1. Ninja Double Stack XL – Best space saver
If maximizing your counter space is important to you, then the Double Stack (DoubleStack in the US) is the air fryer you should choose. Not only does it have two cooking drawers with a total capacity of 9.5L/10QT, but the cooking racks allow you to stack food in two layers in each drawer, giving you much more flexibility. If you often tend to cook a protein and three types of veggies for dinner, you can do it all in the Double Stack without resorting to your oven, microwave, or stovetop.
Like Ninja’s other double tray air fryers, it has an easy-to-use control panel with match and sync functions. Although it has fewer modes than many other models – there’s air frying, max crispy (for frozen food), baking, roasting, reheating and drying – you can adjust them by time and temperature to cook almost anything you want.
However, due to the design, the heat sources are located at the back of the drawers and when we tested it we found that some foods cooked slightly unevenly. Since there is no shake warning, expect to intervene halfway through and mix up potatoes or fries. All in all, it delivered fast, crispy results and is an efficient cooktop.
There are now more Double Stack models to choose from. There is a compact model, the 7.6L/8QT SL300 (UK)/SL201 (US). It comes in black, instead of the dark gray of the original, and is available from Ninja in the UK for £229.99 and from Ninja in the US for $199.99.
There is also the Double Stack XL with Smart Cook system. It has the same dimensions as the original, but features a cooking probe for meat and fish, making it a better choice if you often use your air fryer for fresh cooking. It costs £289.99 from Ninja UK and $249.99 from Ninja US.
Finally, if you’re in the UK, you can buy the original Double Stack XL in a special white livery. You can do that alone buy it at Currys in the UK and also costs £269.99.
Buy the Ninja Double Stack if: you want to prepare meals with many unusual dishes – and if you value your counter space.