I remember a time when people only thought of Ninja as a blender they saw on an infomercial. Today, the company has come to dominate the kitchen aisles at Target and Walmart. They make an appliance for just about everything — food processors, coffee makers, juicers, cookware, ice cream makers and even indoor grills. No word yet on the brand’s expansion to outdoor grills, but the indoor grills — called the Ninja Foodi Grill, starting just above $200 full price — have become increasingly popular since their 2019 release. Ninja markets them sort of like an Instant Pot that grills instead of pressure cooks. Could it actually replace your grill? We tested it to find out.
What’s Good?
Maximum efficiency: It takes very little doing to cook in the Ninja Foodi Grill. On virtually any setting, its preheat times are significantly shorter than full-sized ovens, and because the machine has preset programs for most standard items (chicken breast, steak and so on), there’s no getting up from the sofa to check cooking progress. Unlike an oven set to broil or any temp above 400, it doesn’t super-heat the air in the room it’s located either, so you’re not opening windows or turning on the A/C for cooking respite.
Dishwasher-safe: There are many attachments, odds and ends used in cooking with the Ninja Foodi Grill (splatter shield, grates, grease catch, etc.). Initially, I didn’t realize all of them were dishwasher-safe, so I found myself washing each piece — cracks, crevices and gaps included — by hand. My advice read the manual in full before cooking. You won’t lose 20 minutes of your life scrubbing between grates.
Non-grilling functions: The cooking functions not in the name of the Foodi Grill are very good. The air-frying function does what any good air fryer should: preheat quickly, cook fast and deliver a satisfying crunch with minimal oil or fats required. It bakes well enough, too, which makes sense considering air frying is essentially baking by another name. I made a tray of brownies that came out perfectly.
