Our Ninja Air Fryer Pro review: an air fryer that earned its spot on the counter.
Pap Steve here from papstevereviews.com. Mimi and I are empty nesters now, and these days we’re all about clean eating and cutting back on processed foods. Back in January 2026, we bought the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 (model AF141). I’ll be honest with you: Mimi loves it. She uses it for everything. Here’s how it’s gone.
Ninja Air Fryer Pro Review: Why We Bought It
Confession time: we had never owned an air fryer before this one. Our youngest son is the one who turned us on to it, and I’ll admit the kid was right.
The Air Fryer Pro is a single-basket, 5-quart air fryer from Ninja. It does four things: Air Fry, Roast, Reheat and Dehydrate. It runs up to 400°F, and the basket and crisper plate are nonstick and dishwasher safe. Ninja says the basket holds up to 4 pounds of French fries or 5 pounds of wings.
Unboxing and Setup
In the box you get the air fryer, the 5-quart nonstick basket, the crisper plate, and a recipe book with cooking charts. Setup is quick and simple. Plug it in, set the temp and time, and it does the job.
How We Use It
Mimi is the real boss of this air fryer. She uses it for everything. One of our favorites is canned potato chunks. They crisp up real nice. Mimi also makes one of her childhood favorites in it: English muffin pizzas. We use it at least three times a week.
My favorite? Baked potatoes. Olive oil, a little salt, and into the basket they go. They come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. For a couple trying to eat clean and stay away from processed stuff, that’s about as simple and honest as food gets.
Pap Steve’s Potato
- Wash and dry the potatoes, then poke them all over with a fork.
- Rub them with olive oil and sprinkle on flaky salt.
- Setting: Air Fry
- Temperature: 350°F
- Time: 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Mimi flips them several times along the way so they don’t burn.
- What you get: crispy on the outside, tender inside.
We mostly stick to the Air Fry setting. I did try dehydrating beef jerky in it once. Not the greatest. I’ll stick to my tried and true smoked beef jerky recipe!
What Other Buyers Report
I went looking at what other owners say on Best Buy, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Reddit and a few review sites, so you get more than just our kitchen’s opinion. This section is what other buyers report, not our own experience.
- Easy to use. The most common praise by far. On Best Buy, “ease of use” is the top tagged pro, and reviewers like the simple, uncluttered controls.
- Crispy food. Lots of owners say fries, wings and veggies come out crispy outside and tender inside. Wirecutter’s testers said it made the crispiest food of the air fryers they tested.
- Fast. Buyers and testers say it heats up quickly with no real preheat.
- Reheat beats the microwave. Owners keep singling out how well it crisps up leftovers.
- Compact. Folks with smaller kitchens like the footprint.
- Easy cleanup, if you do it right away. Owners say the basket wipes clean fast when you wash it soon after cooking. Let grease harden overnight and it becomes a scrubbing job.
And the complaints other buyers report:
- Noise. The most repeated complaint. Some reviewers compare the fan to a hair dryer or vacuum on high heat. Others say it’s normal air fryer noise.
- Nonstick coating wear. A smaller but steady group reports the basket or crisper plate coating chipping or flaking after several months, often with heavy scrubbing or the dishwasher. Many say parchment liners and hand-washing with a soft sponge help.
- Size. Five quarts is great for one or two people, but several reviewers say you’ll cook in batches for a bigger family.
- Only four functions. There’s no dedicated bake setting, so it won’t replace a toaster oven.
- Odd first-use smell and a few duds. A handful of buyers mention a plastic smell early on, and a few report units that stopped cooking evenly or failed. These are the minority.
Pap Steve’s Tips
- Clean the basket while it’s still warm (not hot). Other owners say that’s the secret to easy cleanup.
- Go easy on the coating. Soft sponge, no steel wool. Buyers who use parchment liners report fewer chipping problems.
- Don’t crowd the basket. Single layer, and give it a shake partway through.
- Pap Steve’s tip: get yourself some silicone basket liners. They make cleanup a whole lot easier.
Specs at a Glance
- Model: Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1, AF141, grey
- Capacity: 5 quarts (up to 4 lbs fries or 5 lbs wings, per Ninja)
- Functions: Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, Dehydrate
- Max temp: 400°F
- Power: 1750 watts, 120V
- Size: about 14.8” D x 11.3” W x 10.4” H, about 10.3 lbs
- Cleanup: nonstick, dishwasher-safe basket and crisper plate
- Price: check current price; list price is around $129.99 and it often goes on sale
Who It’s For (and Who Should Skip It)
It’s for couples and small households, like us empty nesters. So you want crispy food with little or no oil. Plus, you don’t want a lot of buttons to learn. If you’re trying to eat cleaner and cook more real food, it makes that easy.
Skip it if you regularly cook for a big crowd, want a bake setting or a two-basket model, or you’re sensitive to fan noise. And if nonstick coatings worry you, read up on that first.
Cons (Keeping It Real)
- Our take: the other buyers are right, it’s definitely loud. And the basket is a bit of a pain to wash and keep clean. Silicone liners help a bunch.
- Noise. Other buyers report it’s on the loud side.
- Coating wear. Some buyers report chipping after months of use.
- One 5-quart basket. Batches for bigger families.
Pap Steve’s Final Score: 8.5 out of 10
I’m giving it an 8.5. It’s not hard to clean, but it can be a pain at times, especially after greasy stuff, and it’s loud. That’s what keeps it from a 9 or 10. Mimi uses it for everything, and I’ve got my crispy baked potatoes. For two empty nesters cutting out the processed stuff, that says a lot.
Pros
- Simple controls, easy to learn
- Crispy outside, tender inside (hello, baked potatoes)
- Heats up fast
- Compact for a 5-quart
- Dishwasher-safe basket and crisper plate
Cons
- Fan noise, per other buyers
- Nonstick coating can wear, per other buyers
- Single basket limits batch size
- No dedicated bake function
What do you make in your air fryer? Drop a comment below and tell me your favorite. Mimi’s always looking for new ideas, and somebody else reading might need it too.
God Bless Y’all,
Pap Steve
papstevereviews.com
Reviewed October 2026. Prices and availability subject to change.
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