I tried a $250 kitchen appliance that combines the best functions of an Instant Pot with an air fryer - and it actually worked well

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Ninja

• A new $250 kitchen appliance from Ninja contains all the functions you could ever want from a multi-cooker, including two methods home cooks love the most today: pressure cooking and air frying.
• The Ninja Foodi ($269.98) is like an Instant Pot and air fryer in one, but ultimately takes up less space than if you owned both, and performs each of its many functions very well.
• It's a versatile, efficient, and easy-to-use appliance that makes sense for anyone who is interested in the diverse and delicious results of pressure cooking and air frying, but only wants to buy one device.

Two kitchen appliances that have captivated home cooks, topped wish lists, and generated a plethora of recipes and recipe books in the last couple years are the Instant Pot and the air fryer. Both fulfill our needs for efficiency and versatility: the Instant Pot cranking out flavorful stews, soups, rice and pasta dishes, and desserts in less than an hour, and the air fryer producing crunchy, healthier versions of your favorite fried foods.

These appliances each command their own spheres and strengths, but if you want to own both, you should be prepared to clear out some serious cabinet or counter space. Before you pit your many other cooking appliances against each other in a dramatic island vote to make room for both a pressure cooker and an air fryer, you should keep reading because kitchenware brand Ninja has combined these disparate devices into a powerful and convenient all-in-one solution, the Foodi.

It's a pressure cooker that also air fries, so if you want an appliance that can truly do it all, the Foodi is the one to get.

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When I first received a sample of the Foodi, I'll admit I was a little intimidated. It's larger than the Instant Pot (though ultimately takes up less space than two appliances together) and comes with a pressure lid, crisping basket, reversible rack, and a control panel teeming with functions. However, it doesn't take long to familiarize yourself with it and start cooking. For an appliance of its wide-ranging capabilities, the Foodi is surprisingly easy to use and doesn't skimp on effectiveness in squeezing in its long list of functions.

Here's that list of what the Foodi can do:

• Pressure cook
• Steam
• Slow cook
• Sear/saute
• Air crisp
• Bake/roast
• Broil
• Dehydrate

If you've never pressure-cooked, Ninja suggests a short trial run with a pot of water to see how it's done and loosen any nerves about using it. As safety measures, the lid of the Foodi will never unlock until pressure is fully released, and there are labels inside the cooking pot to mark the maximum point to where you can add ingredients.

The product package includes a small recipe book, but for my tests I chose to freestyle them and look at general cooking times as suggested by people on the internet, which turned out to work just as well. Regardless of how you use the Foodi, the basic steps are the same: place your ingredients in the pot, in the crisping basket, or on the rack; choose your cooking function; adjust the temperature and timer using the arrow buttons; and press "Start."

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Cooking with the Foodi is pretty much fool-proof, whether you want to make a savory pork tenderloin that falls apart with a poke of your fork, or sweet potato fries that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. I loved that I had dinner on my table within half an hour of coming home, and during that half hour I could busy myself with other tasks instead of watching my food.

For air frying in particular, its TenderCrisp technology came in handy because I could tenderize and ensure ingredients were fully cooked before finishing them off in the crisping basket for an even cook. Whatever I wanted to make, entree or dessert, with fresh or frozen ingredients, I could enlist one or more of the Foodi's functions.

One-pot cooking also thankfully means one-pot cleaning, and the ceramic, non-stick pot washes clean in a few short minutes, even after having just housed a complex meal that generated oils and residue galore.

The Foodi costs $270, so its price isn't necessarily better than the combined cost of an Instant Pot and air fryer, but its other benefits certainly outweigh the hassle of buying, storing, and mastering two separate appliances. With the reliable and user-friendly Foodi, you can do all your cooking in one place, from pressure and slow cooking to air frying and roasting.

Shop the Ninja Foodi for $269.98 at Amazon here

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