This Revolutionary Air Fryer Is the Secret to My Happy Marriage

Until recently, my husband and I used the Beautiful Digital Air Fryer constantly. We used it so frequently that one day, we noticed the touch-activated display had vanished from wear. Nonetheless, we managed to operate it from muscle memory, knowing exactly where the buttons were. Charming as our workaround was, we knew it was time for an upgrade, and the thought of a dual-basket model was exciting. After all, our air fryer is our most-used kitchen appliance, and two baskets would certainly streamline our cooking routine. Our quest for the perfect replacement led us to the highly rated Ninja DZ201 Foodi 8 Quart 6-in-1 DualZone 2-Basket Air Fryer With 2 Independent Frying Baskets ($180, originally $200), which seemed like the perfect solution — and, spoiler alert: it was. Ahead, find out what I like about the Ninja DZ201 Air Fryer, what to consider before purchasing it, and more.

There's so much I like about the Ninja Foodi DZ201 Air Fryer, starting with its dual-basket design. It's super convenient because my husband and I tend to eat different proteins. He tends to stick with chicken, and me, salmon, and with this air fryer, we can cook them simultaneously. Before, we'd have to cook them one at a time, or differentiate cooking methods, such as baking one and air-frying the other.

But without a doubt, my favorite feature of the Ninja Foodi DZ201 is its Smart Finish feature. It's a setting you can select to cook two different foods with varying cook times, and the air fryer automatically adjusts the temperatures to ensure both meals finish cooking at the same time — no waiting necessary.

Another thing I love about this model is that it's easy to clean. Both the baskets and the crisper plates inside are dishwasher-safe, which isn't the case for all air fryers. Per the manual, the brand recommends soaking the baskets and crisper plates in soapy water if there's a lot of food residue stuck on them before putting them in the dishwasher. Check out our guide for how to clean an air fryer for more tips.

The Ninja Foodi DZ201 Air Fryer has rave reviews with few adverse opinions. At the time of writing, it boasts nearly 21,000 reviews total, more than 18,000 of which are perfect five-star ratings. Nonetheless, one of the most common critiques of this air fryer is that while each frying container is four quarts, not all of the basket is usable space. It has a lot of vertical space, but not much surface space for cooking. For context: one reviewer compared this design to an older model with one central basket, noting that one-basket models "can easily cook a T-Bone steak," but that it's "not possible in the DZ201."

Another person echoed that reviewer's concern, writing: "With one basket, you can cook way more food. Because there are two baskets, it limits the size of items you cook. For example, if you have a large piece of fish, it would typically fit in the basket but because there are two baskets, they are incredibly small. You would end up having to cut the fish in half and cook one piece in each side of the fryer. Perhaps not an issue for most, but something I did not consider when I purchased it."

The Ninja Foodi DZ201 Air Fryer is best for those who regularly make air-fryer meals, like us. It's a game changer for busy individuals, families seeking a simplified mealtime, or couples who love to sit down for dinner together but have different tastes.

The Ninja Foodi DZ201 Air Fryer is available on Amazon as well as direct-to-consumer from the brand's website, Target, and Best Buy.

Rating: ★★★★★