My kitchen counter is a battlefield for counter space. And somehow, I ended up with both the Dreo ChefMaker air fryer and the Ninja Foodi pressure cooker + air fryer combo living side by side. People ask me all the time: which one should you buy? The answer depends entirely on how you cook.
The Dreo: My Daily Driver
The Dreo ChefMaker (with the built-in thermometer probe) is my go-to for most of my air frying needs. What sets it apart:
- Temperature accuracy: It holds within ±5°F of set temp, which is better than my full-sized convection oven. Chicken thighs come out crispy on the outside, juicy inside, every time.
- The probe is a game changer: Set target temp (165°F for chicken, 145°F for salmon) and it beeps when done. No more cutting into meat to check.
- Size: 6.8 quarts fits a whole chicken. It's big enough for a family of 4 but doesn't dominate the counter. That said, the Ninja 8-quart does have slightly more usable space — the Dreo is a bit more compact.
- Cleanup: The basket is dishwasher safe, and the non-stick coating on the ChefMaker models holds up well. Six months in and no peeling.
Where the Dreo really shines: Chicken, pork chops, leg of lamb — any piece of meat where you want precise doneness. The temperature monitoring is excellent, and it has this feature where it mists water onto the food to keep the outside from overcooking while the inside comes up to temp. Then it finishes with a sear mode that gives you a beautiful crust. I've also made cauliflower buffalo bites, handmade meatballs, and a very wide array of things in the Dreo. It's incredibly versatile for what it is, though I do feel like it has slightly less space than the Ninja — the Ninja wins on depth for sure.
The Ninja Foodi: The Multi-Tool
The Ninja Foodi (mine is the 8-quart 14-in-1) is the Swiss Army knife. It pressure cooks, air fries, slow cooks, sears, steams, bakes, broils, dehydrates, and probably irons your shirts if you hold it right. But here's the thing: it does all of those things well enough but rarely best in class.
The 8-quart Ninja has a little more space than the Dreo, and it wins on depth. When I make fries, I almost always reach for the Ninja — the extra room makes a difference for even cooking.
- Pressure cooking is my favorite part of the Ninja: This is where it absolutely crushes the Dreo (which can't pressure cook at all). The Ninja has a sear/sauté option built right in — you don't need to sear on the stove prior to pressure cooking. Just sear directly in the Ninja with the lid open, add your other ingredients and liquid, then put the pressure cooking lid on and let it do its thing.
- Soup season: I use the Ninja a ton in fall through winter for big batches of soup. Pressure cook all the vegetables and ingredients together, then get out my Breville Immersion Blender to blend it all together into a smooth, velvety soup in about 30 seconds. It's my favorite cold-weather workflow.
- Meatloaf: I make an excellent pressure-cooked meatloaf in the Ninja that always comes out amazing. The pressure cooking keeps it incredibly moist in a way the oven never quite manages.
- Rice: Big full bags of rice — the Ninja does a great job. Set it and forget it.
- Air frying is good, not great: The air fry basket is slightly smaller than it looks because the pressure cooking lid takes up vertical space. For a family of 4, I sometimes need to batch cook. But for fries, I still reach for the Ninja every time.
- Multi-step: This is the Ninja's superpower. Sear a chuck roast right in the pot using the sauté setting, switch to pressure cook for 60 minutes, then hit air fry for 5 minutes to crisp the top. All in one pot, no stove needed.
Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
If you cook meat regularly and want precision: Get the Dreo ChefMaker. Chicken, pork chops, lamb — the temperature probe and water misting make it the better choice for proteins. The sear mode gives you a great finish.
If you cook for a family, batch prep, make soups, or want one pot to do everything: Get the Ninja Foodi. The pressure cooking is genuinely excellent — meatloaf, rice, big batches of soup blended smooth with an immersion blender. And when you want fries, the Ninja delivers.
If you're a gadget person and can spare the counter space: Both. No regrets. They serve different purposes and honestly just make cooking more fun.