Last Updated on 29 May 2026 by Dan Wilderness
Hello everyone! Looking for a new BBQ last summer the Ninja Woodfire caught my eye – an electric BBQ which uses a smoker to give that BBQ flavour. I had my doubts – it rather felt like cheating over a traditional gas or charcoal BBQ but I decided to give it a go. Today I’m sharing my experiences with using the Ninja WoodFire and how I got on with it.
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Why I picked the Ninja Woodfire
I’ll be honest, I went into my BBQ search really looking for a gas or charcoal BBQ. However, two factors influenced my decision to plump for the Woodfire.
The first was becoming a new parent – I decided I wanted something that I could get going with relative ease and didn’t require as much attention during the cooking process – I wanted BBQ flavour, but needed something relatively plug and play for now. I’d at first planned to use the Woodfire as a bit of a bridge before upgrading to a gas/charcoal model.
The second was that I now own a few gadgets from Ninja (their air fryer and the Ninja Café Luxe coffee machine) which I’ve been pleased with, and therefore felt happier taking a chance on their products than I might have with other brands.
Quick Verdict on the Ninja WoodFire
We’ve found the Ninja Woodfire really easy to use, great value at the price and genuinely surprisingly producing a lovely BBQ flavour, with technology helping get your cooking just right.
Our only pause is that those catering large parties may find even the XL too small for their BBQ’ing needs, and you’ll need to ensure a convenient outdoor power supply.
How did we test the Ninja Woodfire?
I’ve now owned my Ninja Woodfire since July 2025 and made frequent use of it.
I have the Ninja Woodfire XL Connect version which is what my review is based on, but differences in models are based on features and size rather than performance, so my comments should apply to everything.
I’ve cooked a range of stuff on the Woodfire, chicken, fish and steaks through to vegetables and kebabs, which has given me a really good view of the overall performance.
How does the Ninja Woodfire Work?
The core functions of the Ninja Woodfire fundamentally act as grill – for those who remember the George Foreman Mean Lean Grilling Machine it’s not that dissimilar in approach!
The difference with the Ninja Woodfire is that it combined this with a smoker (which you add pellets to) and a high speed fan which effectively creates the BBQ flavour on the food. Use of the smoker is optional – you can simply use it as a classic grill, but you can also cook things low and slow on a dedicated smoker setting.
To use you switch on the grill and let it pre-heat. If you’re using a smoker based option you need to pre-load the side pocket with pellets (very easy) and the grill will ignite them at the right time during the pre-heat. You’ll then be told by the grill when it’s fully up to temperature and can add food.
One helpful factor here is that between the electrics and the slightly smaller size of the machine compared to a standard BBQ, the heating time remains fast.
Air Frying, Roasting and Baking are also options – however I’ve found I’ve defaulted to using my Ninja Air Fryer in doors for this to focus on cooking the BBQ meats outside for any meals.
There’s some clever additional technology the Woodfire interacts with. It comes with a food thermometer that you can put into anything you’re cooking.
his connects to the grill and you can ask it to monitor that internal temperature to cook your steaks only to a temperature consistent with medium rare. This works well and it’s a clever selling point for ease of use – a picture of using the temperature probe on some short ribs below.
The plate is removable and there’s also a number of accessories you can get for cooking particular dishes like a rib rack or flat plate. I’ll talk more about the accessories and my thoughts on their value later.
What are the different models of the Ninja Woodfire?
There are two main variants of the Ninja Woodfire you can get one of or both as options – the Connect and the XL versions. Beyond the below, performance and capability remains the same.
Ninja Woodfire XL version
The Ninja Woodfire XL is fundamentally just a slightly bigger version of the original woodfire. Ninja claim the original can cook 8 burgers, which I’d say is a stretch – you’re definitely looking at small patties with this and crowding.
The XL version can do 10, which I’d view as being doable with realistic space.
Is going for the Ninja Woodfire XL version worth it?
Yes, absolutely and this one isn’t close. Unless you’re consistently just cooking for two people, I think the original Ninja Woodfire is just too small for any kind of realistic catering, and the XL version is a near essential upgrade.
If you’re weighing up the two, I’d recommend going and looking at the original in a physical shop and making sure you’re comfortable with the smaller grill space, especially if you want to cook more than just meat at any given moment.
Ninja Woodfire Connect Version
The connect version of the Ninja Woodfire adds wi-fi connectivity to the device and allows management of it via the Ninja app.
This has a couple of advantages – so long as the grill is on you can get it to start a cooking programme from the app, initiate a pre-heat or change its cooking and temperature settings mid-cook easily.
For me the most useful features are that I can monitor the cooking process via the app (such as seeing the internal temperature or time left) and get notifications to my phone of when the grill is up to temperature, food needs turning or when cooking is complete.
Is going for the Ninja Woodfire Connect version worth it?
I’ve used this functionality more than I expect – it’s been helpful to be able to step away to chat with guests, do something else inside or look after my son knowing I’ll get notified at the right time.
However the Connect version does generally retail at about a £50 premium over the non-connect version. If you’re going to be in the broad area of the BBQ to check the front when cooking, it’s very much a nice to have rather than an essential add on.
If you want to wander a little more and monitor from a distance, it’s worth considering the Connect upgrade.
What about the Ninja Flexflame?
Ninja also now have the Flexflame, a more traditional gas BBQ which is designed to compete with the other main competitors in this space. I haven’t yet used one to test it out, so it’s not included in this review.
What about the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven?
There’s also another newer model of the Woodfire in the form of the Outdoor Oven – this is aimed more towards those looking to cook pizzas etc. and traditional roasts oven food outdoors rather than a pure BBQ style experience.
I haven’t tested this myself, but note that on the Ninja Woodfire Reddit this also gets very positive feedback, and I’ve seen some very impressive pizzas from people posted on there!
Does Food from the Ninja Woodfire Taste Good?
Let’s face it, any BBQ no matter the make is going to live or die by how tasty the food it produces is!
Overall Food Performance
Buying the Ninja Woodfire this was the point I was sceptical about – I thought that there would clearly be a flavour compromise compared to a traditional approach.
I can’t really say I taste one – anything I’ve cooked has had a good flavour that if I hadn’t known how I’d have cooked it I probably would tell you came from a traditional BBQ. I can consistently apply that to chicken, beef, fish and veg and reach the same conclusion. Some freshly cooked steaks done on the Woodfire below.
Smoke Pellet Approach
One thing that’s been fun to experiment with is the ability to get slightly different flavours out of the BBQ by using different types of pellets. As you put pellets in the side of the grill for each cook, you can change these easily at any time to see what the results are.
Ninja’s basic robust ones do give a nice all round flavour, but by mixing and matching to what you’re cooking you can get some really interesting flavour profiles.
Does the Ninja Woodfire use large amount of smoke pellets?
No, it runs pretty economically and uses one smallish scoopful of pellets per cook, meaning ongoing running costs are pretty minimal.
The pellets are also an entirely optional part of the cook – they just add some of the smoky flavour.
(If you’re doing a particularly long and slow cook of a large bit of meat, this is potentially the only circumstance where I can see multiples being required.
Is the Ninja Woodfire easy to clean?
No BBQ is ever the easiest to clean but (with learning some tricks!) I’ve found the Ninja Woodfire pretty easy to clean.
The grill plate is removable and non-stick and so can be removed and put in the sink. It’s definitely easiest to clean when it’s still a little hot and I’ve found getting some slightly wet bits of kitchen roll on it right after cooking (and giving a little wipe) creates a nice steam effect that cleans it relatively easily.
Having said that, I’ve definitely had to use a bit of elbow grease to get it absolutely clean (and whilst the non-stick surface is generally helpful, it does limit what cleaning products you can use on it without damaging it).
It also has a system where excess fat rolls down the grill tray into a disposable tray below, which removes some of the cleaning (although a reasonable amount does seem to stay on the plate).
More on this in accessories, but you can also get a cleaning brush from Ninja which I would recommend, simply because it’s designed to fit the exact width of the grill plate for easy cleaning.
What I will note is that no parts of the Woodfire are dishwasher safe, so that isn’t an option here.
Is the Ninja Woodfire Expensive to Buy and Run?
Given we are the Financial Wilderness, we want to cover how much or not the Ninja Woodfire represents value for the cost paid, so let’s look at initial costs and running costs compared to traditional BBQ models.
Initial Purchase Cost
The Ninja Woodfire isn’t a cheap bit of kit by any means, but does still compare favourably to the cost of a large gas grill (but will be more expensive than a charcoal grill.)
At time of writing they start at £229 for the basic Woodfire, and go up to £449 for the Woodfire Connect XL.
Running Costs
Ongoing running costs are fairly light, with it running off electricity and beyond the optional addition of pellets, not requiring any further inputs like a gas canister.
However part of the trade off is obviously size in minimising the running costs, as even the XL is likely to be smaller than a standard gas grill.
Overall Cost Comparison
To help guide the overall costs, I’ve put together a table of approximate ongoing costs for the Ninja Woodfire against highly rated gas and charcoal models.
| Grill Type (Highly Rated Examples) | Est. Upfront Purchase Cost | Fuel Required | Avg. Cost (30-Min Cook) | Cost for 20 Summer BBQs |
| Ninja Woodfire Pro Connect XL | ~£350 – £400 | Electricity (+ Optional Pellets) | 30p (or ~£1.05 with smoke) | £6.00 (or £21 with smoke) |
| Smaller Gas BBQ (e.g., Weber Spirit II E-210) | ~£450 – £500 | Propane/Patio Gas | ~£1.00 | £20.00 |
| Charcoal BBQ (e.g., Weber Master-Touch 57cm) | ~£220 – £250 | Lumpwood Charcoal & Firelighters | ~£2.50 | £50.00 |
Overall, this leaves the purchase as a mid-price initial purchase, but the Ninja Woodfire generally will run as a cheaper option over time.
Are Accessories for the Ninja Woodfire needed?
You can get a wide range of accessories for the Ninja Woodfire as add-ons. None of these are essential and the machine can be used without them, but they can make life easier for cooking certain things or functions.
When you buy the machine Ninja usually has some bundles with some of these included, which can be good value rather than buying it separately if targeting something specific.
I’ve listed what’s available by what I thought was worth it and what I found disappointing.
Accessories we think are worth it
Grill Cover
Whilst it’s a very basic black design that says Ninja on the front in big letters, it’s absolutely worth having this because it fits the grill absolutely perfectly – it’s difficult to find a third party cover that fits it exactly.
Ninja do say the grill is weather resistant and can take being in the outdoor elements – but frankly, I wouldn’t want to risk leaving a piece of kit which is several hundred pounds unprotected!
Flat Top Griddle Plate
Having a flat plate does expand the amount of things you can use the Ninja for, and being able to cook eggs or smash burgers is helpful. I’d particularly recommend to those who like cooking up vegetables on the BBQ as these become much easier to saute vegetables well with a nice even heat.
Ninja Woodfire Cleaning Brush
Not expensive but this is helpful because it’s designed specifically for the Woodfire and matches exactly the widths of the grill to clean effectively.
Accessories we’d leave
Ninja Woodfire Stand
This may seems surprising as a BBQ stand designed for the Woodfire sounds like a sensible purchase, and to clarify I think a stand is essential – I just wouldn’t go for Ninja’s one.
However in reality for the price of it I was disappointed with the stand, which to me works as a practical item but I think looks plasticky and cheap. It’s also height adjustable and can take side tables but doesn’t have wheels to move about.
The Woodfire needs a stand that can take enough weight and space to support it, but most standard BBQ trolleys will fit this bill. I think you’re far better saving your money and going with a good third party stand, and it’s something I intend to invest in.
Rib and Roast Rack
I got a couple of these free with my Woodfire – now I do think it’s a fun bit of kit and I do use it when cooking ribs, but that’s pretty occasional.
There is enough airflow in the Ninja for these not to be required, and they only really justify the expense if you see yourself using these on a really frequent basis.
Crisper Basket
It helps separate items if you’re cooking in airfryer mode, but doesn’t give much more utility than that. If you’ve already got a standard air fryer you’ll be much better off using that, and even without I’d question the value.
Overall Verdict on the Ninja Woodfire
Verdict: The Woodfire is an impressive bit of kit that delivers excellent BBQ flavour. It’s very easy to use, but frequent entertainers may still want a traditional BBQ.
The Ninja Woodfire absolutely beat my expectations, as I was expecting something quite practical but not able to really match a gas or charcoal cook.
With the wood smoker “Woodfire Flavour” setting going I struggle to notice any real significant flavour difference to cooking on a traditional BBQ, and everything I’ve cooked on it, be that long low and slow cookers heavily reliant on the smoker or more traditional grilling has come out very well.
Those very focused on smoking might find the hopper basket for pellets a little small, but I’ve found it’s served my needs very well and burns effectively. I’ve enjoyed experimenting with different types of pellets to get noticeably different.
It’s also easy to use and set, and I’ve very much appreciated the build in temperature probe – on quick cooks it’s not that useful, but where slow cooking a large piece of meat it’s really helpful to get it just right (and can automatically stop at certain settings, like if you want your meat medium-rare).
I have a couple of points of caution:
Size is the main one – I think the XL model is an absolute essential, and even cooking for two I’ve had times where I’ve been using the entire grill plate to cook away. I’ve cooked for six people on it successfully, but I’d struggle to have enough space to do more than that on this grill. Get the regular size with caution!
The power cable is also a little short considering this is a device you need to use outside and will want to put in a logical location. Unless your outside plugs are very well positioned, be aware you’ll probably need to use an extension lead which is a minor hassle.
And finally I do find slightly annoying that the temperature probe cannot approximate a time for cooking to complete – I’m usually cooking side dishes etc. inside and it would be really useful for timing everything together (albeit, this is a problem traditional BBQ’s have too).
Advantages
- Cooking is excellent
- Woodfire smoking function works well
- Cheaper than a gas grill
- Temperature probe helpful to get meat just right
- Easyish to look after
Disadvantages
- Even the XL is smaller than a conventional grill
- Short power cable requires extension
- Non-stick useful but requires careful cleaning
Where is the best place to buy the Ninja Woodfire?
Whilst it’s worth a look to see if you can get it cheaper elsewhere, we’ve generally found ordering directly from Ninja to be the best bet – they often run offers where they’ll throw in some additional accessories for me.
FAQ’s about the Ninja Woodfire
No, absolutely not – whilst Ninja try and point you this way, any pellets would work and we’d really encourage you to try a few as finding different flavour profiles is part of the fun of using this.
There’s no single answer to this question, as each type of pellet will have it’s own profile – but there’s a few brands that come up frequently as recommended on Reddit and so we’d point you towards:
– There’s UK based company ExStream BBQ who offer a great range (who offer small bags so you can try out some different ones – find that here on Amazon too).
– Pit Boss offer a really good series of blends albeit in bigger bags.
– And BBQ Toro is a brand I see nearly permanently in recommendations which you can buy through Amazon.
Ninja’s own brand pellets are also very good, with the Robust all-round pellets offering a nice balance for most cooks.
No, absolutely not! Despite being a plug in device the smoking elements are not safe to use in an indoor setting – this is strictly an outdoor device.
This is a common issue that’s happened to me as well – it’s nearly always caused by the pellet hopper not being filled to the top. The igniter device is at the top so unless it’s fully filled the pellets won’t burn – you can’t half fill it for a short cook.
Yes, just be sure that you’re using an extension lead that’s specifically rated for outdoor devices and rated at least 13 amps / 2400W and full uncoiled – this will prevent overheating when the Ninja is drawing most power during the ignition and heating stages.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about the Ninja Woodfire we’d love to hear from you! Just drop us a note in the comments below.
And that’s it!
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