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I had been hearing about the amazingness of Instant Pots for a while and had contemplated buying one, but I just never got around to it. I mean it seemed cool, but it’s a lot of money, would I really use it, do I really need another appliance sitting on my kitchen counter…blah blah blah. I’m sure you’ve been there.
Then, a couple of years ago, I heard about a NEW even cooler appliance: a Ninja Foodi. I did some research and decided, this was the new amazing appliance that would deserve space on my kitchen counter.
For those of you who don’t know, a Ninja Foodi is a pressure cooker (like an instant pot) AND an air fryer. My husband had wanted an air fryer and we had thought about it but were still waiting to actually buy one.
Summer 2019 it was time, I was finally ready to pull the trigger and buy a Ninja Foodi. And I’m so glad I did. I use it multiple times per week. I love cooking a pot roast in an hour and a half, cooking quinoa to perfection and making air-fried french fries to go with hamburgers on the grill night.
The only trouble with buying a Ninja Foodi is suddenly there are so many accessories that you start putting in your Amazon shopping cart. There are so many amazing Ninja Foodi accessories. I think there are 7 pages of them on Amazon. But you don’t need all of them. Take your time, think about what you actually want to (and will use) your Ninja Foodi for.
There are a lot of specialized accessories, but for general use and getting the most bang for your buck, these are the Ninja Foodi accessories I most recommend.
Best Ninja Foodi Accessories for 2020
6.5-Qt Inner Foodi Accessory Ceramic-Coated Pot
The Ninja Foodi comes with a pot, but let’s face it, you are going to use it so often, that you don’t want to have to wash that pot every five minutes. As an added bonus when you are making a meal with multiple dishes cooking in the Ninja Foodi, it’s so much faster when you can swap out pots with food already prepped instead of transferring hot food to a plate, washing the pot, placing in the next dish (which was already sitting in a bowl) before starting up the Ninja Foodi again. Two pots will just be a time saver and dirty dishes reducer.
Silicone Mitts
When the food comes out of a Ninja Foodi, it is HOT. You will need to be careful and in the narrow spaces between the pot and the Foodi itself make getting the pot in and out a little tricky. These small silicone mitts will protect you from burns and also make maneuvering the Ninja Foodi pot easier and safer.
Ninja Foodi Lid
When you are simmering food using the “sear/saute” setting or using the Ninja Foodi as a slow cooker, this is the perfect lid to cover your food. It’s the perfect size, dishwasher safe, and even has a steam vent to avoid pressure buildup. Definitely a Ninja Foodi accessory to add to your collection!
Steam Release Diverter
After the Ninja Foodi finishes cooking at pressure, you must release the pressure before you can remove the lid safely. When you release the pressure valve, steam comes shooting straight up, usually straight into the bottom of your kitchen cabinets. That’s not great for the life of your cabinets, so a steam diverter is a must-have Ninja Foodi accessory to save the life of your kitchen cabinets from a buildup of unwanted moisture since it diverts the steam to approximately a 45-degree angle.
Pressure/Silicone Bakeware Cooker Sling
Use this handy little Ninja Foodi accessory to boil eggs in the Foodi. It’s also perfect as a sling for lowering and retrieving foods cooked in pans inside the steamer, like cakes and lasagnas. The silicone construction makes it easy to maneuver and durable. A pressure cooker sling is a great addition to your collection of Ninja Foodi accessories
Choosing the Best Ninja Foodi Accessories 2020
Deciding to purchase a large kitchen counter appliance like a Ninja Foodi or and Instant Pot is a big decision. It should not be made lightly and not without research. Ideally, if you know someone who owns the appliance you want to buy you can ask them if you can test it out. If not, you will have to go off of the information you can find online.
What can a Ninja Foodi do?
A better question may be, what can’t a Ninja Foodi do? It is a really versatile appliance. You can pressure cook, steam, slow cook, and saute, as well as and air fry bake and broil all in the same appliance!
How is a Ninja Foodi different from an Instant Pot?
The Ninja Foodi has all the pressure cooking capabilities an Instant Pot, PLUS you can use it the same way you would use an air fryer. It’s like two crazy fun appliances in one.
How does an air fryer work?
I will let Wikipedia take this one: An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks by circulating hot air around the food using the convection mechanism. It is a smaller version of the convection oven. A mechanical fan circulates the hot air around the food at high speed, cooking the food and producing a crispy layer via browning. All I know is that food like french fries and fried chicken come out looking and tasting like deep-fried versions with only about a Tablespoon or so of oil.
Where can I find recipes for a Ninja Foodi?
There are so many resources for great Ninja Foodi recipes, including the recipe booklet that comes with your Ninja Foodi.
Blogs
Facebook groups
- Ninja Foodi Easy Recipes
- Ninja Foodi and Instant Pot Duo Crisp Recipes
- Ninja Foodi groupies/Home Pressure Cooking
YouTube channels
The Ninja Foodi isn’t cheap and it isn’t for everyone. But if you decide that a Ninja Foodi is the right decision for you and your cooking, consider adding a few basic Ninja Foodi accessories to make your life and your cooking easier!
Are there any other Ninja Foodi accessories you would add to this list?
Email: Katie@KatieMerrill.com
Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.
Charles Dudley Warner
P.S. If you enjoyed this list of must-have Ninja Foodi accessories, pin, and comment please =)
