A great choice for creative cooks who don’t have room for lots of appliances.
There are minor differences between different countries' models see specs section for a comparison.
It’s sized like a tall microwave, with a sideways-opening door and two internal trays.
If the switch is up, you can select any of the Combi cooking modes; if the switch is sideways, you can select the regular cooking modes
In practice, figuring out sheer number of modes and which one to use for what can be intimidating.
In my tests, the standalone modes all worked efficiently, with expected results.
That’s the short version; read on for my full Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker review.
If the switch is up, you can select any of the Combi cooking modes; if the switch is sideways, you can select the regular cooking modes
you’re free to buy direct from SharkNinja, or via various third party retailers.
The list price is $229.99.
In the UK, the list price is 279.99, with no accessories bundled in.
The Combi offers a wide range of cooking modes, accessed via the control panel
That’s noticeably more expensive than the US option.
The door opens sideways, and cooking trays slot into the cavity.
you’ve got the option to fit two of these in at once.
The companion booklet is very useful, and there’s also plenty of info available online
The cavity is, apparently, large enough to fit a 6lb chicken or a 10-inch pizza.
These plates and pans are dishwasher-safe.
The control panel uses buttons rather than a touchscreen.
You can switch the light on/off manually, can it’ll come on automatically for the last minute of cooking
There are separate up and down arrows for temperature, time and cooking function.
A small, illuminated LED display provides information.
Those are the less exciting controls.
Condensation will build up when the Combi is preparing to use any of the ‘Combi’ cooking modes
The cool bit is the SmartSwitch on the top right of the Combi.
This will create steam in the cooking chamber.
However, there’s no dedicated Defrost mode.
That’s my understanding, anyway - it’s surprisingly hard to make sense of.
On the UK model I tested, the temperature officially ranges from 120C to a generous 230C.
It’ll actually go lower for proving / proofing it kicks in at an automatic 35C in that mode.
This channel quickly fills up with condensed water, and there’s no way to easily empty it
It’s not too noisy in use, although the bleeping did throw me off a bit.
The display is great for providing all the basic information you need.
When you switch it off, it bids you BYE.
Your rice or pasta goes in the bottom tray with water, while your protein goes on the top tray
The control panel is self-explanatory and very easy to use.
The most challenging bit of figuring out which setting you need.
During this time, dashes appear on the display, and the Combi emits a very quiet grumbling.
Vegetables to be steamed are added later in the cooking process
You will want to check that it’s positioned somewhere well-ventilated, or near an extractor fan.
The steam that doesn’t escape condenses on the inside of the viewing window.
Ninja has added a little channel where water can collect, so your worktop doesn’t end up soaked.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to empty it.
Combi cooking modes
One of the USPs here is the ability to ‘combi’ cook.
There are three dedicated Combi modes, and it’s not immediately clear what the difference is between them.
I started by testing the Combi Meals mode.
I decided to make brown rice, veggie meatballs, steamed courgette and leek, and roasted tomatoes.
I also had to add more water as the rice had dried out.
But that’s a regular air fryer, so you’d be sacrificing the steaming possibilities.
Timing mishaps aside, I was pretty impressed with the results of the Combi Meals setting.
The veggie balls ended up evenly browned and crispy on the outside, and the tomatoes roasted up nicely.
The rice and veggies were tender and slightly crispy on top.
I guess if you want to avoid any crispiness, you want to just use the steam mode.
I used the bake function for a range of heating-up tasks, and it performed reliably well.
I’d like to give a special shout-out to the dedicated Air Fry mode, too.
That was not the case with the Combi.
They were hot through and browned evenly on the outside.
I’d have no qualms recommending this model to someone for whom air frying was a particular priority.
Should you buy the Ninja Combi Multi-Cooker?
Don’t buy it if…
Your kitchen lacks ventilationIn any of the Combi cooking modes, the Combi emits quite a lot of steam.
It really needs to go near a window, or at least an extractor fan.
You want minimal effortCooking different food types at once does require a bit of figuring out.
Here are a couple of alternatives to consider.
There’s smart control via a companion app, and the option to instruct it via voice assistant too.
It’s also UK-only.
I assessed the results in terms of texture, evenness of cooking, and browning (if relevant).
those that feature a rice/pasta, vegetable, and protein component.
Read we test
First reviewed October 2024
