I make as well as instructions on how to make them. br>br>I hope you found this review helpful, and I will update it if my opinion changes or new information becomes available.

Keaton WESTON

| May 29, 2021

I have a number of pressure cookers in my collection. Two 10-quart Pressure Cooker XLs, a 14-quart Gowise pressure cooker, and an 8-quart Instant Pot During the summer, I cook for large groups on my patio. The issue with pressure cookers is that the meat always turns out pale and tasteless. Everything must be browned in a hot oven, which necessitates multiple trips back and forth. br>br>The Ninja Foodi is the solution to the problem. The meat stays in the pot when the pressure cooking is finished. You remove the Crisp Fryer lid and brown the meat with your favorite sauce or rub in the Crisp Fryer. The Baby Back Ribs are my personal favorite. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce is poured over two racks of ribs that have been cut into two rib sections. 1 cup apple juice; pressure cook on high for 25 minutes. Remove the ribs, discard the liquid, clean the pot, and re-sauce the ribs with BBQ sauce. Return the ribs to the pot, cover with the Crisp Fryer lid, and cook for 10 minutes, checking after 5 minutes to see if the BBQ sauce has begun to char and caramelize. Remove the pot, place the ribs in a serving dish, and serve. I call them "No Brainer Ribs" because they always turn out perfectly. br>br>Cleaning is a breeze. My only gripe is that the Ninja Foodi should be available in larger sizes. In my Gowise 14 Qt pressure cooker, I can cook 5 racks of baby back ribs, but I have to put it in the oven to caramelize the BBQ sauce, so I'd like either a 12 QT or 14 QT size. br>br>If you're looking for a pressure cooker that can also be used as a slow cooker, this Ninja Foodi is a great option. You will not be sorry. There are a few things you'll need. Non- To protect the non-stick surfaces, use utensils. In the pot, put the coating. One of the quilted covers has a separate pocket for the pressure lid that sits atop it. Storage becomes simple and uncluttered as a result of this arrangement.

Rey Ware

| Jul 25, 2021

This is a great idea. From the beginning, there have been issues with the lid! It's far too costly to have these issues. Only the airfryer is allowed to be used. There will be no pressure or anything like that.

Valentina Gamble

| Nov 22, 2021

In March, I finally got my Ninja Foodie. In the last month, I've used it three times and have been very happy with it. When I plugged it in the other day, there was a spark at the Ninja's base, and that was the end of it! After only a month and three uses, it has stopped working. I should have just bought an Instapot for a quarter of the price; I'm very dissatisfied.

Morgan Huang

| Apr 24, 2021

Once a week, I used it, and the pressure button stopped working after two months. I will send another foodi, but I will be responsible for the $24 return shipping. It is not the fault of the customer that the product is defective.

Jimmy Powell

| Feb 14, 2021

Everything you do is fantastic. I'm a believer, to be sure! It's a fantastic idea. It's big, and it'll take up a lot of counter space, but it's awesome. br>I docked some stars because, while everything works (amazingly well), the air fryer makes an almost unbearable amount of noise. The fan appears to be out of balance, and it vibrates and rattles as it cooks. I'm hoping there's a fix for that, otherwise I'll have to look for a new one. This thing is still incredible! br>br>UPDATE, 17 October 2019br> The noises it was making haven't gone away, but they've become much quieter. It sounds almost mechanical, with the sound of the fan blowing inside. br>I also discovered that you can turn it on and start the pressure cooking process without the lid on. This is one of my favorite methods because I can add my veggies, some liquid, and then trim the meat (pork for Carnitas, for example) as I go. It appears to reduce preheat time by 75-80%. 80% of the time and gets things moving much quicker under pressure! br>I'd give it a 9 out of 10!.

Colt Jordan

| Feb 25, 2021