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Ninja Air Fryer XL (6.5 Qt) vs. Ninja Air Fryer Pro (5 Qt): Which Size for Holiday Sides and Game Day?

By Best Items Staff
A busy home kitchen on a Sunday game-day afternoon: a man in a flannel shirt pulling the basket out of a black countertop air fryer to reveal golden crispy chicken wings and french fries with a little steam rising, a second smaller air fryer at the end of the counter, a TV showing a football game and friends on a couch blurred behind him, warm late-afternoon light, candid editorial

The holiday season is when an air fryer earns its counter space. It crisps the frozen appetizers, reheats yesterday's sides without drying them out, and handles a big batch of wings while the game is on. Ninja makes two basket models that come up again and again, and they differ mostly in size and a couple of features. Here's how the Ninja Air Fryer XL with MaxCrisp (6.5 Qt, AF181) and the Ninja Air Fryer Pro (5 Qt, AF141) compare.

Ninja Air Fryer XL with MaxCrisp, 6.5 Qt (AF181)

Ninja Air Fryer XL with MaxCrisp, 6.5 Qt, 6-in-1 Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat and Dehydrate, AF181 has a 6.5-quart nonstick basket that, per its product page, holds up to 5 pounds of french fries or 9 pounds of chicken wings. It has six cooking functions: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Air Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. Max Crisp delivers up to 450 degrees F air for crispy results from frozen foods without thawing, using little to no oil. The basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe, and the footprint is compact enough for smaller kitchens. Catalog rating: 4.7 / 5.0.

Prices on the site update daily, so check the product page for the current price.

Ninja Air Fryer Pro, 5 Qt (AF141)

Ninja Air Fryer Pro, 5 Qt, 4-in-1, Grey, AF141 uses Air Crisp technology up to 400 degrees F for crispy results with little to no oil across Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, and Dehydrate modes. Per its product page, the 5-quart nonstick basket fits up to 4 pounds of fries or 5 pounds of wings, and the crisper plate is dishwasher safe. Catalog rating: 4.5 / 5.0.

How they compare

Capacity: the XL's 6.5-quart basket holds up to 5 pounds of fries or 9 pounds of wings, against 4 pounds and 5 pounds for the Pro's 5-quart basket. The wing number is the big gap, so if you cook for a crowd, it matters. Modes: the XL has six functions, adding Max Crisp and Bake to the Pro's Air Fry, Roast, Reheat, and Dehydrate. Top temperature: up to 450 degrees F for the XL's Max Crisp, up to 400 degrees F for the Pro. Footprint: both are basket-style air fryers, and the XL's product page calls its footprint compact. Both are still appliances that need a spot on the counter and clear space around them while they run.

Our take: if you regularly feed four or more people, or you want one batch of wings to be enough, go with the Air Fryer XL. If you cook for one to three people, or you mostly want an easy way to reheat and crisp small batches, the Air Fryer Pro is plenty. Its product page notes that 5 quarts is fine for one to three people or for side batches.

What to cook in the holiday stretch

Use the air fryer for the jobs that crowd the oven: frozen appetizers and wings for game day, crispy potatoes or brussels sprouts as a side, and reheating leftover rolls, pizza, or turkey slices so they come back crisp instead of rubbery. Cook in a single layer when you can, shake or turn the basket partway through, and don't overfill it, since airflow is what makes things crisp. If you do need two batches, keep the first one warm in a low oven while the second cooks. Follow the cooking guide that comes with your model for times and temperatures, since they vary by food.

Care and cleanup

Both models have a dishwasher-safe crisper plate, and the XL's basket is dishwasher safe too, so cleanup is easy. Let the unit cool, wipe the inside, and wash the basket and plate after greasy foods like wings so the grease doesn't bake on during the next run.

Who should skip them

A basket air fryer isn't a full oven. If you regularly roast big sheet-pan meals or cook for a large family at once, you'll still reach for the oven, and a larger multi-rack appliance may suit you better. And if you already own an air fryer you like, you don't need a second one just for the holidays.

The bottom line

The Ninja Air Fryer XL (6.5 Qt, AF181) is the bigger, more flexible pick, with room for 9 pounds of wings, six functions, and Max Crisp for frozen foods. The Ninja Air Fryer Pro (5 Qt, AF141) is the smaller, simpler one for one to three people. Check each product page for the current price.