Ninja AF101 4-Quart.

The Gavler Review.

Ninja AF101 Review: The Small Air Fryer That Still Earns Its Counter Space

The Ninja AF101 earns a 7.7 on Gavler's Best Air Fryers list, and the reason is simple: it cooks like a much more expensive machine, in a package that fits where a bigger fryer will not. It is a 4-quart, single-basket, 1,550-watt fryer with four functions and a price that usually sits near $100. The trade-offs are just as clear. The fan is loud, the capacity forces batch cooking for anyone feeding more than two, and the non-stick coating does not tolerate metal utensils. If you are cooking for one or two, it is an easy recommendation. If you are cooking for a family, skip to a bigger model.

What it is

The AF101 is the compact, pre-DualZone Ninja. One drawer-style basket with a crisper plate, a 105 to 400°F range, and four buttons: air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate. There is no oven cavity, no preset wall, no app. That restraint is the point. Real Homes described it as a great example of a cylindrical 4-quart air fryer, and the "does one job" design is why it still earns a slot years after Ninja moved its marketing to larger and fancier machines.

It is a counter-friendly size, though not tiny: published weights run about 10.6 pounds, and dimension figures vary by source depending on whether the handle is counted. At the rank-ten spot on our list, it is the honest small answer rather than a padded filler entry.

In use

The food results are the best argument for this fryer. CNN Underscored said the AF101 performed nearly perfectly in its food tests, with Brussels sprouts coming out with a crisp exterior and a moist interior, and noted the tray settles into the body with a satisfying clunk rather than rattling around. Real Homes tester Christina Chrysostomou called the control panel incredibly intuitive and reported juicy lean meat with crisp fat on bacon.

Chef Scott Bradley at Chef Approved Tools, whose months-long hands-on test underpins our score, put it in practical terms: wings came out crispy-skinned with juicy meat, and he judged results at roughly 85 percent of a deep fryer. His strongest endorsement was for frozen food, where he found fries crisper than an oven manages. He measured a preheat of about three minutes and cooked wings at 400°F for 20 minutes with a flip halfway.

One real-world quirk: the AF101 runs hot. Real Homes found a first batch of sweet potato fries burned at the package's oven timing and needed a second run at a much shorter time, and Chef Approved Tools said preset times often run long and need two or three trial runs per food. Plan on trimming oven times by roughly a third and checking early the first few times you use it.

Strengths

• Crisp results at a low price. Three independent testers reached the same conclusion on cooking quality. Frozen foods, wings, and vegetables are where it shines.
• Simple controls. Four functions and clear buttons mean almost no learning curve.
• Easy cleanup. CNN found the non-stick basket and tray easy to clean, and Real Homes called maintenance a breeze.
• Small footprint, low entry cost. Perfect for a dorm, office, or apartment kitchen, or as a second fryer next to a bigger one.

Trade-offs: who should skip it

It is loud. CNN Underscored called noise the most notable issue and said the AF101 was the loudest model it tested, though it added that this is not a deal breaker. Chef Approved Tools also flagged it as loud at full speed. If your kitchen opens onto a living space or bedroom, weigh that.

It is small. Ninja rates it for about 2 pounds of fries. That is fine for one or two people, but a family of four will cook in batches, and batches mean cold food at the table. Reviewers also noted there is no window, and the basket handle gets hot.

The coating needs care. Chef Approved Tools scratched the non-stick surface with a metal spatula during testing and described the result as permanent. Older coverage warned the coating can chip with metal utensils. Stick to silicone or wood. We could not find an independent multi-year durability test, so long-term coating wear is an open question.

How it compares

Sitting at rank ten, the AF101 is the entry point of our list. One rank up, the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer (BOV860) is a different animal: a countertop oven that air-fries, with far more capability and a far larger footprint and price. The AF101 wins on simplicity and cost; the Breville wins if you want to replace a toaster oven. For a basket fryer with more room, look at the top of the list, where the Cosori TurboBlaze 6.0-Quart is our rank-one pick and a better fit for a household of three or more.

The Gavler verdict

The Ninja AF101 is a 7.7 that punches above its price. It is a dependable, easy-to-clean small fryer that does the core job of crisping frozen and fresh food very well. It is held back by a loud fan, a modest basket, and a coating that is not built for rough handling. Buy it for one or two people, a small kitchen, or a second fryer. If you find yourself dividing a meal across two batches, move up the list. See where it ranks on our full Best Air Fryers list.

Common Questions

Is the Ninja AF101 worth it in 2026?

Yes, if you cook for one or two people and want a simple, inexpensive basket air fryer. Street prices run roughly $80 to $120 depending on the retailer, and independent testers found the cooking results strong. It is not the right buy for a family of four, where the 4-quart basket forces batch cooking.

How loud is the Ninja AF101?

Louder than most. CNN Underscored called it the loudest air fryer in its test group, though not a deal breaker, and Chef Approved Tools noted it is loud at full fan speed. Neither published a decibel figure, so treat it as noticeably audible rather than measured.

How much food does the Ninja AF101 hold?

Ninja rates the 4-quart basket for about 2 pounds of fries. Reviewers describe it as comfortable for one or two servings of wings or fries and tight for anything larger.

Is the Ninja AF101 coating durable?

It needs gentle handling. Chef Approved Tools scratched the non-stick surface with a metal spatula during testing, so use silicone or wood utensils. We found no independent long-term durability test, so that is the main unknown.

Ninja AF101 vs a bigger air fryer: which should I buy?

Buy the AF101 for a dorm, an office, a small kitchen, or as a second fryer. If two people regularly compete for basket space or you want a main and a side at different temperatures, step up to a larger or dual-zone model from our Best Air Fryers list.