Quick verdict: the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY earns its 4.6-star average across more than 15,000 ratings by doing the basics of a full-size food processor well — chopping, slicing, shredding, and kneading dough with a genuinely large 14-cup bowl. The one thing worth knowing before you buy: durability is a mixed picture, with some owners reporting decades of use and others reporting the plastic lid or canister cracking.

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Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY Review: Specs and What You Actually Get

What People Actually Make In It

Owner reviews describe a genuinely wide range of uses beyond basic chopping: pizza and bread dough, pie crusts, fresh pasta dough, pesto, hummus, mayonnaise, salad dressings, nut butters, breadcrumbs, and shredded cheese all come up repeatedly. Several long-term owners specifically credit the 14-cup capacity for handling large-batch cooking — shredding cabbage for a week’s worth of coleslaw or prepping vegetables for a family of five in a single pass, rather than running multiple smaller batches.

What Owners Consistently Report

Across more than 15,000 ratings, the recurring positives are build quality, reliability, and ease of cleaning: Amazon’s own aggregated review analysis highlights quality, reliability, and ease of use as the most-mentioned themes, with owners specifically praising how stable the base stays on the counter even while processing heavier loads like dough or dense vegetables. Several owners describe replacing a previous processor of a different brand that failed within months, and note this one has held up for years by comparison.

The recurring negative, and it’s worth taking seriously rather than glossing over: durability is a genuinely mixed picture. Amazon’s own review summary flags this directly — while many owners report a decade or more of reliable use, others specifically report the plastic lid or bowl canister cracking or breaking. This isn’t a universal failure pattern, but it shows up often enough in owner feedback to factor into your decision, particularly if you’ll be using the processor daily rather than occasionally.

Setup and the Lid-Locking Learning Curve

Assembly is straightforward — bowl onto the base, blade or disc in, lid on — but several owners specifically call out a learning curve with the lid’s safety-lock mechanism. The unit will not power on unless the lid is correctly seated and locked, which is a genuine safety feature rather than a defect, but it trips up first-time owners often enough that it’s worth knowing in advance: line the lid up carefully rather than forcing it, and the unit will click into place without a fight.

How It Compares Across Cuisinart’s Own Lineup

Cuisinart sells this same body of design across multiple capacities (2.63-cup through 14-cup), and owner reviews are consistent on one point: bigger is usually better here rather than a wasted upgrade. Multiple owners who sized down to save money or counter space specifically regret it, citing having to run multiple smaller batches for tasks the 14-cup size would handle in one pass. Unless your kitchen genuinely can’t fit the larger footprint, the 14-cup capacity is the one worth paying for.

Cleaning and Day-to-Day Maintenance

The bowl, lid, discs, and blade are all dishwasher-safe, and easy cleanup is one of the most frequently repeated positives in owner reviews — several specifically contrast it with previous processors that required extensive hand-washing around tight seams. The main maintenance note worth flagging: the discs and blade are genuinely sharp, and a few owners mention nicking themselves during cleaning simply from handling the blade carelessly rather than any design flaw. A quick rinse immediately after use, before food residue dries onto the disc edges, keeps cleanup to a couple of minutes even after heavier jobs like dough or root vegetables.

Value for Money

At $290.84, the DFP-14BCNY sits solidly in the mid-range for a full-size food processor — not the cheapest option on the market, but priced well below premium alternatives like Breville’s comparable models. Given the 720-watt motor, the 14-cup capacity, and a rating that’s held steady across tens of thousands of purchases, it’s a reasonable value for anyone who wants a genuinely full-size processor rather than a compact chopper.

Who This Is Actually For

Good fit: households that cook from scratch regularly and want to process large batches (dough, shredded vegetables, purees) in one pass rather than running multiple smaller rounds; anyone replacing a processor that failed prematurely and wants a model with a long track record.

Skip it if: you’re cooking for 1-2 people and rarely need more than a cup or two of capacity at a time — a smaller, cheaper Cuisinart model in the same lineup covers that case without paying for capacity you won’t use; or durability concerns about the plastic components are a dealbreaker for you specifically.

Pros and Cons, Summarized

Pros: Genuinely large 14-cup capacity handles big batches in one pass; 720-watt motor handles dough, dense vegetables, and nuts without straining; strong sustained rating (4.6★, 15,262 ratings); dishwasher-safe parts; stable base that doesn’t tip or walk during heavier processing.

Cons: Durability is a real mixed picture — some owners report the plastic lid or canister cracking, not universal but common enough to know about; the lid’s safety-lock mechanism has a genuine learning curve for first-time owners; large footprint that needs real counter or storage space.

Considering the Ninja BZ601 as an alternative? See my Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY vs. Ninja BZ601 comparison for a direct side-by-side on capacity, price, and what owners report about each.

Shopping on a tighter budget? My Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap 70725A review covers the buying guide’s budget pick, including independent lab-test data on where it matches this Cuisinart and where it falls short.

Want the same reliability but fully dishwasher-safe cleanup instead of hand-washing the blade? See the Cuisinart DLC-8SBCYP1 review for the direct trade-off.

How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification – 14-cup bowl, motor wattage, the blade and disc set included, feed-tube dimensions and dishwasher-safe parts; plus the pattern across verified-purchase reviews, which for this long-running model is unusually rich because the machine has been sold for years. The themes that recur are the bowl collar cracking and the lid interlock wearing, both well ahead of any motor problem.

What I could not establish: how the motor holds up to repeated bread dough, which is the load that ends food processors. No independent longevity test covers this model. Wattage relative to bowl size and the balance of long-term owner reporting are what this review reasons from.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY durable long-term?

Mostly, but it’s a real mixed picture rather than a universal strength. Amazon’s own aggregated review data specifically flags durability as inconsistent — some owners report over a decade of reliable use, while others report the plastic lid or bowl canister cracking. Worth factoring in if you’ll use it daily rather than occasionally.

Why won’t my food processor turn on?

The most common reason, according to owner reviews, is the lid’s safety-lock mechanism not being fully seated — the unit is designed not to power on unless the lid is correctly locked in place. Line up the lid carefully rather than forcing it and it should click into place.

Is the 14-cup size worth it over a smaller model?

For most households, yes — owner reviews consistently note that sizing down to save money or space backfires, since smaller models require running multiple batches for tasks the 14-cup size handles in one pass. Only size down if your kitchen genuinely can’t fit the larger footprint.

Can it knead bread and pizza dough?

Yes — this is one of the most frequently mentioned uses in owner reviews, alongside pie crusts and fresh pasta dough. The 720-watt motor and stable base handle dough without the unit walking across the counter.

Is it noisy?

Some owners describe it as noisier than expected during heavier tasks, though most consider it comparable to other full-size food processors rather than unusually loud for the category.

Are the parts dishwasher-safe?

Yes — the bowl, lid, discs, and blade are all dishwasher-safe, and owners frequently cite easy cleanup as one of the model’s strengths.

What comes with it out of the box?

The unit includes a stainless steel 4mm slicing disc, a medium shredding disc, and a stainless steel chopping/mixing blade, along with the 14-cup bowl and lid.

For the full lineup of food processors across every budget, see my best food processor guide. If shredding is your main use case, see my dedicated best food processor for shredding cheese guide, or check how to sharpen food processor blades to keep this one performing well for years. For more ways to use a food processor day to day, see my creative uses for a food processor.

Quick verdict: the Blackstone 36″ earns its 4.7-star average across more than 10,000 ratings by doing exactly what a flat top griddle should — cook a huge range of food fast, on four independently controlled zones, with cleanup that’s genuinely easier than a grill grate. The catches worth knowing before you buy: it will rust if you skip seasoning and leave it uncovered, and the front grease-drain design has a well-documented flaw that owners have been working around with DIY fixes for years.

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Blackstone 36″ Review: Specs and What You Actually Get

What People Actually Cook On It

Owner reviews describe a genuinely wide range beyond burgers and steaks: pancakes, bacon, eggs, hibachi-style stir-fry, fajitas, fried rice, and whole breakfast spreads for large groups all come up repeatedly. Several owners specifically mention using it for high-volume cooking — one long-term review describes cooking 44 pounds of bacon plus sausage and ham for a group breakfast in a single session. The four independent burners are the reason this works: you can run different zones at different temperatures at the same time, so pancakes on one side and bacon on another don’t compete for heat.

What Owners Consistently Report

Across more than 10,000 ratings, the recurring positives are build quality, ease of assembly, and cooking performance: Amazon’s own aggregated review analysis highlights quality, functionality, and cooking performance as the most-mentioned themes, with owners specifically praising how well it handles everything from breakfast to dinner in one session and how much it cuts down on dishes compared to cooking the same range of food on a stovetop.

The recurring negatives, and they’re worth taking seriously rather than glossing over: rust resistance gets specifically flagged in Amazon’s own review summary as a weak point — the steel surface will rust if it isn’t kept seasoned and covered, which is standard for any carbon steel griddle but catches new owners off guard. If you’re already seeing it, my guide to fixing griddle rust covers how to remove it and stop it coming back. Separately, several long-term owners describe a genuine design flaw in the front grease-drain system: grease can miss the collection cup and run down the leg instead, hot enough to burn skin on contact. This isn’t a rare complaint — it shows up across multiple detailed reviews, several of which describe DIY fixes (wire redirects, foil shields, or drilling a small drain modification) rather than an official fix from Blackstone.

Assembly and First Seasoning

Assembly takes most owners 30 minutes to an hour with basic tools (a wrench and a screwdriver), and Blackstone provides an official seasoning video for reference. The griddle top ships with a protective oil coating that needs washing off before the first seasoning — skip this step and the first cook won’t go well. Owners who did a thorough multi-coat seasoning (several used flax oil specifically) describe reaching a shiny black, well-protected surface faster and with less sticking than owners who just wiped on oil and started cooking immediately.

Rust: How Real a Concern Is It?

Real, but manageable with basic maintenance — this isn’t a defect unique to this griddle, it’s how any carbon steel cooking surface behaves. Owners who keep it covered when not in use and re-oil the surface after cleaning report years of trouble-free use; the complaints that do surface in reviews mostly come from owners who left it exposed to rain or skipped re-oiling for extended periods. If you’re not willing to do basic upkeep between cooks, a griddle surface like this will punish that more than a nonstick pan would.

Value for Money

At $399.00, the Blackstone 36″ sits at the upper end of what a home flat-top griddle costs, but the value case holds up: 769 square inches of cooking surface and four independent burners is enough capacity to cook for a full family or a small gathering in one pass, something a standard grill or a stovetop can’t match. For anyone who already knows they want a large flat-top rather than a smaller model, this is priced fairly against the capacity it delivers.

Who This Is Actually For

Good fit: households or regular hosts who want to cook large, varied batches (breakfast spreads, stir-fry, multiple proteins) in one session; anyone with the patio or yard space for a 133-lb, 62″-wide unit; buyers willing to do basic seasoning maintenance to prevent rust.

Skip it if: you’re tight on outdoor space — this is a large, heavy unit, not a compact option; you want a low-maintenance surface and don’t want to think about seasoning or covering it; or you’re cooking for 1-2 people, where a smaller griddle in this same lineup would be plenty.

Pros and Cons, Summarized

Pros: Four independently controlled burners genuinely useful for cooking multiple foods at different temperatures at once; large 769 sq in surface handles big batches or groups; strong sustained rating (4.7★, 10,726 ratings); relatively fast, straightforward assembly; easier cleanup than a traditional grill grate.

Cons: Will rust without regular seasoning and covering, a real and specifically-flagged weak point in owner reviews; the front grease-drain design has a documented flaw where grease can run down the leg instead of into the collection cup; large footprint and 133-lb weight need real outdoor space to store and use.

How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification – cooking area in square inches, four burners and total BTU, plate thickness, and the grease management system; plus the pattern across verified-purchase reviews, which for this griddle concentrates on rust when seasoning lapses, on heat differences between burner zones, and on assembly quality.

What I could not establish: heat evenness across the plate, which is what owners argue about most. It needs a grid of infrared readings across a fully preheated surface and no independent test does that for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Blackstone 36″ griddle rust?

Yes, if it isn’t kept seasoned and covered — this is standard behavior for carbon steel, not a defect unique to this model. Amazon’s own aggregated review data specifically flags rust resistance as a weak point, mostly from owners who left it uncovered in rain or skipped re-oiling.

Is the grease-drain problem serious?

Common enough to take seriously. Multiple long-term owner reviews describe grease missing the collection cup and running down the leg, hot enough to be a real burn risk if you’re standing nearby. Several owners have posted DIY fixes (wire redirects, foil shields), but there’s no official fix from Blackstone documented in these reviews.

How long does assembly take?

Most owners report 30 minutes to an hour with a wrench, an adjustable wrench, and a screwdriver. Having a second person helps but isn’t required.

Can it handle cooking for a large group?

Yes — this is one of its most-repeated strengths in owner reviews, including accounts of cooking dozens of servings of bacon, sausage, and eggs in a single session for group breakfasts.

Do I need to season it before first use?

Yes. The griddle top ships with a protective oil coating that needs to be washed off first, followed by several coats of seasoning oil (owners commonly use flax oil) before the surface is properly protected and non-stick.

How much space does it need?

A meaningful amount — it’s roughly 62 inches deep by 22 inches wide and weighs 133 lbs. Measure your patio or yard space before buying, especially if you plan to keep it assembled rather than folding it for storage between uses.

Is this worth it compared to a smaller Blackstone griddle?

Only if you regularly cook for a group or want multiple temperature zones running at once. For 1-2 people, a smaller model in the same lineup covers the same cooking style without the extra size, weight, and price.

For the full lineup of flat top grills across every budget, see my best flat top grill guide. If you’re deciding between sizes, see my Blackstone 28 vs. 36 comparison, and once you’re ready to cook, check my guide on how to season a Blackstone griddle. For the complete range of flat-top content on the site, start at the flat top grills hub.

Quick verdict: the Ninja BN801 earns its 4.7-star average across nearly 15,000 ratings by doing two jobs — blending and food processing — competently enough that most households never miss owning two separate machines. It’s not the quietest or the most compact appliance on your counter, and the food processor bowl shows up often enough in durability complaints to take seriously, but at its regular sale price it undercuts buying a blender and a processor separately by a wide margin.

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Ninja BN801 Review: Specs and What You Actually Get

Two Appliances in One Base, and It Actually Works

The pitch behind any blender/processor combo is that one motor base can replace two countertop appliances, and the BN801 backs that up in practice rather than just on the box.

The same 1,400-peak-watt base runs the 72-oz Total Crushing pitcher for smoothies and frozen drinks, and swaps to the 64-oz Precision Processor Bowl for chopping and dough without needing a second motor or a second plug. The five Auto-iQ presets remove the guesswork on both sides — pick “smoothie” or “dough” and the unit handles the pulse-blend-pause pattern itself rather than leaving you to guess timing.

What People Actually Make In It

Owner reviews skew heavily toward smoothies and protein shakes as the daily-use case, with the two 24-oz to-go cups coming up repeatedly as the feature that gets used most: reviewers specifically like making a shake in the cup itself and drinking straight from it rather than dirtying an extra glass.

On the food-processor side, chopping cilantro and onion, making raw juice from beets, and mixing pancake or dough batter all come up as real, repeated uses rather than one-off novelty. Several owners contrast it favorably against a previous underpowered blender, specifically calling out how it handles frozen fruit and ice without stalling.

What Owners Consistently Report

Across nearly 15,000 ratings, the recurring positives are raw blending power and versatility: Amazon’s own aggregated review analysis highlights performance, functionality, and ease of cleaning as the most-mentioned themes, with blending performance and power specifically called out as strengths. Several owners who’d previously used a weaker blender describe this as a clear step up for crushing ice and frozen fruit.

The recurring negative, and it’s worth taking seriously rather than glossing over: durability is a mixed picture. Amazon’s own review summary flags this directly — while many owners report the unit holding up well, others specifically report the food processor bowl breaking. Separately, several reviews mention the unit is on the bulky side and takes up real counter space, and that it runs loud when crushing ice or hard ingredients, consistent with what you’d expect from a motor powerful enough to do the job in the first place.

Setup and First Use

Setup is genuinely simple: attach the pitcher or processor bowl to the shared base, lock the lid (both lids use a safety interlock that must seal before the motor will run), and pick an Auto-iQ preset or run it manually. One recurring first-time tripping point from owner reviews: the blending attachments don’t lock into place the way the processor bowl does, so it takes a try or two to seat the lid correctly — not a defect, just a design quirk worth knowing about before your first use.

Is It Worth It Compared to Buying Separately?

The grey BN801 currently sells only through third-party sellers from $199.99, so the links here go to the red version, sold by Amazon at $179.99. At that price, the BN801 replaces what would otherwise be a standalone blender and a standalone food processor, and the honest comparison is against buying those two appliances individually rather than against a single-function blender alone. A capable single-function blender in this price range plus a comparable food processor would typically run more than the BN801’s combined price, before you even account for the two-appliances-worth of counter space you’d need instead of one.

The tradeoff is the one you’d expect from any combo appliance: neither function is quite as dedicated or specialized as the best single-purpose blender or single-purpose processor at the same price, but for most home kitchens the convenience of one base outweighs that.

Who This Is Actually For

Good fit: households that want genuine blending power (frozen fruit, ice, smoothies) and occasional food-processing needs (chopping, dough, purees) without buying and storing two separate appliances; anyone replacing an underpowered blender who’s tired of it stalling on ice.

Skip it if: you need a dedicated processor for frequent, heavy-duty food prep — a single-purpose food processor will generally outlast and out-perform the processor side of any combo unit; or you’re tight on counter space, since this is a genuinely bulky appliance next to either a blender or a processor alone.

Pros and Cons, Summarized

Pros: Genuinely capable blending power (1,400 peak watts handles ice and frozen fruit without stalling); real food-processing function on the same base, not a token attachment; 5 Auto-iQ presets remove timing guesswork; two to-go cups are a genuinely used feature, not a throwaway extra; strong sustained rating (4.7★, 14,693 ratings); price undercuts buying a blender and processor separately.

Cons: Food processor bowl durability is a real, recurring complaint for some owners, not universal but common enough to know about; bulky footprint that takes real counter space; runs loud when crushing ice or hard ingredients; blending attachments don’t lock in place the way the processor bowl does.

How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification – 1,400 watts, the 72 oz pitcher and 64 oz processor bowl, the Auto-iQ programmes and how many are genuinely distinct, and what each attachment does; plus the pattern across verified-purchase reviews, where the recurring theme for this machine is the food processor bowl cracking rather than any motor problem.

What I could not establish: how long the processor bowl lasts, which is the single most reported issue with this model. No independent longevity test exists; the frequency of owner reports is what this review reasons from and it is weaker evidence than a test.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Ninja BN801 crush ice without stalling?

Yes — this is one of the most consistently reported strengths across owner reviews. The 1,400-peak-watt motor and Total Crushing blades handle ice and frozen fruit in smoothies without the stalling or grinding that owners describe from weaker blenders.

Is the food processor bowl durable?

Mostly, but it’s a real mixed picture rather than a universal strength. Amazon’s own aggregated review data specifically flags durability as inconsistent — some owners report years of solid use, while others report the processor bowl breaking. My guide to food processor bowl cracking covers the actual causes and whether it’s worth trying to fix versus just replacing the bowl. Worth factoring in if food processing is a heavy, frequent use case for you rather than occasional.

How loud is it?

Loud enough that multiple owners mention it specifically, especially when crushing ice or hard ingredients. This tracks with the amount of power needed to do that job — a quieter blender at this price generally isn’t crushing ice as effectively.

Do the to-go cups actually get used, or are they a gimmick?

Based on owner reviews, genuinely used — it’s one of the most frequently mentioned features, specifically for making a shake or smoothie and drinking straight from the cup without dirtying a separate glass.

Is this a better value than buying a blender and food processor separately?

For most home kitchens, yes — the combined price undercuts buying two separate single-function appliances, and you only need counter space and a plug for one base. The tradeoff is that neither function is quite as dedicated as a single-purpose blender or processor at the same price point.

Does it come with a dough attachment?

Yes — dough is one of the 5 Auto-iQ presets, run through the food processor bowl rather than the blender pitcher.

How much counter space does it need?

More than a standalone blender. Owner reviews consistently describe it as bulky, so measure your available space before buying, particularly if you plan to leave it out rather than store it between uses.

For the full lineup including budget and family-size alternatives, see my best blender food processor combo guide. See my full Ninja BN801 vs. NutriBullet Combo comparison if you’re deciding between the food-processor combo and a blending-only alternative.

If you’re using a blender for more than smoothies, see whether you can grind coffee beans in a NutriBullet, or check why a blender leaks from the bottom if you’re troubleshooting an existing one. For dedicated food-processing uses beyond what a combo unit covers, see my creative uses for a food processor.

Blending anything hot in this or any similar combo system is a separate question worth checking first — see my guide to blending hot liquids safely before you try it.

Part of my blenders hub — every blender review, comparison and troubleshooting guide in one place.

Quick verdict: the Cosori Pro II earns its 4.6-star average across nearly 2,400 ratings honestly — it’s fast, the app integration is more than a gimmick, and the price has stayed reasonable for what you get. The one thing worth knowing before you buy: basket handle durability shows up repeatedly as a real weak point, not an isolated complaint.

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Cosori Pro II Review: Specs and What You Actually Get

The Smart Features Are Genuinely Useful, Not Just Marketing

A lot of “WiFi air fryer” features amount to little more than a remote start button. The Pro II’s app integration goes further: the Scan-to-Cook function lets you scan a frozen food package directly in the VeSync app to pull up matching cook settings, and the app pushes notifications when it’s time to flip or check food rather than requiring you to set your own timer reminder. Voice control through Alexa or Google Assistant works for starting and stopping, though you still have to physically press Start/Cancel on the unit itself as a safety requirement — a sensible limitation, not a bug.

What People Actually Cook In It

Owner reviews describe a genuinely wide range beyond fries and wings: whole roast chicken, pork loin, marinated meats, fish, shrimp, and sweet potato fries all come up specifically and repeatedly. The 5.8-quart capacity is doing real work here — several reviewers explicitly contrast it with smaller units they’d previously owned, noting they can now cook a full family meal in one batch rather than running multiple rounds. One long-term owner with two teenagers living at home specifically credits the capacity and ease of cleanup with getting the household eating healthier day-to-day, not as a one-off novelty.

What Owners Consistently Report

Across nearly 2,400 ratings, the recurring positives are speed and versatility: several long-term owners specifically compare it favorably against previous air fryers (including well-known competing brands), reporting noticeably crisper results at the same temperature and in less time than their prior unit. Cleaning comes up often as a strength too, thanks to the fully detachable, dishwasher-safe basket.

The recurring negative, and it shows up enough to take seriously: basket handle durability. Amazon’s own aggregated review analysis flags this specifically — multiple owners report the basket handles breaking or melting with regular use. Separately, at least one long-term owner (3+ years of regular use, multiple times a week) reports the nonstick basket coating beginning to wear after that period, consistent with what ceramic and nonstick coatings generally do over years of heavy use rather than pointing to a defect unique to this model.

Setup and First Use

Setup is straightforward: unbox, connect to the VeSync app over 2.4GHz WiFi if you want the smart features (the fryer works as a standard air fryer without connecting it at all), and you’re cooking. The app pairing process is the only step that adds real time versus a basic air fryer, and it’s optional rather than required for day-to-day use.

Is the App Worth Setting Up?

For anyone skeptical of “smart” kitchen appliances generally, the honest answer here is that the core cooking function doesn’t need it at all — you can ignore the app entirely and use the Pro II as a normal air fryer with its physical controls. Where the app earns its place is specifically the Scan-to-Cook feature and the push notifications: being told your food needs flipping while you’re in another room is a genuine convenience, not just a novelty checkbox. The tradeoff owners should know about upfront: voice control specifically is limited by a safety requirement (you still have to physically press Start on the unit), so don’t expect fully hands-free operation from the Alexa or Google Assistant integration.

Value for Money at This Price

At $119.99, the Pro II sits in the same price range as several 4-quart single-basket air fryers on the market, but delivers 5.8 quarts of capacity and the app layer on top. For a household of 3 or more, that combination of capacity and features at a compact-fryer price point is a genuinely good value trade — you’re not paying a premium for the extra capacity the way you would with some larger dual-basket models.

How It Compares to the Ninja AF101

Both sit around the same price point and serve a similar buyer, but the core tradeoff is simplicity versus features: the Ninja AF101 is a smaller 4-quart unit with a straightforward touch panel and no app, while the Cosori Pro II offers meaningfully more capacity (5.8 quarts) and a genuinely useful app layer, at the cost of more going on if you don’t want the smart features at all. For a full head-to-head, see my Ninja AF101 vs. COSORI Pro II comparison.

Who This Is Actually For

Good fit: households of 3 or more who’d otherwise need multiple batches in a smaller unit; anyone who’ll genuinely use app-based cooking notifications rather than just standing near the fryer anyway; buyers replacing an aging air fryer whose nonstick coating has already failed, since a fresh basket resets that clock.

Skip it if: you’re cooking for 1-2 people and don’t need the extra capacity — a smaller, cheaper unit like the Ninja AF101 covers that case without paying for capacity you won’t use; or you specifically don’t want any smart-home features in your kitchen, since the price here is partly buying into that layer even if you never activate it.

Pros and Cons, Summarized

Pros: Larger 5.8-quart capacity suited to families, not just 1-2 people; genuinely useful app features (Scan-to-Cook, cooking notifications, 200+ online recipes applied directly); strong sustained rating (4.6★, 2,392 ratings); detachable, fully dishwasher-safe basket; competitive price for the feature set.

Cons: Basket handle durability is a real, recurring complaint — not a one-off; nonstick coating wear after years of heavy regular use, same as most nonstick baskets eventually show; smart features require a 2.4GHz WiFi network and app setup most competitors at this price don’t ask for.

How This Review Was Put Together

Plainly: this is research-based, not a hands-on test. I have not owned or used this, and nothing here should be read as a report from my own kitchen.

What it rests on: the published specification – basket capacity and usable area, wattage, temperature range, presets and which parts are dishwasher safe; plus the pattern across verified-purchase reviews, which across the air fryer category is dominated by basket coating wear and by fans growing louder with age.

What I could not establish: coating durability and cooking evenness, the two things that genuinely separate air fryers, neither of which has an independent test covering this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to connect the Cosori Pro II to WiFi to use it?

No. It functions as a standard air fryer with its physical controls without ever connecting to the VeSync app. The smart features (remote monitoring, Scan-to-Cook, voice control) are optional additions on top of normal operation.

Is the basket handle durability issue serious?

It’s a real, recurring complaint in Amazon’s own aggregated review data, not an isolated report — multiple owners describe handles breaking or melting with regular use. It doesn’t appear to be universal, but it’s common enough to factor into your decision, especially if you handle the basket by the handle frequently rather than supporting the base.

How does the 5.8-quart capacity compare to smaller air fryers?

It’s meaningfully larger than compact 4-quart models and comfortably fits family-sized batches — a whole chicken or enough food for 3-4 people in a single layer, according to owner reports, versus the 1-2 person realistic capacity of smaller units.

Does the nonstick coating hold up long-term?

Generally yes for the first few years based on available reports, with at least one detailed long-term account noting coating wear beginning after 3+ years of regular multiple-times-weekly use — in line with how nonstick coatings typically age rather than a defect specific to this model.

Can voice control fully operate the Cosori Pro II hands-free?

Mostly, but not entirely — you still need to physically press Start/Cancel on the unit itself as a built-in safety requirement, even when using Alexa or Google Assistant for the rest of the process.

Is the Pro II good for a family, or just a couple?

It’s specifically well-suited to families — the 5.8-quart capacity is large enough for a whole roast chicken or a full batch of sides in one cook, which is the main reason owners with households of 3+ mention choosing it over smaller compact models.

What happens if my WiFi goes down — can I still use it?

Yes. WiFi connectivity is only required for the app-based smart features (remote monitoring, Scan-to-Cook, voice control). The physical controls on the unit work independently of any network connection.

For the full lineup of tested picks across every budget, see my best air fryers guide. And for the complete range of air fryer content on the site, start at the air fryers hub.