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After cooking with the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer with FusionCrisp, I can confidently say it’s one of the more interesting kitchen appliances I’ve tested this year. Instead of relying on marketing claims, I wanted to see how it handled everyday meals—from reheating leftovers and crisping frozen snacks to air frying chicken wings and roasting vegetables. While its FusionCrisp technology delivers impressively crispy results in many situations, I also discovered a few limitations that potential buyers should know before making a purchase. In this review, I’ll share my hands-on experience, what stood out during daily use, where it falls short, and whether I think it’s worth adding to your kitchen.
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Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer Review
Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been using the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer with FusionCrisp as my primary microwave instead of my regular countertop microwave. I wanted to find out whether it could genuinely replace both a microwave and an air fryer or if it was simply another appliance trying to do too many things at once.
I used it for the kinds of meals most people actually make at home—reheating leftover pizza, cooking frozen fries and chicken tenders, warming casseroles, melting butter for baking, and even roasting a whole chicken for a weekend dinner. After cooking with it every day, I came away impressed with how well Ninja blended microwave speed with air-fryer crispness.
What stood out most wasn’t just how quickly it cooked, but how much better reheated food tasted compared to a traditional microwave. Pizza came out with a crisp bottom instead of a chewy, soggy crust, leftover fries regained much of their crunch, and breaded chicken stayed crispy instead of becoming rubbery. Those are the situations where the FusionCrisp technology makes the biggest difference.
That said, it isn’t perfect. It’s larger than a standard microwave, so you’ll want to measure your counter space before buying. The air-fry cycles are also louder than a conventional microwave, which wasn’t surprising but is worth mentioning if your kitchen opens directly into your living room.
If you’re looking for one appliance that can replace your everyday microwave while also handling air frying surprisingly well, I think the Ninja Crispi is one of the better-designed combination appliances I’ve tested. But whether it’s worth the investment depends on how often you’ll actually use both cooking functions.
Should You Buy It?
After using the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer for everyday meals, I think it’s best suited to people who regularly alternate between microwaving leftovers and air frying frozen foods or quick dinners. Instead of moving food from one appliance to another, I could heat and crisp everything in the same machine, which genuinely made weeknight cooking more convenient.
I’d recommend it if you:
- Need to replace an older microwave and have been thinking about buying an air fryer too.
- Frequently reheat pizza, fries, chicken wings, or breaded foods and want them to stay crispy instead of turning soft.
- Cook for three to six people and need enough room for larger dishes like casseroles or a whole chicken.
- Want to free up countertop space by replacing two appliances with one.
I probably wouldn’t recommend it if you already own a high-quality microwave and a dedicated air fryer that you’re happy with. While the Ninja combines both functions well, the savings come from convenience rather than dramatically outperforming separate premium appliances.
My overall verdict is that it’s an excellent upgrade for busy families, apartment kitchens, and anyone who reheats leftovers several times a week. If your microwave mostly heats coffee or instant noodles, you’ll probably never use enough of its features to justify the price.
What Makes the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer Different?
After testing quite a few countertop cooking appliances over the years, I’ve noticed that many microwave-air fryer combos feel like they simply bolt an air-fry mode onto a standard microwave. The Ninja Crispi feels more intentional.
- FusionCrisp: Fast Heating Without Sacrificing Texture
The feature I ended up using most was FusionCrisp mode. Instead of relying entirely on microwave energy or hot air, the appliance starts by rapidly heating the food with microwave power before finishing with circulating hot air to crisp the exterior.
In practice, this produced noticeably better results than reheating with microwave power alone.
For example:
- Leftover pizza came out with a firm, lightly crisp crust instead of becoming soft underneath.
- Frozen fries browned more evenly than I expected and didn’t need nearly as much cooking time as my conventional oven.
- Chicken tenders kept their crunchy coating while the inside stayed hot instead of drying out.
I wouldn’t say the results are identical to cooking everything from scratch in a full-sized oven, but they’re much closer than what I’d expect from a traditional microwave.
- Designed for Real Kitchens
Although the Ninja Crispiisn’t a compact appliance, I appreciated not having both an air fryer and a microwave competing for counter space.
At roughly 16 inches long, 19.6 inches wide, and 14 inches high, it still requires a decent amount of room, but replacing two appliances with one actually left my countertop feeling less cluttered.
If you live in an apartment, condo, or a kitchen where every inch matters, that’s a practical advantage you’ll notice every day—not just something that looks good on a specification sheet.
Key Features and Standout Specs
After using the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer with FusionCrisp for a couple of weeks, I quickly realized this isn’t just a microwave with an air fry button added for marketing. It genuinely combines the convenience of a microwave with the crisping performance of a countertop air fryer, although it does take a little experimenting before you get the best results.
Here are the features that made the biggest difference during my testing.
14-in-1 Cooking Flexibility
One of the first things I noticed was how many cooking options are available. On paper, fourteen cooking functions can sound overwhelming, but in daily use I found myself relying on just a handful of favorites.
The microwave handles all the everyday presets you’d expect, including:
- Popcorn
- Potato
- Defrost
- Beverage
- Soup
- Frozen Dinner
- Frozen Vegetables
- Soften Butter
Where this appliance separates itself from a traditional microwave is the FusionCrisp technology. Instead of simply reheating leftovers until they’re hot (and sometimes soggy), it adds circulating heat that crisps the exterior surprisingly well.
During my testing, I used it for:
- Reheating leftover pizza, which came out with a crispy crust instead of the usual chewy microwave texture.
- Cooking frozen fries and chicken nuggets without needing my separate air fryer.
- Warming leftover baked pasta while giving the cheese a light golden finish.
- Softening butter for baking without accidentally melting it into a puddle.
It didn’t completely replace my oven for larger meals, but for everyday cooking it became the appliance I reached for most often.
Spacious 5.5-Quart Capacity
Capacity is usually where combination appliances fall short, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much room Ninja managed to fit inside.
The cooking basket offers 5.5 quarts of usable space, which easily handled family-sized portions during my testing.
I comfortably cooked:
- enough fries for four people in one batch,
- a large tray of chicken wings,
- several pieces of leftover pizza at once,
- and a casserole dish that would never have fit inside my previous microwave.
Ninja says it can accommodate an 8-pound whole chicken, and after seeing the interior space myself, that claim seems realistic.
For my household, the larger capacity meant fewer batches and less waiting around, especially on busy evenings.
PFAS-Free Interior and Glassware
One feature I genuinely appreciated wasn’t about cooking performance—it was the materials.
The included glass cooking container feels much sturdier than the typical non-stick baskets found in many air fryers. I also liked knowing that the crisper tray is PFAS-free, which gives a little extra peace of mind if you’re trying to reduce exposure to certain non-stick coatings.
After several rounds of cooking greasy foods like wings and fries, cleanup was easier than I expected. The glass didn’t seem to hold onto food odors or stains the way some coated baskets can over time.
It’s a small detail, but one that made the appliance feel more premium during everyday use.
What I Liked After Using It
After cooking with the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer for a while, a few strengths consistently stood out.
- It Actually Reduced Countertop Clutter
Before testing this unit, I had both a microwave and a dedicated air fryer taking up space.
Once I became comfortable using the FusionCrisp modes, I found myself using the Ninja for almost everything except large oven meals. Having one appliance perform both jobs genuinely freed up valuable counter space.
- FusionCrisp Delivers Better Leftovers
This ended up being my favorite feature.
Pizza stayed crispy, fries regained much of their crunch, and leftover chicken didn’t become rubbery the way it often does in a regular microwave.
It won’t make every leftover taste freshly cooked, but it’s noticeably better than standard microwave reheating.
- Easy Daily Operation
Despite having fourteen cooking functions, the controls became intuitive after a few days.
Once I figured out which presets worked best for the foods I cook most often, using it became almost automatic. Most meals only required selecting the mode, adjusting the cook time slightly, and letting the machine do the rest.
What I Didn’t Like
No appliance is perfect, and there were a few things I think buyers should know before purchasing.
- It Takes Up More Space Than You Might Expect
Although it replaces two appliances, it isn’t compact.
I had to rearrange part of my countertop to give it enough room, and I’d definitely recommend measuring both your counter depth and the clearance beneath upper cabinets before buying.
- There’s a Learning Curve
I didn’t get perfect results on day one.
Some foods needed a little less microwave time before switching to FusionCrisp, while others benefited from lowering the cooking temperature slightly.
After several meals I developed a feel for it, but expect a week or so of experimenting.
- It’s More Expensive Than Buying a Basic Microwave
If all you use a microwave for is reheating coffee or making popcorn, this appliance is probably more machine than you need.
The value really comes if you’ll regularly use both the microwave and air frying functions. Otherwise, a basic microwave costs significantly less and may be enough for simple reheating tasks.
Who this is really for
Based on how it’s designed and how similar Ninja Crispi appliances are being used in real homes, here’s who I’d recommend it to.
Ideal buyers
- Busy families: If you’re constantly juggling work, school, and dinner, the ability to go from freezer to crispy table‑ready food in under 30 minutes is a big deal.
- Apartment and condo dwellers: One appliance instead of a separate microwave and big basket air fryer helps keep small kitchens usable.
- Health‑conscious cooks: Anyone looking for safer, PFAS‑free, glass‑based cooking options but still wanting convenience will appreciate the material choices.
- Meal preppers: Cook in bigger glass dishes, refrigerate, then revive portions throughout the week with the microwave‑plus‑crisp combo.
Probably not worth it if…
- You already own a powerful air fryer you love and a newer microwave and have plenty of space. In that case, you’re mostly gaining convenience, not new cooking abilities.
- You mainly use a microwave for coffee, instant noodles, and once‑in‑a‑while leftovers. The extra modes may go untouched.
Pros and cons at a glance
Here’s a quick snapshot to help you see if it fits your kitchen and lifestyle.
Final verdict: is the Ninja Crispi Microwave & Air Fryer with FusionCrisp worth it?
After testing the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer with FusionCrisp for everyday cooking, I can say it’s more than just another microwave with an air fryer feature added on. I used it to reheat pizza, fries, chicken tenders, and a few frozen meals, and the FusionCrisp technology consistently produced better texture than a standard microwave. Leftovers came out with a crispy exterior instead of turning soft or rubbery, and I appreciated how easy it was to switch between microwave and crisping modes. While it took a couple of uses to dial in the best cooking times, the results became consistently reliable once I got familiar with how the appliance cooks.
I wouldn’t call it a perfect replacement for a large dedicated air fryer, especially if you’re cooking for a big family since you’ll still need to avoid overcrowding for the best crisping results. However, for busy households that want to save counter space without sacrificing food quality, I think it’s a worthwhile investment. Based on my experience, it delivers on its biggest promise making quick meals and leftovers taste noticeably better than a traditional microwave making it an appliance I’d happily keep on my countertop and continue using throughout the week.