Cook all the things with the Cosori air-fryer toaster oven for $139.99
That's a Cheapskate exclusive and an all-time low on this Ninja Foodi-like 12-in-1 countertop cooker. Plus: iPad, speaker and movie deals!
During last month's Black Friday madness, I shared a deal on the Ninja Foodi air-fryer oven, which was discounted to around $200 (from $229) and was so popular, it sold out just about everywhere. Thankfully, there are alternatives -- countertop ovens that are not only available, but also less expensive.
Before we get to that, here are a few other deals you should know about today:
- The Owlee Scroll is not your average wireless speaker. For one thing, it's cylindrical. For another, it's wrapped in leather! And it comes in a cool box that kind of demands to be gifted. It currently sells for $120 on Amazon (albeit with a 25%-off coupon right now), but for a limited time, Cheapskate readers can get the Owlee Scroll speaker for just $49.99 with promo code CNETOWL. That's the lowest price I've ever seen for this perennial favorite.
- The Apple iPad 10.2 is back to its Black Friday price ($249.99) at Target, where you can also save an extra 5% if you use your Target RedCard. (No RedCard? Best Buy has it for the same price, just to give you another shopping option.) Some would argue that 32GB isn't enough storage for a modern tablet; I think it's enough to get by, provided you don't need to store a ton of videos.
- Calling all sci-fi fans! Vudu is having a mix-and-match sale right now: Three movies (or TV seasons) in HDX format for $15. My advice? Snag the first three seasons of Battlestar Galactica, arguably the single best sci-fi series of all time. (Here's my list of the 15 best moments from Battlestar Galactica.)
An oven you'll be lovin'
As noted above, the Ninja Foodi SP101 air-fryer oven is one of the hottest items of 2019 -- no pun intended. That's because it's not only an air-fryer (and a better one than most single-purpose models), but also a full-blown oven, able to toast, roast, broil, even dehydrate.
But good luck finding one: The thing is sold out at Amazon, Target, even Ninja proper. You know what's not sold out? The Cosori CO130 air-fryer oven for $139.99 with promo code 30CNET. It normally sells for $199.99 and is currently on sale for $169.99; this exclusive promo code nets you the lowest price to date.
Like the Foodi, the Cosori relies on a digital display and a couple function knobs and buttons. You use these to set the mode, time and temperature. It has presets for a dozen different cook options, including pizza (see you in hell, microwave!), toast, cookies, rotisserie and, of course, air fry.
It's not quite as wide or deep as the Foodi, which is good because that thing is huge. (However, it does have a great pivot-stand that lets it lift up and out of the way when not in use -- something the Cosori lacks.)
The oven has a 4.4-star average rating from over 100 buyers, though according to Fakespot and ReviewMeta, a large percentage of those ratings are questionable. As I've long noted, fake reviews don't necessarily indicate a bad product; you should read them for yourself and decide which ones seem legitimate.
Beyond that, I'll share what my cousin -- who lives in a small apartment and recently tried the oven -- had to say: "I liked the ease of use, though I was [initially] confused by the number of attachments. More pictures [in the manual] would have helped." But his first attempt at air frying tofu produced "quite tasty" results, and he says he would definitely recommend the oven to others.
One final note: Cosori backs the CO130 with a one-year warranty, but you can extend that to two years at no extra charge.
While I can't say firsthand whether this works exactly as well as the Foodi, it's similar in terms of looks and features. If you've been hoping to score Ninja's oven for the holiday, this might be the next best thing. (It's certainly a less-expensive alternative.)
Your thoughts?
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