The classic Ninja Crispi sold in Europe offers four automatic cooking modes: Air Fry (for everyday use), Roast (for large pieces of meat), Recrisp (for reheating) and Keep Warm (for keeping food warm). Its unique feature? It has no temperature setting. Only higher-end models in the range, such as the Crispi Pro, the Pro Grill or the DualZone, include a manual temperature setting and additional functions such as Max Crisp or Bake.
When cooking for the week in a small kitchen, you need simple and predictable tools. My years working as a caterer taught me one thing: the success of a dish often depends on the right tool and the right setting, not on complicated handling. With the glass container system of the Crispi, you prepare, cook, leave to cool and store in the fridge in the same container. But for the cooking to be successful, you still need to launch the right programme.
Between incomplete technical data sheets and American recipes that mention modes that do not exist here, it is easy to get lost. Here is a factual breakdown to help you choose the right mode for each food, whether you have the base model or an adjustable version.
Classic Crispi: 4 modes without temperature setting
If you own the base Ninja Crispi (references FN101, FN102, FN201…), you have surely noticed its very sleek control panel. You will only find three controls there: the power button, the mode selector and the time setting. It is impossible to modify the heat yourself on this version.
It is the PowerPod, the heating unit that you place on the containers, that does the work. It detects the container you have inserted (the small 1.4 L container or the large 3.8 L container with its mandatory adapter) and adjusts the heat according to the chosen programme.
The four European modes are distributed on a fixed heat scale:
- Keep Warm is the gentlest, locked at 70 °C.
- Recrisp and Roast are located in the middle of the scale (their exact temperatures are not published).
- Air Fry is the most powerful, designed to heat like an oven at 200 °C.
This is where a persistent confusion must be cleared up. The European model includes these 4 modes, but not the Max Crisp or Bake modes, which are strictly reserved for the American models of the same name. If you see a recipe online asking you to set your portable Crispi to 180 °C or to use Max Crisp, the person is using either a Crispi Pro or a device bought in the United States.
Air Fry, Roast, Recrisp: which mode for which food?
On the base Crispi, with no thermostat, each family of food has its own mode and time. Here is how to organise yourself.
Air Fry: the everyday mode
The Air Fry mode is your basic programme for cooking, browning and crisping. It is the one I use on Sundays to prepare my roasted vegetables for the week or to cook fish fillets.
Use Air Fry for:
- Vegetables: Cubes of sweet potato (15 to 20 minutes in the 1.4 L container), broccoli florets (9 to 13 minutes in the 3.8 L container), or quartered peppers. Remember to always coat them with a teaspoon of oil for the small container, or a tablespoon for the large one.
- Small proteins: Salmon fillets (12 to 14 minutes for 4 to 6 portions in the 3.8 L container), chicken breasts, sausages or meatballs.
- Steaks: For a rump steak or sirloin, preheat empty for 5 minutes on Air Fry to sear the meat well. Then count 8 to 11 minutes for two steaks in the large container.
- Industrial frozen foods: Chips, nuggets, breaded fish. On the classic Crispi, all frozen food is cooked in Air Fry, without adding oil. For example, count 17 to 21 minutes for 500 g of chips in the 3.8 L container.
Roast: for large pieces of meat
The Roast mode is designed for longer cooking times and thick pieces that require cooking through to the core without burning the surface. Before the meat goes in, preheat empty for 5 minutes (container, adapter, crisper plate and PowerPod in place, Roast mode for 5 minutes).
This mode is linked to a significant volume constraint, particularly in the 3.8 L container. The space under the PowerPod is limited. You can roast:
- A whole chicken if it is small, weighing approximately 1.2 kg maximum (55 to 60 minutes).
- A medium chicken of about 1.5 kg, only if it is butterflied (flattened) or cut in two (50 to 55 minutes).
- A pork roast with crackling of 1.2 kg (75 to 80 minutes, fat-side down at the start).
- A beef fillet or a rack of lamb.
Whole salmon is the only exception to preheating in Roast mode: a large fillet of 500 to 800 g cooks in 20 minutes without preheating.
Recrisp: giving leftovers a second life
This programme excels at restoring bread and pastries to their original texture. It is my preferred tool for low-energy Monday evenings.
Count 5 to 12 minutes depending on the density of the dish. The caterer’s golden rule applies here: if you are reheating a complete meal, place what needs to remain moist (such as rice or steamed vegetables) at the bottom of the container under the crisper plate, and place what needs to be crispy (such as bread or breaded meat) on the plate. Be careful, Recrisp is used to reheat cooked food, not to cook raw frozen food.
Keep Warm: keeping food warm
Fixed at 70 °C, this mode is used to keep a dish warm while waiting to eat, or to gently warm up pastries in the morning. It does not cook or reheat a cold dish coming out of the fridge.
Crispi Pro and DualZone: the advantage of custom temperature
For my more precise preparations, I use my secondary appliance, the Crispi Pro (AS101). Just like the 5-mode Crispi Pro (AS090) and the voluminous Crispi DualZone, these models bring a major difference: they include a manual temperature setting and more flexible durations.
Here is what these models bring:
- Adjustable temperature: The Air Fry mode can be adjusted from 150 °C to 240 °C on the Pro. (Be careful, on the DualZone, the Air Fry mode is capped at 200 °C, which requires you to watch your habits).
- Max Crisp: Fixed at 240 °C, this mode is absent from the base Crispi. It is used specifically to sear frozen industrial chips and breaded products for an ultra-fast result.
- Bake: Adjustable from 120 °C to 200 °C (210 °C on the DualZone), this is the mode for baking. It is essential for cakes, muffins or delicate doughs, which the strong ventilation of Air Fry can burn.
- Prove and Dehydrate: Present on the 7-mode Pro and the DualZone, these low-temperature programmes allow you to proof bread dough or dehydrate fruit (from 26 to 90 °C on the Pro).
How to adapt a recipe for the classic Crispi?
Have you found an appetizing recipe, but it requires a precise temperature setting or a mode your classic Crispi does not have? Here are the conversion rules to adapt your cooking without making mistakes.
The choice of mode takes precedence over the temperature
Since you cannot adjust the temperature of your FN101, rely on the nature of the ingredient. If a recipe indicates “180 °C for 15 minutes” for vegetables or chicken, simply launch the Air Fry mode for 15 minutes in the appropriate container, and monitor the appearance during the last two minutes.
Managing the lack of Max Crisp and Bake
How do you proceed with a machine lacking the American Max Crisp function? The answer is simple: use the Air Fry mode. A bag of frozen chips planned for 13 minutes in Max Crisp on a Pro model will rather require 17 to 21 minutes in Air Fry on your classic Crispi.
For the Bake mode, however, there is no reliable alternative. Recipes for delicate pastries, cakes or breads requiring the Bake mode are not adapted to the base Crispi.
Managing preheating
Across the entire Crispi range, preheating is never an obligation for the appliance to function (the instruction manual mentions that it is not necessary).
- In Roast mode before placing a large piece of meat (chicken, beef, pork).
- In Air Fry mode before cooking a beef steak.
A word on maintenance and safety
To finish, a strict instruction applies to the classic Crispi: parchment paper is forbidden in its glass containers, as stipulated by the Quick Start Guide.
Never place your glass containers on an electric or gas hob, nor in a traditional oven. Their use is intended for the Crispi ecosystem or the microwave, and they excel in this role.
Now that you know the strengths of each programme, all you have to do is organise your cooking. The absence of a thermostat on the classic model is not a hindrance: it is an invitation to rely on times and the visual appearance of what you are preparing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the temperature on my classic Ninja Crispi?
No. The base Crispi (FN references) does not have a temperature setting. It automatically adjusts the heat according to the chosen mode (Air Fry, Roast, Recrisp, Keep Warm) and the container used. Only the Crispi Pro and DualZone models have a manual setting.
Which mode to use to cook frozen chips?
On the classic Crispi, use the Air Fry mode. On a Crispi Pro or DualZone, opt for the Max Crisp function (240 °C) for an optimal result on industrial frozen foods.
Should you preheat with the Roast or Air Fry mode?
Preheating is never mandatory on the Crispi range. Still, preheat for 5 minutes in Roast before putting in a large piece of meat, or 5 minutes in Air Fry to sear a steak well.
Which food do you still find difficult to cook with the right mode?
Sources
- Ninja Crispi FN101UK Quick Start Guide (QSG)
- Ninja Crispi FN102EU instruction manual
- Ninja Crispi Pro AS101UK Quick Start Guide
- Ninja Crispi Pro AS101EU / AS090EU instruction manual
- Official SharkNinja FAQ (AS100UK and DD100UK series)