Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker review

• Read our guides to the best charcoal barbecues and best gas BBQs

Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker first impressions

This BBQ was good to go straight out of the box, and we liked its wide feet and robust, smart-looking body. Its interface is clear and we had no issues using the dial to flick through the various functions. The hood has a good weight to it and is simple to lift using the large heat-proof handle across the front.

At 28cm x 37cm, the grill plate is a decent size and can fit eight burgers, 16 sausages, two racks of ribs or a 2kg pork shoulder at one time. It's also close to the ground but the underside stays cool during cooking, so you shouldn't need a heat-proof surface underneath – a real win in terms of safety and ease of use.

How easy is the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker to use?

We found the manual and quick-start guide were both detailed and well written, and getting the barbecue up to temperature took around 10 minutes. The distribution of heat across the grill was relatively even, but more intense in certain spots – this seemed to line up with the placement of the heating element underneath.

The front and sides of the barbecue were warm but safe to touch – the back got quite hot, however, so you'll still want to keep pets and children away.

The design is very intuitive, so navigating the various functions was a breeze. Like most Ninja gadgets, it also plays a pleasant little tune when you switch it on.

To use the smoker function, simply add one scoop of natural wood pellets to the smoker box on the right-hand side, then press the 'woodfire flavour technology' button after selecting the cooking function you want to use – the BBQ does the rest.

We found the wood pellets wouldn't ignite when the grill was still hot, and we had to wait for it to cool before the smoker kicked into action. We couldn't find any reference to this in the manual, but can only assume it's a safety measure to prevent the appliance from overheating.

The flex cord is 1.6m, which is a little short considering you can only use this gadget outdoors. On the plus side, cleaning the BBQ was very straightforward – the non-stick grill wipes clean easily, and the pellet scoop is dishwasher safe.

Cooking results

What we could achieve with the Ninja Woodfire Grill really impressed us, and once we got it going we loved using the smoker. Our sirloin steaks were juicy and tender, with good grill lines and the smoky flavour we were hoping for.

It also rendered some of the fat well, though it lacked the distinct 'barbecued' char you get when cooking over charcoal.

The steaks were medium-well done after six minutes of cooking, which is about what we expected based on the charts in the quick-start guide (it suggests three to six minutes for sirloin, and to flip halfway through cooking). It's worth adopting some trial-and-error depending on your preferences, though.

Our potato slices had clear grill lines after nine minutes of cooking on the grill setting (with the lid shut), but again they didn't taste barbecued – more like they'd been air-fried or baked. We found the same with courgette strips, which took six minutes to cook. Both were flavoursome and gently browned, however.

How sustainable is the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker?

Ninja says it's been making a conscious effort to package its products in recyclable materials – and we were pleased to find this was the case when unboxing our BBQ. The product was encased by paper and the box was made from cardboard, both of which could be recycled.

This model has a two-year guarantee, and some replacement parts (including the grill plate and crisper basket) are available to buy on the Ninja website.

If you're buying the Woodfire BBQ Grill as a replacement for an older Ninja product, you might also be eligible for the brand's Take Back scheme – this means Ninja will recycle your old product for you free of charge, as long as you return it within 28 days of buying the newer item.

Conclusion

For those who want the fun experience of outdoor cooking but have limited space, the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill is the perfect-sized gadget – and while it has a higher price tag, the versatility it offers is excellent.

It's worth bearing in mind that you won't achieve a classic 'barbecued' flavour with this grill, even with the smoker, and those looking for a more authentic char on their food will be better served by a charcoal barbecue.

The fact we couldn't ignite the wood pellets while the grill was hot was also confusing, and time could have been saved if there had been a reference to this in the manual.

But we love its sleek, compact look and easy-to-use controls, and the unique smoker function is a clever addition that really sets this electric barbecue apart from the rest.

Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker specifications

Brand: Ninja
Model: Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker
RRP: £349.99
Wattage: 2400W
Dimensions: ‎34 x 46 x 46 cm
Warranty: 2 years

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