When it comes to kitchen gadgets, real innovation is hard to find. Take the air fryer, for instance. Companies tweak sizes and shapes, but it’s still mainly a bulky convection oven. Enter the Ninja Crispi Portable Glass Air Fryer Cooking System from SharkNinja, a company based in Needham, Massachusetts.
Unlike traditional air fryers, the Crispi’s design is unique. It features a compact 1,500-watt air-frying mechanism cleverly packed into its lid, known as the PowerPod. This PowerPod snaps onto glass containers—one 4-quart and one 6-cup—allowing you to prep, store, serve, and reheat all in the same containers. Kaitlyn Beauchemin, Ninja’s senior vice president of global marketing, highlights how convenient this is.
This design is particularly useful for people on the go. The Crispi has been tested and approved by various shift workers, including nurses and construction staff. It has quickly gained popularity among Gen Z cooks on TikTok, where countless videos feature the appliance. It has even become one of the top 10 air fryers sold since its launch in 2024.
Ninja isn’t stopping with the Crispi. They’ve also introduced the Slushi, which transforms liquids into frozen drinks, perfect for making frozen margaritas. Then there’s the Creami, which turns any frozen base—like yogurt or fruit—into ice cream. With over 2 billion social media impressions, the Creami has stolen the spotlight, even impressing chefs. Isabel Coss, a chef recognized as a Best New Chef in 2023, prefers it for ice cream over the pricier PacoJet often found in professional kitchens due to its superior texture.
Ninja pays close attention to social media trends when developing new appliances. They even work rapidly; a concept can move from idea to prototype in just a week. As Beauchemin explains, they hold brainstorming sessions to fuel continuous innovation.
In a time when kitchen gadgets can feel repetitive, Ninja’s focus on unique design and consumer needs is refreshing. Whether for a bustling office or a cozy home, their appliances are making cooking easier and more fun.
For more on Ninja’s approach to kitchen tech, check out this Forbes article on appliance trends to see how they fit into the larger market.