WhichOneToGet
Updated 3 Nov 2026

Is the Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker worth it?

Yes — the best multi-cooker for most homes.

One lid does everything: a slider picks pressure cooking, combined steam-and-crisp cooking, or air frying, grilling, baking and slow cooking, so there's no second lid to store. It pressure cooks rice, curries and stews quickly, air fries properly crisp chips and chicken, and its steam modes keep roasts juicy with a crisp outside. The 6-litre non-stick pot feeds a family of four and goes in the dishwasher, and the cooking charts in the box make it easy to learn. It's big and about 11 kg, so it lives on the worktop, it vents steam out of the back, and it has no meat probe or automatic steam release (the bigger MAX 15-in-1 has both). The US version, the 14-in-1 OL501, adds proofing and sous vide.

Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker
94%of 894 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
  • Pressure cooks and air fries under one lid
  • Steam-crisp modes for juicy roasts
  • 6 L non-stick pot for four

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What owners say

Owners love that it does the job of several appliances and how tasty, tender or crisp the food comes out. The main complaints are its size and weight, a lid and ring that take work to clean, and settings that take a while to learn.

Good to know

  • It's big and about 11 kg, so it isn't one to lift in and out of a cupboard.
  • Steam vents out of the back while it cooks, so keep it away from wall cupboards.
  • The lid and its sealing ring take some work to clean.
  • There's no meat probe or automatic steam release; the MAX 15-in-1 adds both.
  • The steaming rack is too open for small vegetables.

From 894 buyer ratings at Currys and Costco (US), every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this

What they love

  • Does the job of several appliancesMentioned a lot
  • Tasty, tender or crisp resultsMentioned a lot
  • Cooks fast and saves timeMentioned often
  • Easy to useMentioned often

What they complain about

  • Big and heavyVery rare
  • The lid and sealing ring are hard to cleanVery rare
  • Complicated, with too little guidanceVery rare

Get it if…

  • You want one machine for pressure cooking, slow cooking and air frying.
  • You cook for two to four people.
  • You're new to pressure cooking and want clear charts to follow.

Skip it if…

  • You only want a pressure and slow cooker: an Instant Pot Duo costs much less.
  • You're short of worktop space or will lift it in and out of a cupboard.

More on the Ninja Foodi SmartLid

How we reached this verdict

T3 went from sceptic to convert: it pressure cooked, steamed and air fried everything well and roasted meat beautifully. TechRadar found it easy to use with excellent results, from crisp fries to perfectly cooked rice, and calls the single lid a fantastic idea; its downsides are size, price and the lack of the MAX model's extras. Expert Reviews names it its best all-rounder, particularly good at pressure cooking and steaming. Owners at Currys, AO and Costco (US version) back them up; the main gripes are its size and weight, a lid and ring that are fiddly to clean, and noise.

We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.

Sources: T3, TechRadar, Expert Reviews, Ninja (specs), T3, Ideal Home, TechRadar, manufacturer specifications.

Updated 3 Nov 2026How we decide