Cleaning The Ninja Foodi Air Crisp Lid 

Very helpful, Scott. I agree with Robert that Ninja should seriously look at making this cleaner-friendly, especially as it's such a great product.

Good job Scott. Ninja needs to think about making it easier to clean. Aussie Bob

I was really impressed how you cleaned it. It definitely looked 95% better after all of your efforts. I just brought my Ninja a month ago and I had no idea ever where the heating element was located. Because of your video, you have educated me with the process involved in the cleaning. I am looking forward to following your steps. Thank you.

I do use spray-on oven cleaner on mine. I spray, leave it for an hour or two, and then spray generously again a few times with clean water (from a hand-held spray bottle) to rinse off the oven cleaner. I do it about once a month and so far it hasn't caused any issues and cleans it pretty well without any disassembly.

Thank you, Scott. I use mine almost daily, sometimes several times a day so it does make it difficult to keep the lid clean. Glad to know how to do this without breaking it!

You don't have to take it apart. Put lemons and water in the bottom turn it on dear let it come to a boil then close the lid. Let it steam for five to ten minutes. Then use a bottle brush that bends in place and scrub. It is super easy. You don't need soap because the steam loosened everything.

I did mine just like Scott did yesterday. Unfortunately two of the screws were already chewed or whatever but I managed to get them out with small pliers. The other two came out ok. I also suggest that you put cling film or something over the pot because I dropped one screw and had to undo the plate underneath the ninja( easy enough to do btw) to get it out. When it came to replace the screws I used 3.5 mm x 10mm bolts and they do a real neat job. I used a mini steam cleaner as well and it sure made the job easier. My ninja looks really good now.

GJ....i started like you with soapy water...at the time when "elboy grease" was required I changed to Baking Soda and a bit of water to make a paste...that did the trick

Thanks so much for posting things, Scott! On my model, the screwdriver was impeded by a small "nob" in the center of the screw, so I used my snub-nosed pliers to remove the screws.

Thanks for this. Any tips on how to take apart the base? I keep getting "add pot" error and need to investigate

I spray a small amount of oven cleaner in the top of the air fryer put about 2 cups of water in the inter pot bring it to a boil close the lid and cut it off after about 2 minutes so the stem can pernitrate the air fryer let it set for about 15/20 munities all scum from the air fryer will have dripped off into the water in the inter pot just dump the scum down the drain leave the led on the air fryer open to dry the air fryer will look like it's never been used.

My cousin gave me one of these machines for free I heard they were life-changing but I have one that you cannot remove the lid it is impossible to clean. But when I flipped it upside down I saw all the grease. I instantly wanted to disassemble it to get all the grease out of there but now I know I should not do that so thank you for your video it gave me a jumpstart on how to clean my ninja air fryer. It’s a shame that it’s a mini stove that you can’t just replace the filter on. Thank you though I watched this before I actually disassembled my air fryer so I did not ruined something that is life-changing

Thanks for the detailed instructions. Really Ninja needs to do a better job here for accessibility.

you should use a bottle washing brush with plastic covered twisted wire and the bristles about 3/4" diameter.

Thanks not many are willing to tell their secrets about this machine cleaning but maybe no Ninja will make a machine that is easier to clean. The problem with a foodi is that once you own one thats all you use to cook with and that means your oven stays clean but the foodi needs attention. Thanks again

I used your method and it worked great! Thanks for sharing as my Ninja Foodi was a real mess. Looks great now!

I like the idea of the Ninja Foodi ,but if its going to become basically unhygienic after normal use I'll leave it well alone, Ninja has to radically rethink the design, I think the only way to get it looking spotless again would be to use a handheld steam cleaner with small brush attachments.

In sweet savants video she used a brush cleaner for bottles to get in there without removing the lid and it worked great! I’m gonna use your lid removal method along with the bottle cleaning brush ! Thanks!

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought taking apart would be beneficial to deep cleaning. Thanks. T15 =Torx bit #15

The easiest way to clean it is by putting about 5 to 6 cups of hot water in the cooking pot (cooking pot have to be clean), set it to steam for 20 minutes, when time is up, turn off the unit, when it cool off wipe & dry everything. Do this after every used, you would never have to go through that type of cleaning you are showing in this video. Doing this process it will come out completely clean. For the newest model, remove the silicone Ring and wipe it clean without stretching the Ring after the steaming cycle is complete (always wait until the unit cool off to do this).

This was very helpful. I need to find a way to clean mine, because it keep making my smoke alarms go off!!!

I bought my Ninja in December 2019 and mine needs a t15 security bit. The screw has a pin in the middle. Used a Wera Z Torx BO bit

Been going back and forth between foodie and instant pot crisper. The difficulty cleaning the lid may be the deal breaker. If insta is easier to clean might go with that.

You can put water in pot heat with a lemon in it. Take a bendable bottle brush round and stick it up under the cap the grease will come off easier when damp

I just tried cleaning mine and soooo nasty... This helped so much!!! Thank you

THANK YOU so much for this video!! You are saving me! I made a cake in mine and it got too big and baked up and around the element! A total nightmare. I absolutely had to take it completely apart. I don’t even care about the warrantee because it was my fault and probably wouldn’t have been replaced anyway. The lack of having the name of the specific hex was what was so frustrating to me- and you saved the day!

Thank you from Ontario Canada .

This is exactly whet I’ve been looking for! Pretty silly that Ninja didn’t make this easier to do. I first put a paste of baking soda & dawn, let it soak for a couple of minutes. Very little elbow grease required & this machine was nasty before cleaning. Thanks for the video!

Thank you for this video! I was about to throw it out and my husband said “I want to take it apart!” I lost our bet but I don’t have to replace my Ninja Foodi 😂

Thanks for the tips. My model doesn't have the guard in front of the heater element. I saw on another site that those are Torx type screws & that the right size is #15.

Thank you for this video. .i cleaned mine today and it looks amazing ❤

They could have made that burner unplug. Stoves uses burner, and they’ve unplugged for decades.

The t on the screwdriver bits stands for torx , So it's called a torx 15 screwdriver. Here in the UK. We can buy them separately. or as a kit.

Do you know that element can be replaced in a service application so I’m sure it comes out but you’d have wiring than that you would have exposed so you know you don’t wanna put easy off on something like that you want you could get into that fan and everything. I wonder if a surface center could install a burner that unplugs

I use a chopstick and a dishcloth for the area behind the heating coil. First add lemon juice, detergent and water to the basket and let it run for 10 minutes at 200 degrees, this dissolves the grease better.

steam lemon or vinegar water first to boil...use a regular lid that fits then bottle brushes and it works great

Thank you for sharing. I love to cook in Ninja Foodi but cleaning the aircrisp lid is a bit problem.

Thanks Scott , very useful , now I know its a T-15 bit , just what I needed to know.

Hello Scott, Thank you for you video. It is helpful. I cleaned mine without talking the lid off. With a sponge and knife and I used Dawn Platinum Powerwash Dish Spray, and it comes out easy. How do you rise yours?

Will not work on the new machines. They use T-15 security screws so you need security bit T-15. Basically the same thing but with a hole in the middle.

i dont thinks a issue of removing the heating element. once you remove the screw it's either wired or it has a slot connection. reason why it's good to remove the element is to access the fan so you can do a good clean up of the fan so it spins freely and balanced. if the fan becomes unbalanced from all that grease the bearings will eventually fail. and then you have a bigger problem.

It is a t15 safety torx. Do not ever use a regular torx on safety torx screws it will strip the head of the screw over time. We use them all the time and you can find them at Lowe’s and Home Depot.

thx for posting, this is great help

you can pull the element out a few inches. they are connected to two braided cables. if you pull it out you can clean behind much more easily.

just a heads up for those of you trying this. Quick background, our food I hasn’t been cleaned for nearly a year. I know, it’s gross. I used Easy Off oven cleaner (blue can). I removed the screen with a T15 security bit, and also removed the Philips screw for the heating element. The element is hardwired and does not come off so just let it sit off out of the way. I sprayed behind the element and inside the fan assembly. I then reattached the heating element with the single screw, and let the oven cleaner penetrate. Poured two cups of water in the pot, set it on broil at 450 for 10 minutes. Let it sit for an hour. Open it up, remove the element screw again and sprayed warm soapy water and started scrubbing with a toothbrush. It helps to also rotate the nut on the fan to fling off any crap stuck behind it. I used a 10mm socket here. Don’t attempt to remove the fan assembly by holding it, as it is super sharp and thin gauge steel. Bending it throws off its balance. You can repeat the above steps until it’s clean enough for your liking. Then just reattach everything in reverse order, boil another pot of water and lemon slices to eliminate and santize any remaining grease, and you’re back in business.

I just got one of these (slightly diff model) and I figure using my hand-held steam cleaner might work, what do you think?

Hello, have you ever had issues with the heating element not heating up? And if so, were you able to fix it?

Thanks Scott.

The T15 TORX driver has to be hollowed out for this to work on the later models'. These screws have a pin in the center and you must buy a hollow TORX set to remove the newer one.

I LOVE MY FOODI. I need another, because steak isn't the same angelic meal without it.

Brillo pads work great !

Just what I needed to know thxs Scott I felt their had to be away to clean it great job just got mine so going to stay on it

I find getting the Pot back to normal difficult even in a dishwasher which they recommend in their manual.

Thank You for this video Ninja needs to rethink (cleaning) the unit

Thanks for the upload Scott.Have just bought the Ninja foodi..great cooker but by the look of it not the easiest to clean ! When I do come to clean it I reckon instead of using a knife with the sponge i'll use it with a thin wooden spatula or wrap the sponge around some chop sticks,just abit worried the knife may slip through the sponge and cause damage.

Couldn’t you use a baby toothbrush for the hard to reach places? I haven’t tried yet, but hopefully it can get in there a bit easier.

I removed the air Crisp lid before to clean it with no problem. I'm trying to clean it again but the T15 torx bit won't unscrew the screws. It looks like there is a bit in the middle of the screw raised out so the T15 would need a hole in it to unscrew. I have a pic but unable to out it on here

I wonder if a steamer like one people use on wrinkled clothes will help?

Is it going to be more difficult to clean the combo lid on the newer models? Just curious. And ... just saying ... dawn has harmful chemicals. Just because we call it soap, doesn't mean that it's a good thing to use.

great video. your heating element has the same dark marks at the bottom of it that mine has... clearly it's exposed to food debris, grease, etc... i wonder if that will be the ruin of it eventually no matter how well you clean the rest

Can the whole lid be taken off. I don’t use the air fryer lid at all.

Thank you!

On my unit I had to get a Torx-15 (T-15) with a hole in the end to fit the screws.

Thank you !!!! I was battling this a lot ... this is so helpful :)

Love the ninja but man I wish they made the top easier to clean... thnx 🤙

How did you get the cover off the machine not the burner over but actual top

I use 91% rubbing alcohol. But these are great ideas too.

I bought my Ninja Foodi August 2020 and my screws are not T15 they have a piece of metal in the center of the screw. Any idea what it’s called?

need to corect torx size i just wnet and bought a torx t 15 and got back and was to big , now have to go back and get a t 14 or smaller , and its not a hex it a torx bit

My Ninja does not have a heating element guard and the element can't be removed. I am going to use Easy Off.

Any suggestions on how to clean the fan?

GREAT VIDEO!!

I RECEIVED ONE AIR FRYER, ON 2021 MOTHERS DAY, AT THE BEGUINING I WAS USINING A LOT BUT ALL THOSE VENTS MAKE THE HOUSE STINKY, I CLEAN IT AFTER EVERY USE WITH VINEGAR WATER I DONOT LET IT GET LAKE YOURS, BUT YES IS DIFICULT TO CLEAN THE FAN, I HAVE NOT USE IT FOR A WHILE I DONOT LIKE THE SMELL IN THE HOUSE. IN THE LINE UP I MEAN "LIKE NOT LAKE.

What if I took out those screws 😬 out to the element?? How would I reconnect it? HELP!!!!! PLEASE!!!!

Exactly what I was looking for..I`m going to use a child`s toothbrush . I used it for the channel inside the lid and it filled the ticket. (the Foodi was gifted to me after they decided they didnt like it). Very hard kitchen gadget to clean.

Hi Scott - Thanks for your great video. Can you send me what socket kit you purchased and where?

Okay, I watched a lot of these and really did not learn anything other than do the best you can. I cleaned my machine very well and I will tell you how. 4 screws and one 10mm nut. Remove the top screen by removing the 4 screws. Then remove the 10mm reversed threaded nut and pull the Circulating fan plate. After that, you can reach and clean every component of the foodi very well. My foodi is as clean as it was the day I purchased it.

Easy-off oven spray, then shove a few papertowels under the element & work them back & forth & around. It takes a while, but I didnt have to remove any of the torx screws😉

I have a T15 but it doesn't take out the screws.

Very glad I found this video. Thank you so much. I just spent all morning air frying wings, so, splatter all over.

My ninja foodi has a filter in front of it I wash the filter it's a mesh filter and I have the same unit that you have picture of

Could you get some of the dark on the fan with gentle moist sponge scrubbing on the side OPPOSITE the plug for the element so you can lift it slightly to clean it as it goes around. Jus asking ?

U can get those screws out with a small pair of pliers fyi.

Burner needs to be a plug in like the old stoves that would it easy to clean

Maybe try bbq grill cleaner...it's food safe.

Great video. I needed that info. 🙌🏻

thank you for the t 15 torx bit information , appreciate it

The element will come out enough to remove the fan. There is enough slack in the wires. And you will need a security torx bit with the hole in the center.

Nicely done.. something I do with my Ninja Air Fryer is to wrap a half or quarter of a sheet of paper towel around a clean used chopstick then tape it into place so it becomes like a large q-tip.. then I can clean around & under the fan unit better. I try to do it every time as mine doesn’t have a protective grate and I would have to remove the element every time.. its certainly not as clean as yours but does get the residual oil up so it doesn’t smell like burnt oil when using it.

It’s called a torque bit. That’s what the T stands for T-15. Nice job though. Thank you

The screwdriver head you used, does it have kind’ve and indentation in the tip of it, cause of what kinda pokes out in the middle of those screws?

Put a couple cups of water in it-- add some vinegar...and set it on STEAM for 10 min.... and remove the grill guard and wipe it clean.

Not him presenting a 100x cleaner ninja crisp than mine. 😂😂😂😂

don't you lose your warranty if you unscrew it?

What is the tool you used to take off the part at the time of 3:06 min

The manufacturers that make this stuff needs to come up with a better idea.Instead of screws they should have clamps of some sort where you can unclamp remove the cover unclamp the heating element then unplug it like you do on your regular stove and even find someway to unclamp the fan blade mechanism to where the whole unit could come out so you can hold anything in your hand and wipe it clean and then somehow make it easier to move the backing plate and take that out and wash it that’s why I don’t even bother with buying any of the air fryers because to maintain clean and try to get in between the nooks and crannies you spend a half hour cleaning every time you use it and that’s a deterrent from using it in my opinion. and if you don’t clean it it gets nasty but it’s impossible to clean without having have all the right tools to do so I’m not that much of a handyman myself so between working 60 hours a week I don’t have time to do all that I just wish they would make it easier to clean because it would be nice to have some of these items but they’re just too much trouble to keep clean because you simply cannot get to the area to clean 🤷🏼‍♂️

Hi Scott, thanks for the T15 reference. I have two toolsets and there was nothing in there that fitted. Subscribed👍

Just bought one.. it’s impossible to clean properly. It’s going back

I was told if we remove that guard it voids the warranty. But they do need to make something to clean it!!

One of my screws, stripped or messed up