Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO 6.2 L AF180UK review

The newly launched Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO combines a compact footprint with a generous capacity. This model will be welcomed by anyone struggling to decide between a compact model that has a less-than-useful tiny capacity, and a more usable size air fryer that demands too much worktop space.

The launch of this air fryer is great news, because often the thing that puts people off investing in one of the best air fryers , is having to give up yet more worktop space for another kitchen appliance. And better yet, the Ninja MAX PRO comes with the same price tag as Ninja’s smallest 3.8 litre model, the Ninja AF100UK, so it offers lots more cooking capacity for your money.

Ninja is one of the kitchen appliance brands that can be relied on to produce top-performing products, so-much-so that as a product reviewer, my usual everyday air fryer is a Ninja. 

I’ve reviewed a lot of Ninja products and it's rare I’m not impressed by them, so obviously I was keen to try out this latest model, as were the Ideal Home team when we covered it in our Ninja MAX PRO AF180UK first look. It’s safe to say it didn’t disappoint.

Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO product specs

• Capacity: 6.2 litre 
• Modes: Air fry, max crisp, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate
• Weight: 5.8kg
• Size: (H)30.5 x (W) 28 x (D)36cm 
• RRP: £149.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions of the Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO

The Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO arrived in such a compact box, I genuinely had to check the side of the box because I thought they’d sent the wrong thing. And so it follows that when I removed it from the box, I was stunned that they’d managed to make such a neat little compact air fryer with a 6.2 litre capacity.

Although there was some plastic film surrounding the air fryer, everything else was recyclable paper or cardboard. And along with the air fryer and its instruction manual, there’s a small recipe booklet that includes cooking charts, to take the guesswork out of using the various functions.

The roomy non-stick air fryer basket comes with a removable perforated crisper plate. And it has a design feature that I’ve not seen in any other air fryers I’ve reviewed. The crisper plate can be positioned at two different levels. In addition to the usual placement in the base of the basket, it can also sit at a higher position. 

The higher position allows for quicker browning of toppings or for two level dehydrating. And unlike Ninja's other two single drawer air fryers, this one has a square drawer, which I think is much more practical than a round one.

Given that this is Ninja’s largest single zone air fryer, but at the same price point as the brands smallest 3.8 litre Ninja AF100UK model, I wasn’t surprised that it lacked a touch control panel. That said, the button controls don’t make it look like a budget choice and they’re clearly laid out.

There’s a button for each of the cooking modes and intuitive arrow buttons to increase and decrease the time and temperature. You really can’t go wrong.

What is the Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO like to use?

I noticed some text on the box that recommends a three-minute preheat for best results. But didn’t see this same recommendation in the user manual. So I didn’t bother preheating for any of the following tests. 

Frozen food

To get started I cooked some simple frozen breaded fish fillets. I opted for the Max Crisp mode, which is designed for frozen breaded foods. However since the temperature is set at a pretty fierce 240C (and can’t be adjusted) I was somewhat nervous that my fish might dry out. 

I set the timer to 14 minutes and decided not to turn the fish, for fear of breaking it up. And in the end, it didn’t need a turn. It came out beautifully crisped on both sides and thankfully, the fish was moist and not overcooked or dry.

Whole chicken

When you look at this air fryer from the outside, it seems impossible that it’ll have space for a whole chicken. But there was plenty of space for a 1.5kg chicken. I cooked it on the roast setting and followed the cooking charts, setting it to 190C for 45 minutes.

I started cooking the chicken upside down and turned it over mid way through the cook. And at the end of the speedy 45 minute roast time, my meat probe confirmed that it was cooked through. Apart from some herbs that got a bit burnt, the skin was golden and crisp, while the meat remained succulent. To roast a chicken on a weeknight and have it on the table in under an hour is a game changer.

Scampi & chips

Friday night scampi and chips was next on the menu. I made homemade chips by cutting up potatoes and soaking the raw chips in cold water for 30 minutes. Then I oiled them lightly and popped them in the air fryer at 200C with the timer set to 25 minutes.

I made enough chips for two people and there would easily have been space for double the amount, though they wouldn't have had as much space. After 15 minutes and a couple of shakes, I moved all the chips to one side and threw in a bag of frozen scampi on the other side.

Having turned over each of the scampi pieces after five minutes, they cooked evenly within ten minutes. So at the end of the 25 minute timer, both the scampi and the chips were cooked to perfection. Who needs one of the best dual zone air fryers when you can fit everything for a meal for two in one drawer?

Broccoli

I love to roast broccoli, so cut up a whole head of broccoli into evenly sized florets. I lightly coated them in oil and cooked them on air fry mode at 200C. After just 10 minutes, the florets were cooked, with a firm bite. And the tops were crisped and roasted. A sprinkling of salt made this a swift and healthy snack.

Bacon

If you haven’t tried it, air fried bacon is the way forward. I set it to air fry at 200C and managed to fit four rashers of back bacon in the bottom of the drawer. The cooking charts suggested 8-10 minutes, but my bacon was cooked in just seven. The fat was perfectly rendered and the best part is that all the mess and grease was contained inside the drawer.

Banana loaf

There’s a recipe for a banana loaf included in the recipe book, and it caught my eye. Although, right before mixing up the cake batter I realised my loaf tin was too big for the drawer. Undeterred, I checked a Victoria sandwich tin, which was a perfect fit.

So I followed the recipe but put the mixture in my round shallow tin, instead of the loaf tin. The recipe says it’ll take 35 minutes at 160C using the bake function. At the end of cooking though I added an extra 10 minutes as it wasn’t cooked in the centre.

And despite my skewer coming out of the cake clean, it wasn’t until 10 minutes after removing it from the air fryer, that I turned it out of the tin and realised it was still a bit raw in the centre. Not one to waste food, I simply scooped out the uncooked middle and the rest was perfectly tasty and edible.

I think it would have cooked well, but it would need another 10-15 minutes on top of the 45 minutes I gave it. Plus, it would probably need topping with foil for the final part, to stop it going too dark. While it might have been a slight disaster, it wouldn’t put me off trying another cake on this setting. I would just pay more attention to whether it was fully cooked in the centre next time.

The bake function would be great for less demanding bakes like flapjacks. I tried it for a batch of homemade granola which worked really well. It baked beautifully in just 18 minutes.

How does it compare to similar air fryers?

If you’re looking for a more budget friendly option, check out the Instant Vortex 4-in-1 air fryer that’s currently top of our best air fryers under £100 roundup. It’s £50 cheaper than the Ninja, yet the performance is equally as good. It has a very slightly smaller 5.7 litre capacity and a marginally bigger footprint. But it’s a great alternative if you’re watching the pennies and trying to establish how to use an air fryer to save money. 

Or, if you’ve got a slightly bigger budget and fancy a larger air fryer, the Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone AF400UK is a cracking buy. It offers all the same cooking modes and with two drawers, you get an extra 3.3 litres of capacity. But it’ll take up more space on your worktop. 

And if you like the one drawer system, but just want extra space, then our top-rated choice overall is the Ninja FlexDrawer Air Fryer, which has enough room for a whole leg of lamb. Impressive. 

What is it like to clean?

The basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe, and when they were really messy, like after cooking bacon, I didn’t hesitate to make my life easier and wash them in the dishwasher. Although after less messy foods like granola, a quick rinse under the tap was all that was needed.

The control panel and the exterior of the basket need the occasional wipe to keep them clean. But all in all it’s pretty low maintenance.

Should you buy the Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO?

I really like this air fryer, it’s a great size for my two person household and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. The capacity is great, though cooking for a family might be a bit of a stretch. Unless you’re cooking meals for small children at a different time to the adults.

I really love how compact this air fryer feels on my worktop. If you want an air fryer that doesn’t feel too big and overwhelming in your kitchen, but isn’t impossibly tiny either, then this one is ideal. 

It’s not the cheapest air fryer you can buy, but in comparison to Ninja’s other single drawer models, it’s extremely reasonably priced. Plus, the performance is hard to fault, putting it high on our list when it comes to air fryers.

About this review, and the reviewer:

After completing a Home Economics degree, Helen went on to work for the Good Housekeeping Institute and has been reviewing home appliances ever since. She lives in a small village in Buckinghamshire in the UK, where she reviews all sorts of home and garden appliances using her wealth of experience. 

In line with how we test air fryers at Ideal Home, Helen used the Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO at home to cook everything she would usually cook in her air fryer, and more.  She was allowed to keep the product after the review.