Ninja FD401 Foodi: The Best Pressure Cooker for Modern Kitchens

The trapped moisture creates huge pressure inside of the cooker, which allows it to reach temperatures far beyond what it could normally reach. This expedites the cooking process significantly.

So a dish that can take about 2 to 3 hours to cook would only need about half an hour inside of a pressure cooker.

You would definitely come to love having a cooker around if you lead a busy life and don’t have time to cook for several hours a day, which is something probably all of us can probably relate with.

Save Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) actually recommends using a pressure cooker at home in order to save energy. And according to data from the European Commission, using a pressure cooker can result in 50 to 70% reduction in energy consumption.

You’ll be saving a lot of money on your energy bill at the end of the month. Additionally, you will also do less harm to the environment by cutting down on energy use!

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Healthier Food

A very common myth that’s been making rounds is that pressure cooking reduces the amount of nutrition in the food ingredients. That couldn’t be further from the truth. There is actually more scientific research that supports pressure cooking than there is against it.

According to this research from 2007, pressure cookers can retain more minerals and vitamins in vegetables than open cooking methods. Thus, you’ll be enjoying healthier, heartier meals when they’re prepared using a good pressure cooker like the Ninja Foodi Deluxe.

Make Your Kitchen Clutter-free

Like we mentioned before, the best rated pressure cookers on the market nowadays don’t just pressure cook. They can also serve a variety of other roles. Air frying, for example, or broiler, food dehydrator, some can even function as a yogurt maker!

This is the reason why many pressure cookers have been rebranded into “multi-cookers”.

With one of these in your kitchen, you will need to buy less cooking tools separately. And of course, it’s much more convenient to work in the kitchen when dozens of functions are packed into just one familiar machine.

And with all of that said, let’s delve right into the star of the show today: the Ninja Foodi 8 quart cooker.

Overview of the Ninja Foodi 8 Quart

The Ninja FD401 Foodi 8-Quart 9-in-1 Deluxe XL is a good cooker to consider if you seek a model that’s affordable, versatile, and functional to boot.

In terms of capacity, the Ninja Foodi XL can hold about 8 quarts. This makes it a medium-sized cooker. When you make use of the cooker’s full capability, it can serve good food for a table of more than 10 easily. Ideal if you regularly have guests and friends over, or you have a large family to feed.

It is a 9-in-1 cooker, meaning it has 9 different functions that you can use. Here’s a list of those functions.

• Pressure Cook
• Air Fry/Air Crisp
• Steam
• Slow Cook
• Yogurt Making
• Sear/Sauté
• Bake/Roast
• Broil
• Dehydrate

The 8 qt Ninja Foodi we’re reviewing has a wattage of 1,760W, which is higher than all of the other models in the Ninja Foodi series. High-wattage heating ensures that whatever it is that you cook, it will be done quickly and efficiently.

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In terms of design, the Ninja Foodi Deluxe pressure cooker lives up to its “Deluxe” moniker really well with its luxurious stainless steel finish. The metallic sheen combined with the nice glossy black details make the cooker look very eye-catching. When strategically placed in the kitchen, it can beautify your cooking space as a décor piece.

The only complaint that some people have about the design is that it is quite bulky and heavy. Thus, it can be a little bit difficult to find space in your kitchen to store it.

On the inside, the cooker is coated with a layer of non-stick and non-toxic ceramic coating. The coating makes the cooker much easier to use and allows it to cook faster, as well.

An electronic control panel is situated at the front of the cooker. All of the magic begins here. It has an LCD screen to show you all of the important data (current temperature, timer, and other settings.) Below, there are a multitude of command buttons that you can use to control the cooker the way you want it to work.

SharkNinja (the manufacturer) mentioned that the Ninja FD401 has 14 different safety mechanisms.

The cooker comes with a 1 year warranty.

Pros

• Affordable
• Beautiful, 8-quart design
• Safe
• High performance
• Has a wide variety of cooking presets
• Easy to use

Cons

• Bulky and heavy
   

Features

1,760W Heating Element

At the heart of the Ninja FD401 is the 1,760W heating element. It generates the heat necessary for the cooker to do its job. Like previously mentioned, out of the 5 different models in the Ninja Foodi series, the FD401’s heating element is the most powerful. As such, it can create hotter temperatures and cook your food faster.

However, there’s no denying that 1,760W is a lot of power. Some Ninja Foodi 8 qt reviews have noted that the cooker could potentially trip your home’s circuit breaker due to its voracious power demand. With this in mind, you should make sure that your grid can support the cooker before using.

9 Functions In 1

We’ve listed out all of the 9 functions that the cooker can serve earlier in the overview section of the Ninja Foodi Deluxe reviews. In this part, we’ll dive deeper into each individual function.

Ninja Foodi xl 8-qt 8-in-1 pressure cooker with deluxe rack

• Pressure Cooking: This part is self-explanatory. Use this mode when you have a pressure cooking recipe you want to prepare.
• Air Fry/Air Crisp: Allow you to “deep fry” things without cooking  the ingredients in an oil bath. This is significantly healthier than oil frying and can reduce calories by up to 80%.
• Steam: When you need to steam-cook, the Ninja Foodi 9 in 1 comes with a metal reversible rack. It can suspend all of the food ingredients over the boiling water and let the steam work its magic.
• Slow Cook: If you deal with more delicate, brittle ingredients that need to be gently cooked, this mode will be of use.
• Yogurt Making: Can give you fresh yogurt right at home.
• Sear/Sauté: Can be used for dishes that require sauté-ed vegetable or seared meat.
• Bake/Roast: This mode basically turns the cooker into an oven for baking or roasting your favorite recipes.
• Broil: Use this mode in combination with the reversible rack when dealing with broiled dishes.
• Dehydrating: The mode to use when you need to quickly defrost your iced-up vegetable or meat. According to customers, it can thaw out anything in about 20 minutes.
   

Constructed From Premium Materials

The cooker is constructed from highly durable stainless steel. In addition to protecting the machine from damage (inadvertent falls, for example,) the steel also lends a very premium feel to the cooker. That, in combination with the black paint, gives the cooker an excellent aesthetic. All of the Ninja Foodi 8 qt reviews from customers gave the cooker a lot of points for style.

The cooking pot and the basket are made from ceramic. Aside from being non-stick, they trap heat better and improve cooking time.

Control Panel

The control panel— the center nerve of the cooker— is simple to use. It has an LCD screen to display all of the important data to make it more convenient for you to check on the cooker’s progress.

Easy to use 6 buttons to control the cooker

You have a number of control buttons to direct the cooker. In total, there are 6 of them.

• Power Button
• Start/Stop Dial: Allow you to set up the temperature, time, as well as all of the cooking options.
• FUNCTION Button: Open up the cooking settings menu. Use the Start/Stop Dial to tune into your desired setting.
• TEMP Button: Set up the temperature.
• TIME Button: Allow you to determine the length of the cooking session.
• KEEP WARM: Self-explanatory. Once the food has been cooked, if you want to save it for later, use this function to keep it warm while you’re away.
   

Safety Mechanisms

According to the manual, the FD401 comes with 14 different safety mechanisms. A major portion of these 14 components are quite niche and technical. All you need to know are the two safety parts: the pressure locking lid and the safety microprocessor.

If you have used a pressure cooker before, chances are that you’re familiar with the pressure locking lid. When the cooker is completely pressurized, the lid stays solidly locked to prevent dangerous uncontrolled depressurization. Only when the cooker has been safely depressurized that the lock disengages.

The cooker is also equipped with a microprocessor and a number of temperature and pressure sensors to regulate its own function. Based on the kind of smart programming that you selected, the cooker can automatically adjust temperature and pressure to create the most optimal cooking environment.

If any faults or errors were to occur, the on-board computer will shut down the cooker immediately.

   ➜ RELATED: Instant Pot 6qt: A Well-Made And Affordable Pressure Cooker

Alternatives

If, so far, you haven’t been impressed with our Ninja Foodi 8 qt reviews, we have a few more models lined up for your picking.

#1- Ninja OS101 8-in-1 Cooker

This Ninja Foodi 8 in 1 will be a good choice if you’re looking for two things: 1/ a cooker that’s more affordable than the FD401 and 2/ less capacity.

Ninja OS101 8-in-1

Not everyone needs a cavernous 8-quart cooker. If you don’t often make full use of the cooker’s capacity, you would just be wasting your money and hiking your electric bill for no reason.

This multi-purpose Ninja Foodi 8 in 1 air fryer can hold about 5 quarts. This is the perfect size for students, singles, and couples. When crammed full of food ingredients, this 8-in-1 can serve for 7 people max.

Just like the FDI401, the OS101 is constructed from premium stainless steel and is very nice on the eyes. It also has all of the other components and features of the FD401, such as the reversible rack, ceramic-coated pot (non-stick), and all of the accompanying safety features.

There are two notable differences. The first is that the OS101’s heating element isn’t as powerful as the FD401. Rather than outputting 1,760W, the OS101 can only reach about 1,460W. Still, cooking time is quick and since the pot is smaller, the discrepancy between either model’s efficiency is negligible. Most of the Ninja Foodi 8 in 1 oven reviews was positive.

Ninja Foodi deluxe pressure cooker

And of course, rather than 9 cooking settings, the OS101 unfortunately only has 8. It lacks the dehydrating mode of the 8 qt Ninja Foodi.

#2- Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 8 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker

If the Ninja Foodi 8 in 1 pressure cooker is still too high for your budget or you want a different brand than SharkNinja, you can’t go wrong with an Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 8 Quart Electric Pressure Cooker

This Instant Pot 8 quart cooker is highly affordable (sub-$100) and can meet all of your basic needs in a good pressure cooker. It has a fast cooking time, a variety of presets (while not as rich as the Ninja Foodi cookers, they can cover all the bases), safe to use, and isn’t all that bad on the eyes aesthetically, either.

The cooker is constructed from stainless steel for greater durability. Unfortunately, on the inside, it doesn’t come standard with a ceramic-coated pot. If you want it, then you must purchase it separately.

Instant Pot 8 quart

Instead of reaching 1,400 or 1,700W+, this pressure cooker is rated for 1,200W. As a result, when compared to either of the Ninja Foodi Deluxe, the Instant Pot may cook a little bit slower (but still very quick compared to traditional methods.)

The cooker has 7 different functions that you can set depending on your needs and the recipe you’re preparing.

• Pressure Cooking
• Slow Cooking
• Rice Cooking
• Steaming
• Sauté
• Yogurt Making
• Keep Warm

To ensure that the cooker is safe for use, Instant Pot has integrated more than 10 different safety mechanisms inside of the cooker. And the company has a great reputation of manufacturing reliable products, so don’t be too worried about it.

Conclusion

After reading our Ninja Foodi 8 qt reviews, we hope that you have found the pressure cooker that suits your budget and your needs! All of our product selections have been carefully curated to include only the best rated pressure cookers. Pick one, and we’re sure that they will live up to expectations!

Happy shopping!