Indoor Grill vs Air Fryer: Which Should You Buy? (October 2026)
Choose an indoor grill for direct searing and grill marks; choose an air fryer for crisping, or a dual-basket model for separate foods. Your menu and counter space matter more than the appliance name.
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Choose an indoor grill for direct searing and grill marks; choose an air fryer for crisping, or a dual-basket model for separate foods. In the indoor grill vs air fryer choice, think about the meals you make most and how much counter space you can spare.
An indoor grill brings food into contact with a heated plate or grate. An air fryer uses circulating hot air to cook and crisp food in a basket.
Some countertop cookers combine both approaches. The Ninja Foodi Smart XL DG551 has a grill grate and Air Crisp function, while the Ninja Sizzle GR101 focuses on grilling and griddling.
Indoor grill vs air fryer: which fits your cooking?
Pick the grill if grill marks and direct heat are priorities; pick the air fryer if you want crisp food from a basket. These cooking surfaces affect texture, batch size and the kinds of meals that feel natural to make.
An indoor grill suits burgers, steaks, chicken and vegetables cooked on a grate or plate. The Ninja Sizzle GR101 also includes a flat griddle plate for foods such as pancakes.
An air fryer suits foods arranged in a basket, such as fries and wings you want crisped with hot air. The Ninja Foodi DualZone Air Fryer DZ201 has 2 separate baskets, each with its own heating zone.
What does each appliance do to food?
A grill plate gives food direct contact with a hot surface. That can create browned contact marks, while a griddle plate offers a flat surface for foods that shouldn't sit on grill ridges.
An air fryer circulates hot air around food in its basket. The DZ201 offers Air Fry, Air Broil, Roast, Bake, Reheat and Dehydrate functions, so it can cover more than crisping.
Don't treat the methods as interchangeable. The DZ201's baskets serve a different purpose from a grill grate, and the GR101's shared plate doesn't offer separate cooking zones.
Is an indoor grill or air fryer more versatile?
The DZ201 offers 6 cooking programs, while the DG551 covers both surface grilling and basket cooking. More functions can help if you'll use them, but consider the removable parts and their storage needs too.
The DZ201 has 6 programs and two 4 qt baskets. Its Smart Finish feature is designed to coordinate 2 foods so they finish at the same time.
The DG551 adds a grill grate and Air Crisp function, plus roast, bake, broil and dehydrate modes. Its Smart Cook System includes a thermometer with 4 protein settings and 9 customizable doneness levels.
If you want a grill surface with a second cooking option, the GR101 swaps between grill and griddle plates. For a wider look at combination appliances, see our indoor grill and air fryer combos guide.
Which appliance is better for your usual meals?
Choose based on the food you cook most often, not the number of cooking modes alone. A grill serves meals where surface contact matters, while the DZ201 provides separate baskets for a main and a side.
For burgers or steaks, a grill plate gives you direct contact for grill marks. The GR101 reaches up to 500°F and has a 14 in grill plate.
For fries, wings or a main and side, the DZ201's 2 baskets give each food a separate zone. Its 8 qt capacity is split between two 4 qt baskets.
Who should buy an indoor grill?
An indoor grill suits you if grilled food is a regular part of your menu and you want to cook it on a grate indoors. The Ninja Sizzle GR101 pairs its grill plate with a griddle plate, so breakfast and dinner can use the same appliance.
Its plates are 14 in, and Ninja says they fit half a dozen burgers or pancakes. That gives you a capacity reference, but measure your counter and storage shelf before buying.
Ninja says the GR101's perforated mesh lid helps control smoke and reduce splatter. Follow the appliance manual's placement and ventilation instructions, and review our indoor grill ventilation basics.
Who should buy an air fryer?
A dual-basket air fryer suits you if crisping foods and cooking a main and side at once are the main goals. The DZ201's independent baskets let you use different settings and Smart Finish to coordinate their timing.
Its 6 cooking programs also cover roasting, baking, reheating, broiling and dehydrating. Choose it when those basket-based tasks come up more often than grilling.
Choose a model with a grill grate if you specifically want a grill surface. For a comparison of grill styles and surfaces, our indoor grill buying guide explains what to consider before choosing.
How much counter and storage space do they need?
Measure the appliance and its operating space before choosing either type. A cooker can fit on the counter yet be awkward if the lid, baskets or removable plates have nowhere to go.
The GR101 measures 14.72 in deep, 15.16 in wide and 6.1 in high. The DG551 measures 15.7 in deep, 11.1 in wide and 16 in high.
The DZ201 measures 13.86 in deep, 15.63 in wide and 12.4 in high. These appliance dimensions don't establish the clearance needed during use, so follow each manual's placement instructions.
The DG551 includes a grill grate, crisper basket, cooking pot and thermometer, so plan storage for those parts too. Allow room to handle removable parts and somewhere for them to dry.
If you're comparing a dedicated grill against a combo, our guide to indoor grills for apartments covers fit, ventilation and shared-space concerns. Measure the route to your counter as well as the counter itself.
Which one is easier to clean?
Choose the appliance whose removable parts fit your cleanup routine. Nonstick surfaces and dishwasher-safe parts can help, but check the care directions for each piece.
The GR101's grill and griddle plates are removable and nonstick. Its perforated mesh lid detaches and is dishwasher-safe.
The DG551 has a removable ceramic-coated grill grate, crisper basket and cooking pot that are dishwasher-safe. Read our guide on cleaning a Ninja Foodi Grill for care steps for its cooking parts.
The DZ201's baskets can be washed by hand or in a dishwasher, and its crisper plates are dishwasher-safe. If you use both zones, you'll have 2 baskets and 2 crisper plates to clean.
Don't assume every plate or accessory can go in the dishwasher. Our guide to dishwasher-safe indoor grill plates explains why the care instructions for the exact part matter.
When does a grill-and-air-fryer combo make sense?
A combo makes sense when you'll use both the grill surface and air-crisp mode often enough to justify its size and parts. It can cover both cooking methods in one appliance, but you still need to check counter and storage space.
The DG551 combines a 500°F grill grate with Air Crisp and a 4 qt crisper basket. It also includes a cooking pot and a smart thermometer, so plan where those pieces will go between uses.
A dedicated appliance may suit you better if one cooking style dominates. The GR101 is a focused grill and griddle, while the DZ201 is centered on air frying and its 2 zones.
Our Ninja Foodi Smart XL DG551 review and Ninja Foodi Smart Grill review cover Foodi options in more detail. Check model names and included parts carefully when comparing them.
| Product | Best for | Cooking style | Maximum heat | Capacity | Our score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Sizzle GR101 | direct grilling | Direct heat, grill or griddle plates | 500°F | Half dozen burgers; family of 4–6 | 8.9 |
| Ninja Foodi Smart XL DG551 | both cooking styles | Grill, Air Crisp, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate | Up to 6 steaks or 24 hot dogs | 8.6 | |
| Ninja Foodi DualZone Air Fryer DZ201 | separate meals | Air fry, air broil, roast, bake, reheat, dehydrate | 8 qt across 2 baskets | 8.3 |
Which should you buy: an indoor grill or air fryer?
Buy the GR101 for direct grilling and a griddle plate, or choose the DG551 if you'll use both grilling and Air Crisp. Pick the DZ201 if two-basket air frying fits your routine better.
The GR101 suits grill marks, burgers and flat-top cooking. The DG551 combines a grill grate, Air Crisp, a crisper basket and other cooking functions.
The DZ201 suits separate foods and several basket-based cooking modes. Choose between these indoor grill and air fryer options by the meals you make regularly and the parts you can store.
For a broader view of indoor grill and air fryer combos, compare each appliance's dimensions and included parts against your kitchen before deciding.
Frequently asked questions
Is an indoor grill better than an air fryer?
An indoor grill suits direct contact with a hot grill surface, while an air fryer suits crisping foods with circulating heat. The Ninja Sizzle GR101 reaches up to 500°F and has grill and griddle plates; the Ninja Foodi DualZone Air Fryer DZ201 has 2 baskets and 6 cooking programs.
Can an air fryer replace an indoor grill?
A basket air fryer can handle many everyday meals, but it doesn't provide the direct grill surface used for contact marks. If you want both methods, the Ninja Foodi Smart XL DG551 includes a grill grate and an Air Crisp function, plus a 4 qt crisper basket.
Which appliance is better for cooking a main and a side?
A dual-basket air fryer suits separate foods, and the Ninja Foodi DualZone Air Fryer DZ201 has 2 independent 4 qt zones. Its Smart Finish feature coordinates 2 foods cooked with different settings to finish together, while the Ninja Sizzle GR101 offers a shared grill or griddle surface.
Do indoor grills make more smoke than air fryers?
These features don't establish which appliance produces less smoke, so don't choose either type on that assumption alone. Ninja says the Ninja Sizzle GR101's perforated mesh lid helps control smoke and splatter, while the Ninja Foodi Smart XL DG551 has a smoke control system designed to reduce smoke.
Can one appliance grill and air fry?
Yes, the Ninja Foodi Smart XL DG551 combines a grill function with Air Crisp, and it includes a grill grate, crisper basket and cooking pot. It measures 15.7 in deep, 11.1 in wide and 16 in high, so check counter fit and storage for its removable parts.
