Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker 6L OP300UK review

The Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker 6L OP300UK is our pick as the best premium pressure cookers.

Its multiple cooking options, easy to navigate control panel and quick and intuitive features make it well worth worth stretching the budget on this large and versatile multi-cooker. The Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker has some of the best added extras compared to the models we've featured in our round up of the best pressure cookers for 2021.

Overall design

With its sleek black finish and large 43cm-high design, the Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker 6L OP300UK isn't an appliance that you can easily hide on the worktop. If you're looking to invest in a pressure cooker such as this model, you really do need ample space on the worktop in which to house it and make it a permanent fixture in your kitchen - as opposed to an appliance that you plan to hide away in the cupboard after use.

In the box you'll find a range of useful tools included such as a 'cook and crisp' basket with detachable diffuser for cooking a whole chicken and crisping it after. There is also a reversible rack for steaming veg or grilling meats and a removable cooking pot, which you'll need to make sure is inside every time you use it. Unlike many of the pressure cookers we have tested, the Ninja is a little different in that it comes with two lids - one for carrying out functions such as pressure cooking, steaming and slow cooking - and the other specifically designed to crisp and grill foods - for that authentic oven-cooked finish.

The crisping lid is permanently attached to the body of the design and when using the pressure lid you'll need to ensure there is space above the appliance so that the crisping lid can remain open - while this can seem a little annoying at first, it's something you soon get used to, and if you have the space it probably won't bother you at all.

Dimensions: H43cm x W36cm x D32cm| Capacity: 6L

Cleaning

Cleaning the appliance is relatively straightforward - as all the accessories such as the removable cooking pot, silicone ring, reversible rack and cook and crisp basket can all be put in the dishwasher. While the pressure lid can be washed with warm soapy water, cleaning the crisping lid is slightly more fiddly as you have to clean it with a wet cloth or paper towel after the heat shield cools and it can't be removed from the base.

The exterior of the model is easy to maintain as the sleek, black finish - including the control panel - can be cleaned with a simple wipe down of a cloth.

Performance

Functionality wise it does so much more than pressure cook, and has 7 main features in one - hence the name. First up, we were keen to find out how well it could pressure cook a chicken and fig tagine. We found its large capacity bowl a great size to add the ingredients and ensure everything was evenly places as opposed to being piled on top of each other. The control display is also one of the more easier to use designs we'd used too.

Before pressure cooking, we could make use of the Sear/Sauté setting to brown the chicken and onion, then we added the rest of the ingredients and switched to the Pressure Cook setting - choosing 25 minutes on high. What we particularly like about this model is how easily you can adjust the temperature and time to suit your dish - with simple arrows well positioned to the right and left of the main time display - so if you feel it's not quite cooked enough on the first attempt, it's easy to simply start up the appliance again.

Steam release

There are two ways to release the steam after cooking - the natural release way - and you'll need to factor in at least another 20 minutes at the end of your cooking time to make use of this mode - and a quick release method, which can be activated by manually switching the pressure release valve to the Vent position. We were very satisfied with the look and taste of the chicken and fig tagine, which had a good colour, felt tender when we pulled it with a fork and the dish came out piping hot.

While the exterior is cool to touch, the removable cooking pot lacks any handles so it can be hot and a little fiddly to remove - especially when wearing large oven mitts. There is a lot of steam that comes out when you lift off the pressure release When lifting off the pressure lid, a lot of steam escaped, so it's advisable to open the lid away from your face.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48YewAVAsvE

TenderCrisp technology

Aside from the pressure cooking setting, what makes this model stand out is its TenderCrisp technology with its specially designed lid with grill plate - which comes in addition to the pressure lid. This means you can air crisp foods after pressure cooking to give them that crispiness and crunch using little to no oil, or grill them to caramelise and brown foods, or use the bake/roast setting to bake Sunday afternoon treats.

The booklet in the box comes with 15 recipes to get you started and we used the Ninja to follow the Soy-Glazed Salmon & Bok Choy recipe. What we like most about the 'one-pot' aspect of an appliance like this is the fact that you can add ingredients as you go and end up with a complete meal. For example, we started by adding rice to the pot and pressure cooking for two minutes. Once this was complete we added the salmon and bok choy by placing it on a the reversible rack in the pot over the rice, and used the crisping lid for 15 minutes. Once the cooking was complete we could simply take all the ingredients out and plate up to very quick and impressive results.

Value for money

Now reduced to £179.99 the Ninja Foodi 7-in-1 Multi-Cooker 6L OP300UK this product is still not exactly cheap, but with its vast range of features - to steam, pressure cook, slow cook, saute, bake, grill and gives food an enticing crispy finish - we think it's great value. And, will make a fabulous addition to the kitchen.

If you’re willing to spend a little more on a slow cooker and looking for a premium model with extra functionality, you might like to look at our Ninja Foodi Mini 6-in-1 Multi-Cooker OP100U review. And don’t miss the rest of our kitchen appliance reviews.