Ninja Air Fryer Won’t Open? (Why + Fix)

A ninja air fryer is easy to use, but you can also experience some problems with its parts. Some users reported that their ninja air fryer won’t open which prevents them from inserting the items in the frying basket. 

If you have the same problem with your unit, don’t panic as this can be fixed very easily.

The Ninja air fryer won’t open when some crumbs or any particles are stuck between the frying basket and the upper body. However, this will open when you push the frying basket forward yourself. Be sure the unit will not fall on the floor when you try to get off the stuck part. So do it slowly.

Let’s understand how you can open a Ninja air fryer that won’t open.

Ninja Air Fryer Won't Open? (Why + Fix)

Why won’t Ninja Air Fryer Open?

The Ninja air fryer has a basket where users put their food to prepare. This has a handle to open it and remove it from the appliance. If the user overloads it or doesn’t clean it, it can get stuck inside the air fryer.

If the food crumbs are stuck between the basket and the upper air fryer part, this will not allow the Ninja air fryer to open. However, if you often clean the basket, this cannot happen.

Make sure you’re opening the Ninja air fryer basket in the right direction. If you’re new to this appliance you may not know how it opens. First, you hold the handle of the basket and try to open it by applying force toward yourself. 

This device cannot open upward or downward. It only opens when you hold the handle and stretch torn yourself.

You don’t need to panic when this is not opening. If the unit is brand new and not opening, there may be a manufacturing flaw. Consider checking if the basket is not connected to the upper part with material bonding. 

All the sides of the basket from the air fryer should be free and has no material bonding to remove it from their position.

How to Fix a Ninja Air Fryer That won’t Open?

You have to take different approaches to open the Ninja air fryer. Be sure you first understand and read the user manual given with the new unit, so you can know whether you were opening it correctly or not. 

If you know the instructions to open it but it won’t open, you have to try the methods described next.

First, if the unit is brand new and you have never used it before, you must see if there are manufacturing flaws or not. Look at all sides of the frying basket(it is a container where we insert food to cook). 

If the basket is stuck and looks like it has material bonding with the upper part, there are manufacturing flaws. And also when something is knocking inside the unit. In this case, you should contact the manufacturer and ask for service.

If there is no manufacturing flaw but still it won’t open, intentionally look at the area where the basket top is attached to the device. If some dirt or crumb is there, they can only be removed when you try to open the basket forcefully. 

Be sure nothing can break when you apply hard force. This will remove and open the stuck ninja air fryer.

Once it will open, you should consider cleaning it. Have a clean piece of cloth and wipe it on all sides of the basket. 

Must clean the upper side where the heating element is located. Make sure the heating element is cool before cleaning the Ninja air fryer.

Can You Open a Ninja Air Fryer While Cooking?

Sometimes we need to open the Ninja air fryer while it is cooking something. This is good to know whether you should open it or not.

It is fine to open a Ninja air fryer while cooking. Just remove its basket from the front, no need to turn off the device. Although it is possible, you must take care of your safety. 

Don’t put your hand inside the basket area when the Ninja air fryer is on whether the basket is there or not. Once you open it, consider putting it back within one or two minutes.

If you don’t put it back sooner, the item inside the basket will not get fried properly as the time gets wasted. First, you must think if it is necessary to basket or not. 

If you just want to see the dish’s texture, consider putting the basket back as soon as possible. This appliance continuously produces heat according to the declared time and temperature. 

If the basket is not there in the appliance, it will not stop working and time will get wasted when the basket is not there. 

You may have to reset the time and temperature again if you forget to put the basket back inside the Ninja air fryer.

How to Open a Ninja Air Fryer?

Must check which Ninja air fryer you have. As there are several air fryer models by Ninja, the opening instructions are different according to the design of the unit.

If you have a Ninja Foodi digital air fryer oven, you have it in the upright position to open it.

Once it is in an upright position, the bottom cover will open up. You have to manually open it. 

Hold the handle and apply a little force toward yourself. This will open a Ninja air fryer oven.