Human needs have evolved throughout the years and innovation keeps improving to provide those needs. To utilize our need for food, we need tools. If we trace back in history, the cookware has been improved a lot. From simple wood chops, traditional bamboo tube, clay bowls, brass and copper materials until now we are in the golden age of stainless steel. Food is essential and inseparable, cooking method and cookware improvement are necessary to adapt to the dynamic need of human. In fast-paced world, time is precious and people need appliances that both effectivity and efficiency. Thanks to the creative minds and technological advancements, now we have various cookware to choose according to our needs.
Ninja Foodi cookware line by Shark Ninja provides an innovative cookware, a multipurpose pressure cooker. Today we’re going to dive in discussion on the similarities, differences, the pros and the cons of Ninja Foodi FD401 and Ninja Foodi OP401.
Ninja Foodi FD401
Ninja Foodi FD401 is the upgraded and redesigned version of Ninja Foodi OP401 with less power to operate, it only needs 1460 watts. It comes in 4 variations of capacity and accessories with various prices: the cheapest is 5-Quart in Black color, priced $129.00 with basic accessories, the middle range with more capacity is 6.5-Quart and 6.5-Quart with Dehydrator, priced at $199.99, next is the 8-Quart Stainless Steel, priced at $269.99 and 289.94 with skewer stand and the most expensive is the 8-quart with Dehydrator priced at $408.99. Read also: Green Life vs Blue Diamond.
The body is made from stainless steel in black and silver color, it’s glossy and smooth, which will look great in your kitchen. Ninja Foodi FD401 has various functions: pressure cook, air crisp, sear/sauté, bake, broil, steam, slow cook, dehydrate and yogurt. These functions are displayed on the buttons on the cooker, they are accessible on the LCD screen, easy to read and understand. The highlight of this product is the tender crisp technology which allows you to quickly cook and the crisping lid gives your meal a crispy, golden finish. Another excellence is it can cook up to 70 percent faster than traditional method, giving you time efficiency. It’s also equipped with these following accessories:
- 8-qt Ceramic coated non-stick pot, PTFE/PFOA free and dishwasher safe
- 5-qt ‘Cook and Crisp’ non-stick basket, PTFE/PFOA free and dishwasher safe
- Crisping lid
- Reversible rack
- Detachable diffuser
- Steamer pan
| Ninja Foodi FD401 | Ninja Foodi OP401 | |
|---|---|---|
  |   |
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| Product Dimensions | 16.1 x 14.57 x 14.2 inches | 14.3 x 16.8 x 13.1 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 26 pounds | 26 pounds |
| Best offer | Check price | Check price |
With an 8-qt cooking pot and a 5-qt ‘Cook and Crisp’ basket, Ninja Foodi FD401 makes it easy to cook delicious meals and roasts for large gatherings and guests. The rack can be used during dehydration process, one of the many functions of this cooker. The steamer pan can be used to cook buns, just add a bit of water in the bottom of the pan, put the steamer pan and it will steam your bun thoroughly. Not only buns, the steamer function is perfect for reheating and add some moisture to your food so it stays soft and tender! Ninja Foodi FD401 has the complete package, it sears, it steams, it slow cooks.
It’s also equipped with automatic stay warm technology up to 12 hours so you don’t have to worry if your food is getting cold, it will stay warm and ready to eat anytime you want. After the feast, cleaning the cooker is really easy as many of the parts are dishwasher safe. If the food makes the cooker smell, just add a little soaking in soap and water and voila, the smell is gone and your cooker is squeaky clean, ready to use again.
Despite the amazing functions it has, Ninja Foodi FD401 comes with some disadvantages. It is a bit heavy with 26 pounds weight and 16.1 x 14.57 x 14.2 inches dimension, it can be a real work out to carry around. The big dimensions also take up most of your kitchen space, you have to have a lot of counter space and you also need to consider that the cooker will be releasing steam and that means you can’t have anything directly above the cooker because the steam may damage it.
It is bit overwhelming at first to learn but with those incredible functions and accessories, it’s worth every moment. It is a fabulous appliance and if you treat it carefully, you can get some amazing performance and a lot of potentials from it. Be sure to take care of the utensils, read instructions carefully and clean it after use. If you have the money and enough space to put it, this is a great unit.
Ninja Foodi OP401
The Ninja Foodi OP401 is the old version. It has similar functions but not as advantaged as much as the new one. Weighing in 33.4 pounds, it is a lot heavier and very bulky design. Not really a sight to see in the kitchen. Priced at $219 with only one variation, it takes up power for 1700watts, making the device heat up faster.
The main difference between OP401 and FD401 is OP401 doesn’t have yoghurt function. Ninja Foodi OP401 is designed with vents at back of the device to allow hot air to go out when frying and it also helps keep the cooker stay cool during usage. This appliance goes on quietly without noise except for occasional beep sound, which indicates that the time setting on the timer has been elapsed and automatically shut off the device.
Similar to Ninja Foodi FD401, this Ninja Foodi OP401 also has Tender Crisp technology, creating crispy golden finish as the result. It comes equipped with nonstick 8-quart ceramic coated pot and 5-quart ‘Cook and Crisp’ basket, both are PTFE/PFOA-free and dishwasher safe.
It can hold up to a 7-lb chicken, enough to cook for big feast. It has a reversible rack for frying during using the air fryer. Another amazing feature of Ninja Foodi OP401 is it is equipped with dehydration function to remove moisture from your preference of fruits, vegetables and meats to create delicious dish. Not only that, it has addition of a recipe book with a lot of recipes to try on your cooker!
However, the heavy weight and big power makes the Ninja Foodi OP401 a little inconvenient. The bulky and thick design is not suitable for small kitchen. The price is a bit up there considering the functions are basic.
Ninja Foodi FD401 vs Ninja Foodi OP401
Verdict
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In conclusion, both Ninja Foodi FD401 and OP401 are very similar. The only function that’s different is the yoghurt mode in FD401 that OP401 doesn’t have. FD401 is smaller and lighter in terms of weight and dimensions, make it easy enough to store while OP401 is a lot heavier and wider, it doesn’t suit small kitchen. The price for FD401 is $129 for the basic without additional accessorie, a lot cheaper than OP401 which is priced at $219 with less function. The power for FD401 is also less than OP401, more convenient and sustainable. That’s why Ninja Foodi FD401 is the winner. It has various function for cooking savory to sweet dish, it’s practical and cover all daily need quickly and effectively.