Ninja DZ401 Review (2023) 10 Quart 6-in-1 XL 2-Basket Air Fryer

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Ninja DZ401 XL 2-Basket 6-in-1 Air Fryer, black
Ninja DZ401 XL 2-Basket 6-in-1 Air Fryer, black

The Ninja Foodi XL 2-Basket Air Fryer, also referred to as the Ninja 6-in-1 10-Qt Air Fryer or simply the Ninja DZ401 is the brand’s newest and largest capacity drawer-type air fryer. Convenience is the ultimate selling point of this kind of air fryer.

Oven air fryers and grill air fryers don’t offer a way to shake your ingredients up. Or let’s say completely take the container out to flip your protein or veggies safely.

In total, Ninja DZ401 has six cooking functions—Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate—same as the Ninja 8-qt Air Fryer.

One upgrade it has over its sibling is a fancy turn dial for selecting any of those cooking modes. 

Sadly, this variant still doesn’t have an automatic pause feature. You still have to press the start/stop button to keep the cooking time synchronized when taking out the basket.

If you want that automatic pause feature, the Ninja Max XL has that ability.

In terms of convenience, the Ninja DZ401 still has the edge over any air fryers Ninja is selling. The Match Cook and Smart Finish option allow you to keep your cook times in sync easily.

I’ll dive deeper into those features later in this review. In the meantime, let’s check out its pros and cons.

PROS

  • Large 10-quart capacity (9.5 L)
  • Each cooking zone can handle a 6-lb chicken, or a 5-lb fries
  • Minimalist design
  • Midrange budget
  • Basket air fryer design is easier to use than a pressure cooker air fryer
  • Dual basket
  • Rectangular basket design to fit more food
  • Dual-zone technology
  • Match Cook (match cooking times by a click of a button)
  • Smart Finish feature (syncs the cook timemill)
  • Wide temperature range (105-450ºF)
  • 6 Cooking functions: Air fry, broil, roast, bake, dehydrate, reheat
  • Adjustable temperature and cooking time
  • Dishwasher safe parts
  • BPA-free
  • 1-year warranty

CONS

  • Bulky
  • Lightweight food can fly to the heating element, which will result in burnt smell
  • Non-stick are usually not long lasting
  • Several reviews have reported a chemical smell
  • No auto-pause
  • The baskets are not interchangeable

What can I cook with Ninja 6-in-1 Air Fryer?

This 10-quart dual basket air fryer is more generous than its predecessor. As I’ve mentioned in the introduction, both zones can handle a whole chicken. I might say, it’s a good replacement to your full-sized oven.

To be more specific, the Ninja DZ401 has five more cooking functions apart from air frying.

Here are all its capabilities:

roasted chicken
Air Broil
fries
Air Fry
roasted chicken
Roast
pizza
Reheat
dehydrated fruits
Dehydrate
brownies
Bake

The beauty of the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Air Fryer is you can make any of those recipes in hefty proportions. It’s an ideal cooking tool for a medium-sized household.

Now, let’s talk about the Match Cook and Smart Finish Feature.

Let me first emphasize that these extra features have something to do with the dual-zone technology. It has two independent cooking baskets that can work synchronously if the situation calls for it.

The Smart Finish

2-basket air fryers can help you cook both your main and side dish. The only issue is most recipes don’t have the same cooking time. Ninja Kitchen solved this problem with the Smart Finish function. You can set different cooking durations, but both recipes will still finish simultaneously when you activate this option.

Pretty convenient, right? Your family or guests will surely appreciate a hot meal.

The Match Cook

Match cook simply means copying the settings of the other basket if you’re cooking the same items. Say you’re making a large batch of fries. With this feature, you can input the cooking time and temperature in one zone and copy the exact settings on the other basket with a push of a button.

See the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Air Fryer in Action

Well, don’t take my word for it, here’s a short video explaining both functions plus more tips on using your Ninja DZ401.

The Ninja Foodi XL 2-Basket Air Fryer or the Ninja DZ401 is a 10-quart (9.5 L) multicooker with the following functions—Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. Furthermore, the Ninja Foodi DZ401 offers smart features like the Smart Finish and Match Cook functionality.

Is the Ninja DZ401 easy to use?

Drawer-type air fryers are the most straightforward in terms of usability. You can just take the drawer out and shake your fries. That’s not something you could do with a full-sized oven.

The Match Cook and Smart Finish function are just cherries on top for Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Air Fryer’s array of convenient features.

Ninja 6-in-1 Air Fryer Control Panel
Ninja Foodi DZ401 Control Panel

The Match Cook and Smart Finish function are just cherries on top for Ninja Foodi DZ401’s array of convenient features.

Just take a look at this gorgeous control panel. It’s elegant yet self-explanatory.

How about cleanup?

It will all depend on the dish you’re making. If you’re making french fries, running both the crisper plates and non-stick baskets in your dishwasher will do the trick.

However, when you’re dealing with greasy recipes, it may take more than that. To get rid of those stubborn food residues, you’ll have to soak your crisper plate overnight in warm soapy water.

Pro Tip: Line the bottom part of your non-stick basket with aluminum foil to catch the greases.

Technical Specifications

TypeDual Basket Air Fryer / Drawer Type Air Fryer
Brand/SeriesNinja Air Fryer → The Ninja Foodi Collection
Model #Ninja DZ401
Price$$$
Rating4.7 out of 5
Wattage1690 Watts
Cooking Functions6-in-1: Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast,
Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate
Basket ShapeRectangular
Basket MaterialNonstick coated
Capacity10 quarts (9.5 L)
Dishwasher safeYes
BPA FreeYes
ColorsBlack/Gray
Dimensions 17.1″ x 13.9″ x 12.8″ inches (43.43 x 35.3 x 32.5 cm)
Cord Length2.6 ft. (79.2 cm)
ApplicationPersonal Use
Warranty1 Year
Related ProductsNinja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer, Ninja Max XL Air Fryer, Ninja 4-qt Air Fryer
This table shows the technical specifications of Ninja Foodi DZ401.

Is the Ninja Foodi XL 2-Basket Air Fryer worth it?

I highly recommend getting the Ninja Foodi DZ401 6-in-1 XL Double Air Fryer. Its 10-quart capacity lets you roast a whole chicken on one zone and a 5-lb fries on the other side. That’s not even the best part. You can set both dishes to finish cooking at the same time.

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