Ninja DT201 Review (2023) 10-in-1 Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven

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Key Points

  • The Ninja DT201 can accommodate a whole chicken, a 12-pound turkey, or a large slab of beef with lower electricity consumption than a full-sized electric oven.
  • The “true surround convection” feature eliminates the need for swapping or rotating your pan, but you might need to get familiar with it first to use it effectively.


Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Digital Convection Oven Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Fry Digital Convection Oven
$299.99

The Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven (DT201), is a 10-in-1 multifunctional countertop convection capable of roasting large items. It preheats in 90 seconds, has a "true surround convection" for optimal heat distribution, and has ten distinct functions including air frying, roasting, baking, toasting, and dehydrating. While it is bulky and lacks dishwasher-safe parts, it stands out for its quick cook times and multiple capabilities. An air fry basket, two wire racks, a roast tray, and two sheet pans come with each oven.

Pros:
  • Sleek design
  • Easy on the budget
  • 90-second preheat, quicker than full-sized ovens
  • True surround convection for optimum heat distribution
  • 30% faster cooking time than traditional ovens
  • 12 lbs capacity, can roast a whole chicken
  • 10-in-1 functions: air fry, whole roast, air roast, bake, dehydrate, pizza, broil, toast, bagel, reheat
  • BPA-free
  • 1-year warranty
Cons:
  • Bulky, requires a decent counter space
  • No smart thermometer included
  • Removable parts are not dishwasher safe
  • Consumers have complained that the print on the buttons wears off quickly
  • Fan is a bit louder than other air ovens, although quieter than a range hood.
  • Missing a "Keep Warm" preset
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02/18/2024 04:51 pm GMT
dt251 alt 1
The oven with no racks inserted
booklets
Booklets that come with the device

The Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven or the Ninja DT201 10-in-1 Air Fryer Oven is part of the brand’s Foodi collection. If you find this product confusing, it’s simply a countertop convection oven with versatile cooking functions.

It has a setting for whole roasting, air frying, air roasting, baking, broiling, toast settings for bread and bagels, dehydrating, reheating, and making your favorite pizza. We’ll discuss all those excellent capabilities in a bit.

I like that it can be used as a primary appliance or an occasional one. It takes up a lot of countertop space, but when I’m cooking a big dinner pulling out that extra oven is very handy.

Before we jump into whether or not this is the air fryer for you, let’s go over the features and specs of the Ninja Foodi XL Air Fryer.

Features of the Ninja Foodi DT201 Air Fryer Oven

It is important to note that there is another version of this air fryer oven that has a built-in thermometer. This thermometer gives you some bonus features that are really nice to have, but the Ninja DT251 also comes with a higher price tag. The main features of both this Ninja Foodi XL Air Fryer Oven and the DT251 are the same.

Here are the most important features you need to know about this air fryer toaster oven.

True-Surround Convection Heating

For this air fryer oven, Ninja has developed a true-surround convection heating design that it advertises as being more effective than its competitors. In addition to a heating element at the top of the oven, this model has heating elements at the bottom of the oven and at the rear of the oven with the convection fan. This design more evenly distributes head throughout the oven, leading to more even cooking.

The combination of the three heating elements and the fan located at the rear of the unit rather than just the top means that the Ninja Foodi DT201 is much more effective in baking, roasting, and air frying than other air fryer ovens.

Extra-Large Capacity

The capacity of this air fryer oven is impressive. Using the lowest rack position, you can fit a 12-pound turkey in this oven. You can also do a 5-pound chicken with a second tray for roasted vegetables simultaneously. It also can bake two 12-inch pizzas at once.

Most air fryer ovens that claim to have an XL capacity don’t fit a typical 9×13 pan with edges or handles. However, the Ninja DT201 is different. I can fit any of my Pyrex 9×13 inch pans in this air fryer oven, although anything with more than an inch handle will not quite fit.

As a result, you can use almost any baking dishes and pans in your kitchen already, even though it comes with two sheet pans of its own.

Digital Display Handle Design

To allow for a larger viewing window and a bigger oven capacity without increasing the size of the appliance, the controls for the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Fryer Oven are located on the handle along with the display. It clearly displays the function, time, and temperature, as well as which rack position is ideal for the function you have chosen.

Don’t be deterred by the controls being on the handle. The digital display handle is designed to freeze when you open the door so that you can’t accidentally change any of your settings while checking on your food, flipping it, or shaking it.

10 Cooking Functions

There are 10 customizable cooking functions on the Ninja DT200 series of air fryer convection ovens. These functions have preset time and temperature settings that can be adjusted to fit the recipe. Here is a rundown of the functions and how they perform.

roasted chicken
Whole Roast
roasted vegetables
Air Roast
fries
Air Fry
brownies
Bake
dehydrated fruits
Dehydrate
broiled beef
Broil
toasted bread
Toast
toasted bagel
Bagel
pizza
Pizza
reheated chicken
Reheat

Whole Roast

The Whole Roast feature is what you want to use when roasting a chicken, turkey breast, or full meal. At Whole Roast, you’ll get about the same cook time and temperature as roasting in your traditional oven.

Thanks to the true convection feature, you won’t be able to tell the difference between a chicken roasted in the Ninja Foodi Pro XL Air Fryer Oven and that from your range oven.

Air Roast

Air roast works similarly to the whole roast function except for the slower fan speed. This unit is best at roasting small portions of meat or veggies. But if you have a large slab of beef or a chicken, you want to use the whole roast feature to ensure it reaches a safe core temperature.

Air Fry

With just a little oil, your Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven can crisp up your chicken wings, french fries, and chicken nuggets. That’s healthier than deep-frying, but honestly, you can’t take oil out of the picture. That’s what makes the dish crispy. Not only that, I have found that if you use too little oil, the food sticks. But it’s like this with every air fryer I have tried.

chicken nuggets cooked in the ninja air fryer oven

Bake

With the bake function, you can make up to two trays of bacon, cookies, or muffin in one go. The true convection function again comes in handy with baking. Most air fryers without the added heating elements fail when it comes to baked goods, but the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Fryer Oven delivers.

I did find that it takes a few minutes longer to bake cakes, cookies, and muffins than in a traditional oven, so make sure you adjust your recipe accordingly.

Dehydrate

Yes, you can dehydrate your favorite fruits, and veggies and make tasty jerkies with this versatile kitchen appliance. It will take about a couple of hours, but the result will be all worth the wait.

I noticed when dehydrating apple and banana chips that they browned somewhat, which means that it is somewhat baking the ingredients rather than just drying them. Still, if you’d like to try your hand at fruit chips or jerkies, the dehydrator function will take the place of a stand-alone dehydrator.

Broil

If you want to make your meal like a pro chef, this broil function will do the job. It will perfectly brown the top of your dish for a more exciting and tastier finish. It works just about as well as any broiler in your traditional oven.

Toast

You could replace your toaster with this machine, but I recommend keeping it for just a slice or two if you have room on your counter. Still, the Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Air Fryer Oven can toast up to 9 slices of bread in one go.

With heating elements on the top and bottom of the oven, you can toast both sides at the same time if you place it directly on the oven rack rather than on a sheet. If toasting on a sheet, you’ll want to flip it halfway through for even toasting, just as you would in your traditional oven.

toasted bread

Bagel

The Bagel function works similarly to the Toast function. You just have to place the bagel cut-side up to achieve a perfect toast. Keep in mind that there isn’t a temperature setting for the toast or bagel features, but the presets work very well and you can adjust the time somewhat.

Pizza

Whether it’s a homemade pizza or a store-bought frozen pizza, this convection oven got you covered. The heat distribution is far superior to a traditional oven, which will give you an evenly baked result. I do have to buy several smaller pizzas rather than one or two larger ones to feed our crew, but I like that I can fit two pizzas at a time by using two racks.

Reheat

For just a little while, I thought that the Ninja Foodi DT201 would be a great alternative to microwave ovens for reheating leftover food. Your pizza, fries, or chicken will remain crunchy with an air fry oven. I have found the microwave more effective for some foods, but if you only have space on your counter for one appliance, this one will do the job.

As you can see, there is a lot that the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Fryer Oven can do, but it won’t take the place of your range oven. It does take less energy to run than your traditional oven, however, so keeping it on your counter for daily use is just as beneficial as having it for making large holiday meals.

Technical Specifications

TypeAir Fryer / Convection Oven
Brand/SeriesNinja Oven | Ninja Air Fryer → The Ninja Foodi Collection
Model #DT200, DT201, DT201C
Price$$$
Rating4.4 out of 5
Wattage1800 Watts
Functions10-in-1: Air Fry, Air Roast, Bake, Whole Roast, Broil, Toast, Bagel, Dehydrate, Reheat, & Pizza
Capacity12″ pizza, 9 slices of toast or 4-lbs in air fry basket, whole chicken, 12-lbs turkey
Dishwasher safeNo
BPA FreeYes
ColorsStainless/black
Dimensions 17.09 x 20.22 x 13.34 inches (43.4 x 51.35 x 33.88 cm)
Cord Length3 ft. (91.4 cm)
ApplicationPersonal Use
Warranty1 Year
Related ProductsNinja Foodi SP301 Air Oven, Ninja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven, Ninja DT251
This table shows the technical specifications of Ninja Foodi DT200 Series.

The Ninja Foodi DT201 and DT251 come with the following accessories:

  • 2 sheet pans
  • 2 wire racks
  • Air fry basket
  • Roast tray
  • Crumb tray

I found setting up the air oven pretty easy, but you can’t use an extension cord and there needs to be at least one-inch clearance on cabinets and walls. Here are a few more things that you need to know about the Ninja Foodi DT201.

Is the Ninja 10-in-1 Air Fryer Oven easy to use?

If you watch the video below, you’d see how easy it is to use. The control panel design is very straightforward. It comes with ten walk-away cooking functions that will get you started in no time, literally.

It will preheat in just 90 seconds. That’s a far cry from our old oven at home, which takes almost 15 minutes to preheat.

Ninja DT201 Control Panel

After you’ve turned it on, you’ll have to select a function by pressing the first plus and minus buttons. Unfortunately, the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven doesn’t have a touch interface. But it’s all good as there are just a few buttons to fiddle with.

I just have to mention that things will get tricky once you start cooking with multiple racks. There’s a specific rack placement for optimum heat transfer. If ever you get confused, it’s all in the quick start guide. (I’ve included details about available accessories like additional racks below.)

Take Care to Minimize Damage To Your Oven

The use of the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven also comes with a warning – never place objects directly on the heating elements, and only use aluminum foil on baking trays. Lining the oven with aluminum foil or placing baking sheets directly on the heating elements can cause the oven to overheat or catch fire. For this reason, I can’t stress enough the need for parental supervision during use by children and younger teens.

What can you cook with the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven?

The Ninja Foodi DT201 is a multifunctional convection oven. It won’t be a 10-in-1 product if the brand can’t deliver its promise. The cooking functions take away most of the guesswork. At a press of a button, you can make restaurant-quality homecooked meals.

No Keep Warm Preset

One of the downsides of the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven is that it doesn’t have a preset warming feature, which can be found on many other air ovens. However, you can set the temperature as low as 200 degrees. This isn’t as low as some “keep warm” settings on other ovens, but may suffice if you only need to keep items warm for a short period of time.

Fits Very Large Items

Unlike the Ninja SP101, you can fit a whole chicken or a 12-lb turkey in this air fryer oven. It has a generous 12 lbs capacity for a big family dinner. If you like, you can make it a full meal complementing veggies with your protein.

Can Bake, But Not Deep Dishes

You can use any oven-safe baking pans and dishes in your Ninja Foodi Air Oven. However, I do want to point out that even though it has a large capacity, the design doesn’t allow for deep baking dishes.

You can fry just about anything you would put in a deep fryer, but without the added oil. You will still need to use some oil to make fries and other ingredients really crispy, but be careful not to use too much. Depending on your desired level of crispiness, you may need only a light mist of oil on your fries, chicken wings, or other recipes.

Pro Tip: Don’t use low-smoke point oils like butter, olive oil, coconut oil, etc. when air frying.

A Great Addition to Your Home, But Not a Replacement for Your Traditional Oven

For a small oven, it has a lot of capability. I must say that it’s way better than our big oven at home in terms of versatility, but there are some meals where the traditional oven is still needed. I also don’t recommend baking delicate items in this oven, as a traditional gas or electric oven will still heat more evenly and in the right way for some baked goods.

How to clean the Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven?

The million-dollar question—is it easy to clean?

Sadly, all the detachable parts of this fantastic convection oven are not dishwasher friendly. You’ll have to wash it manually and carefully with your sponge or abrasive brush.

I once placed a black sheet pan inside the dishwasher. And guess what? It turned into a matte finish. Don’t make the same mistake. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning the trays.

Pro Tip:

To prevent grease from solidifying, place parchment paper or aluminum foil on your sheet pan or roast tray. If you can’t avoid it, soak the tray overnight to soften the food particle buildup.

Here’s a quick video on how to clean your XL Pro Air Oven. It goes the same way for the Smart XL model.

Ninja Foodi DT201 Accessories

Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven Accessories
Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven Accessories: Air Fry Basket, 2 Wire Racks, 2 Sheet Pans, Roast Tray
interior oven
The accessories inside the oven.

When you purchase the Ninja Foodi XL Air Fryer Oven, you’ll get an air fryer basket, a pair of wire racks, a roast tray, and a couple of sheet pans. You’re oven also has a crumb tray already installed inside the unit.

Those accessories are good enough for the ten functions it’s capable of. Just in case, the brand also sells more accessories on its website like a muffin pan, a 2-inch casserole tray, or perhaps a dehydrating kit for processing large amounts of fruits and beef jerky.

*Product Images and Video Courtesy of Shark Ninja

See the Ninja DT201 in Action

A video speaks a million words, so here’s a quick demonstration of the Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Oven.

The Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven is a fantastic 10-in-1 countertop convection oven. It has a maximum 12-lb capacity for roasting chickens, turkey, and a generous portion of pork or beef. Apart from that feature, it’s also a dependable air fryer, toaster, and dehydrator. The best part about the Ninja Foodi XL Pro is the 90-second quick preheat.

Is the Ninja Foodi DT201 XL Pro Air Fry Oven worth it?

The Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 XL Pro Air Oven is definitely a buy for me. It could replace multiple small kitchen appliances like your toaster, dehydrator, or even your microwave oven for reheating leftover food.

However, if you need the built-in probe thermometer feature, you might want to check the Ninja Foodi DT251 Air Oven or the Ninja Foodi Smart Double Oven.

FAQs

Can you use aluminum foil in the Ninja Foodi Air Oven?

Yes, you can use aluminum foil to line pans and racks. However, do not allow any aluminum foil to touch the sides of the oven or the heating elements.

What is the temperature range on the Ninja Foodi Air oven?

This air fry oven has a temperature range of 85 to 450 degrees used by a variety of presets. You can also set the temperature and cooking time manually.

What cannot be cooked in this countertop oven?

I can cook anything in this air oven that I can in my electric oven as long as it fits the roughly one cubic foot interior. Baking can take longer. While air frying battered or greasy foods is not recommended, this oven can handle those items using other settings and appropriate accessories.

What is the difference between the Ninja Foodi DT201 and the DT251?

The only difference between these two models is that the DT251 has a smart-cook system that regulates different heating elements according to the preset selected. The Ninja Foodi DT201, the air oven detailed in this review, does not regulate the heating elements independently.

Does the Ninja Foodi Air Oven get hot?

The exterior of the unit will get hot, but not dangerously so. The handle for the oven door and the control panel both stay cool to the touch just like on my electric range.

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