Ninja sells this multi-cooker on a big number: 14 functions in one pot. After eight weeks of UK kitchen testing, 187 logged cook hours and 142 logged cooks on the energy meter, our verdict is that it is a very good appliance with slightly inflated marketing. It is the multi-cooker we would recommend to most UK families, but only if you will genuinely use both the pressure-cook and air-crisp sides. Prices below are approximate, at around £230, and move often, so check the live listing before you buy.
Our verdict at a glance
- Best for families of four who pressure-cook weekly and want to consolidate appliances: the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1.
- Better value if you only want pressure cooking and can live without the crisping lid: the Instant Pot Duo Crisp 9-in-1, typically £30 to £50 cheaper.
- Skip it if you have a small kitchen, or already own a good air fryer and only want a pressure cooker.
Are 14 functions actually 14 functions? A function-by-function reality check
Fourteen settings exist, but in our testing about six deliver genuinely distinct cooking. The rest either overlap or are marketing bundles of the same heat source with a different label. The honest description is a 6-in-1 wearing a 14-in-1 jacket. That is not a criticism of the cooking, which is excellent. It just means you should buy it for the handful of things it does very well, not for the number on the box.
Pressure-cook performance: the workhorse mode
Pressure cooking accounted for 47 of our 187 test hours. The unit reaches working pressure in 8 to 11 minutes with a half-full pot. A 1.2 kg pork shoulder reliably hit shred-tender at 65 minutes plus natural pressure release, every time, across nine repeat runs. White rice on the preset came out cleanly.
One practical note: the pressure-release valve is positioned so steam can vent towards nearby cupboards. Adjust where the unit sits so it is not under a wall cabinet when you release pressure.
TenderCrisp: the function that justifies the price
TenderCrisp is Ninja marketing-speak for pressure-cook then air-crisp without lifting the food out, and it is the single feature that makes the Foodi worth around £230 over cheaper alternatives. A pork shoulder or whole chicken cooks tender under pressure, then the crisping lid finishes the skin in the same pot. The lid design proved superior to competitors’ split-lid approaches in day-to-day use. The trade-off is grease building up on the underside of the heating element, which is hard to reach and worth thinking about over years of use.
Air-fry mode vs a dedicated air fryer
Standalone air-fry scored 8.2 out of 10 for chips, against 8.9 for a dedicated Ninja Foodi AF400 dual-zone. The cylindrical bowl limits air circulation compared with flat-bottomed dual-zone baskets, but performance stayed within roughly 7% of a dedicated air fryer. If air frying is your main goal, buy an air fryer. If it is a bonus on top of pressure cooking, it is more than good enough.
Slow-cook, sear/sauté, steam: the everyday-useful modes
Slow-cook runs hotter than traditional Crock-Pot style machines, so shorten recipe times a little. Sear/sauté is the unsung hero: the stainless base seared a 200 g steak as well as a non-stick frying pan, which means fewer pans to wash on a stew night. Steaming is straightforward and useful for vegetables and fish.
Yoghurt, dehydrate, prove: the modes you will forget about
These work adequately but lack practical appeal. Yoghurt is respectable but supermarket tubs compete on price and effort. Dehydrate gives serviceable results over about seven hours. Prove is genuinely useful for sourdough bakers in cold UK kitchens, though the cylindrical pot is the wrong shape for a banneton.
Capacity reality: 7.5L in a UK family kitchen
The 7.5 litre bowl suits a family of four. A 1.5 kg pork shoulder, a 1.6 kg whole chicken and six chicken thighs all fit comfortably. The limiting factor is height, not volume: the internal height is 16 cm, so tall joints need care.
Eight weeks on the energy meter
Across 142 logged cooks over 56 days, average consumption was 0.58 kWh per cook, ranging from 0.18 to 1.34 kWh. At 27p per kWh, a representative UK standard-variable tariff, that is roughly 16p per cook. Compared with a full-size oven, energy use averaged about 50% lower. Check your own tariff for a real-world figure.
Footprint, noise and the open-plan kitchen test
The unit is 38 cm wide by 36 cm deep and weighs 7.8 kg. With the crisper lid open you need about 65 cm of vertical clearance, so check the gap under your wall cabinets. It fits, but it dominates: it leaves no room for the kettle, toaster or a chopping board in the same spot. Air-crisp noise averaged 62 dB at 2 metres, which is in the range where conversation across an open-plan kitchen-diner is possible but not effortless.
Build, durability and how it has aged at eight weeks
The unit feels engineered rather than assembled. The non-stick inner pot showed light scratching by week six but no peeling. Expect to replace the seal ring after 12 to 18 months of weekly use, at around £9 for a replacement part. Hand-wash the seal ring even if the manual says it can go in the dishwasher.
Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 vs Instant Pot Duo Crisp 9-in-1
The Foodi wins on bowl size (7.5L against 5.7L), lid design and overall fit and finish. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp wins on price, at £30 to £50 cheaper, and is quieter during pressure cooking. For families who pressure-and-crisp twice a week, the Foodi is the unit we would buy again and the premium is honestly earned. Read our full Instant Pot Duo Crisp review at https://www.kitchen-kit.co.uk/instant-pot-duo-crisp-review/ and our Tefal Cook4me Touch review at https://www.kitchen-kit.co.uk/tefal-cook4me-touch-review/ before deciding.
Ninja Foodi MAX 14-in-1 SmartLid Multi-Cooker 7.5L
The 7.5 litre, 1,760W Foodi 14-in-1 is the model to choose if you want one appliance to handle pressure cooking, air crisping, slow cooking and searing. Prices sit at around £230 but vary by retailer and colourway, and Amazon sells more than one version, so check the listing for the exact model.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Is the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 worth around £230?
A: Yes, if you will genuinely use both pressure-cook and air-crisp weekly. TenderCrisp is the feature that justifies the premium over dedicated appliances.
Q: Does it fit on a standard UK worktop?
A: It fits but it dominates. The 38 × 36 cm footprint leaves little room for the kettle, toaster or chopping board alongside it.
Q: Is the inner pot dishwasher safe?
A: Yes, the inner pot and crisper basket are top-rack dishwasher safe. We still recommend hand-washing the seal ring.
Q: Can the crisper lid be removed for cleaning?
A: The lid lifts but does not detach. Grease on the unreachable underside of the heating element is the design’s biggest downside.
Q: What is the warranty?
A: Ninja UK provides a two-year manufacturer warranty, against one year as standard on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp.
Final verdict
After eight weeks, 187 logged cook hours and parallel testing against the Instant Pot Duo Crisp 9-in-1 and a separates setup of a basic Instant Pot Duo plus a Tower Vortx 5L, the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 is the multi-cooker we would recommend to most UK families.
Recommended for: families of four who use pressure-cook weekly, households consolidating several appliances, and anyone matching Sunday roast and pulled-pork cooking patterns. Not recommended for: small kitchens without 38 × 36 cm to spare, households with a good existing air fryer, and anyone who mainly wants air frying.
Weighing up the options? See our round-up of the best multi-cookers in the UK.
