Ninja MAX 6-in-1 Dual Zone Air Fryer – 9.5L

Air fryers soared in popularity during Covid – let’s face it, we all had plenty of spare time on our hands back then – with a corresponding decrease in the sales of microwaves. The numbers sold have tailed off a fair bit since then but, according to a recent survey from Leatherhead Food Research, around 66% of British households own one. It’s fair to say, then, that it’s now a kitchen staple.

It’s not hard to see why: the promise of faster cooking times, lower energy bills and healthier meals is a tempting one. Ninja’s latest dual-drawer model claims to achieve all of that, making family cooking easier, thanks a generous 9.5-litre capacity split across two independent cooking zones. Each of the two 4.75-litre drawers can handle anything from a 2kg chuck to 1.4kg of chips, making it ideal for larger households or anyone who likes to batch cook.

The standout feature? The ability to cook two different foods at different temperatures and cooking times simultaneously. Even better, Ninja’s ‘Sync’ function can ensure both drawers finish cooking at exactly the same time, eliminating the need to juggle timings, helpfully beeping when it’s done Alternatively, the ‘Match’ feature will mirror settings across both drawers if you want to cook larger portions.

As the name suggests, the DZ400UK offers six cooking modes: Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat and Dehydrate. That versatility makes it much more than a simple ‘chip’ maker. During the test period, it managed to deliver consistently succulent chicken and veggies, nicely cooked through sausages, crisp tater tots, and perfectly cooked salmon fillets. Nothing seemed to faze it.

Importantly, I didn’t need to keep going back to the manual to fathom the functionality on offer. The controls are a cinch to operate and those cooking programmes straightforward to comprehend. 

Both the drawers and crisper plates have a durable, dishwasher-safe non-stick coating that proved easy to clean; we were pretty conscientious about doing so ASAP after we’d cooked/eaten, but I don’t see any real problems arising in that respect. Happily, if you do come a cropper over time, you can at least purchase spare crisper plates direct from Shark-Ninja, for £20.99 each.

I’m impressed. If you’re looking for a quick, convenient and healthy way to cook, the Ninja DZ400UK ticks all the right boxes. Yes, it does take up a fair amount of space but, thanks to the design and finish, it doesn’t visually dominate in the way some more garish looking air-fryers can. Factor in the well-executed dual-zone flexibility and I reckon you’ve got a winning formula… Ninja clearly knows what it’s doing.