Cuisinart has just dropped its answer to the Ninja Crispi, and my first thought is that execs at Ninja will be catching their breath.
I’m an advocate of air-frying and am even swapping my traditional double oven for a single one, as my air fryer takes a lot of the load. So, when there’s a new air fryer on the market, I’m keen to investigate and discover whether it’s as good as it appears. I still need to test this new air fryer, but how does Cuisinart’s ClearView stack up?
Air frying with a clear view
Cuisinart has launched not one, but two new ClearView air fryers with glass baskets, offering a 4-quart version for 1-2 people and a larger 9-quart model, designed for families. Will it rival the Ninja Crispi, which ranks in our best air fryer buying guide? Without testing, I can't be sure — but it certainly looks impressive.
Just like the Ninja Crispi, it dispenses with the traditional air fryer slide-in drawer in favor of a removable lid. And the glass bowl lets you watch your food cook without opening a drawer and releasing heat as you peek inside.
You can also use the bowl to prepare your food ahead, cover it with a lid, refrigerate it and remove it once you’re ready to cook; the bowl can also be used to store leftovers.
What cooking options do you get? Air fry, bake, broil, recrisp and keep warm, with two custom presets for the 4-quart version, and five presets for the larger model. That’s one more mode than the Ninja Crispi, along with the additional preset features.
Budget over brand
The Clear View 4-quart version also beats the Ninja Crispi on price, coming in at $139 at Amazon, where it’s exclusively available. The black version of the Ninja Crispi is currently reduced to $159 at Amazon, although its MSRP is $40 above its new rival. This is the same price as the larger 9-quart version, which is $159 at Amazon.
Why would you opt for a Ninja over the Cuisinart? At this point, the ClearView seems the best buy, but we’ll let you know our thoughts once we’ve tested the new air fryer. The only thing where Ninja scores above Cuisinart is in its wider color choice.
