I've been late to the Air fryer party, mainly because i've seen too many epic fails online and I was resisting conformity for no rational reason. But due to recenly becoming more health conscious, I've been looking for alternative ways to cook healthier versions of the tasty fried foods we like with a lot less oil. So I bit the the proverbial bullet and just hurled myself onto the bandwagon. I am generally quite pleased with my purchase.
First thing I would say is that it is pretty powerful/heats up quickly which can be a blessing and a curse. It has taken a bit of getting used to balance the amounts of food vs cooking temp and time ratio without over/under cooking. The guide is a starting point to get the settings right but is not foolproof and yes I have carbonized a number of things (chips became wingnut-esque). However when you practice and start to "trust" it a bit (check/rotate through the cook) you can whip up meals mid week that you would probably only have time to do on the weekend with conventional methods. I don't use the dual function too much, I cook more in the giant "megazone" and bought this model mainly for the bigger draw size so that there is space for the air to circulate, rather than trying too cram too much food in a small space which leads to uneven cooking. Only thing I miss from this model is being able to just take out the draw and shake contents which you can do more easily with single/small draw models, so I may get another smaller one for that reason if I manage to magic up some some counter space somehow.
Finally, this was on a deal when I bought it so I feel I got good value for money. I think Ninja makes quality stuff.