Kitchen head-to-head
Ninja AF101 Air FryervsNinja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer
Ninja AF101 Air Fryer and Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer are both Ninja, and they average 7.9 and 7.8. Ninja AF101 Air Fryer takes Quietness, 6.8 to 5.8.
7.9
The compact one that got everybody into air frying, and it still does the basics well.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.
Two baskets with two fans, so the sides and the main finish together and the room gets loud.
Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.
Where they diverge
The widest gap is Quietness, Ninja AF101 Air Fryer ahead 6.8 to 5.8. They come closest on Value, 8.8 to 8.4. Left of center is Ninja AF101 Air Fryer, right is Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer.
Which one to pick
Take the Ninja AF101 Air Fryer
Leads on Value, Durability and Quietness.
- One or two people, where a large basket is wasted space
- A first air fryer without committing much
- Small counters and shallow cupboards
Take the Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer
Leads on Performance and Ease of use.
- Cooking a main and a side that need different settings and want to land together
- Feeding three or four people without running the machine twice
- You cook often enough that a second zone earns its counter space
What each one gets wrong
Ninja AF101 Air Fryer
- Cooking for a family — you will be running batches
- Quiet operation matters in an open-plan kitchen
Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer
- Fan noise matters at all — this is the loudest machine in the group
- You want to roast one large item, which two four-quart baskets cannot take
- Counter runs are short, because it is wide rather than tall
Specs, side by side
| Spec | Ninja AF101 Air Fryer | Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 4 quart basket | 8 quart total, split as two independent 4 quart baskets |
| Modes | Air fry, roast, reheat, dehydrate | — |
| Plate | Removable crisper plate | — |
| Functions | — | Air fry, air broil, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate |
| Temperature | — | 105°F to 450°F |
| Zone sync | — | Smart Finish and Match Cook across both baskets |
Rankings they both appear in
Questions
- Both are Ninja. Which one do I want?
- Ninja AF101 Air Fryer leads on Value, Durability and Quietness. If Performance and Ease of use matter more to you, take the Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer instead. Ninja AF101 Air Fryer averages 7.9 and Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer averages 7.8, over the 5 axes Kitchen is scored on.
- Where do the two Ninja models actually differ?
- Quietness is the widest gap, Ninja AF101 Air Fryer ahead 6.8 to 5.8. Every axis lands somewhere different, so the profile shapes differ as much as the totals.
- Which one ranks higher in "Three appliances are sold as one air fryer category"?
- Ninja AF101 Air Fryer sits at #3 in "Three appliances are sold as one air fryer category", Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer at #4.