Why I Splurged on a Multi-Cooker

The Hesitation

As much as I love the convenience of modern kitchen appliances, I am always conscientious about the amount of storage required for storing them and more importantly I worry about how to to easily access them. I know this may not be an issue for some folks with very modern kitchens that have ample space for all their gadgets and appliances but that is not the case for me. And for me, it is entirely possible that I can manage to find space to keep something but if it is not easy to get to, guess what, it will not get used.

It is because of this that resisted 2 of the crazed appliances as they became more and more popular in the kitchen market.

The Electric Pressure Cooker

When the modern day pressure cooker mostly branded as Instant Pot first came on the market and became a hot selling kitchen item, I resisted even the very thought of owning such an appliance. In fact my very loving parents (especially mom) had repeatedly offer to buy one for me but I just did not give in.

You see, I already owned a couple of regular stovetop pressure cookers (one small and one large) and I was very comfortable using it. I had learned to handle it with care and the loud pressure whistle did not scare me at all. So, I figured the modern electric versions were meant for those not quite comfortable with the idea of the loud whistles on a traditional pressure cooker. So I happily ignored the modern version of this highly convenient cooking utensil.

The Air Fryer

Next modern gadget that I had managed to escape owning for a very time was the Air Fryer. I still remember first hearing about it at a dinner party when one of our family friends was praising this modern day wonderful gadget that can deliver delicious snacks that are usually deep fried with hardly any oil. I thought to myself, “Surely, this cannot be true”. Again, I was determined not to give in to societal pressure to own one of the most prized modern day appliances that was supposedly revolutionizing how we consumed “fried” foods.

This went on for what feels like a few years…at least 5-6 years for the “instant pot” and about 4 years with the Air Fryer.

The Hook and Bait

Then one day out of the blue, I heard about the “Ninja Foodi” which combined multiple functions in one. Mind you, I knew that the Instant Pot was also a multi-functioning appliance but some of the purported functions just seemed like a scam to me. But what caught my attention about the Ninja Foodi was that one of its functions included Air Frying.

Now, I was genuinely intrigued.

The Research

I did my search of research….ahem, googling.

I discovered and joined Facebook groups where devout users of the Ninja Foodi, raved on an one about its merits.

I looked through the recipes that one could make with it and made sure those are preparations that would suit our family needs.

I checked out the pricing. Ouch! That thing costs some serious money. But this was during the fall of 2019 and I figured I’d keep my eyes peeled for the holiday season sales when perhaps I can snag it for a good deal.

The Deal

And I finally scored. I found one being sold at a local warehouse for much below market value via Facebook Marketplace and so I made the trek down to see if this thing was real. It was! The only catch was that it was an open box item and had been used once in a demo which is why it was marked down. I did my visual inspections and felt satisfied enough with the quality of it and so I purchased it.

And this is one of my prized kitchen possessions now – the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer. Here it is, with all its parts:

And since then, for almost 3 years now, I have been using it very regularly (at least once or twice a week) and am so very glad I invested in it.

Stay tuned for my next post where I share the varieties of items to make with a multi-cooker.

My Advice to Beginner

If you have not yet ventured out into the land of the Multi Cooker appliance, here is some of thoughts on the matter:

• There are so many options out there. Even in the last 2 years since I made my investment, the technology has evolved so much and there are so many more functions being packed into one do-it-all gadget. So do your research before plunging in.
• While the Ninja Foodi was the leader in combining the various functions in one, there are many brands out there that have appliances that do the same thing. Do your research to see which one is best for your needs.
• Keep in mind, these appliances are big and bulky. They will take up space. Make sure you think about your counter space and storage and plan for it in advance.
• In the beginning, make it a point to use the appliance trying to stick with prescribed recipes for that device until you get the hang of it and can begin modifying your other recipes to work with the new kitchen toy.
• Join an user community focused on using your specific brand. Even if you don’t actively participate, you will learn a lot by listening to others. And if you run into a question or a problem, by all means, ask. And you will receive answers 🙂

Well, there you have it. Hope this analysis of my own experience has been helpful to you in your own kitchen adventures.