Even as air fryers took home kitchens by storm in the late 2010s, I was never fully convinced. But, my partner eventually persuaded me to add one to our lineup of counter-stagnant appliances. Still, I had a couple of non-negotiables: it couldn’t take up too much space in our tiny New York City apartment, and it couldn’t be a total eyesore. After research, we decided on the compact Cosori, which fit snugly between our rice cooker and oven.
For over a year, it handled several of our favorite dishes, including dumplings, late-night fries, and meatballs. But eventually, we wanted something that offered a bit more versatility. Enter the Ninja foodi two-basket air fryer — a machine that’s the opposite of the Cosori in just about every way: bigger, bolder, and undeniably more powerful. I thought I’d hate the bulk. Yet, to my surprise, it’s been a joy to work with, and its footprint is something I’ve (mostly) come around to.
