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When I was in college, I would make plans for meals I wanted to cook for myself, but that planning required me to accurately time my sides and main dishes so all my food would be done at once.
Reality typically set in after coming home from a long day of classes. I was rarely in the mood to put in the time and mental energy necessary to plan my meals. This resulted in me spending way too much money on takeout or just eating snacks from my pantry. My mealtime experience changed for the better once the Ninja Foodi 13-in-1 air fryer found its way into my college home.
This air fryer meant I didn't have to do questionable math to figure out temperatures and timings to accommodate multiple things in an oven, which often led to me giving up on cooking altogether This air fryer was able to act as a whole separate oven right on my countertop. That eliminated part of the mental energy that cooking requires, and I found that I started cooking at home more.
With the air fryer's multiple options, I found I could get even more specific with what I was cooking. If I wanted to crisp up some tofu, I would use the air fryer setting, but if I wanted to roast some veggies, I would use the bake or air roast options. It can even toast, which was an absolute must-have during college. I could even switch up the method in the middle of cooking. If I was baking something in the oven, I would air fry it for the last few minutes of cooking time, giving it a bit of extra crispiness.
The only thing that bothered me about the Ninja Foodi 13-in-1 air fryer was that it's a little small, and the pans I'd usually put in my oven wouldn't fit in the Ninja Foodi. It does come with a SearPlate, a basket and a rack, but if you think you'll use it frequently, you might want to invest in some extra pans. (These baking pans should fit just fine.)
The air fryer is on the pricier side, but it's on sale right now, and it's CNET's top pick for the best air fryer toaster oven. The Ninja Foodi 13-in-1 air fryer is currently only $179 right now -- 37% off. This was the only countertop kitchen gadget I needed in college and it saved me tons of money since I was cooking food that I actually wanted to eat, instead of eating out. In my opinion, it's well worth the price.