SharkNinja unveiled the Ninja Crispi Pro Countertop Glass Air Fryer, building on the success of its initial glass air fryer -- our top air fryer pick overall -- introduced last year. The new model, available on Ninja's website for $280, offers larger cooking vessels and a more modular design to encourage making not just snacks but full meals.
Before launch, CNET was offered a sneak peek of the souped-up Crispi air fryer at the brand's headquarters in Needham, MA.
Here's our initial take.
Crispi Pro is more modular but with a bigger footprint
The freestanding base with locked-in overhead cooking element means this air fryer will live on your countertop and not in a drawer. David Watsky/CNET
The new model features a larger 6-quart XL glass container -- large enough to cook a whole chicken or meals for up to 10 people -- and a low and wide 2.5-quart casserole-style dish (pictured below), great for browning the top of holiday sides like sweet potatoes or mac and cheese. It also works with the existing 2.5-quart and 4-quart glass containers from the original Crispi system.
The smartly designed glass cooking chambers double as serving platters and have tight-fitting lids that make it easy to store extra food for later.
The Crispi air fryer system allows you to serve food in the same vessel you cooked it in. David Watsky/CNET
Unlike its more compact predecessor, the Crispi Pro features a more bulky and permanent base that cooking vessels slide into so it won't be as easy to stash in a large drawer or cupboard as the original version. The modular base allows for cooking chambers to sit at different heights via a flip-down shelf.
New modes for precision cooking
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