![]() ![]() It also doesn't do enough to set itself apart from its much cheaper competitors. In general, the Ninja is a satisfactory slow cooker, but for simple set-and-forget recipes it can overcook. And although a slight majority of our taste testers gave the Ninja's fall-apart pot roast high marks, the minority thought it was overcooked and ranked it near the bottom. Slow cooking white beans on low for six hours also yielded overcooked results (although the Ninja did much better when we repeated the recipe on high for three hours). After slow cooking chicken on high for four hours, the Ninja produced a dry, overcooked bird compared to the juicier, more tender results we saw from the lower wattage machines. Not every recipe in the Ninja came out on top. This egg-centric spin on mac and cheese turned out best in the Ninja. Another recipe, a slow-cooked spin on macaroni and cheese, turned out to be a bit "eggy," tasting more like quiche than mac 'n' cheese, but almost all of us enjoyed the Ninja's crusty, golden brown batch more than any of the others. A simple recipe for pot roast had us cooking a 2.5-pound cut of beef on low for six hours at the end, the Ninja's pot roast was one of the most well done, and one of the most well-received by a majority of our taste testers. This faster approach to slow cooking was evident as the Ninja progressed through our cooking tests. That peak temperature, 207 degrees Fahrenheit, is a bit hot for a low setting, but not as hot as the temperatures the other cookers we tested ultimately reached, especially the Breville Slow Cooker with EasySear, which brought the water all the way up to a rolling boil when we set it to low. I found that on low, the Ninja brought a pan full of water up to peak temperature faster than any other unit we looked at. Not surprisingly, this means that the Ninja slow-cooks a bit more aggressively than you might be used to. The Ninja uses 1,200 watts of power, which is a lot for a slow cooker (many low-end models will draw only a few hundred watts). Additionally, the lid tends to slide off rather easily while you're moving the cooker, meaning that the Ninja isn't as travel-friendly as some of the other slow cookers we tested.Īll of this is great, but none of it means a thing if the food doesn't taste good. This can be frustrating, since lifting the lid during slow cooking lets out heat, thereby extending cooking time. ![]() ![]() The result is a unified looking design, but also one that doesn't let you see your food without lifting the lid. The lid (which, unlike the pan it covers, is not dishwasher safe) was another source of frustration, as Ninja chose to pass on glass in favor of a material that matches the body of the cooker. When it comes time to pull the pan away from the heat, you'll definitely need a pair of potholders. As for the pan, it doesn't have any sort of rubberized grip on its rather small handles, the way the handles on the base of the cooker do. In oven mode, for instance, you won't get any indication of whether the machine is hot enough to begin cooking or if it's still preheating - it's either on or off, as far as Ninja is concerned. That said, if all you're looking for is the set-and-forget experience of a reliable slow cooker, there are less expensive models out there that will do the job just fine. If you're looking for a versatile, multifunctional cooking appliance capable of subbing for your oven or range, I'd say that the Ninja is worth the $199 price tag (and the chances are good that you'll be able to find it marked down at major retailers such as Target and Wal-mart). Eager home chefs could easily use the Ninja for steam baking, and that's especially exciting, given that most countertop steam ovens will cost you at least $250, if not significantly more. Its stovetop and oven capabilities bring new dimensions of versatility to the slow cooker, and they do it without sabotaging the appliance's calling card: simplicity. Recipe after recipe, it delivered satisfying results, usually finishing at or near the top with a majority of our taste testers. With well-established brands like Crock-Pot and Hamilton Beach putting out highly rated slow cookers at less than a third of that price, could the Ninja really be worth it?Īs my colleagues discovered with Ninja's take on the blender last year, I found that this Ninja's performance didn't disappoint. The Ninja promises faster food prep with delicious results, with recipes ranging from slow-roasted chicken to steam baked chocolate lava cakes - but it costs a hefty $199. ![]()
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