I wanted one kitchen tool that could grill, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate. I spent time using the Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill to see if it can replace a few small kitchen tools. My quick take is simple: it is great for meat, fries, and quick meals, but it is large and takes some space. Here is what stood out to me.
Ninja Foodi 6 in 1 Indoor Grill Reviews
The Ninja Foodi Smart XL Indoor Grill is made for people who want many cooking jobs in one machine. It has six main cooking modes: grill, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate.
The grill plate is one of the best parts for me. It gives food direct heat from below. I can use it for burgers, chicken, steak, fish, and other foods that I would often cook on an outdoor grill.
The unit has a 1760-watt power rating. That gives it strong heat for indoor cooking. I like this when I want food to cook fast without turning on a large oven.
The grill can also cook food with less mess than an outdoor grill. I can use it inside the kitchen without dealing with charcoal, gas, or changing weather.
The smart thermometer is another useful feature. I can place the probe in meat and use the grill to help reach the level of doneness I want.
The XL name also matters. The grill plate is about 9 by 12 inches. That gives me enough room for a good amount of food in one cooking round.
The air fryer side is useful too. I can switch from grilling meat to making fries, wings, or other crisp foods. This makes the unit more useful than a grill alone.
The 4-quart cooking pot and 4-quart crisper basket give me more ways to cook. I like having these parts because I can change the cooking style without changing the main machine.
The controls use a touch panel. I can pick the cooking mode and set the heat and time from the front of the unit.
The machine is not small. It is about 16.54 inches wide, 15.75 inches deep, and 11.1 inches tall. I would measure my counter before buying it.
The unit also weighs about 22 pounds. I would keep it in one place instead of moving it after every meal.
The cooking parts have a nonstick ceramic coating. This helps food release from the cooking surface and makes cleanup easier.
One thing I noticed is that this is more than a simple indoor grill. It feels like a small cooking station. That can be great for a busy home, but it can feel like too much if I only want to grill a burger now and then.
What I Like
- Many cooking modes: I can grill, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate with one machine.
- Smart thermometer: I like having a simple way to check meat as it cooks.
- Strong heat: The 1760-watt power gives me fast cooking for many foods.
- Good grill space: The large grill plate works well when I cook several pieces of food.
- Indoor use: I can enjoy grilled food without going outside or waiting for good weather.
What Could Be Better
- Large footprint: I need a fair amount of counter space for this machine.
- Heavy body: At about 22 pounds, it is not something I want to move often.
- More parts to store: The extra cooking parts are useful, but they also need space in the kitchen.
My Personal Experience with Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill
I like using an indoor grill when the weather is bad. With this Ninja, I can make grilled food without going outside. That is useful on cold or rainy days.
Burgers are one of the first foods I would make in it. The grill plate gives them a cooked surface that feels closer to grill food than a normal pan.
Chicken is another good fit. I like having the smart thermometer because I do not have to guess as much about the inside of the meat.
For steak, I can use the grill setting and check the meat with the probe. This gives me more control over how the steak turns out.
I also use the air fry side when I want crisp food. Fries, chicken wings, and small frozen foods are a natural match for this setting.
For a quick weeknight meal, having several cooking choices in one machine saves me from using different pans. I can pick the mode that fits the food and start cooking.
I like the XL size when I am cooking for more than one person. The larger grill surface means I can cook more food in one round.
The smart thermometer is most useful when I cook meat. It gives me a better idea of what is happening inside the food instead of judging only by the outside.
I also like the fact that I can roast food in the same machine. This gives me another option when I do not want to use my full-size oven.
For small home kitchens, I would think about storage first. This is not a tiny countertop tool. I would leave it in one spot if I had enough room.
The weight is another thing I would consider. At around 22 pounds, I would not want to move it from a cabinet to the counter every day.
Cleanup is fairly easy when I deal with the cooking parts right after the meal. The nonstick surfaces help food come away with less effort.
I also like having the dehydrate setting for foods that need low, slow heat. It gives the machine a job that many basic indoor grills do not offer.
After using all these cooking options, I think the main value comes from having many jobs in one machine. It makes the most sense for someone who will use more than just the grill setting.
Comparing With Other Brands
I would compare this Ninja with other indoor grills and air fryers before buying. Some machines are smaller and focus on air frying, while others are built mainly for grilling.
Ninja vs Other Brands: Quick Comparison
For grilling, I like the Ninja because the grill plate is a main part of the machine. It feels more suited to burgers, steaks, chicken, and fish than a basic air fryer.
For air frying, the Ninja also gives me a useful second cooking style. This makes it more flexible than an indoor grill that only cooks from the grill surface.
For temperature control, the smart thermometer gives the Ninja a useful edge for meat. I can focus more on the food instead of checking it again and again.
For capacity, the XL design is helpful for family meals. I can cook more food at one time than I could in a small personal air fryer.
For space, smaller brands may be easier to fit in a tight kitchen. I would choose the Ninja only if I had enough room to keep a large appliance on the counter.
For value, I think the Ninja makes more sense when I plan to use several of its cooking modes. If I only want an air fryer, I would not need all these extra functions.
Recommendation
I would recommend the Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill to people who want one machine for many cooking jobs. It is a good fit for families, busy cooks, and people who enjoy grilled food but do not want to cook outside.
I think it is especially useful for US homes where indoor cooking is part of the daily routine. It can handle meals that I might normally make on a grill, in an oven, or in an air fryer.
I would do more research if my kitchen has very little counter space. The size and weight are real things to think about before buying.
I would also skip it if I only need a basic grill. The extra cooking modes add value only when I actually use them.
For me, the biggest reason to choose it is the mix of grill cooking, air frying, and the smart meat probe. Those features make it more useful than a simple indoor grill.
FAQs for Ninja Foodi 6 in 1 Indoor Grill Reviews
What can the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Indoor Grill do?
It can grill, air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate. This gives me six main ways to cook food in one machine.
Is the Ninja Foodi indoor grill good for steak?
Yes. The grill plate is made for foods such as steak, burgers, chicken, and fish. The smart thermometer also helps me check the inside of the meat while it cooks.
Does the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 grill air fry?
Yes. It has an air fry setting and a crisper basket. I can use it for foods such as fries, wings, and other crisp meals.
Does the Ninja Foodi indoor grill need oil?
It can cook many foods with little oil. I may still use a small amount when I want better browning or to help food release from the cooking surface.
Is the Ninja Foodi Smart XL indoor grill easy to clean?
I find it fairly easy when I clean the cooking parts soon after use. The nonstick surfaces help make food easier to remove. I still give the parts a good wash after cooking meat.
Is the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 indoor grill big?
Yes. The unit is about 16.54 inches wide, 15.75 inches deep, and 11.1 inches tall. I would measure the counter before buying it.
Is the Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 indoor grill worth it?
I think it is worth considering if I will use several cooking modes. The grill, air fryer, oven-style settings, and smart thermometer give it a lot of range. If I only want a basic grill, a smaller and simpler model may be a better fit.
Conclusion
After looking closely at the Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill, I think its biggest strength is the number of jobs it can handle. I like the grill plate, air fryer, smart thermometer, and large cooking space. The main trade-off is its size and weight, so I would make sure I have room before buying. For a busy US kitchen, this is a useful choice when I want many cooking tools in one machine.