I've been testing Ninja's microwave/air fryer hybrid for 2 weeks — now I don't want it to leave my kitchen

Whatever new product Ninja launches, it always causes a stir, as it did with the Ninja Crispi air fryer. The brand can’t seem to miss the mark with consumers. Everyone just raves about Ninja.

That’s why I was excited to try Ninja’s Crispi Microwave, launched in the U.K. in September, just a couple of months after its July U.S. release. It's Ninja’s first entry into the microwave market, but instead of playing it safe, the company has created a multifunction appliance that uses FusionCrisp technology to not only heat but crisp your food on demand.

I've been taking it through its paces to discover whether it's worth a place on your countertop.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: Price and availability

The Ninja Crispi Microwave launched at $449 in the U.S. and £359 in the U.K. However, do look around, as it’s currently reduced to $399 at Amazon, but if you’re in the U.K., it’s still £359 at Amazon

Looking at the microwaves recommended in our buying guide, Toshiba’s EM131A5C-BS Countertop Microwave takes the top spot, and you’ll pay $149 at Amazon for it. Meanwhile, the best combi microwave is IKEA’s GÅTEBO 3-in-1 microwave, which can heat, grill and air fry and costs $199 at IKEA.

While the Ninja is more expensive, you do get two-in-one appliances, so don't dismiss this product just because of the price.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: Unboxing and setup

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Don’t underestimate how big this appliance is. It’s a two-man job to get it out of its box. In fact, I was surprised by how much countertop space it took up.

The product is securely packaged, and apart from the microwave, it comes packed with a large 5.5-quart glass dish and a crisper plate. You also get an owner’s guide and a quick start guide — including recipes, charts and instructions. Keep hold of these as they’re invaluable when you first get going.

They also explain how to use the glass dish and crisper plate, which mustn’t be used when using the standard microwave function. You’ll also learn when to place the dish in the lower or upper position; it depends on the mode you’re using and what you are cooking.

But this microwave doesn’t have a turntable. Unlike most microwaves, Ninja’s version foregoes the turntable for a flatbed design, which gives you 20% more usable cooking space than a standard turntable. Plus, that’s one less thing to wash!

Ninja Crispi Microwave: Design

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Did I mention it was large? Beyond taking up more depth, width and height in my kitchen than my usual microwave, you’ll need to make sure you have enough safe clearance around the appliance to keep its air vents clear.

You’ll need 11.81 inches of clearance from the top of the appliance to any cabinets or shelves above it, and it shouldn’t be wall-mounted or placed inside a cabinet.

It has a smart design and looks like any other microwave, except it is bigger. You can also choose from three colors — Silver, Cyberspace and Black. However, when you peek inside, you’ll see it’s missing the standard microwave turntable. You’ll also notice shelf runners at the top; they help the glass dish slide into the top position.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: Ease of use

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It didn’t take me long to get the microwave up and running, but since it’s a multifunctional appliance, give yourself time to read the instructions. Beyond standard air fry and microwave modes, it offers a lot of functionality, including presets and FusionCrisp.

It has eight microwave presets (Defrost, Beverage, Soup, Popcorn, Potato, Soup, Soften Butter, Frozen Vegetable, and Porridge) and five Air Fry presets (Air Fry, Max Crisp, Air Roast, Air Bake, and Air Grill).

At first, it might seem a bit complicated, but after a few goes, I was confident I was using it proficiently.

However, one recurring issue is knowing what times to set when using the FusionCrisp function. I could follow recipes in the quick start guide, and there are also guidelines for cooking a wide range of other dishes, but I couldn’t always find the timings for what I wanted to cook. In these instances, I searched online for advice.

Another issue I had was the weight of the glass dish. I found it was very heavy, especially when full, and removing it from the top position was tricky. It was difficult to grab with oven mitts, which was essential once the food had been cooked. However, when the glass dish was placed in the bottom position, it wasn’t as much of an issue.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: Performance

As I've already mentioned, there's lots of scope with how you use Ninja's Crispi Microwave. During my testing I used the microwave and air fry functions independently and combined them both using the FusionCrisp mode. Here's how I got on heating, reheating and crisping food.

FusionCrisp

The standout feature of this microwave is its FusionCrisp technology — the ability to microwave and air fry. Beyond ending soggy microwave reheats, it can do much more.

Fruit crumble
With a sweet tooth, I couldn’t help but notice a fruit crumble recipe in the quick start guide, and it seemed like a good place to start. Crumble is one of my favorite desserts; it has plenty of fruit, is quick to make, and I love the richness of the crumbly topping. What’s more, it seemed like a fitting way to see just how well FusionCrisp mode works.

I’ve already covered making the fruit crumble in my first impressions of the Ninja Crispi Microwave, where I explain how large and heavy the glass bowl is. It will allow you to make a huge serving, but this might not be what you want.

When baking the crumble, I placed the bowl in the top position and pressed the FusionCrisp button. I then set the microwave time to 20 minutes, followed by the air fry time to 10 minutes, as the recipe directed.

You'll hear the appliance beep when the microwave finishes and before the air frying starts. Then, once complete, 'Cool' appears on the digital display. This is when the internal fan runs to dissipate residual heat.

I was really pleased with the result. The fruit was cooked through and piping hot, and the crumble was just how it would be if I’d cooked it in my oven. With a total cook time of 30 minutes, it saved me 10 minutes on my usual oven bake.

Would I make this again in the Ninja Crispi Microwave? Definitely.

Baked potatoes

Who doesn’t love a baked potato with a crispy skin? I usually start by microwaving my potatoes, then leaving them to crisp in the oven, but that takes ages, and it's too long for a quick lunch. However, using the FusionCrisp mode makes it feasible when you are short on time.

I started by pricking my potatoes all over with a fork, and then gave them a light coating with sunflower oil. I couldn’t find the cooking times for baked potatoes in the guide, so I searched online and placed two potatoes (weighing between 250-300g each) on the crisper plate in the glass dish in the top position. I set the microwave for 14 minutes and the air fryer for 10 minutes.

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Baking potatoes and how crisp you like the skin is a personal preference — I like mine on the extra-crispy side, enough to give your jaw a workout. So, you’ll probably need to play around with the air fryer timings, depending on your own taste. However, these were a real winner, and although I’d extend the air-frying time, the inside of the potatoes were soft and cooked through.

A whole chicken

Since using the Cosori TurboBlaze Air Fryer, I’ve swapped cooking whole chickens in my oven for using my air fryer. I find it’s quicker, and my air fryer basket is easier to clean than my oven.

So, I was keen to discover how my regular chicken would look and taste after using the FusionCrisp mode. I followed the recipe in the quick start guide for a 1.5 kg chicken (3.3 lb); I lightly coated the chicken in vegetable oil, seasoned it and placed it on the crisper plate in the glass dish.

Although everything I had previously cooked using the FusionCrisp mode had been placed in the top position, the size of the chicken called for it to be cooked in the bottom position.

I set the microwave time to 30 minutes and the air fry dial to 45 minutes. The recipe didn’t specify turning the chicken, like I normally do when I air-fry protein this size, so I skipped this step.

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Once the microwave stage was complete and the appliance beeped, I removed the chicken to check on its progress. As expected, it still looked pale and unappetizing. However, once the air-frying cook time was up, I checked the temperature of the chicken with my Thermoworks Thermapen One thermometer and it was above the recommended temperature for cooked chicken.

However, when I turned the chicken over, it still looked pale, and after inserting the thermometer, it was not at a safe temperature to eat. I therefore returned the chicken, uncooked side up, to the microwave and gave it a few more minutes on the air fry setting.

This wouldn't stop me from cooking a whole chicken in the microwave; I'd just return to my normal practice and turn the chicken halfway through the cook.

What about the clean-up? I took a cloth, rinsed it in warm, soapy water and wiped over the internal surface of the microwave to remove the splatters of chicken fat. It was easy to remove, since I hadn't let the fat settle.

Vegetable lasagna

One of my favorite recipes is pesto lasagna, made with pesto, spinach, pine nuts and mascarpone — try it, you’ll be surprised!

Since the quick start guide includes a vegetable lasagna recipe, I thought I’d use the same cooking times. I made the lasagna in the glass bowl, then placed it in the top position in the microwave, setting the microwave time to 20 minutes and the air fry time to 8 minutes.

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I was pretty pleased with this bake. The lasagna was well-cooked, the filling hot and the top crispy — if not a little too dark. Since making this lasagna, I've continued to use the microwave for other pasta bakes, as it makes an easy, quick win during the week

Air fryer

Since I'd already used the air fry mode within the FusionCrisp mode, I didn't test the stand alone air fry function as extensively as I would a normal air fryer — to me, it had already proofed that's it's more than capable.

Grilled cheese toasty

To go with the soup I heated in the microwave (see below), I made a grilled cheese toasty. I spread butter on the outside of two slices of granary bread and filled the inside with grated cheddar cheese. I placed the bread on the crisper plate in the glass dish and used the top position in the microwave.

I checked online to get an idea of timings, and set the temperature to 240°C for 8 minutes, flipping the toasty over at the halfway point.

The toasty was incredibly moreish, with oozing cheese and a crispy texture. Since making this in the microwave, I've been eating cheese toasties on repeat.

Thick-cut frozen chips

Frozen chips are a staple in my house for quick dinners, and it was a no-brainer to try them in the air fryer. I placed them on the crisper tray in the glass dish (there’s plenty of room for large portions), selected the Max Crisp Air Fry setting and set the timer for 20 minutes.

I checked them after nine minutes, gave them a shake and saw they were cooking faster than I thought. So, after 12 minutes, I checked again, and they were baked.

Beef burgers
To go with the thick chips, I used the air fryer mode to cook frozen beef burgers. Although the quick start guide does give you timings for using the FUSIONCRISP mode (5 minutes microwave, 10-12 minutes air fry).

I placed two quarter-pounders on the crisper plate in the top glass bowl and set the air fry time to 14 mins at 180°C/356°F, flipping them halfway through. I was pleased with the result, but I will try using the FUSIONCRISP mode next time to see if it makes a difference.

Microwave

My normal microwave is very basic and lacks functions, so I was excited to try the Ninja and work through the presets; plus, it was handy for reheating dinners after I went to the gym.

Overall, I was impressed with the microwave’s functionality, its ability to heat without cold spots, and how easy it is to adjust the timing with the control knob or in 30+/- intervals, as well as the power level.

Melting butter
I tend to keep my butter in the fridge, especially in summer, when it can start to go rancid. This means my butter is often too hard to spread and definitely not soft enough for cake batters. I found this function really handy, and it meant I didn’t have to think about how long to microwave my butter or which temperature setting to use. It was a surprise to open the microwave and find softened butter instead of my usual melted mess. The preset is set to 30 seconds, but you can adjust this either way.

Heating soup
With cozy season upon us, I've started to enjoy warming lunches, so I used the preset to heat through some chicken and vegetable soup. I placed my bowl of soup in the base of the microwave and kept it in for the full 2 1/2 minutes. Once complete, I gave the soup a stir, and it was piping hot.

Porridge
With the mornings getting cooler, I was able to make the most of the porridge preset and make myself a bowl of steaming oats. I put 1/2 cup of oats in a bowl with 1 cup of milk, stirred and selected the porridge preset. After two minutes, I removed my oats (though they had boiled over the sides a little), and my breakfast was steaming hot with no cold spots.

OK, so I had a bit of leakage; normally I'd remove the turntable from my microwave and wash it by hand or put it in my dishwasher. However, with the Ninja, I simply took a damp cloth and wiped up the mess. I found the inner design makes it easy to clean up messes, with no ridges to hold a turntable.

Ninja Crispi Microwave: Verdict

I’m in love with the Ninja Crispi Microwave, and I don’t want this to disappear from my kitchen. It’s great for baking pasta bakes and crumbles, and it does a good job with whole chickens (just remember to flip the food halfway through). Plus, the presets are super handy, and the best bit is that it’s fun to use.

So why haven’t I given it 5 stars? It’s got nothing to do with its prowess as a cooking appliance; it’s simply its size. You need serious space in your kitchen for this microwave, not to mention the clearance headroom above it, and the large glass dish is heavy to handle, especially when it’s placed in the top position. If you can work around these issues, it’s well worth considering.