Ninja OP401 Foodi 8-Quart review: Pressure, Steamer, Air Fryer All-In-One Multi-Cooker

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If you’re in the hunt for a versatile pressure cooker that enables you to do more than boiling and pressure cooking, then you should really consider the Ninja Foodi OP401. You can do a lot more with this unit than you can with the usual traditional pressure cooker. With the tender-crisp technology, this unit will help you experience and achieve all the tenderizing wonders of your cooking dreams.

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This unit is head and shoulder above all other pressure cookers in terms of versatility and functionality. It offers a lot of features not available in other pressure cookers. Its revolutionary crisping lid enables you to air fry, roast, bake and broil; this means you can pressure cook juicy food items, then air fry or bake it to get a crispy finish. Only the Ninja foodi multi-cooker enables you to transform frozen foods into crispy meals without a hassle.

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Tendercrisp cooking

Experiment with different combinations of proteins, veggies, and grains using this unit to achieve a multi-textured and nutritious delight. This unit makes cooking more comfortable and more enjoyable than ever.

tender-crisp

For those who may not understand the concept of tender-crisp technology.
When you prepare tough meat and ingredients with the pressure cooking method, you get a tender but delicious dish. On the other hand, air frying creates that nice crispy outside that we all love.

The TenderCrisp technology from Ninja combines these two functions to create a juicy and smooth meal that is also crispy on the outside. The process, therefore, starts with pressure cooking, and then the frying level is selected for the desired fries.

The controls are easy to understand and very easy to use. The unit is also easy to clean, the inside pot can be removed, and it’s dishwasher safe.

Not only can the Ninja foodi 8 quart replace your instant cooker, but it is also a deep fryer that requires 75% less fat than other frying methods. It’s hard to transcend the taste and texture of your favorite food, carefully prepared, and healthy food that you can enjoy with less worry or reservation. It also has a built-in food dryer, so you can also cook healthy homemade chips, jerkies, and dried fruit snacks.

HERE’S THE BREAKDOWN OF ALL THE COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONALITY OF THIS UNIT

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Design

This model features a well-made and sturdy stainless steel construction with a beautiful black theme on its exteriors. This build is complemented by the sleek display window, which shows users what’s going on in the pot, the time remaining on the timer, and any other relevant signal and information.

Blue lights which are displayed on the display panel also adds to the sophisticated look of the unit. The inner pot is made of a ceramic material with non-stick coating (as opposed to stainless steel available in many other pressure cookers).

he Nonstick coating makes it easy to clean the inner cooking pot, and the good news is, the non-stick coating doesn’t peel easily. When compared to Instant Pot, the unit is a bit shorter and wider with measurements of 14.3 x 16.8 x 14.1 inches, which gives it more surface area for better browning. With the width, it is much easier to fit up to four custard cups in the pot side by side and enjoy making desserts with this unit.

When to achieve the tender-crisp cooking level using the same appliance, the unit comes equipped with two different lids; a removable pressure cooking lid for tenderness and a non-detachable crisping lid.
The control panel also features a yogurt button, that’s right, you have to put your ingredients together in the pot, press this button, wait for a couple of minutes, and you’ll get your freshly prepared yogurt.

However, a bit of a downside Ninja foodi deluxe 8 qt to the design is the weight of the device. It weighs approximately 26 pounds, which is quite heavy for a pressure cooker.

Controls

You can efficiently operate the Ninja Foodi multi-cooker using the LED touch control panel on the body of the cooker. You have to slightly touch the panel to select the cooking method, temperature setting, and set the timer.

Also, to set the time, note that the timer is set in seconds increment as opposed to the minute increment available in most instant pots. Slightly press the timer to increase or reduce the time setting on the timer. The enhanced user interface also features a larger center dial, which makes it very easy to set the time and temperature.

The Multi-cooker comes with a user manual, this will help users to have a better idea of how to operate the multi-cooker.

Cooking Area

The Ninja op401 Foodi has a large 8-quart cooking pot capacity with a 5-quart cook and crisp basket and has enough space to take a 7-pound chicken. As mentioned before, the inner cooking pot is made of ceramics with non-stick coating, which makes easy to hand-wash and can hold more items than most instant pots.

Operation and Functions

The unit comes with a lot of features that make it suitable for different cooking methods, and all these functions can be easily selected using the control panel on the cooktop.

The air fry function is made for crisping up foods. The air fryer timer is used to regulate the crisping time. It counts down and automatically shuts off the air fryer after the set time is up, so you don’t always have to keep your eye on the food, just set the time, go out and do something else. Even if you forget about the food you were preparing, the timer will prevent the food from getting burnt or overcooked.

The LED blue lights displayed on the control panel rotate in a square to indicate when the Foodi is pressurizing, and they stop when it has reached the required level.

Power/Watts

With 1700w cooker, the device heats up very quickly and efficiently while conserving energy. For people who may not understand the terms, here’s an idea of what we are talking about, with this unit, you can boil 100ml of water in under 4 minutes. It has 4 different temperature levels this way you can easily select the appropriate temperature level required for your recipe, you can choose between 100W to 1700W

Safety Features

The device comes with a lot of safety features such as child lock, timer, and many others to ensure the safety of the users and prevent any injuries or accidents from occurring. The safety features have been taken through various rigorous testing to certify the claims of the manufacturers. The non-stick coating has been proven to be PFOA free to prevent health hazards arising from contaminants getting into food items when cooking. The device also passed ETL CE RoHS Certification that ensures durability and safety, so you can be sure that you’re using a safe and secure device.

Ventilation

It is designed with vents at the back area of the device to allow hot air to go out when frying, and this helps to keep the body of the cooker cool even during usage. The device did not make any noise when operational except beep sound, which indicates when the time setting on the timer has been elapsed, and the timer is shutting off the device.

Additional features and Accessories

The device comes with useful additions, one of which is a fantastic recipe book with more than 45 instructions on the different menus that can be prepared using the cooker and how to go about the preparation.

It also comes with a reversible two-piece rack, which can also be stacked on top of each other to accommodate more food while steaming air frying or even broiling.

The black sealing ring attached to the cookers makes it stand out among other pressure cookers and adds a lot of versatility and flexibility to your cooking.
It has a beep alarm, which helps to notify the users that the set time is up and the cooker is going off, this helps to keep a note of what’s cooking and when it’s ready.

Pros

  • Beautiful and sturdy design: It has a pretty stainless steel exterior with a black theme and LED display panel, which makes the device look sleek and more sophisticated.
  • Large Cooking Capacity: It comes with a 5-quart cook & crisp basket, which can take a 7-pound chicken and large quantities of food items.
  • Yogurt Function: Homemade fresh yogurt has never been easier to prepare; just put all the ingredients required together, press the yogurt function button, wait a couple minutes, and voila! You have your fresh yogurt.
  • Two Lids: It comes with one detachable pressure cooking lid and one unremovable crisping lid. The two caps can be easily aligned thanks to the white line on the housing. This helps you to put the covers in place when cooking.

Cons

  • The device is relatively large and quite heavy, weighing about 26 pounds, so users will need ample space to accommodate it.
  • The pressure release valve on the cooker is quite short, and thus it will be a little bit more difficult to maneuver compared to Instant Pot and other pressure cookers.
  • The electrical cord is only 33 inches long, so users will need to place the device close to a power outlet. (Use of extension cords is not advisable.)

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Also read: this is how the Ninja FD401 differs from the OP401

Check out our new cookbook

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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.