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COMPARISON • AIR FRYERS

Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone vs Double Stack XL

Researched comparison•By the Grounds and Gadgets team•Updated 12 October 2026
A tray of chips and chicken wings on a wooden board

These are Ninja's two big 9.5-litre, two-drawer air fryers, and they're the two most people end up choosing between. They hold the same amount of food and have the same six cooking functions. The real difference is shape. The Foodi Max Dual Zone (AF400UK) puts its drawers side by side, while the Double Stack XL (SL400UK) stacks them on top of each other to save worktop width.

How we chose: We haven't tested either air fryer ourselves. This comparison uses Ninja's specifications from Amazon UK, plus independent UK testing from Which?, Good Housekeeping, BBC Good Food and Trusted Reviews. Prices were checked on Amazon UK on 12 October 2026.

Choose the Foodi Max Dual Zone if…

you have the worktop width to spare and want the cheaper, tried-and-tested option. It also fits a bigger chicken (Ninja says up to 2kg per drawer), and UK testers rate it very highly.

Choose the Double Stack XL if…

your worktop is narrow. It's about 15cm narrower than the Foodi Max, and the wire racks let you cook on four levels at once. It costs more, and it's taller and deeper.

Side-by-side specs

Foodi Max Dual Zone AF400UKDouble Stack XL SL400UK
Approx. price*Around £210 on Amazon UK (was about £230)Around £269 on Amazon UK
Total capacity9.5 litres (2 x 4.75L drawers)9.5 litres (2 x 4.75L drawers)
Drawer layoutSide by sideStacked, one above the other
Extra racksNone2 wire racks, so up to 4 cooking levels
Size (Ninja)H32.5 x W41.5 x D27cmH38.5 x W28 x D47cm
Size (measured by Which?)H33 x W44 x D38cmH38 x W29 x D49cm
Weight8.9kg10.3kg
FunctionsMax Crisp, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat, DehydrateMax Crisp, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate
Sync & MatchYesYes
Biggest chicken (Ninja)Up to 2kg per drawerUp to 1.4kg per drawer
Which? measured capacity2.2kg2.266kg
Which? annual running cost£45.55£40.04
Power2,470W2,470W

*Approximate Amazon UK prices at time of writing (12 Oct 2026). Prices change often. Specs are from Ninja's Amazon UK listings unless marked as Which? measurements.

Size: which one actually saves space?

The Double Stack XL's big selling point is that it's narrower. Ninja says it's 30% slimmer than the AF400UK. When Which? measured both, the Double Stack was 29cm wide against 44cm for the Foodi Max, so you get back about 15cm of worktop width.

The trade-off is that it's taller and deeper. Which? measured it at 38cm high and 49cm deep, against 33cm and 38cm for the Foodi Max. Good Housekeeping warns that the depth could make it overhang shallow worktops. Measure your worktop depth and the gap under your wall cupboards before you choose.

Cooking: what the testers found

Both get excellent reviews. Good Housekeeping gave the Foodi Max Dual Zone 95/100 and names it its best overall and best double-drawer air fryer. BBC Good Food gave it 5/5 and called it its best dual-drawer air fryer, though it pointed out the big footprint.

BBC Good Food now names the Double Stack XL its best air fryer overall. Trusted Reviews called it its favourite dual-basket air fryer, with excellent results and easy controls. The catch is the four-level cooking. Trusted Reviews found it fiddly to turn food on the wire racks, and Good Housekeeping saw a less even finish when it cooked across all four levels. If you just use the two drawers, both say it works brilliantly.

There's one design difference worth knowing. On the Foodi Max the heating element and fan sit above the drawers, while on the Double Stack they're at the back. Trusted Reviews says some owners find the Foodi Max cooks more evenly as a result, but its reviewer didn't notice a difference because they turn their food anyway.

Best value

Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone (AF400UK)

Around £210 at time of writing (Amazon UK showed it as about £230 before the discount)

This is the air fryer that made two drawers popular. Each 4.75-litre drawer can run its own function, temperature and time, and Sync makes them finish together, so you can do chicken in one and chips in the other. Ninja says each drawer fits up to 1.4kg of chips or a 2kg chicken.

Testers love it. Good Housekeeping praised its crispy chips and evenly baked cakes, and BBC Good Food found no smell or flavour carried over between the drawers. The main complaint everywhere is the size: it needs a lot of worktop.

Key specs

  • Capacity: 9.5 litres (2 x 4.75L drawers, side by side)
  • 6 functions: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate
  • Sync and Match for the two drawers
  • Size: H32.5 x W41.5 x D27cm (Ninja); 8.9kg
  • Dishwasher-safe drawers and crisper plates; 2-year guarantee when you register
Best forFamilies with a wide worktop who want the cheaper of the two.
Watch out forIt's wide. Which? measured it at 44cm across, so check you've got room to leave it out.
Check price on Amazon UK

Best for narrow worktops

Ninja Double Stack XL (SL400UK)

Around £269 at time of writing (Trusted Reviews lists the UK RRP as £269.99)

The Double Stack gives you the same 9.5 litres in a tower shape. Its two 4.75-litre drawers sit one above the other, and it comes with two wire racks so you can cook on two layers in each drawer. Ninja says each drawer fits a 1.4kg chicken.

Trusted Reviews praised its very crispy results and simple controls, and liked that pulling out one drawer pauses both so Sync still works. Good Housekeeping called it “a joy to use” but noted there's no viewing window.

Key specs

  • Capacity: 9.5 litres (2 x 4.75L drawers, stacked)
  • 2 wire racks for up to 4 cooking levels
  • 6 functions: Max Crisp, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat, Dehydrate
  • Size: H38.5 x W28 x D47cm (Ninja); 10.3kg
  • Dishwasher-safe drawers, crisper plates and racks; 2-year guarantee when you register
Best forSmaller kitchens that need family-sized capacity without the width.
Watch out forIt costs more, it's deep, and food on the racks is fiddly to turn.
Check price on Amazon UK

Our verdict

If you've got the space, the Foodi Max Dual Zone is the better value. It holds the same amount of food, testers rate it just as highly, and it was about £60 cheaper on Amazon UK when we checked. If worktop width is tight, the Double Stack XL is worth the extra, as long as your worktop is deep enough and it fits under your cupboards.

Either way, both were much cheaper during last year's Black Friday sales, so if you can wait a few weeks it may pay off.

FAQs

Is the Ninja Double Stack XL bigger inside than the Foodi Max Dual Zone?

No. Both have 9.5 litres in total, split into two 4.75-litre drawers. Which? measured almost the same maximum cooking capacity for both: 2.2kg for the Foodi Max Dual Zone and 2.266kg for the Double Stack XL. The Double Stack adds two wire racks, so you can cook on two layers in each drawer.

Will the Double Stack XL fit under my kitchen cupboards?

Ninja says it's 38.5cm tall and designed to fit under wall cupboards, but the gap varies from kitchen to kitchen, so measure yours. Leave some space around it for air to escape while it's cooking. It's also deep (47cm by Ninja's measurement, 49cm by Which?'s), so check your worktop depth too.

Which one costs less to run?

There isn't much in it. Which?'s estimated annual running costs were £40.04 for the Double Stack XL and £45.55 for the Foodi Max Dual Zone. Both are rated at 2,470W. What you actually pay depends on how often you cook and your electricity tariff.

Should I wait for Black Friday?

If you're not in a hurry, it could be worth it. Last year both dropped well below today's prices: on 1 December 2025, GB News reported the Foodi Max Dual Zone at £155 (was £239.99) and the Double Stack XL at £199 (was £269.99) on Amazon. There's no guarantee of the same deals this year.

Is either one good for just one or two people?

They'll work, but they're big, pricey machines to keep on the worktop if you're only cooking for two. Our guide to the best air fryers for one or two people covers smaller, cheaper models.

Can I put the drawers in the dishwasher?

Yes. Ninja says the drawers and crisper plates on both models are dishwasher-safe, and the Double Stack's wire racks are too. Both come with a two-year guarantee when you register with Ninja.

Sources

Foodi Max Dual Zone on Amazon UK Double Stack XL on Amazon UK