Ninja's latest kitchen gadgets reviewed: Blender & air fryer duo

I have a dedicated corner in my heart for all kinds of gadgets, especially those for the kitchen. From various salad choppers I order to the array of cleaning gadgets I have (specifically from Ya'acov), I've also developed a penchant for every Ninja gadget hitting the market. There's a certain allure to certain brands that make you crave every product they release.

Ninja is one of those brands, and even though it's been a few good years since the invention of the first device with "Air-Fry," not much has changed except for the shape and size of the devices. In essence, all devices can be divided into two main categories - the blender family, which chops and blends things, and versatile cooking appliances, each with the Air Fry feature and buttons for various operations - tailored to different combinations of air, temperature, and humidity.

"A pressure cooker" is a variation of - hot air, water, and pressure mechanism. Frying / grilling is a variation of hot air at high temperature with a certain level of humidity for crispiness, baking is hot air with gentle circulation without humidity, and proofing is high humidity with very little hot air at very low temperature. Every time it seems like there are new things in the device, but in reality, it's just a new button that is a variation of the same elements. Food dehydration, for example, sounds exotic, but in reality, it's weak hot air at very low temperature for a long time. There's even a button in one of the devices for making yogurt, which I'm dying to meet someone who has ever intentionally used it.

But it doesn't matter, just like in the case of the iPhone, even if the differences are only in the software level, I always really want the newest one that comes out. Like I said, it's magic.

Exaggeratedly practical: Manual Blender and Mixer System

A compact device with a single motor unit that turns into three different devices, by switching between a blender wand, food processor, or manual mixer. What can I say? This is an exaggeratedly practical thing. There's almost no cooking or baking where at least one of the tools is not in use. The motor unit remains plugged in, and as needed, I connect what's needed to it. Most of the time, I use the chopping bowl, which is the perfect size. Onions, greens, nuts, spreads, purees - everything that needs grinding, mashing, and everything that needs chopping, gets chopped.

The blender wand is recruited for dealing with soups and sauces, and if occasionally I want to froth just two proteins and don't feel like pulling out the whole heavy blender and rinsing its parts afterward, I connect the beaters and do it directly in the regular plastic bowl - all with a simple click connection, and all parts go into the dishwasher, which makes maintenance of the device very easy, as it disassembles and also takes up very little space in the kitchen.

Price: NIS 799 including a cute recipe booklet in Hebrew, and a full year of warranty + 1-year extended warranty from the official importer.

Oil-Free Dual Fryer

The second device is an oil-free dual fryer, which includes 6 different programs for preparing a variety of meals simultaneously: hot air frying for wings, potatoes, crispy Max - for frozen components like nuggets, chips, and more, grilling, baking, reheating that brings back the crispiness and flavors to food, and food dehydration - for making dried fruits, jerky, and more.

The fryer has two modes: "full meal" mode that adjusts cooking times accurately in each drawer, so different dishes will be ready together, and "sync" mode, where you can "copy" the cooking settings to both areas, all depending on what you're cooking. All parts are dishwasher safe, and the device reduces fat by 75% compared to traditional frying - and does it in less than half the time it takes a regular oven.

The device is cuboid, like a miniature oven with two drawers - just so you can imagine the capacity (almost ten liters) - I placed in one drawer three fillets of salmon with spices, mustard, and greens, and on the other side slices of vegetables for antipasti (including carrots and potatoes). I set each side in its parameters for "full meal" and started it. Half an hour later, I had a meal of two portions each ready, right at the moment. I grilled chicken there, prepared bread, and as usual, I make my "healthy" cake in the device. It's a mixture (bowl and spoon) of oatmeal, milk, egg, and various types of dried fruits and nuts. I spread the mass in the drawers on baking paper, and within a quarter of an hour, I have granola bars without oil or sugar that even a dietician couldn't argue against.

Price: NIS 1049, including a chef's recipe booklet in Hebrew, 1+1-year warranty from the official importer, available at selected electronics chains and at the official Sarig Electric website, the official importer.