Foodi MAX Dual Air Fryer

Overview and design

The Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone AF400UK is built for households that want the speed of an air fryer without having to cook the main course and side dish in separate batches. Its two 4.75-litre drawers provide 9.5 litres of total capacity, and each drawer has its own time, temperature and cooking programme. Ninja’s Sync setting delays the shorter programme so both sides finish together, while Match copies the same settings across both drawers. That arrangement is more useful in everyday family cooking than a single headline capacity figure suggests: chicken can roast in one side while potatoes crisp in the other, or two versions of the same meal can be kept separate for different preferences.

This is a substantial appliance rather than a compact countertop gadget. The wide body needs a permanent stretch of worktop and enough clearance for ventilation, while the large drawers occupy meaningful sink or dishwasher space. The trade-off is that they are genuinely useful rather than narrow novelty compartments. Ninja lists six functions—Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat and Dehydrate—and a maximum setting intended to crisp frozen food rapidly. The interface uses labelled controls rather than relying only on symbols, which helps when switching repeatedly between the two zones.

Cooking performance

Published hands-on testing consistently describes the AF400UK as unusually fast and strong at browning. Its high heat and powerful airflow are particularly effective for chips, breaded frozen food, chicken skin and roasted vegetables. That power also creates the main learning curve. Timings copied directly from a conventional oven can be too long, and Max Crisp is best treated as a specialist setting rather than a default. New owners should check food early, reduce package timings and shake or turn ingredients where necessary. Once those adjustments become familiar, the machine’s speed is a major advantage for weeknight meals.

The separate drawers are most valuable when foods need different treatments. A delicate fish fillet can cook at a lower temperature while frozen chips use a hotter programme, without one component waiting and cooling. Equal-sized drawers also suit households that regularly cook two substantial portions. They are less efficient when the meal includes one very large item, because the fixed centre wall prevents the two zones becoming a single cavity. A whole joint, wide pizza or tray-shaped bake may fit more naturally in a FlexDrawer or oven-style model.

Controls, cleaning and ownership

The AF400UK’s controls are straightforward after a short familiarisation period. Selecting a zone, choosing a programme and then setting time and temperature is more direct than navigating app-led or heavily preset-driven rivals. Sync and Match solve common timing problems rather than adding technology for its own sake. There is no viewing window, so checking progress means pulling out a drawer, but this also keeps the design simple and avoids an extra surface where grease can collect. Noise is typical of a powerful countertop fan oven rather than silent, and using both zones at high heat draws considerably more power than a small single-basket machine.

Ninja specifies dishwasher-safe removable parts, although hand washing with a soft sponge is the gentler approach for preserving the non-stick finish. The two drawers and crisper plates are easy to separate, but their size can overwhelm a compact dishwasher or small sink. As with any air fryer, grease around the upper cavity and heating area should be wiped before it bakes on. Replacement drawers, plates and accessories are sold for the model, which is a useful ownership advantage compared with little-known budget brands whose parts can disappear quickly.

Verdict

The AF400UK remains one of the safest large-family recommendations because it combines strong cooking performance, sensible controls and two genuinely independent zones. It is best for families, batch cooks and households that often prepare a main and side at different temperatures. Couples, solo users and kitchens with limited worktop space will probably be better served by a six-litre single basket. Buyers who frequently cook oversized ingredients should compare the Ninja FlexDrawer, but for ordinary two-part meals the AF400UK’s separate drawers are often more convenient. Its premium price buys speed, flexibility and a well-established platform, provided the owner is willing to learn its faster timings.