Design and Build Quality

The Ninja DT251 Foodi features a premium stainless steel design with a large digital control panel on the side. The display is bright and easy to read, allowing users to quickly select cooking modes and temperatures.

Its extra-large interior space is one of its biggest advantages. The oven can cook meals on two levels simultaneously, which helps save time when preparing multiple dishes. The build quality feels sturdy and durable, and the door opens smoothly, making it convenient for daily cooking.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 Air Fryer Oven also uses a stainless steel exterior and has a sleek countertop design. The front control panel features an LCD display with multiple preset cooking options. 

One unique design advantage is the rotisserie feature, which allows users to cook whole chickens and other meats evenly. However, when the rotisserie and trays are installed, the usable cooking space may feel slightly smaller than expected. Overall, the Emeril oven looks stylish and fits well in modern kitchens, but the Ninja model feels slightly more premium and practical for large meals.

Cooking Performance

Cooking performance is where the Ninja DT251 clearly stands out. It uses True Surround Convection technology, which provides significantly stronger airflow compared to traditional countertop ovens.

This results in faster cooking times and crispier textures when air frying foods like fries, chicken wings, and vegetables. Ninja claims it delivers up to 10× more convection power than regular ovens, and this helps produce evenly cooked meals.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 uses 360° Quick Cook Technology, which circulates hot air around the food to cook it faster than a standard oven. The system uses five heating elements, mimicking commercial ovens. 

This provides fairly even cooking results and works well for baking, roasting, and air frying. However, the airflow is not as powerful as Ninja’s system, which means foods may not become quite as crispy.

For users who want maximum air frying performance and faster cooking, the Ninja oven has a clear advantage.

Cooking Functions and Versatility

Both appliances are designed as multi-purpose kitchen appliances, replacing several cooking devices.

The Ninja DT251 offers 10 cooking functions, including:

• Air Fry

• Air Roast

• Bake

• Whole Roast

• Broil

• Toast

• Bagel

• Dehydrate

• Reheat

• Pizza

These functions cover most everyday cooking needs, from breakfast toast to roasting large meats.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 includes 9-in-1 functionality but actually offers 12 preset programs, such as:

• Air Fry

• Bake

• Rotisserie

• Dehydrate

• Toast

• Reheat

• Roast

• Broil

• Bagel

• Pizza

• Slow Cook

• Warm

The Emeril oven has an advantage in specialty cooking modes, especially rotisserie and slow cooking, which are not available on the Ninja model.

So if you enjoy rotisserie chicken or slow-cooked meals, the Emeril oven may appeal more.

Capacity and Family Cooking

The Ninja DT251 Foodi is designed for larger households and can cook significant portions of food. It can fit:

• A 5-lb chicken and vegetables on a sheet pan

• Two 12-inch pizzas

• A 12-lb turkey

This makes it an excellent choice for families or users who like to cook large meals at once.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 has an XL capacity of 930 cubic inches, which is still fairly spacious. It can handle items like:

• Up to 6 slices of bread

• A medium-size turkey

• Multiple trays of food

However, once the rotisserie attachment and trays are installed, the internal cooking space becomes slightly limited. This means users may sometimes need to cook in batches when preparing larger meals.

Overall, the Ninja model offers better usable cooking capacity.

Smart Features and Controls

One of the most impressive features of the Ninja DT251 is the Smart Cook System. This includes an integrated food thermometer that measures internal temperature while cooking. Users can select their preferred doneness level, and the oven will automatically stop cooking when the food reaches the desired temperature.

This feature is extremely helpful when cooking steak, chicken, or other meats, as it eliminates the guesswork involved in achieving perfect doneness.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 focuses more on preset cooking programs rather than smart cooking sensors. It offers a user-friendly LCD display with multiple presets, making it simple to select common cooking modes quickly. However, it lacks the intelligent temperature monitoring system found in the Ninja model.

For people who want more precise and automated cooking, Ninja is the better choice.

Energy Efficiency and Cooking Speed

Both ovens cook faster than traditional ovens, but their technologies differ.

The Ninja DT251 preheats in about 90 seconds, which is extremely fast for a countertop oven. It also claims to cook up to 30% faster than traditional ovens, thanks to its powerful convection fan.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 can cook up to 40% faster than conventional ovens, which is still impressive. However, the cooking speed advantage depends on the type of food being prepared.

Overall, both appliances save time compared to standard ovens, but the Ninja’s stronger convection system often delivers faster crisping and roasting performance.

Price and Value

The Ninja DT251 Foodi is priced at $184, which is slightly cheaper than the Emeril model while offering more advanced technology. Considering the smart thermometer, stronger convection power, and larger capacity, it provides excellent value.

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 costs about $192 and offers great versatility with its rotisserie function and numerous presets. It also has significantly more customer reviews, which shows it has been widely used and trusted by many buyers.

However, when comparing features, performance, and overall value, the Ninja model delivers more advanced cooking technology for a slightly lower price.

Final Verdict

Both the Ninja DT251 Foodi and the Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 are powerful multi-function air fryer ovens that can replace several kitchen appliances.

However, the Ninja DT251 Foodi is the better overall choice because it offers:

• Stronger convection power

• A smart thermometer for perfect cooking results

• Faster preheating and cooking

• Larger and more practical cooking capacity

The Emeril Lagasse Everyday 360 is still a great option if you specifically want rotisserie cooking and more preset programs, but for most households, the Ninja DT251 delivers better performance and smarter cooking features.

Winner: Ninja DT251 Foodi Air Fry Oven.