Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer review

Key features

• Capacity: 10.4 litres
• In real terms: Can handle a 2kg leg of lamb
• Dual drawer: Can be used as one or two drawers

Ninja already has a couple of monster air fryers on the market, with the likes of AF400UK and AF451UK both offering 9.5 litres of cooking space combined from their two drawers.

The Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UK, to give it its full moniker, ups that capacity to 10.4 litres but throws in an option that none of its siblings have: the ability to cook with either a one or two drawer system.

The result is a behemoth air fryer that offers much more flexibility with your cooking, hence the Flex in the name, but retains the abilities to cook whole, big, meals in one go.

I’ve been using the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UK for a few weeks now, read on for my full review.

Design and components

• One big 10.4 litre drawer
• Or two 5.2 litres drawers
• LED display

Let’s not hide away from the fact that the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer is a very big air fryer. Not just in terms of its cooking capacity, the machine itself is massive.

Measuring 32.7 x 49.6 x 31.6cm, and weighing just shy of 10kg, you’re going to need a decent sized space (and some strong support) on your kitchen counter.

As with most modern air fryers, you’re only really getting access to around half of that footprint, with the lower portion where you’ll find the cooking area.

Up top, hidden behind the controls and LED display, is all the clever tech that makes the machine heat and circulate the air.

Despite its impending form factor, once you’ve got it out of the box it’s a piece of cake to get set up and operational.

There’s nothing really to assemble, you just have to put the drawer, crisper plates and divider into place and slot it in. Of course, it’s probably best to give all of these parts a wash first before use and the good news is that everything you use for cooking, including the drawer itself, is dishwasher safe.

Talking of the drawer and, let’s face it, it’s the main attraction here; it pulls out as one sole entity and it’s up to the user to divide if needs be.

That’s super simple to do, you just slot a metalic plate between the two, making it possible to switch from a 10.4 litre basket to two 5.2 litre ones in seconds.

The drawer of the Ninja AF500UK boasts a PTFE coating, while the crisper plates are constructed from non-stick aluminium featuring a nano ceramic coating.

You can, if you wish, cook without the crisper plates (although technically that’s not as healthy as the fats don’t run away) and it’s also possible to use paper or aluminium foil in the drawers too, should the recipe require it.

Features

• Max crisp, air fry, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate and prove modes
• Sync and Match modes for dual-zone cooking
• MegaZone allows for a whole meal to be cooked in one

The key thing, as mentioned, that differentiates the FlexDrawer from its stablemates is that two-in-one drawer solution.

What that means, in use, is that you have the choice to cook in one big, 10.4 litre drawer, or cook with a pair of 5.2 litre drawers. Or indeed, just use one of the smaller drawers and save yourself some energy.

When cooking with the big drawer, Ninja calls this the MegaZone. In that mode, it’s a pretty straightforward affair: you just choose the mode of cooking, temperature and time and so on, and away you go.

It’s when you whack in that divider and use the drawer as a duo that you have some options to consider.

The dual-zone’s first option is the Sync mode, which ensuring both zones conclude cooking at the same time, making the preparation of different foods at varying temperatures easy to achieve.

For example, you could have some chicken wings in drawer no.1, set to air fry at 180°C for 30 mins, and some leftover mac and cheese, set to reheat for 20 mins at 200°C, in the other.

The other mode, Match, synchronizes the zones for uniform settings. While you could, of course, just have all your food in one big MegaZone setup in this scenario, it is handy to keep different foods separate.

Whatever mode you go with and, similar to Ninja’s prior efforts with dual-drawer models, the AF500UK prioritises simplicity, complemented by a great quick-start guide detailing recommended cooking modes, times, and temperatures for various dishes.

The array of cooking modes encompasses air fry, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate, and prove, each accompanied by specific temperature settings and timers.

Unlike some models, the AF500UK lacks a pre-heat function but compensates with rapid warming. To ensure even cooking, occasional agitation of the food is necessary and, with the generously sized drawer, silicone tongs prove handy for manoeuvring items.

Despite the divider not serving as a perfect insulator, resulting in a warm empty zone after single-zone cooking, the practical implications on cooking quality are negligible when preparing different foods on each side; maybe don’t dehydrate at 50°C in one drawer while roasting at 240°C in the other though.

After cooking, as mentioned, the drawer and crisper plates are easily cleaned by hand or conveniently tossed into the dishwasher for added ease and efficiency.

Performance

I’ve tried the AF500UK across a range of different meal options. I’ve done a small portion of chips air frying on one side with a turkey leg roasting on the other, I’ve had an entire chicken in the MegaZone surrounded by carrots and potatoes, I’ve used the Max Crisp mode on a single drawer to cook croquettes and a whole lot more.

The results of which have all been the same… spot on.

As long as you follow either the cooking instructions and timings in the manual, or any reliable recipe website online, you shouldn’t run into trouble.

The whole point of an air fryer is to make cooking easier and the FlexDrawer does just that.

The Ninja AF500UK’s Max Crisp mode stands out for its ability to achieve remarkably high temperatures, making it ideal for swiftly cooking foods that demand a crispy exterior, such as the the aforementioned croquettes, where you’re after a texture that combines a crispy outer layer with a soft and fluffy interior, a feat that the Ninja AF500UK effortlessly accomplishes.

I also felt that it excelled when cooking meat. I did a turkey crown for a Sunday family dinner and was pleased to find the Ninja had done a great job of cooking it to the desired temperature, while leaving it very moist inside.

There’s no probes with the FlexDrawer, so I used my own Meater devices to double check any proteins were cooked properly. With all the suggested timings and settings, they always were.

Final thoughts

Yes it’s big and yes, it’s somewhat expensive in what’s becoming a busy and ever more competitive market but if you want the best air fryer for a family – i.e. that can cover everyone’s specific requests – then the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UK is probably the one.

Cooking is a doddle, the dual drawer system works well and there are enough ‘extras’ thrown in to justify the price tag.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Because we’re testing new devices all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular gadget compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on how we test to learn more.

FAQS

Is the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UK available in the US?

As I’m based in the UK, I’ve been testing the UK variant but there is indeed a similar model Stateside, going under the label Ninja Foodi FlexBasket.

Does the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UKK have a single or double drawer?

Both, the 10.4l capacity of the big drawer actually divided into two 5.2l drawers, using a metal insert.

How hot does the Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UK go?

240°C is the maximum temperature

Ninja Foodi FlexDrawer Air Fryer AF500UK: Specs