Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 Multi-Cooker review: can this appliance save you time and energy in the kitchen?

We put the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 through its paces to see how it performed when cooking a variety of family meals

Price: Currently £149.99 at Amazon, £279.99 at Currys and £279 at AO

Telegraph rating: 9/10

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You might have heard of Ninja’s famous air fryers, but the brand is also known for other kitchen appliances such as the Ninja Foodi 8-in-1, which is one of the best slow cookers we’ve tried. It can also steam, bake, braise and more. They call these appliances multi-cookers. They range from a Mini 6-in-1 option to a Max 15-in-1.

This 11-in-1 Multi-Cooker falls somewhere in the middle, its six-litre capacity making it a good option for most families. Its ‘SmartLid’ has three positions to enable different cooking modes. The pressure cooking mode is so successful that the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 came top in our test of the best pressure cookers. This is a longer, more detailed version of that review.

The Ninja Foodi is easily the largest kitchen appliance that I’ve tested, even compared to Ninja’s own two-drawer air fryer. But since it has the ability to air fry, I haven’t felt the need to have both out on the counter at once. Just as well, because its rather hefty dimensions do mean that it takes up a significant amount of space. You also need somewhere to keep its cook-and-crisp basket and the cooking rack. This appliance might not be suitable for smaller kitchens.

Its weight is its only real negative. At almost 11kg, it isn’t the easiest of items to pick up and move around, which wasn’t ideal when I was initially trying to manoeuvre it from its delivery box into my kitchen. It was a bit of a struggle to pick it up and get it in place, so much so that I knew that I wouldn’t be able to store it in a cupboard, only to bring it out as and when I needed it. So, you do need to be happy to have it out on display in your kitchen.

But thankfully it fits in well with my existing kitchen decor, with the functional, stainless steel design matching some of the other steel appliances and design features in that room.

Having never used a pressure cooker or multi-cooker before, I was a little bit worried that it would take some time for me to understand how to use every function. I needn’t have worried when it came to this appliance.

I would, however, recommend reading the illustrated instruction guide before using it for the first time. This offers a step-by-step guide to everything from moving the SmartLid slider, to safely using the pressure release valve and setting the time and temperature. Having this laid out in such an easy to follow way made using it for the first time – and every subsequent time – simple and straightforward.

The buttons were well marked out and the lid and catch opened and closed without issue each time. My parents, who aren’t always the best at mastering new technology, were also able to use this straight away without any problems (after giving the illustrated instruction guide a quick read). We found it really helpful to have this close by whenever we went to use the Ninja Foodi.

The Foodi’s 11 cooking functions – or 12 if you count the keep-warm feature – allowed me to achieve everything that I was hoping to, when cooking my favourite foods and trying out new recipes. There are obviously pressure cookers and multi-cookers which offer more – or fewer – functions, but I was happy with this specific number.

As well as pressure-cooking cuts of meats, you can bake a range of pastries and cakes, grill, sear steaks, caramelise onions, steam vegetables and cook rice, slow cook over the course of many hours, dehydrate vegetables and herbs, and even make your own yoghurt, all without having to switch between different pots or devices.

Its combi-steam modes, which allow you to utilise steam while air frying and baking, resulted in juicy and flavourful food. This function really made it stand out from its competitors. You can use everything from stock to sauce, wine or water to infuse whatever you’re cooking with more moisture, making it even more succulent and tender. This worked really well when cooking meats, casseroles and stews.

To really put the Ninja Foodi to the test I tried cooking everything from fluffy rice and stews to crispy fries, soup and an entire spatchcock chicken. Every dish was cooked to perfection.

I followed the accompanying recipe book and cooking instructions. They included a wide range of traditional dishes and meals, some of which I might not have initially considered cooking in the multi-cooker. The timings were all spot on, giving the exact number of minutes and pressure level and taking all the guesswork out of how long I should be cooking anything for. This reliability was a real plus for me.

The keep-warm feature kept the food ready without overcooking it. This was particularly handy on days when I wanted to have my dinner ready to eat at a specific time, such as after work.

The six-litre, non-stick cooking pot, which is used for pressure cooking and an array of other cooking functions, is dishwasher safe, as are the single-tier rack and the 3.7-litre non-stick cook and crisp basket. Not all multi-cookers are this easy to clean.

I also tried hand washing the different components, just to check how they would fare when cleaning with warm water and washing up liquid. This was just as quick. I didn’t have to scrub or use any real elbow grease, as I had with a few of the other pressure cookers that I’ve used in the past.

If you have the space to leave it out on the counter-top, it is professional looking and doesn’t stick out or look unappealing in your kitchen. But you really do need that space, as you can’t easily move this big, heavy appliance around or store it away out of sight when it’s not in use.

If you’re looking for an easy to use pressure cooker or multi-cooker that comes with a simple and straightforward guide, with images to take you through the different steps and cooking functions, the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid Six Litre Multi-Cooker is definitely worth considering.

Even if it’s your first time using a cooking appliance like this, it shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes to get up to speed with it, with the buttons and well-marked tab allowing you to switch between different cooking modes, temperatures, pressures and timings.

It is worth noting that its rival from Instant Pot, the Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid Air Fryer and Multicooker, does have more cooking functions and a slightly larger capacity than the Ninja, so this might be something to consider if either of those are a dealbreaker for you. But given that the difference is only 0.2 of a litre and technically the Ninja has twelve cooking functions if you count the keep warm feature (which Instant Pot counts as one of its key features), there’s really not much difference in it.

One of the biggest distinctions is the price. At their recommended retail prices, the Instant Pot comes in at around £60 cheaper and I was able to find it on sale for just £99 at the likes of John Lewis, Lakeland and Argos. The Ninja is frequently discounted too. But you’d be wise to check prices of both if you’re in the market for a multi-cooker.

The Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker (£279.99) is slightly more expensive than the Instant Pot Duo Crisp (£220) when both are sold at their full RRP. However, with plenty of promotions running throughout the year, including Black Friday, you should be able to get either one for considerably less.

The Ninja has a total of 11 cooking functions, while the Instant Pot boasts 13 functions. This means that the Instant Pot can sous vide, roast and proof bread and other baked goods, while the Ninja cannot.

The Instant Pot cooking appliance has a slightly bigger capacity, at 6.2 litres to Ninja’s six. So, it’s not surprising that its dimensions are bigger too, which might be slightly offputting for those with a smaller kitchen or limited counter space.

With 11 functions in total, the Ninja Pressure Cooker can also air fry, grill, bake, sear/sauté, dehydrate and slow cook. There are also three steam settings – regular steam, steam air fry and steam bake. Plus, the device can be used to make your own yoghurt.

Yes. From the non-stick cooking pot to the non-stick cook and crisp basket and the single-tier rack, all of the interior components are dishwasher safe.

I tried washing them by hand as well, and had no issues cleaning them manually. While in terms of the exterior of the appliance, it can be cleaned with a damp microfibre cloth every so often to keep it looking its best. But I didn’t notice it amassing any dirt or grease over the weeks when I put it to the test.

The Ninja Pressure Cooker has a six-litre capacity overall. This should comfortably allow you to cook for six or seven people, or a similar amount of servings.

If you choose to air fry in it, the cook and crisp basket has a 3.7-litre capacity – more than enough to air fry everything from crispy chips to baked potatoes and chicken strips, with the cooking rack helping you to make the most of the vertical space inside the device.