Ninja SP301 Review (2023) Ninja Foodi 13-in-1 Dual Heat Air Fry Oven

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Ninja SP301 Dual Heat Air Fry Oven, Black/Silver
Ninja SP301 Dual Heat Air Fry Oven, Black/Silver

The Ninja SP301 or the Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven is a much-needed upgrade for the classic flip-away toaster oven. It offers more vertical space and a new sheet pan design.

They turned the sheet pan into a proper griddle.

It now acts as secondary cooking equipment where you can sear, bake, and grill. The searing tray, as they call it, was made thicker to retain some of the heat. If you’re familiar with a sizzling plate, it works the same way.

As a result, it works better for baking cake and pizza.

By the way, it comes in two modes: Air Oven Mode and Dual Heat Mode.

The Air Oven Mode is the traditional setting for air frying, broiling, roasting, toasting, and dehydrating without the need for dual-zone heating.

Alternatively, the Dual Heat Mode works hand in hand with the SearPlate.

Here’s the full line of Ninja flip-away ovens.

Ninja Model Number

Ninja SP301

Ninja SP201

Ninja SP101

PictureNinja SP301Ninja SP201Ninja SP101
Oven nameNinja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry OvenNinja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven ProNinja Foodi Digital Air Fry Oven
Price range$$$$$$$$
Number of cooking functions13 cooking functions8 cooking functions8 cooking functions
Dual heat technology Yes
with Sear PlateYesRegular sheet panRegular sheet pan
Dimensions20.21” x 15.33” x 8.1520.21” x 15.33” x 8.1520.1″ x 15.33″ x 8.15″
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This table compares three Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Oven by price range, functions, dual heat technology, plate/pan, and dimensions.

If you’re looking to upgrade your countertop toaster oven, the Ninja SP301 Flip-Away Dual Heat Air Fry Oven is one of the best out there. On top of its space-saving design, it also offers a ton of extra cooking functions.

In the meantime, let’s go over its pros and cons.

PROS

  • Modern space saving design, you can flip it away when not in use
  • 13-in-1 cooking functions
  • Dual heat technology for better cooking experience
  • 60-second preheat, quicker than traditional ovens
  • 65% faster cooking time than full-sized ovens
  • Generous capacity, fits up to 2 lbs of roast, 6 chicken breasts, or 4 lbs of air fry components
  • Features cord management
  • Easy to clean and maintain
  • BPA-free
  • 1-year warranty

CONS

  • Excellent countertop oven with a midrange budget
  • Can be a bit loud
  • While the wire rack and air fryer basket are dishwasher safe, it’s not recommended

What can you cook with the Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven?

The Ninja SP301 Toaster Oven offers two cooking modes—Dual Heat Mode and Air Oven Mode.

Like the Ninja SP101, the Air Oven Mode can help you air fry, roast, bake, broil, toast, bagel, reheat, and dehydrate. These are the eight default functions for their air fryer ovens; even the Ninja SP201 offers the same features.

fries
Air Crisp
roasted vegetables
Air Roast
broiled chicken
Air Broil
brownies
Bake
dehydrated fruits
Dehydrate
reheated chicken
Reheat
toasted bread
Toast
toasted bagel
Bagel

Moving on to the Dual Heat Mode, that’s where things get more interesting. I haven’t seen an oven with a sheet pan that also serves as a grill.

Here’s a list of recipes that you can make.

pizza
Fresh / Frozen Pizza
Seared Salmon on Salad
Sear/Crisp
baked cookies
Rapid Bake
Cheesesteak
Griddle Recipes

The main issue of its predecessor (Ninja Foodi SP101 Air Oven) is heat distribution. The fan is located on one side, so you have to rotate your recipe at one point for even cooking. On the other hand, the Smart XL Pro Air Oven doesn’t have that quirk since the convection fan is at the center of the back panel.

On that note, heating up the sheet pan with their line of flip-away oven would really help distribute the temperature more evenly. Hence, the brand came up with the Dual Heat Mode.

Along with the traditional capabilities, you can now sear and grill with your countertop oven toaster.

See the Ninja SP301 Air Fryer in Action

Here’s how the Ninja Digital Air Fry Oven works, plus how you can flip it away.

The Ninja SP301 or the Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven is an excellent 13-in-1 compact oven toaster with generous capacity. It can handle up to 6 chicken breasts, 2-lbs roast, or 4-lbs of fries. The Ninja SP301 is part of the brand’s collection of countertop ovens that folds away neatly when not in use.

Is the Ninja Foodi 13-in-1 Air Fry Oven easy to use?

Compared to the very first Flip Away Air Fryer Oven, the user interface of the Ninja SP301 is a bit more polished. Despite having two modes, in my opinion, it’s very intuitive.

Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven Control Panel
Ninja Foodi SP301 User Interface

The only part you’ll find confusing at first is the searing plate. It works in tandem with the Dual Heat Mode. To prevent under or overcooking your dish, it has to be preheated before baking, searing, grilling, baking your pizza, or using it as a griddle.

I also have to note that the searing plate can get pretty intense. It can reach 500℉. As a safety precaution, use oven mitts that can take that high of a temperature.

How to clean the Ninja Foodi SP301?

Thankfully, cleaning is not much of an issue with the Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven.

After letting your toaster oven cool down, you can start cleaning the accessories. Wash the wire rack, air fry basket, and sear plate with warm soapy water, then thoroughly rinse and dry.

If you want to skip that part, the wire rack and air fry basket are dishwasher safe. However, washing those accessories by hand is still recommended to prevent them from wearing more quickly.

After dealing with those racks, you can wipe the interior walls with a damp sponge. For the exterior panels, a damp cloth will do the trick.

Pro Tip: Line the searing pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil to save on cleanup time.

Ninja SP301 Accessories

Ninja Foodi SP301 Accessories

Since the Ninja Foodi SP301 has massive cooking real estate, it doesn’t have that many accessories. You only need your searing tray, wire rack, and air fry basket most of the time. And those accessories are already included in your purchase.

If you have baking trays that will fit a 20.21” x 15.33” oven space, those will work perfectly fine with the Ninja Dual Heat Air Oven.

*Product Images and Video Courtesy of Shark Ninja

Technical Specifications

TypeAir Fryer / Oven Toaster
Brand/SeriesNinja Oven | Ninja Air Fryer → The Ninja Foodi Collection
Model #Ninja SP301
Price$$$
Rating4.7 out of 5
Wattage1800 Watts
Functions13-in-1: Air Fry, Air Roast, Broil, Bake, Dehydrate, Toast, Bagel, Sear Crisp, Rapid Bake, Frozen Pizza, Fresh Pizza, Griddle, and Reheat
CapacityFits up to 6 chicken breasts or around 4 lbs of ingredients (air fry)
Dishwasher safeYes (Wire Rack + Air Fry Basket only)
BPA FreeYes
ColorsStainless/black
Dimensions (LxWxH)20.1 x 15.33 x 8.15 inches (51 x 38.9 x 20.7 cm)
Cord Length34 inches (86.4 cm)
ApplicationPersonal Use
Warranty1 Year
Related ProductsNinja 8-in-1 Air Fryer, Ninja Foodi Smart Xl Pro Air Oven, Ninja Foodi XL Pro Air Oven
This table shows the technical specifications of Ninja Foodi SP301.

Is the Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven worth it?

If your current oven at home is not equipped with convection technology, getting the Ninja Foodi SP301 Dual Heat Air Fry Oven is definitely worth the upgrade. It’s the only countertop oven I know that also doubles as a griddle and air fryer.

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