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Ninja catapulted glass air fryers into the mainstream a few years ago with the introduction of the original Ninja Crispi. While it wasn’t the first brand to make an air fryer that used a glass cooking bowl over a traditional plastic one, I’d argue it was the first to do it really well, earning it a top spot on our best non-toxic air fryer list and even a mention in our travel essentials guide due to its compact size.
If you’ve read my original Ninja Crispi review, you’ll know how I was won over by this unusual looking Ninja air fryer, despite its flaws. With the introduction of the Ninja Crispi Pro, the brand has addressed a lot of the feedback that came from customers and reviewers to somewhat improve the new iteration. It’s now larger, comes with added temperature control and a few new features. Read my full verdict and review below to see why I think the new Ninja Crispi should replace plastic air fryers.
Ninja Crispi Pro air fryer: At a glance
Rating: ★★★★★
Price: £219.99 (was £249.99) from John Lewis, £249.99 from Ninja and Currys
Product Specs
- Number of functions: 7
- Capacity: 5.7L & 2.3L
- Dishwasher-safe basket: Yes
- Dimensions: 29.97 x 30.99 x 27.94 cm (LWH)
What we love
- Non-toxic cooking basket made from glass, less plastic and easier to clean
- Performance: Great results with and without the crisper plate
- Size: A larger bowl means it's better for couples and small families
What could be better
- Price: Almost £100 more than the original Crispi
My verdict
Single meals can be cooked in the Crispi's smaller dish and come out perfectly cooked. While I’m not totally won over by the new design, I'm still going to recommend the Crispi Pro to most people. It’s much larger than the original, and while I liked the compact nature of the original Crispi, I think the Ninja Crispi Pro serves a slightly different audience. It's for people who are more invested in the chemical-free, glass aspect of the fryer than its portability. In a world where we're becoming more aware than ever before about what we use in our homes, it's clear Ninja is listening.
The cooking settings have had a worthwhile upgrade: the original Crispi had four cooking settings with no option to automatically adjust the temperature, the Pro has seven, with full temperature control for that classic air fryer experience. Rather frustratingly, the older 3.8L and 1.4L bowls aren't compatible with the new model, meaning you can't use the current bowls if you're upgrading from the original version.
Nonetheless, the Ninja Crispi Pro and the original Crispi are still my number one recommendation for someone looking for an almost plastic-free air fryer experience and I don't think I'll be going back to my old plastic one in the future.
Ninja Crispi Pro air fryer review
Plastic-free design and settings
What struck me immediately when the Ninja Crispi landed on my doorstep was that it was far bigger and heavier than its predecessor. This scared me a little bit, as I was worried it would have lost some of the charm that made the original so good - and take up too much room on my countertop. I was, perhaps, a little hasty there though, because it still does exactly what it says on the box, and makes some fabulously crispy meals.
The Crispi Pro is very much a static air fryer in its design. Rather than a removable top, it features a solid cooking frame, where different sizes of glass bowl can be slotted in depending on how much or little you want to cook. The Crispi Pro comes with two bowls - a larger 5.7L and smaller 2.3L. What’s great is that there’s a metal shelf that can be inserted so the smaller bowl included easily fits.
Although I was really disappointed to find that both the old 3.8L and 1.4L original Crispi bowls aren't compatible with the Pro. I'm not sure why this is the case in the UK as in the US, the bowls appear to be interchangeable. Of course, the bowl being glass is ideal if you’re trying to craft a more non-toxic, chemical free kitchen but an added benefit is that they are also easier to clean. I find these bowls come out much cleaner when washed by hand or put in the dishwasher compared to traditional plastic ones.
The Crispi Pro has three new settings and full temperature control - a worthwhile upgrade. Another noticeable upgrade is the Crispi Pro’s settings. It has seven cooking functions: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Bake, Prove, Roast, Dehydrate and Re-crisp, and all of these have manual temperature and timing controls, allowing you to cook everything exactly to your liking.
Cooking performance
Like the original, the Ninja Crispi is excellent at crisping up all of those classics like chunky oven chips, hash browns and chicken goujons. I made some of the best french fries I'd ever eaten using the Crispi. However, its casserole-like basket design means you can actually cook other meals that aren’t suited to traditional air fryers. This includes dishes like pasta bakes and shepherd's pie. All you need to do is remove the crisper plate.
In my tests, I found these didn’t cook quite as well as they would in a traditional oven - after all, the Crispi Pro only heats from the top. But it’s a great addition to have, especially if you’re only cooking for one and don’t want to heat an entire oven. It's also ideal for reheating leftovers, I crisped up a portion of pasta bake in just two minutes using the Crispi's MaxCrisp setting. My tip for the best results is to preheat the bowl before you add your ingredients or cook low and slow to ensure your food is well heated all the way through.
Value for money
I think this is where the Crispi Pro falls down a little bit. The upgraded design and additional features do mean the price is a fair bit higher than the original Crispi (£149.99). In fact, at £249.99 it’s immediately one of Ninja’s priciest air fryers and a real investment. However, if you’re looking to upgrade and are really keen to make the switch from a plastic air fryer, I still wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this. It’s not quite as roomy as the Ninja DualZone XL 9.5L but it’s a good size for up to four people, depending on what you’re cooking. There’s also the added benefit of it also being a handy storage container, which is a big plus if you like to meal prep.
How does it compare to similar products?
Glass air fryers have been around for a while now but it’s Ninja who has brought them into the mainstream. The Crispi Pro is a larger, static version of the brand’s previous model, the Ninja Crispi. However as often is the case, where Ninja goes, others follow and there are now a multitude of Crispi alternatives out there. The most interesting of these is the Salter Crisp and Go, which looks almost identical to the original Crispi but costs just £89.99. Dreame, best known for their robot vacuums, also have their own version - the Dreame Tasti (£139.99).
How does it rate online?
The Ninja Crispi Pro rates fairly well online. On the SharkNinja website, it receives a commendable 4.5 out of five with a lot of the positive reviews mentioning how great the new additions are. Negative reviews talk more about the size still being too small for some people compared to Ninja’s larger models, while others are disappointed that the container from the old Ninja Crispi doesn’t fit the new Pro model.
How we test and why trust us
I've been testing air fryers for many years and while they've changed a lot, there are still a series of tests I always use to determine just how good they are. I start by cooking classic frozen foods like chips and hash browns, as well as chicken goujons and similar. With models like the Crispi, which has a unique design, I also test other dishes. In this case pasta bakes and pies, to see how well it can cope with those. As well as performance, I look at the Ninja's design, how easy it is to use and of course, how easy it is to clean. I then consider value for money compared to similar models, the new Crispi Pro has had some upgrades but the price has increased too, so I've assessed this to see if it's really worth the price.
What's the difference between the Ninja Crispi and the Crispi Pro?
The biggest differences between the original Ninja Crispi and the new Ninja Crispi Pro model are size and features. The Crispi Pro has a larger 5.7L baking dish, alongside its smaller 2.3L model. The original has smaller 1.4L and 3.8L bowls. Ninja's Crispi Pro also has more cooking settings and allows you to fully adjust the temperature to your liking. The original does not have manual temperature control, only automatic presets. The original Ninja Crispi is smaller, lighter and more portable, whereas the Crispi Pro is designed to be a static model to use in your kitchen.
Can you use the same containers for the Crispi and Crispi Pro?
Not in the UK version. Despite many comments about the bowls being interchangeable in the US versions, the old 3.8L and smaller container from the original Crispi do not fit the new Ninja Crispi Pro. This means if you have the older model, you won't be able to use your other bowls.
