This Kitchen Appliance Has Helped Me Eat Healthier and Get Dinner on the Table Faster

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I got an air fryer when they first started getting popular several years ago, and I've held onto it because it worked fine. It got my Brussels sprouts crispy and cooked a piece of breaded chicken with ease, but it was nothing to write home about. My main pet peeve? The air fryer was big, but the fryer basket was so small that it could only hold a cup or two of food. Plus, crowding the basket defeated the purpose of using the air fryer, since the food wouldn't cook evenly or get crispy. Since I'm married to a giant—he's 6'4, built like a football player and has an appetite to match—these tiny portions were definitely not going to cut it. I finally decided it was time to upgrade my air fryer, so I recently got this Ninja Foodi 10-quart air fryer. 

When this air fryer arrived at my house, I was a little overwhelmed. I'm not going to lie to you, it's huge (the appliance is 17-inches long, 13-inches high and 13.9-inches wide). But that's also sort of the appeal: the air fryer baskets (Yes, plural! We'll get to that later.) are massive. In fact, one basket can hold an entire chicken! The air fryer has a 10-quart capacity, so each basket holds 5 quarts.

I'm not even worried about losing the kitchen real estate, because this air fryer has already earned a permanent spot on my countertop. In the week that I've had it, I've already made hot honey Brussels sprouts, chicken cutlets, yogurt toast and more. It makes veggies taste deep-fried and chopped-up chicken breasts taste like nuggets, so it's helped me eat a little healthier without even trying.

I also love that I can cook two things at once: burger patties in one basket and sweet potato fries in the other. The air fryer has a "Smart Finish" feature that allows you to set different temperatures and times in each basket to finish food at the same time—so those aforementioned fries will never get cold and soggy while you're waiting for the rest of your food.

The best part? Right now, this air fryer is $30 off its full price (marked down from $229.99 to $199.99). I've loved cooking with this handy appliance since it helps me get a healthy dinner on the table in less time—and my husband loves the larger portions of his favorite meals.

Jaime Milan is EatingWell's senior digital editor for all things newsy and trending. She's always on the hunt for the latest and greatest things to share with EatingWell's readers. In her spare time, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, tackling home projects with her husband or taking pics of her very photogenic American Eskimo Dog, Grits. Follow her on Instagram at @jaimemmilan.