The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone AF300UK is cheaper to buy and cheaper to run than the Foodi MAX Dual Zone AF400UK. Ninja rates the AF300UK at 2,400W and the AF400UK at 2,470W, so a 20-minute cook at full power costs 21.1p against 21.7p at the October 2026 price cap. The AF400UK also costs £70.99 more on Amazon UK today, £229.99 against £159.00.
What the extra money buys is space. The AF400UK has two 4.75-litre drawers against the AF300UK’s two 3.8-litre drawers, 25% more room for 3% more power. Per litre of drawer it is the cheaper fryer to run, and that only matters if the bigger drawers stop you cooking a second batch.
The verdict, 28 September 2026
- A 20-minute cook at full power costs 21.1p in the AF300UK and 21.7p in the AF400UK at 26.32p per kWh. Over 260 cooks a year that is £54.75 against £56.34.
- The AF300UK is £70.99 cheaper to buy and 0.6p cheaper per cook, so there is no pence-back point for the AF400UK on like-for-like cooking.
- Per litre of drawer the AF400UK is cheaper: 2.28p against 2.77p for a 20-minute cook.
- If the AF300UK needs two batches where the AF400UK needs one, the AF400UK saves 20.4p a meal and earns back its £70.99 after 348 such meals.
- Ninja claims up to 75% energy saving for the AF300UK and up to 65% for the AF400UK, both on its sausage test against a conventional oven.
| Ninja Foodi Dual Zone 7.6L (AF300UK) | Ninja Foodi MAX Dual Zone 9.5L (AF400UK) | |
|---|---|---|
| Rated power | 2,400W | 2,470W |
| 20-minute cook at full power | 21.1p | 21.7p |
| A year, 260 cooks | £54.75 | £56.34 |
| Drawers | 3.8 L + 3.8 L | 4.75 L + 4.75 L |
| 20-minute cook per litre of drawer | 2.77p | 2.28p |
| Energy claim on the listing | Up to 75% saving, sausages against an oven | Up to 65% saving, sausages against an oven |
| Price, 28 Sep 2026 | £159.00 | £229.99 |
When the bigger fryer pays back
Cook the same food in both and the AF300UK wins twice: it costs less to buy and 0.6p less per 20-minute cook. There is nothing for the AF400UK to earn back.
The case for the AF400UK is the meal that does not fit. Ninja says each AF400UK drawer takes up to 1.4kg of fries or a 2kg chicken. If a family meal fills the AF400UK once but needs the AF300UK to run twice, the AF300UK’s bill for that meal doubles to 42.1p, while the AF400UK’s stays at 21.7p. That saves 20.4p a time, and the £70.99 price gap is paid back after 348 such meals, which is about 16 months at five a week.
| AF300UK | AF400UK | AF400UK saves | Pence-back point | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meal fits both in one batch | 21.1p | 21.7p | None (costs 0.6p more) | Never |
| Meal needs two AF300UK batches | 42.1p | 21.7p | 20.4p | 348 meals |
If you cook for one or two, you will rarely hit that second batch, and the AF300UK is the better buy.
The energy claims do not agree with each other
Both listings say they are tested on sausages, at the recommended cook time, against a conventional oven. On that one test Ninja claims up to 75% saving for the AF300UK and up to 65% for the AF400UK. Same brand, same food, ten points apart. Neither listing publishes the kWh measured, so neither percentage can be turned into pence, and the only running-cost figure we can check is the rated wattage.
Which one to buy
Buy the AF300UK if you cook for one to three people. It is cheaper on every count that can be priced, and each 3.8-litre drawer is enough for a portion or two.
Buy the AF400UK if you regularly cook for four or more and would otherwise run a second batch. That is the only case where it earns back its extra £70.99, and at five family meals a week it does so in about 16 months.
How we worked it out
| Item | What we did |
|---|---|
| Electricity rate | 26.32p per kWh, the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, direct debit, Great Britain average. Standing charge left out. |
| Power | The rated wattage on each Amazon UK listing: 2,400W for the AF300UK (recorded 10 September 2026) and 2,470W for the AF400UK (read 28 September 2026). No listing publishes a measured kWh for a cook. |
| Cost per cook | Rated watts for 20 minutes at 26.32p per kWh. The elements cycle off once the drawers are up to temperature, so this is the most a 20-minute cook can cost. |
| A year | 260 cooks, five a week. |
| Prices | Amazon UK, read 28 September 2026. They move often. |
| The pence-back point | For like-for-like cooking there is none, because the AF300UK is cheaper to buy and to run. For a meal that needs two AF300UK batches: £70.99 ÷ 20.44p = 348 meals. |
What this comparison could not check
- We have not cooked in either fryer. How much actually fits in each drawer is Ninja’s claim.
- What a real cook uses. No listing publishes a measured kWh, so every cost here is rated power for the whole cook, the most it could cost.
- The AF400UK’s size. Its Amazon listing gives dimensions that cannot be right for a 9.5-litre fryer, so we have left them out.
The two fryers
Ninja Foodi Dual Zone 7.6L (AF300UK)
£159.00. At most 21.1p for a 20-minute cook at the October 2026 cap, on its 2,400W rating. Two 3.8-litre drawers in a body 38 cm wide.
The catch: Each drawer is small for a whole chicken or a family tray of chips, so bigger meals mean a second batch.
See it on AmazonNinja Foodi MAX Dual Zone 9.5L (AF400UK)
£229.99. At most 21.7p for a 20-minute cook, on its 2,470W rating, and the cheapest per litre of drawer. Ninja says each drawer takes a 2kg chicken.
The catch: £70.99 more than the AF300UK, which it only earns back if its drawers save you a second batch.
See it on AmazonLook Into earns a commission on qualifying purchases made through the Amazon links above, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the arithmetic.
Common questions
Which is cheaper to run, the Ninja AF300UK or AF400UK?
The AF300UK, by a little. It is rated at 2,400W against 2,470W, so a 20-minute cook costs at most 21.1p against 21.7p at the October 2026 cap of 26.32p per kWh.
Is the Ninja AF400UK worth the extra money?
Only if you cook for a family. It costs £70.99 more and 0.6p more per cook, but if its bigger drawers save a second batch it saves 20.4p a meal and pays back after 348 such meals.
What is the difference between the Ninja AF300UK and AF400UK?
Drawer size and power. The AF300UK has two 3.8-litre drawers and a 2,400W rating. The AF400UK has two 4.75-litre drawers and a 2,470W rating.
How much does a Ninja dual zone air fryer cost to run?
At most 21.1p for 20 minutes in the AF300UK and 21.7p in the AF400UK at 26.32p per kWh, assuming full power throughout. Real cooks cost less because the elements cycle off once the drawers are hot.
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Sources
- Ofgem, energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 October to 31 December 2026)
- Look Into, best air fryers UK 2026, priced per cook
- Amazon UK listings for the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone AF300UK (B08CN3G4N9) and Foodi MAX Dual Zone AF400UK (B09BZR9JFG), wattage, drawer sizes, energy claims and prices read 28 September 2026