Kitchen · Kitchen Appliance
Ninja Crispi Review: The Critics’ Honest Verdict
TechRadar calls the design "utterly unique," and other reviewers agree its glass cook-serve-store system is the main reason to buy.
No single aggregate score — here's what the reviewers agree on, below.
The short version
Reviewers agree that the Ninja Crispi earns its keep through convenience rather than control. Food cooks in glass containers that can move directly to the table or fridge, and TechGearLab found the removable parts exceptionally easy to clean. Cooking is generally quick and capable, although fry results varied between reviewers. The honest trade-offs are a $180 price, an exterior that gets very hot, four fixed cooking presets instead of manual temperature control, and a Bake mode that TechRadar found less convincing.
What reviewers loved
- The glass containers handle cooking, serving and leftover storage, reducing the number of dishes you need to use and wash.
- The glass containers, crisper plates, lids and adapters are dishwasher safe; TechGearLab gave cleaning a standout 9.0 score.
- Its two compact configurations suit couples, smaller families, side dishes and single-serving reheating better than a bulky conventional air fryer.
- Cooking can be fast: Good Housekeeping crisped moist chicken in 15 minutes, while Serious Eats found that the Crispi cooked quickly and evenly.
- The clear glass gives you an unobstructed view of the food, making it easier to judge when it needs shaking or is ready.
What held it back
- TechGearLab warns that the exterior surface gets extremely hot, so it demands extra care during and immediately after cooking.
- You cannot select an exact temperature. The four presets automatically control heat and fan speed, limiting fine control.
- Bake is the weak mode: TechRadar rated Air Fry, Max Crisp and Recrisp highly but found Bake less successful.
- The $180 list price is steep for a small air fryer; Wirecutter notes that some competing compact models cost less than half as much.
Buy it if you want a compact glass air fryer that makes cooking, serving, storing leftovers and cleanup unusually simple.
Skip it if you need precise temperature control, regularly cook large meals or do not want to pay a premium for portability and glass containers.
What the reviewers say
TechRadar gave the Crispi 4 out of 5 overall, praising its flexibility, portability and clever PowerPod design. Good Housekeeping also liked its compact storage and simple controls, reporting crisp, moist chicken in 15 minutes and strong reheating results. Serious Eats found that it cooked quickly and evenly, with the smaller glass container proving especially useful for leftover wings.
The reservations are real. TechGearLab scored it 66 overall and found the interface almost too simple, temperature accuracy weak and the exterior very hot. Its fries were unevenly crisp, although tater tots performed better. Wirecutter had better results with fries but still noted that the Crispi costs considerably more than some other small air fryers.
⚙ Best settings — dial it in
The Crispi does not provide manual temperature selection. According to NYT Wirecutter, each mode automatically operates within the following temperature range and also controls fan speed. For fully calibrated values, see NYT Wirecutter.
| Recrisp | Automatic 380°F to 400°F |
|---|---|
| Bake | Automatic 375°F to 400°F |
| Air Fry | Automatic 400°F to 425°F |
| Max Crisp | Automatic 425°F to 450°F |
The competition
Ninja Crispi Pro
Serious Eats describes the Crispi Pro as the larger glass-basket option and reports that its top-down heater and crisper plate brown food quickly.
Cheaper compact air fryers
Wirecutter says some smaller air fryers cost less than half as much, making them more sensible if the Crispi’s glass containers and removable PowerPod are not priorities.
Should you buy it?
The Ninja Crispi makes sense for couples, smaller households and anyone who values low-effort cleanup more than precise cooking control. Critics consistently praise the glass containers, compact format and ability to cook, serve and store food in the same dish. Performance is generally strong, but the mixed fry results, hot exterior, fixed presets and high price prevent it from being an automatic recommendation. Buy it for its distinctive workflow, not because it offers the most control or the lowest price. RightWei summarizes the cited publications’ hands-on tests and does not test review units itself.
Sources
RightWei aggregates and summarizes independent reviews — we link to the original hands-on tests so you can go deeper. We don't test units ourselves.