Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer review: a small, space-saving design for a big family feast

Ninja’s wide, capacious Dual-Zone has proudly held a top spot in our best air fryer guide for a while. However, with the arrival of Ninja’s extra large, slender, two-tier model – the Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer – it's facing some serious competition.

This model is narrow and unassuming, yet each basket contains two cooking levels, allowing you to cook up to four different ingredients simultaneously. On my first test, I cooked French fries, chicken thighs, courgettes, and green beans all at once. With minimal involvement and no preheating required, my dinner was ready in 20 minutes. Truly a game-changer for families, busy individuals, and compact kitchens.

There are a few snags, like instances of uneven browning and racks that are hot to handle. But for me, Ninja's Double Stack is exactly what the best air fryers should be: speedy and reliable for delicious dinners.

Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer: First impressions

The first thing I noticed about the Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer is the sleek, svelte shape. It has a small footprint; narrow and slender enough to fit neatly under your kitchen cabinets. It glides effortlessly around the countertop, or you could easily tuck it away in a pantry or tall cupboard if you want it out of sight. I like the matte exterior and brushed silver or copper handles.

Cooking performance

To test the best air fryers on the market, I focus on exceptional cooking performance. As a trained cook and kitchen appliances editor, I rigorously test each model by air-frying frozen French fries, chicken wings, and roasted vegetables. For my first test of the Ninja Double Stack, I followed a meal recommendation from the recipe manual, as it contained all the ingredients I usually test.

Test 1: French Fries

The recipe preset suggested cooking the fries for 20 minutes, with instructions to shake the basket three times during the process. This feels like quite a lot of 'checking in', but I was glad in the end. When I checked at the 15-minute mark, the fries were already perfectly golden (although some at the back were very slightly paler). I decided to stop the timer early, and the results were outstanding.

The French fries were restaurant-quality – crispy on the outside and fluffy within. My partner said they were the best home-cooked fries he’s ever had and I agreed (high praise, as we eat a lot of frozen fries when I'm testing).

Test 2: Chicken thighs

I tipped some green vegetables into the bottom drawer, then slotted over the rack and placed two chicken thighs on top. I used the preset to Air Fry for 20 minutes. The chicken emerged with a crispy, slightly charred skin, which tasted delicious. The meat was juicy but I prefer it a little more succulent. I usually cook chicken thighs in the oven, and I find that makes the meat just a bit more tender.

Test 3: Roasted vegetables

The mixture of green beans and courgettes in the lower drawer turned out beautifully golden and caramelized, almost as if they had been slow-roasted. However, when I tried the same ingredients on the rack, the results were different. The courgettes at the front were charred and crisp, while those at the back remained pale. This uneven result could be due to insufficient shaking (it was tricky on the rack, because slices slipped through the grates!).

Test 4: Sausages

I also cooked some sausages on the rack and noticed the same problem. The heating element is clearly stronger at the front of the drawers. However, my sausages were saved by shuffling them around the rack and flipping two or three times, until every sausage was golden and delicious. I like my sausages really crispy. It usually takes me about 40 minutes to achieve anything close to this result in an oven, but the Ninja did it in 15 minutes (including the preheat) – so all was completely forgiven.

Test 5: Special Features

With six versatile functions – Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate – the Ninja Double Stack XL offers countless possibilities. The Air Crisp function gives breaded or battered foods an extra crunch. I tried it on chicken goujons and nuggets, and was very impressed.

The Bake function allowed me to whip up a delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie recipe from Ninja's manual. The brownies were quite thin and fudgy (rather than gooey, like you achieve in a traditional oven) but the process was very convenient. With no preheating and a slick cleanup, this air fryer is a great baking alternative. Plus, you can fill both drawers with brownie batter and end up with around 20 slices to feed a crowd.

Ease of use

In my experience, Ninja always prioritizes a user-friendly design. The instruction manual is brilliant, packed with recipes, meal-plans and temperature presets, so you can shut your brain off and cook with ease. While the display panel isn’t particularly high-tech, it’s effective and satisfying to use.

The 'match' and 'sync' options are a nice touch. Once you've selected the temperature and time on Basket 1, you can select the 'match' button to duplicate the settings for Basket 2. The 'sync' button allows you to set different cooking times, with a synchronized finish for serving at the dinner table.

Although there are no recipe presets on the display panel itself, this air fryer does come with a handy sticker to remind you of all the basic times and temperatures for meats, fish, veggies and fries. If you remove this sticker, you might be a little lost, so make sure to keep the booklet nearby.

One final note: you need to buy a pair of silicone tongs for this air fryer. The metal racks are hot to the touch, and prevent you from tipping food directly onto your plate. Thankfully, tongs are already in my collection of air fryer accessories I couldn't live without.

Capacity

Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just yourself, the Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer’s 10-quart capacity is more than ample. Ninja say it can feed up to 8 people and cook up to 10lbs of chicken wings. I find it perfect for my partner and I – and I've also used it for entertaining two guests.

The recipe booklet also claims you can fit a 5-pound chicken in one drawer. I didn't try it, but I have my doubts. The drawers look too narrow for that. If you need to roast larger cuts of meat, I'd recommend the Foodi FlexBasket instead.

Ease of Cleaning

If you're wondering how to clean the Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer, it has removable parts that are dishwasher-safe and easy to hand-wash. The ceramic non-stick coating on the crisper plates allows food residue to be wiped off with minimal effort – just soapy water and a soft sponge.

Even better, Ninja is an international brand, so there are several compatible basket liners available on Amazon. This is the easiest way to speed up cleaning and make your air fryer last longer. I fell in love with the silicone liners which fit perfectly into each basket.

The exterior, with its matte finish and silver handles, feels almost fingerprint-proof, making it easy to maintain its sleek appearance on your counter, too.

Design & Durability

The build quality of the Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer inspires confidence. It's narrow but well-balanced and sturdy. The cool-touch exterior and non-slip feet add to its safety, ensuring that it stays securely in place on your countertop.

Customer reviews

Customer reviews for the Ninja Double Stack XL are generally very positive, with an impressive 4.5-star rating on Amazon. Customers rave about its ability to produce perfectly crispy fries, simplify family meals, and offer effortless cleanup. However, a couple of reviews raise concerns about the price and value for money, as well as the uneven browning I mentioned earlier.

One reviewer praised the non-toxic, ceramic coating on the crisper plates, but was disappointed by the PTFE coating in the drawers. If you're concerned about non-stick coatings, rest assured they are generally safe. They just require some care and maintenance, and you need to pay attention to make sure your air fryer stands the test of time. I've written up everything you need to know about non-toxic cookware in my latest feature.

How does it compare?

I’m currently testing Ninja’s DoubleStack and DualZone models side by side – to give you a clear comparison. I’ll come back here to update you very soon, but for now, it’s shaping up to be a very close call!

Our Verdict

The Ninja DoubleStack is certainly an investment, but I do think it's worthwhile if you're in the market for a large air fryer. With the 10-quart capacity, Ninja’s DoubleStack can feed a crowd, yet it still looks sleek and slender. It makes the crispiest French fries I've ever created – and I can forgive the occasions of uneven browning, for the ease of use and cleanup. I think it's a top choice for families and smaller kitchens.

How we test the best air fryers

To test the best air fryers on the market, I focus on exceptional cooking performance. As a trained cook and kitchen appliances editor, I rigorously test each model by air-frying frozen French fries, chicken wings, and roasted vegetables. During our taste tests, we seek food that’s perfectly crispy on the outside and tender within. Our team has already tested the market leaders, so we know the industry benchmarks.

Ease of use is the best part of air frying, so my tests also evaluate the intuitiveness of the controls, basket design, instruction booklet and the accuracy of recipe presets. I also make sure to explore any special features, like grilling and dehydrating, to assess the versatility. While I'm cooking, I make notes on capacity – essential knowledge if you're looking for a family-sized air fryer.

Cleaning up can be a hassle, so I check if the removable parts are easy to wash, whether by hand or in the dishwasher. I also examine for non-toxic materials and durability. After testing, I scour the web for the best and worst customer reviews to assess the air fryer's reliability and overall customer satisfaction.

Finally, when you're making a kitchen investment, price really matters, so we weighed up the grill's features and performance to see if it offers good value for money. Ultimately, our goal is to ensure you choose an air fryer that looks stylish in your kitchen, as well as being reliable, efficient, and a joy to use.