Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker review: "easy to see why so many Mumsnet users swear by it"

RRP at time of testing: £230 | Check price at Amazon or Ninja directly 

What Mumsnet users say

Our verdict 

When it comes to versatility, it's hard to beat the Ninja OP350UK. On top of slow cooking, it can also function as an air fryer, pressure cooker, steamer, grill, amongst others, so while it's pricey, you get a lot for your money.

Our original tester, Sue, found it “a bit of a revelation once you get going” back in 2023. A few years later, that still feels about right. I’ll admit ours sat on the worktop for a good month before we actually used it. There’s something about pressure cooking that feels slightly… explosive. Irrational, probably, but it did put us off.

Once DH and I got past that, though, the appeal became obvious. Being able to sauté, pressure cook and then crisp in one pot actually does make life easier, especially midweek when no one has the energy for multiple pans. This is essentially Ninja’s “TenderCrisp” idea in action - cook things quickly under pressure, then switch lids and crisp them up at the end so they don’t feel like typical soft, slow-cooked food.

If you're willing to up the budget, you can pick up Ninja multi-cookers with even more functions (for example, the Foodi MAX OL750UK has 15 cooking modes), but ultimately, we think the Ninja OP350UK offers everything you'd need from a multi-cooker without tipping into features you’ll never touch.

Take care when lifting the box - it's heavy!

It's simple to use, and Sue loved how easy it was to clean. I’d agree. If something isn’t dishwasher-friendly, I’m not interested, and thankfully the pot, basket and rack all go straight in. Washing by hand is also fairly painless.

The results are impressive, too. Sue said the air fryer setting “cooked to perfection”, and we had similar success, though I’d say it’s not quite as fast as you might hope. Still quicker than the oven, just not dramatically so.

The downsides? It's bulky and heavy, although it could save on space compared to storing a few different gadgets. In our kitchen, it’s about the same height as our existing air fryer but rounder, and the black finish definitely makes a statement. You could store it away, in theory, but realistically it lives on the counter.

You will also need to change the lid over for certain functions, which adds a bit of extra faff. Sue wasn’t keen on this and said she’d prefer an all-in-one lid next time, and I can see why.

The main drawback, however, is the cost. At £230, it's a big investment, but if you can afford it, it earns its place over time as it replaces so many other appliances. It’s energy efficient too, which may soften the blow slightly. 

How we tested

We first asked Mumsnet users which slow cookers and multi-cookers they recommend, gathering feedback on ease of use, cleaning, versatility, design and results.

Sue then tested the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 over almost a year, using it regularly for family meals and trying out multiple functions.

For this update, I’ve had it in my own kitchen for two months. Full transparency: for the first half, it sat there while I avoided the pressure cooker setting. Once we started using it properly, mainly for simple recipes like roast potatoes and a few midweek dinners, we got a much better sense of where it fits into real life.

Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker: what's in the box?

You get everything you need to get started straight away, which is always a relief with something this multi-functional:

• Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi Cooker unit

• 6L cooking pot

• Cook & Crisp basket

• Reversible rack

• Pressure cooking lid

• Attached crisping lid

It’s not overly complicated, but there are a few bits to get your head around, particularly the two lids. Once you’ve worked out what goes where, it all feels fairly intuitive, but don’t expect to unbox it and instantly know what you’re doing.

Everything you get with the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker

Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker: design and style

If your cupboards are stuffed full of everything from the best food processor to a random assortment of Tupperware, and you want your next kitchen purchase to keep things more streamlined, the Ninja Foodi OP350UK could be the one for you. Sure, it's pretty bulky and will take up a lot of room, but it does the job of nine gadgets in one, so it could save space (and money) in the long run.

- Mumsnet tester, Sue

I can see the logic. Although slightly slimmer and more rounded than our Ninja dual air fryer, it still needs a fair bit of space. The black finish stands out, which you’ll either like or tolerate.

Sue liked the overall look but had issues with the lid: “I like the design of it but it is very heavy and needs ‘head space’ so you can lift the lid fully.” That’s still true. Ours lives on the worktop, but to use it easily, I have to move it towards the front of the kitchen counter - which isn’t ideal with small children around. 

The crisping lid and pressure lid are separate - with the former attached to the main unit

“I have a separate lid for the pressure cook and slow cook functions, which I would rather not have to have,” Sue added. I’d agree. While it does work, it’s not the most elegant setup.

With a 6-litre capacity, there's plenty of space for up to four portions, but if you have a large family to feed, you may be better off plumping for the Ninja Foodi MAX 7.5L, which can serve up to six people.

Cooking in the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker: how easy is it to use?

The Ninja 9-in-1 offers several different cooking functions, all controlled via a simple dial. If you’ve used a Ninja air fryer before, it’ll feel very familiar. Sue found it “very easy to use, with clear instructions and easy to go from one function to another”.

Despite having several to choose from, the settings are easy to navigate

I found the same once we actually started. The hesitation is more about confidence than complexity. The pressure cooking side does take a bit of getting used to. You can’t open it mid-cook to check seasoning or doneness, which feels odd at first. Sue mentioned a bit of “trial and error” with timings, and we had similar moments.

We started with roast potatoes using a Ninja recipe. Pressure cook, release steam, then air crisp. This is exactly how the TenderCrisp function works in real life - you cook the potatoes quickly under pressure first, then switch to the crisping lid to get that golden finish.

It worked really well. Fluffy in the middle, crisp on the outside. The timing wasn’t quite the miracle we expected, though. Around 28 minutes in total, compared to about an hour in the oven. Faster, yes. Life-changing?

The pressure lid is shown on here - so you do need head space for the crisping lid to sit upright like this

Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker: what are the results like?

From stews to chips, the Ninja does produce reliably good results. “It cooks to perfection,” Sue said, after making everything from cookies to small pizzas. “It’s one of those kitchen appliances I never knew how much I needed until I got it.”

I wouldn’t go quite that far, mainly because I’m not the main cook in our house. My husband still defaults to our dual air fryer most evenings, largely because it’s quicker and familiar. But when we do use the Foodi properly, especially for one-pot meals, it’s undeniably useful.

Pressure cooking is particularly good for things like curries and stews. It’s quick and produces tender results. Where it gets more interesting is when you follow it with the crisping lid. That TenderCrisp combination does solve one of the usual gripes with pressure cooking - everything being a bit soft. You can actually finish things with some texture, which makes a noticeable difference.

That said, it’s not without drawbacks. Sauces can be a bit watery, and veg can tip into soft territory if you’re not careful. That lines up with Sue’s experience of needing to tweak recipes slightly.

Roast potatoes are a favourite in our family - so naturally, we had to start with those

It’s also worth noting that, like many multi-cookers, you probably won’t use all nine functions regularly. Even so, the core ones do enough heavy lifting to justify it.

As for what Mumsnet users think - looking at more recent discussions over the past year, the overall feeling is still very positive. Most owners say they use it daily, particularly for pressure cooking and air frying, and a lot mention replacing their oven or several other appliances altogether.*

The only consistent niggle? The size. Plenty of people say it’s brilliant, but you do need to plan where it’s going to live.

Roast potatoes have been consistently easy to make, fluffy inside and crispy outside

How easy is the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker to clean?

Post-dinnertime, the last thing anyone wants is a sink full of scrubbing. Luckily, this is where the Ninja Foodi delivers. It has dishwasher-safe parts, and Sue found it “so easy to keep clean”.

I’d agree. It’s one of the more low-maintenance appliances we’ve had. The only slight niggle is the sealing ring, which needs a bit of care and can hold onto smells. Not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing.

Comparison: Ninja vs Instant

See how the Ninja Foodi 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker fares next to our best overall choice in our multi-cookers guide, the Instant Pot:

Final verdict: is this the multi-cooker for you?

This is one of those appliances that makes more sense the longer you live with it.

At first, it can feel a bit intimidating. In our case, it sat untouched for weeks while we avoided the pressure cooker setting and stuck to what we knew. But once we got past that initial hesitation, it started to earn its place.

Sue was right when she said it’s “a bit of a revelation once you get going”. A few years on, that still holds true. It won’t replace every appliance overnight, and you probably won’t use all nine functions regularly, but the ones you do use quickly become part of your routine.

It’s not perfect. It’s bulky, the lid system is a bit of a faff, and it’s not quite the miracle time-saver you might expect. But it is genuinely useful. For one-pot meals, quicker midweek cooking and cutting down on washing up, it delivers.

If you’re short on space or happy with your current setup, you might not feel the need to switch. But if you like the idea of one appliance doing the job of several, and you’re willing to get past the initial learning curve, it’s easy to see why so many Mumsnet users swear by it.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is our resident lifestyle expert with a practical focus on sleep, wellness and everyday comfort. She’s equally at home tackling frank, NSFW‑adjacent topics as she is road‑testing kitchen appliances, mattresses and vacuums that work for real parents. As a mum of two, she writes with the time‑poor, sleep‑deprived in mind - honest product reviews, realistic routines and products that make parents’ lives easier.

When she’s not at her desk, she’s probably product‑testing with her two helpers, corralling a PTA or walking her two dogs up and down country lanes.

About Mumsnet reviews

All Mumsnet product reviews are written by real parents after weeks of hands-on testing. We never accept payment for coverage, and our verdicts are independent and honest. We may earn a small commission through affiliate links, which helps fund our work - but it never influences our opinions.

All prices are correct at the time of writing. 

Read next: Our guide to the best air fryers 

*Conversational analysis by mumsGPT, 21 April 2025 to 21 April 2026