The thought of swapping out your huge, outdoor, gas-powered grill for a miniature electric one that sits on your countertop may sound like a dream.
But what if you could do that and also swap out several of your other appliances, trading them all in for one sleek, smooth device that’s better than each of the other products individually?
The Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill product line isn’t a dream; it really does exist, and customers love it.
However, trying to compare all the different versions of the Foodi may seem a bit overwhelming.
Which one is better – or which one is better suited for you?
Here, we’ll really dig deep into three of the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill models: the XL 6-in-1, the Pro 5-in-1, and the 4-in-1 AG300, defining exactly what each one brings to the table, how they’re different, and which one is the best to buy.
1. Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1
1.1 Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill with 4-Quart Air Fryer (FG551)
The 6-in-1 Smart XL Ninja Foodi Grill is by far the most versatile, high-tech product in this article.
Its extra-large capacity can fit up to six steaks at once, or twenty-four hot dogs.
You can also choose to cook fewer main items and cook sides at the same time and have a full meal in just minutes.
This makes this a great product for large families and people who like to host small gatherings of friends.
It comes with a variety of recommended presets for various food items based on your preferred level of doneness, and these are adjustable if necessary.
At the touch of a button, you’ll be able to set your state to cook to “medium rare” without having to fiddle with the temperature.
The device also comes with an internal thermometer that is constantly gauging the temperature in more than one place, to ensure that your food doesn’t burn and that it cooks evenly.
Outdoor grills can’t be used on rainy days, and roasting vegetables and cooking steaks indoors can risk setting off your smoke alarm.
This indoor grill sits nicely on your countertop and is imbued with a smoke control system that virtually eliminates smoke output.
Forgot to defrost your food? It doesn’t matter. It can fully cook even totally frozen meals in under 30 minutes.
All this aside, the real luster of this product comes from the fact that it actually functions as six products in one, and often outperforms individual versions as well; meaning you can virtually ditch all the other individual products, saving you money and space.
The Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill also comes equipped with a 4-quart air fryer, which makes fried food much healthier, and can additionally bake, roast, broil, and dehydrate your food.
The Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Indoor Grill is easy to disassemble and clean.
It can make up to two pounds of fries at once, along with 6 steaks and a host of roasted veggies, creating a full gourmet meal in less than half an hour.
The crisper basket itself has undergone improvements since the 5-in-1 version, to make it longer and less deep but still holding 4 quarts.
Not feeding a host of people? It doesn’t matter; you can still cook single-serving meals of 1-2 steaks, a small amount of fries, and a single portion of veggies on the same device.
It also weighs about 22.5 lbs, perfectly suitable for a kitchen counter.
2. Ninja Foodi Pro 5-in-1
2.1 Ninja Foodi Pro 5-in-1 Indoor Grill with Integrated Smart Probe, 4-Quart Air Fryer
The Ninja Foodi Pro 5-in-1 Indoor Grill contains many features similar to the 6-in-1, but with a few key differences.
To start, it is about $100 cheaper, but it only includes five of the features the 6-in-1 has (hence the name).
The 5-in-1 Indoor Grill can grill, air crisp, bake, roast, and dehydrate food; the only thing it can’t do is broil.
It comes with several accessories, including a cleaning brush, a 15-recipe cookbook, a 1 year VIP warranty, and a 90 day money back guarantee.
Just like the 6-in-1 Indoor Grill, the 5-in-1 contains a 4 quart air fryer, smoke control technology, and easy to clean accessories and pieces.
This one is smaller, so you can honestly just pop it into the dishwasher and you’ll be good to go.
However, you’ll generally want to clean it between everything you make in order to avoid grease buildup, so the ability to clean this product easily is a must.
Fortunately, this is a grill that steps up to the plate.
However, not only does this indoor grill lack broiling capabilities, but it also can only cook up to 4 steaks at once and has less surface area, as it is not an “extra large” product.
To make up for it, there are several benefits unique to this particular indoor grill.
One such benefit is that the 5-in-1 Indoor Grill has over the 6-in-1 is its integrated smart probe.
This technology will ensure your food never gets overcooked or cooked inconsistently.
You won’t need to cut into foods or constantly poke them with a thermometer, as the machine will alert you when your food is perfectly cooked.
You can always set, see, and alter the internal temperature settings at any time, or use the presettings that come preprogrammed into the product.
Additionally, customers state that the air fryer that comes attached is the best one they’ve ever used, although the grill is still hands-down the best, most effective part of this indoor grill.
It comes in dimensions of 17”x14”x11”, and you can always have your integrated smart probe replaced if it fails – for free if it falls within your warranty.
3. Ninja Foodi 4-in-1
3.1 Ninja Foodi 4-in-1 Indoor Grill with 4-Quart Air Fryer, Roast, and Bake
The 4-in-1 version of the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill is very similar to the 5-in-1 and 6-in-1, although it doesn’t come with the integrated smart probe thermometer (though it does still have an internal temperature gauge to avoid burning), nor does it have the capacity to broil or dehydrate food.
On the flip side, it is capable of being used to air fry, roast, bake, and grill using the same cyclonic technology as the other Foodi’s, as well as also having a smoke control system and the ability to char grill food without defrosting it first.
This one is also easy to clean and disassemble, and it has an extra benefit above the 6-in-1: because of its small size, it can fit easily into nearly any sink or dishwasher.
This is a good product for those who cook primarily for themselves or for small families.
You sacrifice a few features, but you will save a significant amount of money and still get to keep the features that make the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill a top product.
Additionally, purchasing the 4-in-1 Indoor Grill is still cheaper than purchasing an indoor grill (or outdoor grill) and air fryer separately.
It is so similar to the 5-in-1, in fact, that unless you think you will really use the food dehydrator, you may find that the 4-in-1 is a better value for your money, albeit the 5-in-1 is a newer model.
It’s easy to adjust the cook time and temperature of this grill, and you never have to flip the burgers or steaks because of its cyclonic technology.
Internal temperatures can reach up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Take advantage of a variety of GrillControl settings, including low, medium, high, and max.
You simply put the food on the grill, and press some buttons, and the grill will tell you when the food is ready.
Meals can be made in less than 30 minutes, and the air fryer fries food with 75% less fat content than a typical fryer.
This machine is large enough to grill 4 boneless chicken breasts at one time, yet still fits snugly on most countertops.
4. Summary
All three products come with smoke control, cyclonic grilling technology, and air fryer, roasting, and baking options.
They can reach up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and they are extremely easy to disassemble and clean.
The parts are dishwasher safe, are ceramic coated, and are PTFE/PFOA free.
They are designed to cook your food just as quickly and thoroughly as an outdoor grill, except from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Additionally, feel free to step back and let the device do the work for you; you won’t have to constantly monitor how well-done your meat is, as all of the Indoor Grills will do that for you to some extent.
The 5-in-1 Indoor Grill comes with an additional dehydrator and integrated smart probe, and the 6-in-1 Indoor Grill comes with both a dehydrator and a broiler.
They are all very similar products with one to two key differences, which also affect the price.
The following are a list of reasons why you may choose to purchase one of the products over the other two:
Reasons to purchase the 6-in-1 Indoor Grill:
● You frequently entertain large groups, or you typically cook for a large family
● You want one product that can has all the uses of each of these products, plus the option to broil food
● You are willing to pay more for a more modern, up-to-date appliance that functions smoother and more effectively than the other two products
Reasons to purchase the 5-in-1 Indoor Grill:
● You don’t want to (or have no reason to) use the broiler function
● You are fine with only being able to cook four large items at a time (such as steaks or chicken breasts) instead of 6.
● If you are willing to give up the extra large size, broiling function, and more up-to-date technology, this product is about $100 cheaper
Reasons to purchase the 4-in-1 Indoor Grill:
● If you don’t need either the dehydrator or the broiler
● If you’re willing to sacrifice the less space and fit only 4 large items at a time
● If you’re willing to choose a less up-to-date technology over spending more money
● If you have limited counter space and/or would prefer to wash the ceramic parts of the appliance in the dishwasher
5. Comparison Table
Model |
6-in-1 |
5-in-1 |
4-in-1 |
|---|---|---|---|
Indoor/Outdoor |
Indoor |
Indoor |
Indoor |
Dimensions (LWH) |
15.7”x 16.54”x 11.05” |
17”x 14”x 11” |
17”x 14”x 11” |
Celsius/Fahrenheit |
F |
F |
F |
Cleaning |
Easy |
Easy |
Easy |
Air Crisp |
YES |
YES |
YES |
Bake |
YES |
YES |
YES |
Dehydrate |
YES |
YES |
NO |
Broil |
YES |
NO |
NO |
Roast |
YES |
YES |
YES |
Grill |
YES |
YES |
YES |
