Ninja just busted out a souped-up version of it's viral glass air fryer. David Watsky/CNET Air fryers have become wildly popular, and I ride for these easy countertop ovens as hard as anyone. I've tested more than two dozen in the past few years but last year, Ninja released its first glass air fryer and it won my heart immediately. The Ninja Crispi was as close to perfect as any air fryer we've tested but the brand has upped the ante with a larger, more modular version — the new Crispi Pro. Naturally, I had to test the souped-up version of my top-rated air fryer.See it at AmazonSee it at NinjaThe Crispi Pro has a lot of its predecessors' DNA — nontoxic glass cooking chambers that double as storage, tons of air-frying power and a solid build — but there are significant differences between the two, price included, that a prospective air fryer buyer should be aware of. After weeks of testing the new and enlarged Ninja Crispi Pro, here's my take on which one you should get.Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source.The Pro is larger and more modular than the original Crispi Pro's large cooking chamber is nearly twice the size of the original. The trade-off is a more permanent base that can't be stored as easily. David Watsky/CNETThe Pro's most significant advantage is its increased cooking capacity. It comes with a massive 6-quart cooking chamber in addition to a shallow 2.5-quart casserole dish. Both are made of glass, making them easy to clean, and can be capped with included lids to store food for later use.The large and deep 6-quart cooking chamber opens up cooking projects that were previously impossible, such as larger poultry and roasts. I used it to cook a 5-pound chicken — something I wouldn't have been able to fit in the original. There was even room to put potatoes under the bird, separated by the crisper tray. As the bird cooked, the potatoes soaked up all the juices. Needless to say, it was awesome. David Watsky/CNETThe Crispi Pro air fryer has a more permanent footprint The Crispi Pro base can't be disassembled for storing. David Watsky/CNETThe original Crispi was unique among air fryers in that the cooking mechanism was completely separate from the base. In fact, there was no actual base; you simply lock the air fryer on top of the glass cooking chambers and fire it up.The Crispi Pro has a base that realistically has to live on your countertop. The glass cooking chambers slide into the base and can be adjusted in height using a removable shelf. If you plan to cook whole chickens in your air fryer, the Crispi Pro has plenty of room. David Watsky/CNETAa with the original Crispi, the glass chamber allows you to track progress without having to stop cooking.The Crispy Pro also comes with a shallow 2.5-quart casserole-style dish. This one is ideal for browning mac and cheese, English muffin pizzas, sweet potato casserole, and desserts, as it positions the food directly under the heating element. To be fair, those cooking tasks were easy enough to execute in the original Crispi. David Watsky/CNETI used a shallow casserole vessel to make bacon, letting the fat drip down through the crisper rack and separate from the bacon, leaving me with extra-crispy, less greasy strips. I also made a batch of meatballs — again letting the fat drip down for a leaner ball with a nicely browned exterior. The air fryer browned a batch of meatballs in less than 15 minutes. David Watsky/CNETNew cooking modes Ninja added two cooking modes and precise temperature control to the Crispi Pro. David Watsky/CNETThe original Crispi has only four cooking modes — bake, recrisp, air fry, max crisp — and no temperature control. The new Crispi Pro features two additional — dehydrate and roast — and offers precise temperature control down to the degree. I found the new cooking modes and temperature adjustments to be mostly inconsequential, as I was always able to hit the target temperatures with the original Crispi without issue. Those who plan to dehydrate, bake or make delicate recipes in their air fryer may appreciate the precision control.Using and cleaning the Crispi Pro is easy Even the large 6.5-quart cooking chamber fits comfortably in my dishwasher. David Watsky/CNETFor anyone with air fryer experience, there's no learning curve for this model. You simply click the cooking chambers into place and fire up the dial to a desired cooking mode and temperature. There's an adjustable timer and a ding that sounds when the clock runs out.The adjustable shelf locks in easily, allowing you to use the shallow casserole chamber in place closer to the heat source if you're looking to brown a green bean casserole for Thanksgiving or a blueberry crumble. Even the larger cooking vessel fit in my dishwasher and emerged sparkling clean — one of the best things about a glass air fryer. Those with smaller dishwashers or countertop models may not have as much luck getting it in.One big reason I'm sticking with the original Ninja Crispi One of my favorite things about the original Crispi is how easy it is to store. David Watsky/CNETWhile I like the extra room to fit a larger roast chicken and the casserole cooking chamber is a nifty idea, what ultimately gives me pause with the Crispi Pro is one of the things I love most about the original Crispi — its portability.The original, when disassembled, fits easily in a cupboard or larger drawer, whereas the Crispi Pro has a base that's likely to remain on your countertop full-time. Even as someone who air fries every day, if not more, I appreciate being able to stash it away when not in use. Unlike the new Crispi Pro, the original Crispi air fryer (pictured here) breaks down into small parts to fit in a large drawer or cabinet. Pamela Vachon/CNETThose with larger kitchens may prefer to leave their air fryer out at all times. If you're in that camp, the Crispi Pro might be the better buy as it's capable of cooking full meals and larger cuts of meat. The Crispi Pro is expensive for an air fryer It's not quite big enough for a small frozen pizza. David Watsky/CNETThe Crispi Pro launched with a steep $280 tag. I'd be reluctant to pay close to $300 for an air fryer, even a versatile and smartly engineered one like this. The original Crispi clocks in at about $160 — for me, that's the clear value pick, considering the Crispi does everything I need it to and fits neatly in my drawer when I want to free up counter space. If you plan to cook larger cuts of meat in your air fryer or use the dehydrate mode, the larger Crispi Pro might be the better buy. : My Favorite Air Fryer Is Completely Nontoxic and Easy to Clean
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