On Trial: Ninja FlexFlame Pro Connect

It’s an all-in-one appliance that lets you cook in five versatile ways. Yes, five! You can grill, smoke, roast, flat-plate griddle and make pizza and thanks to Ninja’s Pro Connect app you can control the whole thing from the palm of your hand. 

The app, which is super easy to download, lets you adjust and monitor the food from your smartphone and there’s a really brilliant integrated cooking thermometer that lets you see accurate food temperatures so you know when everything is properly cooked. 

There are so many things that make this intuitive piece of kit stand out from the crowd.

Firstly, the fact that you can cook in so many different ways means you no longer need multiple appliances - it’s literally an all-in-one system that can cook anything you want. We’ve made everything from pizzas for the kids, to burgers for 40 people (there’s space on the grill for 20 burgers at a time) to an entire roast dinner where my husband butterflied the chicken and made Sunday lunch in half the time.

The best part is not having to wait for charcoal to warm up - when 15 people came back to our house for an impromptu dinner the other night everyone was eating delicious hot-dogs within 20 minutes of arriving - so it’s ideal for group hosting this summer.

The app means you can check on your food thanks to the integrated thermometer without having to get up - although having said that, people seem to love congregating around it - it’s the equivalent of everyone being in the kitchen at a party.

There’s a high-velocity convection fan that evenly circulates heat and air around food so you know everything is being cooked properly and there’s also a precision burner control so you can maintain a set temperature from 95°C to 315°C.

It’s easy to clean and comes with detailed instructions on maintenance so you can get the most from your cooking system for as long as possible. Once you purchase and register with Ninja you can also enjoy a 10-year guarantee on the enameled cast-iron grill grates, double-walled heavy-duty lid and durable side tables.

You can also elevate your cooking experience by buying griddle plates, pizza stones and storage caddies. I actually love that now we have the Ninja, I can buy the extra bits as Father’s Day or birthday presents for my husband who is obsessed with the system.

Yes. Assembling the flexflame was genuinely really simple and easy thanks to the step-by-step guidance included in the packaging (though the box was genuinely the biggest I’ve ever seen though so be warned you’ll need a trip to the tip afterwards!) 

The system is easy to use once you know what you’re doing so I’d definitely recommend reading through the really informative instruction manual. As an outdoor-cooking novice, l found it so helpful because it’s packed with tips on how to select the right temperature for what you’re cooking to make it as stress-free as possible. It also has some delicious recipes included for you to try on the cooking system. 

So, what’s included in the box?

• Ninja FlexFlame Pro Connect Outdoor Cooking System

• 2 Porcelain Enamel Cast Iron Grill Plates

• Expandable Roast & Smoke Rack

• Grease Tray

• Removeable Pellet Box

• Ninja Woodfire Pellets Sample Bag

It’s worth noting that gas is not included so you’ll need to ensure you have this before you can start cooking. It also doesn’t come with a cover so to make sure you’re protecting your system I’d recommend buying one from the outset - although it has been pressure tested in extreme conditions to withstand the harshest rain, sleet, snow and wind.

Absolutely yes. I honestly didn’t think we’d use it as much as we have, but in the 3 weeks we’ve been testing it we have used it at least 15 times - I’m almost thinking it’s basically going to replace the oven because it’s so quick and easy to use and so versatile with the multitude of food you can cook. 

It’s easy to assemble, easy to clean and cooks everything beautifully without you having to stress about uneven cooking or charcoal burning. I also love that you can add the wood flamed pellets for a smoky flavour if that’s what you’re after.

Lastly, it looks really chic - everyone who has seen it (and we’ve cooked for about 100 different people on this so far) has commented on how sleek and compact it looks despite being such a big piece of kit. 

If you’re looking forward to a summer of hosting I truly can’t recommend this more - it’s a real joy to cook on. 

★★★★★