Ninja Foodi dual zone Sync function for wings and roast potatoes, anyone use it much?

[Thomas Martinez]

The sync button on the Ninja Foodi dual zone is one of those feature that gets mentioned but no one elaborates on how it works. The idea is that you can put in two different food at different temperatures and times into each of the baskets and when you hit the sync button the machine will stagger the start of the foods so that both foods are cooked at the same time when they are done.
The combo that seems to be used the most is chicken wings that are cooked in the air fryer setting at 200C for 20 minutes and then the potatoes are roasted in the second basket at 210C for 25 minutes. The 25 minute roast starts up first and after it starts the chicken wings start to cook 5 minutes later. This way the wings end up crispy and the potatoes get the full 25 minutes of roasting.
Given that both foods are cooked in individual baskets does it actualy work in even amount so that both foods come out even when done? Or do people typically just cook the potatoes first and then the chicken wings? It sounds gimmicky but what about when both foods need to be cooked at the same time for serving at a meal? Has anyone here used the sync feature for this particular recipe?

 

[Rush]

I use the sync function 3-4 times a week to cook items like wings and chips, salmon and vegetables or sausages and roasties. It works fine for the food I cook.

 

[Gorgeous Gerbil]

The idea of airflow from one basket to the other is overblown. Each basket has its own heating element and fan so the air from one does not impact the air from the other. They simply share the housing for the machines.

 

[Dist]

wait so when you hit sync it just literally pauses the shorter cook? or does it preheat both and then start the timer for one?

 

[Happy Va]

its a gimmick. Just cook each item separately and cook the shorter item first so that you remember to add the second item at a later stage. It take two seconds to remember to add the second item 5 minutes later. Paying extra for an appliance that does basic maths is peak moddern appliance design lmao

 

[Rush]

wait so when you hit sync it just literally pauses the shorter cook? or does it preheat both and then start the timer for one?

it doesn’t preheat both items. It will wait for the longer cooking item to start and then the shorter item will start after the set amount of time. You’ll here the fan for the second item starting partway through the cycle.

 

[Caesar's Bubble Returns]

The sync button works great for the recipe where I cook the chicken wings at 200C for 20 minutes and the roast potatoes at 210C for 25 minutes. I use this recipe almost every other Sunday. The potatoes need to shake at around the 15 minute mark and the wings need to be flipped once during cooking but otherwise it works perfectly.

 

[Claustrophobic Animal]

Cooking roast potatoes in an air fryer is a crime against humanity. I use the oven in my kitchen.

 

[Dist]

it doesn’t preheat both items. It will wait for the longer cooking item to start and then the shorter item will start after the set amount of time. You’ll here the fan for the second item starting partway through the cycle.

ok so the temperature setting for the delayed food doesn’t make a difference to the cooking of the item does it? for example, when cooking does the item stay in residual heat from the other food being cooked?

 

[Tense Tuatara]

when cooking the chicken wings and potatoes the chicken is at room temperature for 5 minutes while the roast potatoes cook. This isn’t an issue for food safety but for foods that take 30 minutes or longer I would not use the sync function to cook.