Does Ninja AG301 Foodi Air Fryer Grill Offer Good Value? [Review]

I know it is hard to believe, but there are claims that an air fryer grill is so amazing that it acts as your indoor grill with no or very little smoke.

Ninja AG301 Foodi has become a heartthrob among many homeowners.

Without a doubt, it is one of the best multifunctional air fryers with grill combo.

We performed various tests to see the validity of the claims about this best ninja air fryer that will help the shoppers in making a final decision.

Ninja AG301 Foodi 5-in-1 Air Fry With Indoor Electric Grill [Review]

| ALSO READ: Ninja SP101 Air Fryer Oven

Size Of The Appliance

Our first impression of the Ninja AG301 was that it was big and boxy. Its dimensions are 7” L x 14” W x 11″H.

It has a hinged lid that opens upward. You will need to leave at least 4 to 5 inches of space behind the unit to open it. 

Design And Construction

Its brushed stainless steel clean finish looked pretty impressive.

The lid is black and made with high-quality plastic. But the good news is that plastic does not come in contact with food.

The control panel is self-explanatory. Grill control options have micro-settings (low, med, high, max) on one side.

The remaining cooking options are on the other side.

Time can only be set in the intervals of whole numbers— a slight inconvenience but workable.

Even if I don’t call it the most beautiful air fryer grill, the shiny finish and the bright display will still score some points.

Capacity

The air fryer’s capacity is 4 QT, which is not the best for large families.

But just like us, you will be surprised to see how spacious the basket and pot look even with this capacity. 

Weight

If you are thinking about moving it around the kitchen frequently, forget about it because it is heavy.

So, before getting it for your kitchen, ensure you can get it a permanent residence.

Accessories

Its grill grate is one of the most impressive parts. It is hefty and solid and comes with a non-stick ceramic coating.

So you can use it without worrying about toxins seeping into your food.

Other accessories include a crisper basket, a cooking pot, and a cleaning brush.

What Can Ninja AG301 Do For You?

Ninja AG301 offers you five cooking functions.

We tried its functions to see how it performs in different categories.

• Grilling: The first function we was interested in was grilling. We tested the grilling function using frozen and fresh chicken breasts and hamburgers.
• Hamburgers: The hamburgers looked as if they had been grilled on an outdoor grill. They were smoking hot. To get char marks on both sides, turn the burger halfway through the timer.
• Chicken Breasts: The chicken was cooked tender, even at the thickest part. But even in a medium setting, the exterior was much darker. We realized it cooks faster thanks to its cyclonic grilling technology, so lowering the temperature might be better.
• Air Crisp: In the Ninja AG301, air frying is called air crisp. We air-crisped frozen and fresh fries. Frozen fries were much crispier, but fresh ones were not that good.
• Baking: We baked a cake using the highest available temperature for baking —400F. We were hoping high for perfect results. But the cake could not live up to my expectations, especially how it looked, though the taste was reasonably good.

Ninja AG301 5-in-1 Food Vs PowerlXL Air Fryer Grill

Ninja AG301 is part of the league of the Best air fryer with grills.

PowerXL 12 in 1 is one of its closest competitors.

AG301 does not come with pull-out cooking trays, as seen in the PowerXL 8 in 1.

Compared to PowerXL, its price is also higher.

The lid design is excellent for adding food to the basket.

Taking the basket out or shaking the food midway through cooking is certainly a hassle.

You will be required to use mitts, and there is a chance of burning your hands too.

It might not be a problem if you are a pro cook, it might not be a problem; for beginners looking for convenience, working with it might be a little tricky.

However, cleaning is a hassle in PowerXL 8 in 1.

The food gets stuck into all the crevices and groovings.

In comparison, Ninja AG301 is much easier to clean and does not have grooves for the food to stick stubbornly.

On the bright side, Ninja AG301’s cooking results are extremely good overall.

Its grilling function will make you ditch the old-school grilling in your backyard, at least for quick meal preps.

Does Ninja AG301 Foodi Deliver Bang for the Buck?

I believe that the Ninja Foodi is a slight investment at this price.

If you want to enjoy an excellent grilling performance without dealing with the extensive setup of an outdoor grill, this man pays back every penny you invest.

And when you add that it can do more than grilling and that too excellently, you might be more inclined to make this investment.

FAQs

Can I use aluminum foil in the Ninja Foodi Grill?

Yes, you can use aluminum foil in the Ninja Foodi grill, similar to how you would use it in a more extensive outdoor grill.

The foil's purpose is the same in both cases —to collect the oil and food juice drippings. You can also replace aluminum foil with parchment paper.

What does the Ninja 5 in 1 do?

Ninja 5 in 1 can perform five cooking functions. It can grill, dehydrate, air-crisp, bake, and roast.

Though it does not come with the toasting function, you can use the bake setting to get the deliciously toasted finish on bread and buns.

Are Ninja foodies worth it?

Ninja Foodies are definitely worth having in your kitchen. A multipurpose Ninja Foodi is a powerhouse in its cooking functions.

The cooking options range from basic options like baking and air frying to more advanced functions such as grilling, pressure cooking, and dehydrating.

Does the Ninja grill taste like charcoal?

Cooking in the Ninja grill gives you beautiful char marks similar to a traditional grill, but when it comes to the taste, the food doesn't taste like charcoal, precisely because no charcoal is used in the Ninja Foodi. That said, food cooked in Ninja Foodi still tastes very delicious.

Wrapping Up!

We enjoyed cooking in the Ninja AG301; I tried its grilling, air frying, and baking function.

While the baking results were not so perfect, I recommend this air fryer for the rest.

Despite its small capacity, the basket looks spacious, which definitely benefits you when you air fry vegetables, fries, and wings. You can avoid piling them up in layers and even cooking.