Ninja's Dual Zone air fryer was released way back in 2020 but there's a good argument that it's still the UK's most favoured air fryer, as well as one of the best Ninja air fryers in the brand's line up.

It's a fixture in hundreds of thousands of kitchens across the country but there is one thing I think you should know as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor before you buy it: it's mighty powerful. So much so, it takes a bit of a learning curve to get used to!

I commented on its strength when I first reviewed it back in 2022, and since then, I've recommended it to many friends as the air fryer to beat. To see if my advice is still good and if this appliance stands up against all of the other air fryers out there, I was sent a sample (kindly provided by AO, where it's £179) to see how it holds up. This is what I found.

After re-testing the Ninja Dual Zone air fryer, it's still the one I'd recommend it to all of my friends and family when they're on the hunt for a two-drawer model. Of course there's been whole new generations of air fryers since then, including the unbelievably helpful multi-zone versions, but a lot of people still like to stick to two zones – which is where this air fryer excels.

The ability to match, sync or use each side individually is the ideal design for those catering to fussy eaters. And one of the great benefits of buying a Ninja air fryer over any other is that the interface is hard to beat. It's very simple so even those less inclined to get involved with any sort of cooking have no excuse.

But the one thing I always have to warn people about when I do recommend this air fryer to them is that you have to proceed with caution on your first few cooking attempts with it because if you're not used to its power levels, things will come out a lot crispier than you bargained for.

This air fryer is so powerful that even the usual calculations you have to do with air frying something over putting it in the oven (which usually means cutting down cooking times by 1/3) need to be calibrated. You'll find that this air fryer is a lot quicker than you might have expected, especially on the very popular MAX CRISP setting.

This is something I'd forgotten about in my gap between re-testing this air fryer and I got a surprise on my first experiment with chicken and some vegetables. Though I've still been testing air fryers across the last few years, none of them (not even rival Ninjas like the Crispi or the DoubleStack) come close in terms of sheer cooking ability.

It's not surprising that this air fryer puts on such an impressive performance when it comes to cooking given its wattage. With a 2,400-watt number in terms of power, it's a market leader for packing a punch when it comes to energy. But that doesn't mean its a huge energy guzzler necessarily. Remember, it cooks things in very quick times so you won't need it on for as long compared to a less powerful alternative.

So if you're thinking of investing in a dual zone air fryer and you want to maximise power, I've found in my tests that the Ninja Dual Zone is as impressive as ever – even if it's 6 years since its first release. Just remember you probably need less time than you think for cooking to begin with!

Ninja's newest Slushi machine has finally landed on UK shores, just in time for the rising temperatures that have us all longing for a cooling refreshment.

The Ninja Slushi Twist, which is available from today for £419.99 (via Ninja) takes the success of one of its bestselling launches of the past few years and doubles it, with twice the amount of drinks and flavours available to your guests this summer if you choose to buy it. And the best part of all? You can mix them with the help of the machine to make the half and half drink of your dreams!

Yep, this 'dual-vessel frozen drinks maker' gives you the chance to slush two different drinks, all in the same impressively narrow timeframe that I've been wowed by with the original Ninja Slushi during my trials of it. Here's all of the added functionality you get with this buy that offers twice the fun for your kitchen.

The biggest sell with the Ninja Slushi Twist is that you can cater to everyone that comes over to your house for a summer soiree. With the two separate mixing cylinders, you can provide alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies side by side, as well as different types of drinks altogether. So if someone wants a frozen milkshake while you're sipping on a frosé, it's all possible.

I reckon the fact you can twist together two different flavours of Slush will be hugely popular too – something that was previously only possible if you were picking up a frozen drink at the cinema or the beach.

The combining process works thanks to one very clever feature: a spinning drip tray at the bottom of the machine. This creates that swirled-together effect that makes your two-flavour drink look so tasty. If you only want to dispense one drink at a time, then that's possible too, thanks to the split-handlebar at the very top of both vessels.

As with of all its appliances, Ninja has engineered a catchily-named program to help users get the best from this buy, which is called the Dual SlushAssist. This program will sense the ingredients in each vessel and then apply the settings that relate to whichever function you pick.

As someone who has hosted with the OG Slushi before, another marked improvement with the Twist is that it has an upped capacity. It can serve up 10x 260ml in one go, which is plenty enough for a crowd before you'll need to head inside to refill the machine.

So, if you're looking for a buy that will make hosting an absolute dream and help you cater to all tastes when it comes to drinks, the Slushi Twist might just be the thing you're looking for to cool off with this summer!

Alternative Ninja Slushis

If you're planning on entertaining in the summer heat, then you might be wondering how you can incorporate some kind of cooling drink or dessert into your hosting plans. Right now at Costco, you can buy two Ninja bestsellers that would make it a lot easier: the Slushi (for £219.99, down from £299.99) and the Creami Swirl & Scoop (also £219.99, down from £349.99).

I've reviewed both of these viral buys, and I can confirm that they add such a fun element to having people over for drinks or dinner, with the chance for your guests to pour their own frozen drinks or create their own sweet treats for dessert.

Here's how you can get your hands on these products for these super low prices, as well as alternative places to shop if you don't want to sign up for a Costco membership.

I've seen plenty of Costco deals floating around online but I've never had one make me want to invest in a membership as much as these super-low Ninja prices. So I did some investigating into how you can acquire a membership and the requirements you need to meet.

There are two tiers to Costco membership that allows you in shop in their warehouses: Gold Star and Business. To qualify, you have to follow a pretty stringent list of requirements, which you can view on the Costco website.

If you, like me, don't qualify under any of these terms, then all is not lost. You can still purchase an all-online membership for £42 a year for which there is no entry requirements. It does mean you won't be able to see the inside of an actual Costco store, however (another dream dashed for me).

But you will be able to take advantage of these sensational Ninja prices and shop a huge variety of other Costco products across the year, too.

If you'd rather not add another subscription onto your plate, then that's understandable. Right now, there's a host of places you can find top-rated Ninja products on sale thanks to Amazon Prime Day, which is running until midnight on the 26th of June, as well as counter sales from rival retailers slashing their prices.

I'd strongly recommend checking out the sales ongoing at Ninja itself, as well as John Lewis and Currys.

The Slushi and the Swirl are easily the two most fun appliances I've ever tested and they will provide endless summer entertainment if you decide to install one in your home.

And Costco membership or not, now's a great time to shop for something that can help you through the heatwave whilst also providing joy on the weekends!

The ability to make frozen sweet treats at home, either for pudding or to wow your guests, is something that really comes into its own in the summer months.

A question that I've been discussing a lot with friends and family who are looking to purchase something similar is whether they should opt for one of Ninja's bestselling viral best ice cream makers or an appliance that can whip up slushies and soft serve instead.

The two leading examples of this are the Ninja Swirl and the Cuisinart Frost Fusion – both of which I've used extensively at home. Here's what each of these machines can achieve and which one you should opt for to get the most for your money.

1. Functionality and preparation

It's really important to look at the different settings on offer with whichever sweet treat maker has caught your eye. The original Ninja Creami has less going for it than the Deluxe version which in turn is not quite as capable as the newer Swirl. But the kicker with all of them? Your ice cream or soft serve mix will always require pre-freezing.

Ninja doesn't have an ice-cream maker (yet) that doesn't require you to prepare materials in advance. It does have the Slushi, but that's drinks-limited.

The Cuisinart Frost Fusion is a hugely popular alternative that can whip up frozen desserts on the same day – in our tests we found it could take as little as 30 minutes. Below I've outlined the exact functionality differences between these bestsellers as well as the crucial pre-freezing times required.

There's plenty to weigh up with these speficiations laid out. The Cuisinart is the best option if you want to skip the faff of pre-freezing but the results won't be as firm as you can expect with Ninja's ice-cream alternatives – obviously the day spent in the freezer will do a lot to help your ingredients.

2. Fun factor

If you're considering buying one of these ice-cream makers, chances are you'll want to use it to impress your guests this summer. And while all of them have fun factor, some have more interactive features than others.

As someone who has tested all of the appliances listed above, the Swirl and the Cuisinart Frost Fusion are the most entertaining thanks to their soft serve dispensers if you want ice cream. Or if you're more interested in frozen drinks, the Slushi is far and away the machine you want.

If you've ever paid a visit to Pizza Hut's Ice Cream Factory, you'll know the thrill of trying to master the flow of ice cream and with these two, you can try that at home. Just bear in mind it does take a bit of practice!

The Cuisinart has the fun of dispensing soft serve with the benefit of doubling up as a slushie machine too, so it's arguably the better all-rounder. But for me, you can't beat Ninja when it comes to quality.

3. Price

These appliances are of course not an essential addition to a kitchen, but they're worth their weight in gold on a hot weekend if you're entertaining. My Slushi machine was hardly out of use last summer.

All of them are pretty pricey, but the best value option is Cuisinart's Frost Fusion considering how many functions it has. Ninja's offerings are pricier, yes, but the have the better quality overall and I can see all of the ones I've tested going the distance in my kitchen.

Sales periods help to bring the price of these machines down significantly. Right now, Amazon Prime Day sales offer a good summer window to snag a discount and Black Friday will be an even better time, as these appliances will be less in demand.

Ninja's shiny new coffee machine, the AutoBarista Pro, was only released at the end of last month but I've already spotted a version that's cheaper by £100 and available to buy now (via Ninja for £799.99).

This pared-back version of Ninja's super-automatic bean to cup coffee machine has a few differences from the original which I wrote about in detail in my preview. But there's one that'll disappoint decaf fans in particular: the two bean-hopper system (which is one of my favourite features of the £899.99 machine) is missing, as well as a few different drinks and milk frothing options.

Here's a look at the key differences so you can work out which one best suits your morning brew routine.

With an £100 price difference, I predict that there will be plenty of people interested in the standard version of the AutoBarista over the professional, but it's worth weighing up whether the features you lose are ones you might want in the future.

Let's start with what I see as the most important difference: the lack of interchangeable bean hopper system with the standard version.

The ability to swap between different types of coffee, including to decaf beans in the afternoon, is something that you can usually only get with much more expensive machines. It's excellent for making the most of your coffee machine without over-caffeinating or for those with partners or family members that have different coffee tastes. With two hoppers you could have one darker and one lighter roast on the go at the same time for those who want to switch between the two.

The other reason that the standard machine is more affordable is because it has a slightly diminished menu of drinks. There are 10 options available when brewing coffee: Espresso, Americano, Cappuccino, Flat White, Latte, Filter Coffee, Cold Brew, Cold-Pressed, Over Ice, and Hot Water.

You'll find those same drinks with the pro version alongside three more for your money: Cortado, Café Crema, and Lungo. And the ability to pull two shots of espresso at the same time – great for busy mornings if there's two of you using the same machine.

The automatic milk frother, which I think is the best feature on Ninja's Luxe Café machine too after trying it, is slightly altered in terms of programs between these two machines. While the standard machine offers 4 presets (Steamed Milk, Thin Froth, Thick Froth, and Cold Foam), the pro version has the same and more with the addition of Extra-Thick Froth too.

For the £100 price difference, it's definitely worth thinking about whether these differences would have an impact on the drinks you'd be making every day. If you'd be sticking to a flat white for most of the time, then you could save yourself a substantial chunk off your shiny new machine.

Or if this impressively kitted out new machine is out of the bounds of what you're looking to spend, then I've included some alternative highly-rated options below that you can consider instead.

Ninja has unveiled a brand new bean-to-cup coffee machine with a pricetag under £500 for the first time: the Luxe Café Mini Plus Espresso Machine (available for £499.99 via Ninja now).

This is the latest machine to join the ranks of Ninja's excellently regarded bean-to-cup coffee machine range. First came the sellout success of the Ninja Luxe Café (which I awarded five stars to in my review), followed by the even more capable Luxe Café Pro series.

Then, just last month, there was the hugely popular drop of the brand's first super-automatic machine – the Ninja AutoBarista Pro – which I've been trying (and loving in my kitchen).

Despite all of that success, there's undoubtedly been a gap in Ninja's range ready to be filled by a more affordable option. That's where this much more compact and affordable machine is bound to be a total winner. Here's how it compares to the rest of the sellout machines.

It may have 'mini' in the name but how compact is it really for small kitchens? The short answer is that it's 30% smaller than the Ninja Luxe Café Pro, which is certainly a bulky machine, and measures up at 34.11cm high, 30.91cm wide and 26cm in length.

Situated next to the Luxe Café in the promotional images, it's clear to see that this should be the Ninja coffee machine of choice for anyone who has been put off from the range thus far because of the bulky machine sizes.

Whilst having a much smaller footprint (and price tag), it seems there's been no skimping on quality features with the Mini from a first glance. Its control panel looks extremely in-depth despite its smaller size and the machine still boasts the Barista Assist Technology that I loved in my reviews of the OG Luxe Café. With this tech even beginners will find it exceptionally easy to get into pulling espresso shots that are finely tuned to their coffee tastes.

And crucially, this machine is still kitted out with an automatic milk frother too for the price, which makes it a brilliant buy for its price tag. As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I trawl through press releases about new coffee machines everyday and it is very rare to get all of the features built into this machine for a sub £500 sum.

As a latte lover, the automatic milk frother is my favourite thing about every Ninja coffee machine I've tried – it makes wowing your guests with latte art or a perfect flat white so easy. And vegans haven't been left out of the equation either as this Mini machine is equipped for plant milk too. In my experience I've found steaming oat milk with the Luxe Café as seamless as with dairy.

Given the breadth of features packed into this slimmed down machine for under £500, I predict that this is going to be Ninja's most popular coffee offering for a long while. So if you like the look of this compact coffee maker, I'd snap it up fast!

Glass air fryers are the newest kitchen appliance on the block and if you're short on space, you'll want to know all about them. Not only do these smaller versions of the best air fryers have the benefit of being non-toxic, but some also give flexibility to those who want to cook and store foods in the same container to save space and time.

If you're a meal prep obsessive, then you've probably heard about the Ninja Crispi already – which I awarded five stars to in my review – but if you've found it a little out of your price range, with an RRP of £149.99, then I have good news for you.

There is a range of glass air fryers hitting the market right now, all with modular designs. Here's how they work and three reasons why you might want to take part in this new batch cooking trend.

1. The benefits of glass for cooking

The Ninja Crispi was a viral hit when it launched thanks to the fact that its glass material makes for perfect social media clips (like this one via Ninja's Instagram).

Whether you want to watch a block of cheese melt in quick time or see what it looks like when a frozen croissant springs into life, the 360 vantage of the Crispi certainly makes for an interactive cooking experience. But when I tried it, I found there's plenty of practical reasons for opting for glass over the usual air fryer basket when it comes to cooking too.

If you, like me, hate getting to the end of a work day and being stuck for what to make for dinner, then meal prep is the answer. The fact that you can cook meals in the Crispi and then pop them straight in the fridge is a winner for this, especially in the larger 5.7 litre size as it allows for more than one portion.

The 'take the shelf out' hack that I learned from Jamie Oliver is perfect for this too. You can cook an entire lasagne, pasta bake or a batch of brownies directly into the glass and then store your leftovers without any dish transferring.

If you like the sound of that effort-free cooking but you're on a budget then Salter's new Crisp & Go, which is strikingly similar to the Crispi, is a lot more affordable and so far has only gleaned 5 star reviews, both via Amazon and Salter's website.

I got a first look at it recently at Salter's unveiling of it and I was impressed by its size and versatility, though the control panel is not quite as sleek as Ninja's. For the price however, I think it's going to be a hit.

2. Ease of cleaning

If you're the designated washing-upper or dishwasher-loader in your house, then glass has many benefits over your usual air fryer basket, too. In my testing, I've found it's a much easier surface to keep from getting grimy long-term, and day-to-day is much easier to wash by hand too. I've also become obsessed with using Fairy's Skip the Soak Spray (£3.86 at Amazon), too, which easily lifts anything that might be troublesome off the glass surface.

All of the portable, glass air fryers featured above have dishwasher-safe glass containers, which is a real treat. Compared to how gross air fryer baskets can get after a long time (even with frequent cleaning), switching to glass has been a revelation in terms of cleanliness for me.

3. Ease of storage

There's always a debate as to whether an air fryer deserves a place on a kitchen worktop. While I think an air fryer is arguably the most useful kitchen appliance out there, I understand people's desire to find ways to hide their air fryer.

With these modular glass air fryers the ability to stack and store the parts is built in. When not in use the smaller container can slot into the larger one and the air fryer lid can be stored alongside it. It's small enough that it'll fit into a compartment of standard kitchen cupboards with ease.

While this air fryer is marketed as portable, I personally don't think it's the kind of thing you'll want to carry around in your bag with you. But I do think it's the air fryer to opt for if hiding it for most of the time is high on your priority list.

So if you want something that's tailor-made for making lunches and dinners for the week ahead easier as well as an appliance that's easy to stash away, I think one of these glass buys will do a wonderful job.

Ninja's bestselling coffee machine range is expanding. That's good news both for those who want to shop the brand's shiny, new AutoBarista Pro and for anyone who's been waiting for the price of Ninja's first-ever coffee machine, the Luxe Café, to drop significantly.

The Luxe Café is now available for £447 down from its RRP of £549.99 via Ninja. There's no mistaking that the Luxe Café is still a seriously pricey home investment, but considering it's also the best coffee machine I've ever tried in terms of value, this deal makes it even more of a star buy.

I awarded five stars to the Luxe Café in my review of it when it was released in 2024, though I wasn't the biggest fan of the stainless steel exterior, which can mark easily and be a pain to keep pristine. If you feel the same way, the good news is that this deal also extends to the matte black version, which is also down to £447 via Amazon.

There are so many things packed into this machine that you usually only see in products with much higher pricetags but my favourite by far is the automatic milk frothing wand.

If you love a frothy coffee in the morning, then this hands-free feature is going to get a lot of use in your home with the ability to whip up milk into foam suitable for lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and more. It can also double up as a milk frother for hot chocolates and even has a cold mode for those hot summer days when only an iced coffee will do the job.

If you're just starting out on your journey as a home barista then learning how to steam milk can be daunting, but the automatic element of Ninja's frother takes that steep learning curve away. Plus, the frother is so good that it can create a genuine microfoam that you can use to practice your latte art skills, too.

The automatic grind size suggestions, which appear on the left hand side of the machine's screen, also go a long way if you're a beginner just getting into coffee at home. The set-up process for the machine is very helpful for getting to grips with all of the different elements.

If I was going to snap up the Luxe Café as part of this deal I would definitely pick the matte black option over the stainless steel. I love the subtle finish, which has a lot in common with David Beckham's swish new version too.

This week, the coveted Ninja Creami is landing in Lidl’s middle aisle, but before you rush off to your local store, I’ve found the summer must-have appliance cheaper at both Amazon and John Lewis.

Landing in stores on Sunday (24 May), Lidl will be stocking the much-loved Ninja Creami (which we've reviewed) for a limited time. And it couldn’t have come at a better time, as the UK expects a heat wave to hit over the weekend.

If you haven’t already discovered the joy of making your own ice cream at home, I’d say it’s time to get to know it. But as always, if you plan to head to Lidl, you'd better be quick, as when it’s gone, it’s gone.

Lidl is undoubtedly known for its middle-aisle bargains, which range from the weird to the wonderful and everything in between. Most recently, their chic Lidl sun lounger, which looks like it came straight from the grounds of a posh hotel, made a bid to be the best sun lounger you could buy this summer.

Now, the budget supermarket is welcoming The Ninja Creami, and it’s perfect if you’re looking to whip up healthier ice-creams this summer. The Ninja Creami was first reviewed by our Digital Editor,Rebecca Knight, back in 2023. Impressed, she even commented in the review that friends and family had to stage a ‘mini-intervention’ to stop her from raving about the appliance.

Producing creamy homemade ice-creams, sorbets, smoothie bowls and milkshakes, this sleek appliance went viral after its launch. It looks more like a blender compared to a traditional ice-cream maker and works completely differently, requiring you to freeze your mixture before churning. Plus, with an abundance of ‘healthy’ protein-packed recipes on social media, it became a quick favourite with the health-obsessed, too.

The Creami usually retails for around £199.99, and Lidl is selling it for £159. However, it's also on sale for even less than that right now at Amazon and John Lewis.

So, on this occasion, Lidl is to be beaten on price. Because of this, if you’re looking to snap up the Ninja Creami, I’d suggest buying now while it is on sale, as these are the best prices I can find.

Or, if you’d like something a little brighter, you should consider opting for the pastel Ninja Creami’s, which provide a sure way to add a splash of colour to your kitchen ideas. These Creamis are not on sale, costing £199.99 at Ninja. Right now, the stunning Spiced Lemon Meringue and Sugared Blueberry Apricot are available.

Alternatively, here are a few more affordable ice-cream makers.

In this instance, we say don’t head to Lidl - snap up the Ninja Creami while it is on sale at Amazon and John Lewis.

Ninja just dropped a brand new stainless steel cookware range: the EverClad collection, available now with prices starting from £89.99.

In a bid to rival the most popular cookware brands around right now, including HexClad and Made In, Ninja has launched this 'commercial-grade' line which includes saucepan sets and frying pans.

There's no doubt that stainless steel is the material of the moment. In recent years it has transitioned as the pick of professional chefs into a mainstay of everyday kitchens, especially for those looking to get away from non-stick coatings and to invest in non-toxic alternatives.

Here's a closer look at everything Ninja is offering with the EverClad range, which the brand say is 'designed to keep up with your lifestyle'.

This is a real premium offering from Ninja, with no non-stick coatings in sight. Instead, the use of stainless steel means that all of the pans in the range are oven safe up to 300°C, which is, of course, fantastic for hob to oven cooking.

Each pan has a tri-ply construction, which means that you're paying for two layers of stainless steel and a core made of aluminium in the middle. This allows for even heating and explains the higher price tag.

Suitable for all hob types, you can pick up everything from a wok to a small frying pan in this material. The more expensive picks, such as the 22cm Stock Pot, feature two side handles, which is a hallmark of higher quality cookware. All of the pieces also have a 10-year warranty, which is great for peace of mind.

If you really want to deck out your whole kitchen with this range, you can pick up Ninja's wide-ranging 12 Piece Set, which features a saucepan with lid, two frying pans (one with a lid), a larger saucepan and lid, a sauté pan and lid, a large stockpot and another smaller frying pan. For all of those pieces, you'll pay less than £300, which is actually a great price if you want to start a non-toxic cookware collection from scratch.

There are so many benefits to cooking with stainless steel and we've recently been on a journey here at Ideal Home to establish what those merits are.

Our expert Home Economist and reviewer Helen McCue has tried Le Creuset's stainless steel offering in her review as well as Made In's alternative. After those experiences, she's a convert to the material for cooking, saying that it made mealtimes 'a breeze' once she got over the learning curve of getting rid of her reliance on non-stick coatings.

Of course, one of the great things with stainless steel pans is that they should have real longevity in your kitchen so we can't wait to test Ninja's version out too to see exactly how it holds up to the challenges of everyday life. From a first look it certainly looks like a very promising range.

David Beckham's kitchen worktops at his home in the Cotswolds will need to be cleared of space for a new addition: his first product collaboration with Ninja, which has been unveiled as an exclusive version of the brand's bestselling coffee machine, the Ninja Luxe Cafe Pro by David Beckham.

The Ninja Luxe Café Pro, which I awarded five stars to in my review back in 2025, is now available with David Beckham's stamp of approval in a matte black stainless-steel finish, complemented by black chestnut wood grain and gold finishes.

Earning a spot as one of our top-rated bean-to-cup coffee machines (after testing dozens here at Ideal Home), the Luxe Café Pro was already a fan favourite, but now I predict it's about to get an even bigger boost of popularity.

In a big week for coffee machine releases, including new products from Nespresso (the Vertuo Up) and Philips (with a new bean-to-cup model), Ninja has joined the party with this celebrity collaboration. Given David Beckham's enthusiasm for all things coffee and Ninja's very successful move into the barista-style machine market, this collaboration feels like a natural fit.

The Luxe Café is already a product with absolute rave reviews, as well as extremely popular limited-batch colourway releases. Now those wanting to pull an espresso shot just like David Beckham might be enticed by his shiny new machine.

I've previously discussed the big differences between the original Luxe Café and the Pro version, but the summary is that the latter is a premium offering thanks to its integrated tamping system, improved milk frothing system and sleeker control panel.

This limited edition version was the product of 'a six-month creative process, channeling Beckham's signature aesthetic' according to Ninja. The specific design quirks, which are exclusive to this machine are inspired, according to Beckham himself, by 'the natural materials of the English countryside'.

It's no secret that David Beckham is a huge coffee fan and celebrated the launch of this machine with a post to his Instagram using it to pull an espresso shot, alongside some seriously niche latte art depicting his own face.

This week in the US, Ninja dropped a pink version of the Luxe Café machine, which fans were loving on the brand's Instagram. So as well as new David Beckham inspired machines, here's hoping there's plenty other variations of this sellout coffee machine to come!

Ninja just launched its bestselling Slushi machine in two new configurations that size up the number of drinks you can serve at once – the Slushi XL and the Slushi Max, both available now. Just in time for the spring sunshine (fingers crossed!).

I'm all in for the OG Ninja Slushi after trying it last year – I even installed one at the Ideal Home Christmas party so I could convince the rest of the team – and the brand has answered my prayers with these supersized versions.

My main gripe with the original 1.9 litre capacity Slushi after testing it was nothing to do with its performance but instead the fact that it would be empty after one round of drinks if I was hosting for more than six people.

That's all change with these souped up 3.7 (XL) and 4.4 litre (MAX) upgrades. Here's a closer look.

Let's get down to what you and I really want to know: how many drinks can each one make during your next summer soiree?

Well, let's assume that you, like me, are serving frozen margaritas (what else?) in a 200ml coupe glass. With those workings, with the XL you can get through 12 servings and with the MAX, 16. That means that your guests can go back for a second round before your Slushi needs a refill.

All of the much-loved settings from the original Slushi remain: the 'RapidChill' tech (which means you can go from a room temp mix to slush in under 30 minutes), the WhisperChill tech (which means you can hear your guests when hosting) and the all-important functions: Slush, Frozen Cocktail, Frappé, Milkshake and Frozen Juice.

Each drink is also adjustable in terms of consistency with the controls on the front of the machine, depending on how frozen you want your slushie.

Even as a lifelong slushie lover (the best part of a day spent at the beach, in my opinion) I was fairly skeptical before I tried the Slushi out on actually installing one in my kitchen. But it turned into a real focal point for summer hosting, especially when your guests can dispense themselves a frosé without you needing to step in and serve them.

I'm going to be trying out the XL side by side with the original Slushi to see how the extra capacity actually makes a difference but as far as the concept goes, I'm always going to be sold on more drinks that people can serve themselves at a dinner party!

A brand new Ninja air fryer has arrived on the scene: the Ninja Crispi Pro (available from today for £249 via Ninja).

Its tagline promises that this is the 'XL glass air fryer designed for non-toxic prepping, cooking and storing' and I was lucky enough to get hold of a sample early to let you know if that's actually the case.

Ninja is routinely ahead of the curve when it comes to tapping into cooking trends and fun and imaginative colour ways, but this upgrade to one of the existing best Ninja air fryers goes even further than that with its somewhat kooky, futuristic design. Here's how it works and the upgrades it offers on the original Crispi (which we reviewed this time last year).

Increased functionality

The original Ninja Crispi was a kind of weird sell – it doesn't look or operate like a normal air fryer and one of its USPs is puzzlingly, portability – but it went down a storm with Ninja fans on its release. Plus it held up to the hype upon testing, earning itself a spot on my list of the best air fryers (which is only 3 products in total).

But one of the big bugbears people had with it was the rigidity of the functions. On the OG Crispi, there were just 4 modes: Air fry, Roast, Reheat, Keep Warm and each of these came with a preset temperature attached which wasn't changeable.

That's all changed with the Crispi Pro, which boasts a souped up control panel (complete with separate temperature and timing buttons) and three new modes: Max Crisp, Prove and Dehydrate. Max Crisp is a fan favourite mode from the brand's larger air fryers (like the FlexDrawer) which has a preset temperature of 200°C.

The standard Crispi also had a much simpler LCD screen, which just counted down minutes until cooking completion. The Pro version is much more user friendly if you're not used to an air fryer just yet.

More cooking space

The capacity of the Crispis works differently to other Ninja air fryers, as all of the cooking is done in glass containers over standard drawers. It makes it so easy to food prep and store foods in them, though the capacity was a bit of a limiting factor in the old version with the maximum cooking space being 3.8 litres.

With the XL, this is amped up to 5.7 litres, though the container felt much bigger than that when the Crispi arrived. It's paired with a 2.4 litre version too, which is good for single portions. These are made interchangeable thanks to a small fitting that you can slot into the back of the unit which holds up the smaller container to the heat element.

So far in the limited tests I've done (with my full review still to come) I've found the larger container much more useful, though I haven't utilised it to its full ability yet. I'm sure it could fit a small joint of meat or something similar, which I'll be giving a go soon.

With oven chips it worked well, though you're limited to the space across the crisper plate inside – with something like a dual zone air fryer you can obviously pack more across two zones.

But for a single or two person household, there's plenty of space. The Crispi Pro also seems like it would hold up very well in a student kitchen situation and of course remains so useful for food prep thanks to the fridge-ready glass containers.

It's available in pink!

While the original Crispi was eventually released in a number of pastel colours, only more neutral shades were available on the launch. That's not so with the Crispi Pro, which looks like it'll include a pink option from the offset. Perfect if you're looking to execute a pink kitchen colour scheme!

Could you see yourself giving the Crispi Pro a go? Or is it a little too modern for your liking?

Ninja's bestsellers may often be imitated, but that never stops the brand from bringing out new innovations with even better designs. The newest addition is the BlendBoss (which on first look I thought looked just like a Stanley Cup and a NutriBullet had a baby), a compact blender available in an array of pastel colours.

I got my hands on it to give it a try before its official release via the Ninja website in order to test claims that it has 'total crushing power' to rival even the best blenders from the likes of Vitamix, despite its cute, compact looking base.

If you're always taking drinks on the go, the tumbler cup with a leakproof pop-up cap is designed to be just the thing to sit into your car's cupholder or to pop into your day bag. Here's what I thought of the hottest new Ninja appliance, which is bound to become its next viral hit – especially when you learn it has as much power as the top-rated blender we've ever tried, the Vitamix A2500i, which retails for around £400 more.

Out of the box, the first thing I noticed about the BlendBoss is that the squat little base is heavy. That's not all that surprising when you learn that there's a seriously powerful motor hidden in there, but it does give you the first inkling that this isn't a looks over substance blender.

The base and the tumbler look even better in person – I especially love the Lavender shade that I tried it in – with the matching butter yellow accents adding so much against the two-tone lilac.

This blender is smart too. Along the base, there are four buttons – three of these are 'IQ' programs, along with a standard pulse setting, including blendIQ, smoothieIQ and icecrushIQ.

In my first try of this blender, I tried each one to test out whether these 'intelligent programs' could actually sense a difference in the consistency of what I was trying to blitz up. First up was a simple smoothie with frozen fruit and milk.

Auto programs on blenders can be hit or miss, but the results of the smoothie setting here were very impressive. Just when I thought the program had stopped, the blender would whirr back to life and finish the process and the resulting smoothie has a great texture to it.

The suction feet on the base of the blender meant that there was no shakiness to the unit, though the sound levels were what you would expect with any standard appliance like this (rather loud).

I found the hands-free nature of the 'IQ' settings to be a real bonus. In an everyday setting, it means you can prepare other things without having to oversee the blender –a winner for busy weekday mornings.

Another test I ran was making houmous. Not everyone is interested in owning one of the best food processors, either due to budget or space, so it's always useful if you can find some of the some functionality in a blender unit. I used 'blendIQ' for this one and the results were very good considering the capability of the blade. I'd be happy to have served this houmous at a dinner party for sure.

The ability to make crushed ice is another selling point of the BlendBoss – perfect for cocktail evenings or desserts. It won't shock you that the extremely powerful base makes easy work of ice, though, of course, the smaller cup size is a bit limiting if you're crushing for a crowd.

In person, the other thing that really impressed me about this blender was the finish of the flip cap lid. These tend to be a bit flimsy or temperamental (and prone to come mysteriously undone in your bag), but after a good shake and attempts to thwart the system 'accidentally', it didn't budge. So far, so leakproof.

All in all, it was very hard not to be impressed by this small but mighty blender on my first spin with it. Could you see the BlendBoss earning a space on your worktop? Unlike the newly released supersized Ninja Crispi Pro XL, It won't need much room, that's for sure!

Ninja has finally dropped the BlendBoss (a blender and tumbler duo) in the UK and the pastel colours are absolutely worth your attention.

Now available (and unexpectedly on sale) for £92.58 down from £125.96 via Amazon, the BlendBoss has been a huge hit over in the US thanks to its compact, easy to store base and large, portable matching tumbler.

The pastel colour range is another huge draw, including a bright green Watermelon Bubblegum shade (£129.99 at Ninja) and a lush Lavender Lemonade (£129.99 at Ninja) version. Here's a sneak peek of everything this blender is capable of before it inevitably causes a frenzy with NinjaKitchen fans.

So make makes this blender 'the boss'? Well the low profile base is the first tick for me, with its squat design not only looking so convenient to store while also reminding me of the bubble plates trend that isn't going anywhere soon.

And though it's small, it looks like this blender packs a serious punch – it has a 1200-watt motor base that can crush ice to snow and 'blend all your favourite ingredients', according to Ninja.

Then there's the large tumbler that comes as standard with this blender which is bound to be a hit. Water bottles of this type have grown gargantuan over the last few years, so why not combine that with your smoothie cup too? The small base to the tumbler should also make these cups cupholder friendly too.

The biggest sell for me with the BlendBoss (aside from the very funny name) is the selection of pastel colours on offer to buy it in. I love using a kitchen appliance to bring a pop of colour to a kitchen and Ninja has nailed the shade range with this blender.

Each tumbler has multiple pastel colours on its body, with the blender base coming in one of the five on offer. In total, there's Cyberspace (blue), Watermelon Bubblegum (bright green), Stone (grey), Lavender Lemonade (pastel purple) and Blue Raspberry (bright blue) to choose from.

I'm hoping to get my hands on the BlendBoss soon to give you my verdict on its power and suitability to your kitchen worktop. Are you tempted to take the plunge with Ninja's newest release?

If you know a frozen drinks fan then the perfect Christmas gift just dropped for you to snap up: the Ninja Slushi Insulated Bubble Cup with Lid & Straw (£19.99 via Ninja).

The popularity of the Slushi, which is now available in a myriad of pastel colours, shows no sign of slowing down and with entertaining season now well and truly upon us it's no surprise that Ninja has dreamed up the perfect accessories to go with it.

I'll admit that before I tried the Slushi I thought it was more of a gimmick than a must-buy but if you love to host, you'll love this party-ready appliance and these new cups solve my biggest gripe with it – the drinks melting too fast as you're hosting. Plus, if you pick up the Slushi right now for £249.99 via Ninja, you get a pair of cups thrown in.

This affordable Slushi accessory is already a hit with Ninja's loyal followers with nearly all of the colours of the Bubble Cup already selling out. Whilst the Purple, Yellow, Sea Glass and Bright blue shades are no longer available, you can still (for now!) snap it up in Grey, Black and Denim Blue.

Each of the Bubble Cups features an insulated cup and a domed lid with a straw. All of the parts are dishwasher safe (as well as many parts of the Slushi) which is good news for easy cleaning up.

This collectible accessory range matches Ninja's new Slushi colours too. Whilst most of the limited edition shades are sold out via Ninja's website, there are a few other retailers where you can snap up a colourful machine. I've listed the colours still left and where you can buy them below.

With a month of entertaining ahead, it's well and truly Slushi season now!

Presenter and current I’m a Celeb star, Vogue Williams, frequently blesses my Instagram algorithm, sharing recipes and glimpses into her home life. And it was during one of her recipe tutorials that I spotted Vogue was making a huge air fryer mistake - and it turns out I’m guilty of it, too.

It seems the best air fryer is an important part of any working kitchen these days, as everyone from the top chefs to our favourite influencers and ourselves uses one to whip up quick, easy and healthy meals. Honestly, I’m not sure what I’d do without mine.

But these handy appliances are not indestructible, unfortunately. And if, like Vogue, you're guilty of storing items on top of your air fryer, air fryer experts want you to stop right now.

In an Instagram post demonstrating how to make chicken dust chicken and broccoli, I was quick to spot Vogue’s cult Ninja Foodi (was £119.99, now £99.99 at Argos). It’s easily one of the best budget air fryers as well as one of the best Ninja air fryers, and a popular choice in the kitchen amongst members of the Ideal Home team (myself included).

One reason the air fryer stood out to me is that it’s currently less than £100 at Argos, which is the lowest price we’ve ever seen this year, and the other was that her toaster was stacked on top of it.

‘Vogue's Ninja air fryer has been a bestseller since its launch in 2020, and even though we've tested dozens here at Ideal Home in the years since, it's remained our favourite two-drawer model. That's because it's supremely powerful and has plenty of room for family cooking as well as a good mix of settings. The 200-degree setting Vogue is using is the MAX CRISP function – a favourite in our tests too!' Molly Cleary, Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor, said.

But Molly was also quick to tell me that placing a toaster on top of the air fryer was a big air fryer mistake. In fact, when I asked, experts quickly told me that you should not be putting any items on top of your air fryer. Given that there are currently two cookbooks on top of mine, I’m also making this big mistake.

‘It’s not the best idea to store anything on top of an air fryer since they get very hot at the top and sides while in use. Storing items can just cause heat damage, and since many models vent through the top, blocking this area can simply lead to overheating,’ said Isabella Forgione, small appliance expert at AO.com.

‘Keeping items on your air fryer will also put pressure on the lid or drawer mechanism over time and reduce its lifespan. In future, it’s a far wiser idea to always keep the top of your air fryer clear and treat this appliance the same way you would your oven or hob.’

And specifically a toaster? Absolutely not.

‘You should refrain from storing other appliances like your toaster on top of an air fryer. For the same reasons, storing smaller appliances could block vents, damage the casing or even force overheating in some instances. You should really be storing your appliances separately and not stacking any of them,’ says Isabella.

Air fryer essentials

Well, that’s me off to find a new home for the clutter currently sitting on top of my Ninja air fryer. Have you also been guilty of making the same mistake?

I've been testing out the upgraded version of Ninja's sell-out espresso machine, the Luxe Café Pro Series, for about five months now and it's an understatement to say that it's become one of my household staples.

It's by far the most popular appliance in my home – not only loved by my family and I but also by guests who get to choose from a full menu of coffee shop drinks when they come over. Without a doubt it is one of the best coffee machines I've ever tried but the £150 price difference compared with the original Ninja Luxe Café machine (which I also think is a five star buy) might seem hard to justify at a first glance.

But the long and short of it is, if you have it to spend and you're choosing between the two, the upgrade is definitely worth it. Here's why.

What the Pro version does better than the original Luxe Café

1. The milk wand

If you're an Americano or espresso lover then you might not see the value in my favourite feature of the Luxe Café Pro which is the milk frother, unless you're a very generous host who would be prepared to pay the extra to impress houseguests.

The automatic milk wand on the Pro is miles better than the one on the standard version. Overall, it's much thicker which is good news for a few reasons: stronger steam power, faster heating and much easier cleaning.

Add the improved milk wand design to the impressive 5 automatic frothing presets available on the Pro series machine and you've got a readymade latte and cappuccino station waiting for you every morning when you roll out of bed. If you're looking for a coffee machine to curb your Blank Street spending habit then this milk wand is the key.

The milk jug on the Pro is also large enough to carry enough milk for frothing two drinks at once, so morning coffees for you and a partner or for entertaining is much easier to do. And with a quick wipe down of the frother with a microfibre cloth, clean up is very minimal as opposed to the sometimes hard-to-handle frother on the original machine.

2. The integrated tamper

One of my bugbears with the original Luxe Café machine was the fiddly nature of the manual tamping process. Though the tamp was stored cleverly and had a high quality design, manually applying pressure to a puck could be pretty hit and miss.

That's why the transformation of tamping with the Luxe Café Pro makes a huge difference. Rather than a manual endeavour, there's an in-built tamper operated by the pull of a lever on the left side of the machine (sometimes referred to as a one-armed bandit like on a slot machine).

This new tamping system eradicates a lot of the potential mess of the old one and makes the process of pulling your shot of espresso much faster too. It also makes the machine look much neater and sleeker on the worktop too.

3. The hot water dispenser

While the milk frother upgrades might not appeal to black coffee fans, the added hot water dispenser with the Luxe Café Pro version just might. As Brits we are of course very dependent on our kettles which led to me to initially think that a hot water spout wouldn't really add much to this machine, but I was wrong.

My partner's drink of choice is an Americano and I've found it much easier over time to use the machine for this all-in-one function over boiling my kettle separately. And if the Americanos are a little short for your liking you can also use the additional hot water button to top your drink up.

Where the original Luxe Café wins

1. The price

While both of these machines offer phenomenal value, the simple fact is that the Ninja Luxe Café is a lot more affordable. It's been subject to some fantastic deals since its release last year and with Black Friday just around the corner there's already some unbelievably good prices available on it in the run up to this Christmas, including this incredibly good value Barista Bundle at Very.

2. The colour options

There's been a real shift towards matching the look of ones kitchen appliances to the existing colour scheme of a kitchen and Ninja is doing an excellent job of offering so many options of the Luxe Café (but not the Pro version) for discerning customers who want to make that a reality.

Even better, lots of those shiny colourways of the Luxe are now on sale early for Black Friday. Here's a look at them and where you can find the best prices.

If you're looking for a quality at-home espresso machine, Ninja's really is worth saving for given the number of features packed in for the price point. For relatively kitted out machines from De'Longhi or Sage, for example, you'd be looking to pay a lot more!

Ninja, the brand behind recent sell-out ice cream makers and slushie machines, has unveiled three new limited-edition looks for its very popular mini air fryer the Crispi. Frosted Lilac, Ginger Snap and Cherry Crush are now available to buy via the Ninja website for £149.99 apiece, but be warned: these one-off shades won't be around forever.

The best Ninja air fryers have won over shoppers up and down the country with their show-stopping cooking performances but now the brand is leaning into making these appliances collectibles too. Here are the shiny new shades.

I've been using my own Ninja Crispi at home for almost a year now and as per my five star Ninja Crispi air fryer review, I love how convenient it is to stash away in a cupboard and for storing leftovers. My Crispi is in Stone, which is one of the standard first-released colours and matches the rest of my kitchen appliances so well.

But if you have a brighter colour scheme in your kitchen or if you want to use your air fryer to add a pop of pastel to your worktops, then this Crispi collection might appeal.

Due to the very unique design of the Crispi, which consists of an air fryer lid and glass containers to hold your food, the addition of colour wouldn't be as overbearing as with a full-sized appliance. So if you are thinking of experimenting with the bright pink or yellow on offer here, you could always find a cupboard to hide the lid away in when its not in use.

Along with the recent release of Ninja's very popular stone air fryer, it looks like there's no end to the number of new colours you'll be able to buy from the brand. And with the Ninja Cripsi Pro XL also just dropped, there's bound to be more treats in store from this very trend-led retailer.

I can't wait to see which colour they take on next!

Ninja's stone air fryer is finally back and available to buy after the popularity of this air fryer skyrocketed earlier in October. Currently in stock on Amazon for £228.99, I'd recommend checking out on this one in double quick time if you've had it on your wish list.

Released as part of Ninja's array of new air fryer colours earlier in the year, this stone shade proved by far to be the most popular, especially with Ideal Home readers. The best Ninja air fryers are renowned for their excellent quality, but these limited-edition colour runs are really adding to the design appeal of these appliances too.

This particular version is an Amazon exclusive, but Ninja also has its own limited edition colours available right now, including the navy cyber space (£229.99 at Ninja). For the neutral lovers, here's a closer look at the particular stone shade.

If you have a neutral kitchen colour scheme, appliances that match your design vision is essential. That's why this stone Ninja air fryer has proved so popular, ranking as Amazon's bestselling air fryer this month.

Specs-wise, this is the standard Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer that caused so many sellouts way back in 2022 and which we've reviewed to great acclaim, but repackaged in colours far more suiting to most kitchens than black.

With two drawers that you can control separately to different temperatures and times, this Ninja is seen by many as an ultimate kitchen upgrade – though it's not quite as versatile as our favourite air fryer ever, the Ninja FlexDrawer, which impressed our reviewer and has the edge on space and design.

Seeing as this stone gold version is an Amazon exclusive, it'll be especially enticing to Prime members, as you could have this air fryer in your kitchen as soon as tomorrow.

We're certainly hoping that this stone gold Ninja air fryer can stay in stock long enough to feature in Amazon's upcoming Black Friday sale. After all, there's nothing better than scoring a bargain on something you've had your eye on for a while!

The exceptionally popular ice-cream and soft serve maker the Ninja Swirl has just hit its lowest price ever on Amazon, dropping to £262 from £349.99 in the Prime Day sales.

As per my first try a couple of months ago, I've been testing the Swirl out for a few months now, from summer into these colder autumnal months, and I've been surprised by how much more I've used it despite the weather turning. Turns out sweet treats aren't just reserved for summer!

Here's the full low down on how you can catch the Swirl on sale, as well as the details on why I've been using it far more than I did before.

First up, if you're unsure whether this is really a worthwhile deal, allow me to direct you to the Amazon price checker CamelCamelCamel page (which is always worth looking at before you buy anything on sale on there) for the Swirl. The records shows that this is the lowest price thus far for this product since it was first sold earlier this year.

It's also the cheapest place to shop the Swirl compared to competing retailers at the minute too – including at Ninja (where it's £299.99) and John Lewis (where it's £289.97).

But maybe you're wondering why you need a soft serve maker at all, especially with colder weather fast approaching. I too thought that my use of this ice-cream maker would decline as autumn began, but if anything I've found more evenings in watching TV mean that I'm reaching for my Swirl even more.

That's especially true since I've discovered that it's a great buy for making the most of leftover yoghurt, cream and milk. Pretty much anything sweet combined with those three ingredients can be creamified – trust me, I've tried it!

Another thing I was worried about with testing the Swirl was my skyrocketing consumption of sugar. Luckily, after I tried out the CreamiFit mode, I found a way of securing my soft serve for the day that didn't feel quite as indulgent. This mode is specifically made for making 'protein-packed treats under 150 calories'.

For weekend treats, I've loved using the original serve setting, but the addition of the CreamiFit mode is a real highlight for me for using this machine more often – even into the winter!

Are you tempted by the Ninja Swirl going on sale? Let me know what you'd make with it if you were to buy it!

Ninja's ever-popular espresso machine is available in a brand new colour, Gun Metal Grey. Available as an Amazon exclusive for the time being for £532.35, this new version is great for those looking for a more understated colour as opposed to stainless steel. Or, if you're looking for the Luxe Café on sale, you can pick it up for the bargain price of £449.00 in Black.

I awarded this machine an easy five stars in my Ninja Luxe Café review, as well as crowning it the best coffee machine for most people thanks to its user friendly features and value for money (considering the much higher price of rivals like the Sage Barista Express Impress). One of my only gripes was with the stainless steel finish, which is a magnet for fingerprint marks. If you'd like to avoid that conundrum, this new understated colour might just be the one for you.

Ninja has already released a host of other colours for the Luxe Café this year, including Navy and Black, but this looks like the first Amazon exclusive of the year for this product though I'm sure there will be more to come on Black Friday.

One of the things I wish I knew before I got my hands on this machine was just how easy it is to use – if you do decide to spend the cash, you'll be making barista-worthy brews in no time. Or if the Luxe Café is still too pricey for you, I've included some cosy at-home café alternatives below.

You don't have to take just my word for it either – this machine has an impressive 4.4 out of five star rating from 224 reviews at present on Amazon itself. Have you been mulling over buying the Luxe Café?

Ninja has unveiled a brand new coffee machine, the Prestige DualBrew System (£249.99 via Ninja) which combines filter coffee and pods for those looking for more versatility in their kitchen.

After the huge success of the Ninja Luxe Café, which I reckon is the best coffee machine for most people as per my five-star review, it's no surprise to see Ninja branching out into the realm of filter coffee.

And there are plenty of features to get excited about with this machine as well as the much lower RRP compared to the Luxe Café – there's a £300 difference. So if you're less of an espresso drinker and more into coffee you can keep sipping all day, here's what the DualBrew can do.

First, let's talk about the filter coffee capabilities of this machine. Filter coffee is nowhere near as popular in the UK as it is in the US, but there's a growing interest with machines like the Moccamaster (which we've reviewed) wowing customers.

Luckily, as with all Ninja appliances, this machine looks so straightforward to use, so even if you are new to filter coffee, it should be easy to get into.

The system comes with a 'Smart Scoop', which you use to add your ground coffee. From there, you can choose between three brew styles – Classic, Rich and Over Ice and pick from 10 different drink sizes, all the way up to a 1.8 litre carafe.

This machine is kitted out with Thermal Flavour Extraction technology, according to Ninja, as well as an XL shower head for infusing your filter coffee. There's also a Keep Warm setting, which you can adjust, which you can use to keep your carafe at an optimal temperature while you work from home or host.

The other draw with this machine is the choice to use pods, if you still want the simple convenience of slotting one in and pressing one button. And as this machine is compatible with Nespresso original capsules, it means you can buy cheaper supermarket alternatives and still have them fit.

And if you thought that was it, then you're mistaken as this machine has a secret weapon – a pull out milk frother on the left hand side which you can use to whisk milk for hot or cold drinks. That seems like great value to me for the price tag of this machine.

What do you think of this brand new Ninja machine? Does the price make it more appealing than the Luxe Café?

The Ninja Luxe Café Pro series is a coffee machine that will make any kitchen better. That's a bold claim I know, but I can support it with not only my own experience, but with the testimonies of every guest I've served a coffee using it.

I documented how much I enjoyed using the original version of this machine, the Ninja Luxe Café, in my review a little over a year ago (which you should read first if you want the basics on how these machines work). I even awarded it the title of the best coffee machine for most people to buy after testing dozens of them.

So how could it have improved? Well, with a new integrated tamping system and the new milk frother upgrades to start. Here's what else is new and improved about this exceedingly popular coffee machine from Ninja.

In a nutshell

The top line upgrades with this machine are the built-in tamp, upgraded milk system (including a jug big enough for two drinks) and a better interface.

I know £699 is still a lot of money to spend on a coffee machine, but the bottom line is the product provides what something like the Sage Barista Touch Impress (with an RRP of over £1000) does for a fraction of the price instead. That's hard to argue with.

If you're stuck deciding between this and the original, the question to ask is: how much are you willing to pay for added convenience? If the answer is that £150 is a fine price for you to pay for a smoother experience in daily use and cleaning then I'd recommend the upgrade wholeheartedly. If you're constantly making frothy drinks for two, the same advice applies.

Product specs

• Coffee type: bean-to-cup and filter
• Control type: automatic
• Water tank capacity: 2 litres
• Bean hopper capacity: 250g
• Dimensions: H: 37.7 x W: 33.7 x L: 35.5 cm
• Weight: 17.5kg
• RRP: £699.99

Making coffee

Let's start with how much easier it is to make a black coffee with this machine. If you're an Americano drinker, say, you'll benefit in a few different ways. I'll run you through how each step has improved.

It's a small thing but the buttons on this machine are changed from the original – you use these in the first step to switch the machine on and press 'grind' for your beans. Sleeker and easier to differentiate between, the buttons run across a control panel on the top of the machine.

As with the original, the machine will recommend you a grind size for your beans alongside the current actual grind size. You adjust this in the same way, using a dial on the left hand side.

Once you've ground your beans you have the next major difference: the machine will prompt you to use the lever on the left of the machine to tamp your puck twice. The lever comes down easily to apply the correct amount of pressure to your coffee and if you forget this step, the machine will flash to remind you.

With the first machine, you needed to use a manual tamp on the portafilter on an even surface. This was one of my gripes previously, as it felt fiddly and difficult to master with the ideal amount of pressure applied to the puck, especially if you're a beginner. So a tamp like this, which is very similar to the one found on the popular Sage Barista Express Impress machine, is a marked upgrade for me.

Next, extracting your coffee. With an Americano, you'll benefit from another new feature: the small hot water spout that sits just behind the group head. Though I imagine this is primarily most useful for the US market (who sacrilegiously don't depend on kettles as much as we do in the UK), it's still handy for doing the entire coffee making process on one machine.

If you're making a latte or a cappuccino, you'll have extracted your espresso the same way but the last steps will also have changed somewhat.

First up, the milk wand has been transformed. It's thicker than the old one and the surface is so much easier to keep clean with an improvement to its non-stick quality. With the old wand, you had to get in there immediately with a damp cloth to avoid yucky build-up but here you can afford to be a little more laidback and the wand still cleans up like a dream.

The frother itself is absolutely magic for all kinds of milk-based drinks. I love using it for iced lattes and the fact that you can now use the larger jug for more than one drink at a time has gone down a storm in my household. When you're hosting, you can froth the milk for two lattes, so everyone can sit down with their drink faster.

Things that remain from the first iteration of this machine that may irritate some are the same sized two litre water tank and drip tray. As I mentioned in my piece on what I wish I knew before I bought the Luxe Café, this machine does guzzle quite a bit of water which means that you could find yourself frequently refilling and then emptying these elements depending on how many coffees you're having. This personally doesn't bother me much, as I find it helps me keep on top of the overall cleaning of the machine too, but it's worth noting.

How does it compare to similar machines?

You know how it compares to the original version, but how does the Luxe Café Pro stand up against other machines with the same RRP?

Well for £699.99 you could alternatively pick up the De'Longhi Rivelia, which is my top pick for those who are looking for a fully automatic bean-to-cup machine. In one touch you can enjoy beautifully brewed coffees, with tech built in to help you adjust the many grind settings. It's a beautiful machine that works fantastically and is less involved, so it really depends on how hands-on you want to be.

Should you buy the Ninja Luxe Café Pro series?

If you're in the market to spend on a bean-to-cup machine and you've decided you want some level of input (over just an automatic), then this is the top machine I'd recommend to you. As with all Ninja appliances, the ease of use makes set up and troubleshooting any issues so straightforward and the quality of the coffee you can extract even on your first day with it is incredible. Versatile, good value for money (considering competitors) and fun to use, you won't regret investing in this for your kitchen.

Ninja's sell-out coffee machine, the Luxe Café, has a new look, with two new colour-ways now available. All available for £549.99 via the Ninja website, the espresso machine is now available in Navy and Black, to go alongside the original stainless steel Silver.

I awarded the Luxe Café five stars last year in my review and think it's one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines out there. It's even suitable for total newbies to at-home coffee machines, with features that make extracting a quality coffee so easy.

For over a year now, you've only been able to buy this machine with the stainless steel Silver finish, which I've learnt is quite the finger-print magnet. Now, there are two new colours to choose from – here's how they compare.

Ninja's expansion into the world of colour has already proved a huge hit this year, just look at the very popular new Slushi and air fryer colours for starters, so it's no surprise they've applied the same treatment to this fan-favourite coffee machine.

While it's just Navy and Black on the table for now, I'd expect there's more colours in the pipeline if you're holding out for a particular shade to match your current kitchen colour scheme.

While the Navy offering only has colour applied to the body of the machine, the all-black machine also has a matte, matching milk jug which I'm betting is a lot easier to keep clean than the stainless steel version that I own.

Tastefully coloured coffee machines are actually more common than you might think if you're on the market for a home café set-up that will complement your decor. I think the most stylish automatic machine out there is the De'Longhi Rivelia which is available in a stunning Jade Green colour via the De'Longhi wbesite (£749.99) while Sage's colour range for the Barista Express Impress is quite extensive – my favourite is the Almond Nougat (£729.95).

Investing in a coffee machine that's this expensive is a huge decision, but added colour options should at least make matching it to your interiors a little easier. Do you prefer these new colours over the original?

I finally got my hands on the kitchen appliance of the summer: the Ninja Swirl by Creami soft serve and ice cream maker and let me tell you, it's a good one if you've got a sweet tooth.

Many elements of this souped-up version of the ice cream maker are identical to the original Ninja Creami (which we awarded 5 stars in our review), but there are also a few crucial differences. Namely, that there's also a soft serve processor on the left-hand side, which is controlled with an easy-to-use handle, plus the added functionality for the creation of low-calorie protein-packed desserts.

After waiting almost a year to get hold of this soft serve maker in the UK, I couldn't wait to try it out at home. Here are three things I learnt on my first try.

1. It creates a true, firm soft serve

I recently tried out the Cuisinart Frost Fusion, a competitor to the Swirl which requires no pre-freezing and also features slushie functions.

I was super impressed with the ability to use the Frost Fusion to make soft serve in under 30 minutes from start to finish, but when it comes to comparing the firmness levels between the Frost Fusion and the Swirl, the two were worlds apart.

While with the Frost Fusion (which retails at £299.99 via Amazon) the soft serve felt aerated, the initial cones I've dispensed with the Swirl have a serious firmness to them, like a true Mr Whippy.

The big difference is that the Swirl requires pre-freezing, which might be the factor behind the discrepancy in how frozen the ice cream turned out. Sure, it requires more effort and prep, but my first impression is that it might be worth the price difference with investing in the Swirl (which is around £50 more expensive).

There are still plenty of functions I'm yet to explore with the Swirl, which I'll cover in my upcoming review, but my first impression of this machine is that it won't disappoint those looking for an at-home treat just like you could buy from an ice-cream van.

2. It has plenty in common with the OG Creami

If you already have the Creami, or the Creami Deluxe (which I reviewed last year), then you'll take to this machine with ease. That's because the creamifying process is practically identical.

For the uninitiated, the steps to creamifying your ingredients involve mixing and then freezing your ingredients for 24 hours, before slotting your ice-cream tub into the right-hand side of this machine and selecting from the 13 programs available.

Then, the blade within the unit will churn up your mix to its desired consistency, leaving you with either ice cream or your soft serve mix to dispense on the left-hand side of the machine. On my first try I found the handle to dispense the soft serve very intuitive, though I definitely need to polish up my swirling skills before its time to write my full review and invest in some larger cones.

Despite the processing similarities, there are some new modes with the Swirl that might sway you even if you already own the Creami, including the CreamiFit mode which is designed as a 'one-spin solution for protein-packed treats under 150 kcal'. There are 9 recipes for this mode included in the booklet you receive with the Swirl, so I'm looking forward to trying those out.

3. It's not quiet

As far as initial impressions go, I have to say I'm seriously impressed with the Swirl. But one thing I had forgotten about with the Creami is that the processing is pretty loud. Given that the process involves a blade crushing through frozen ingredients to turn them into ice-cream, you might say that's fair enough but it certainly won't be winning any awards for quietness.

For the calibre of ice-cream this machine can unlock for you at home, I think a bit of a racket for a few minutes is a fine price to pay, but if you're particularly noise sensitive then it's worth bearing in mind.

For a first try, then, I have to say I'm mightily impressed by the soft serve element of the Swirl, though there are still plenty of recipes I haven't tried yet for my full review.

Are there any particular recipes you'd like me to try? Let me know in the comments.

It can be tiring to meal prep, so I've been trying out Ninja's 8-mode PossibleCooker at home to see if combining hob-style cooking with the charms of a standard slow cooker can help me to cut down on my weekly cooking time.

This new product is in the same family of the best slow cookers from the brand as the Ninja 8-in-1 PossibleCooker, which we've previously reviewed (and has an extremely similar name!) but the functionality between these two products is different, as well as the size.

Both can slow cook, steam, sauté and keep food warm. But while the original can braise, simmer, prove and bake, this newer version is instead equipped with white rice, brown rice, porridge and pasta modes. Here's how I got on with it.

In a nutshell

This cooker is so capable – it's the perfect buy if you want to cut down food preparation time for family meals or multiple meals for one.

The settings I've used the most are the standard slow cook and the rice cooker, but this cooker comes into its own with the chance to combine different modes too. For one recipe, I seared meat then used slow cook to bring together a sauce and then turned the cooker up high for cooking noodles. Being able to do all of that in one pot is a huge draw.

Another pro is that you can remove the cooking pot from the unit in order to pop it in the oven or serve at the table and it's dishwasher safe too. I think the overall design of the cooker is pretty pleasing and the digital controls are so straightforward for anyone to use.

My only complaints are that not being able to use metal utensils can be tiresome (like when I wanted to blend up a soup in the pot) and that if you've had the pot on low all day then switching it to high will cause it to boil over.

Aside from those niggles, this slow cooker totally lived up to my expectations and I've used it no end in the weeks I've had it.

Specs

• Capacity: 6 litres
• Modes/ presets: slow cook, sear/sauté, keep warm, white rice, brown rice, porridge, pasta steam
• Weight: 5.5kg
• Size: (H)28 x (W)42 x (D)29cm 
• RRP: £119.99

Who tested this slow cooker?

Design and unboxing

Slow cookers aren't famed for their designs, but I'd say that this PossibleCooker is the best looking one I've found so far. I like that the control panel is kept small and that the pot is on full display.

The pot itself is lightweight and the handle of the glass lid slots neatly into the side handles when you need to check on your food.

The controls consist of three buttons: function, temperature and time. You use function to dial through the 8 different presets and the temperature can either be set to 'High' or 'Low' – there is no middle temperature.

Cooking

I've broken this section down by function so you can see how they differ.

Slow cook

First up was the mode you'll probably be using most: slow cook. I started out with a sweet potato and halloumi soup (with the recipe courtesy of my favourite at-home cooking Instagram account Bored of Lunch – this one is part of an excellent six ingredient slow cooker series and only has two steps to it!).

I chopped the veg and added it to the pot with stock. I then left it on low for six hours.

I returned to perfectly soft veg that I could blitz up with my hand blender. But this is where my first niggle with this cooker comes in, as the pot is not metal utensil safe, as using them could damage the non-stick.

So I decanted into a jug to blend and then popped it back in again to finish the soup off. No big fuss, but it would have been nice to complete it all in one.

This recipe was so low-effort and went off without a hitch – with about 20 minutes of prep time in total, I felt like I'd cheated my way to an easy dinner that went down a storm.

Next up I tried this honey garlic chicken noodles recipe, another simple six ingredient number which I added more veggies to. As i was a little shorter on time this day I used the slow cook mode for three hours on 'High' to bring the sauce together and cook the chicken.

It worked a treat, meaning all I needed to do was add the noodles in with some stock and wait for them to cook. This took 15 minutes, giving me time to clean the kitchen and get ready to plate up, though noodles do take considerably less time in a pan on the hob. Personally, I was happy with this all-in-one method as I love anything that saves on the washing up.

As the noodles were cooking, I did notice that there was a tendency for the liquid to bubble up on 'High', as the heat coming from the unit was too powerful. With only High, Medium and Low modes to choose from, the only solution to stop boiling was to take it off the heat for a minute. I've seen other reviewers noting this on the Ninja website, so it looks like there's room for improvement when it comes to that super high heat.

Sauté

You can use this cooker like a hob if you need to thanks to the high heat setting, which I used to brown meat on several occasions during testing. The first time was when trying this burger bowl recipe from Bored of Lunch where I swapped the instruction to cook in a pan for cooking in the pot.

The pot got up to heat so quickly and nothing stuck when cooking the mince. It was a quick and easy process and it helps that you can stick the pot into the dishwasher after too.

I also used the sauté mode to sear chicken for the noodle recipe I mentioned earlier under slow cooking and found it spacious enough for a whole pack of chicken thighs to fit comfortably and brown well.

Grains

One of the biggest pros of this PossibleCooker over the earlier version is the emphasis on modes for cooking grains. Two rice modes, a porridge mode and a pasta setting make it a handy gadget for supplementing cooking on the hob.

Markings on the inside of the pot make it so easy to master white rice. The entire cooking process took under 30 minutes. While doing it on the hob might be faster, popping it into the cooker and getting on with the rest of my dinner was a lot easier.

Cleaning

You can put the lightweight pot into the dishwasher, along with the lid, which saves so much time on washing up. The non-stick surface works really well too, so even if you're handwashing you shouldn't run into too much trouble.

How does it compare to similar products?

The most obvious comparison is to the OG Possible Cooker (£149.99 at Ninja). More expensive by £30 and with a larger capacity (8 litres compared to 6), it's really a matter of which modes you'll use most if you're picking between these two. I personally lean more towards this one with a rice function, but my fellow reviewer Helen still called the original version 'far more useful than most slow cookers'.

At £119.99, this cooker is still far more expensive than you need to spend for a standard slow cooker. If you just want that one mode, then I love the Crockpot Lift and Serve which still has the pot you can carry to your table, but comes in at less than £50 (£44.99 at Amazon).

Should you buy the Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker 8-in-1?

If you like the idea of a slow cooker with a rice mode that you can also use as a second hob, this is a fantastic buy. Everything about it is easy to use and the level of power you get is impressive. It's a little annoying you can't use metal within the pot, but that's very minor. I've only been using this cooker for a few weeks and it's already become a staple in my kitchen.

Ninja took over a slice of the outdoor cooking market when it launched the Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven in 2024. Now, it's looking to fully conquer the pizza oven scene with the more affordable and streamlined version of the outdoor oven: The Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven.

I'm a huge fan of Ninja kitchen appliances and use my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer and Ninja Creami weekly/daily. However, I'm also the owner of a very beautiful gas pizza oven I'd tested previously for our best pizza oven guide. So, while I expected great things from Ninja, it was going to take some convincing to make the switch to this outdoor electric pizza oven.

At a glance

The Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven launched earlier this year. It was a slimmed-down version of the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven, isolating the pizza oven functionality into a smaller and more affordable model.

It has four outdoor cooking functions: pizza, bake, air fry and prove. Everything about this pizza oven is effortless; it is the definition of 'plug-and-play' with intuitive instructions and removes any guesswork with alerts for when it's pre-heated and then when it's finished cooking. It evenly cooks pizzas, so there's no need to turn it during the cooking process. You can put it in and wait for the beep to go off in a few minutes.

It usually retails for £299.99, however can often be found reduced during big sales events like Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday. However, even at full price, it is a good price for a beginner-friendly pizza oven with the amount of functionality it has as an outdoor oven.

Specs

• Modes: Pizza (Artisan, Thin Crust, New York, Pan and Custom), Bake, Air Fry and Prove
• Weight: 11.9Kg
• Power: Electric
• Size: H32cm x L59cm xW42cm
• Included accessories: 12 inch Pizza Stone, 30x30 Bake Tray, Pizza Peel, Air Fry Basket and Quick Start Recipe Book.
• RRP: £299.99

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

The box arrived at my door with some of the most efficient packing I've come across with a kitchen appliance. It was heavy and bulky, but I could shuffle it out into my garden on my own.

It was packed very neatly in a mix of paper and cardboard to protect the accessories and pizza oven. The oven comes fully assembled, ready to slot either the pizza stone or baking tray and the air fryer basket inside. At just under 12Kg it's just the right weight for one person to carry and set up.

The only setup required was attaching the handle to the pizza peel, which was done in minutes.

Although it's an electric appliance, this pizza oven is designed to live outside. You can buy the pizza oven in a bundle with a dedicated stand and a waterproof cover for £320 on the Ninja website.

However, you don't need either of these to use the pizza oven. I was testing the pizza oven without the stand, and was using it on the top of a plotting bench I've upgraded into a mini outdoor kitchen. The pizza oven does reach temperatures of 370°C, but the underside doesn't get hot, so it can be set up on any surface that is flat and outside.

The oven is designed to be used come rain or shine, and has a RCD plug to protect it from any electrical issues. My only caveat to this is to think about what you're plugging it into. The cable is 1.5 meters long, so it can be easily plugged into an outdoor power outlet. If you don't have one of these, or your outdoor cooking station is further away from the house, you will need to invest in a weatherproof extension lead to use it safely in all weather conditions.

The pizza oven itself is compact and, in my opinion, one of the best-looking outdoor cooking pieces Ninja has made so far. It is smaller than many of the gas pizza ovens I've used, despite cooking the same 12 inch size pizzas.

The door has a large handle and a small chef's window you can look through and watch your pizza cooking. You do have to pull on the door quite firmly to open it. Inside, there is a heating element on the bottom, and notches to rest the pizza stone or the baking tray on.

The air fryer basket is the weirdest-looking accessory (and hardest to store). It is a silver basket on four legs that must be used with the baking tray to avoid anything falling into the heating element.

The control panel is discreetly hidden below the door and is super easy to use. You can select your function using the dial, and adjust your temperature or timings with the buttons. Throughout the cooking process, you will see prompts on the screen saying 'preheating' or 'add food and press start'. You will also be alerted with a beep sound when it's ready for food to be added or taken out of the oven.

What is it like to use?

Despite owning a gas pizza oven and having a wood-fired pizza oven at my family home growing up, I would still class myself as a beginner pizza chef. Making pizzas is alot harder than it looks, and I've still not fully mastered my dough throwing or pizza peel skills so I was testing the Ninja oven from the perspective of a beginner.

So with that in mind, I can't stress enough how beginner-friendly this pizza oven is compared to a gas or wood-fired version if you want the fun without the cooking stress.

Proving

The proving feature is the one that excited me the most about the Ninja Artisan Pizza Oven. A couple of Ninja's air fryers now included this feature, but it basically sets the temperature of the oven to a low and warm 30 degrees, and will time the prove for you and beep when it's done.

It is a handy feature for anyone making their pizza or bread dough from scratch to bake in the oven. I was following a recipe for focaccia from the Ninja quick start recipe book, and it included clear instructions for the proving stage in the oven using the provided baking tray.

It was my first time making a focaccia; however, the controlled temperature and timer of the oven helped me sail through and make an impressive (if not perfect) loaf.

Any keen baker will know that moisture is also key to an effective prove. While this pizza oven doesn't have this built in, the recipe book included plenty of tips for adding water to the baking tray before covering with clingfilm which I tried to great effect when proving my New York style pizza dough.

Pizza oven

The pizza oven function is seriously impressive in how effortless it is. It has four presets programmed for Artisan, Thin Crust, New York and Pan pizzas, but you can also opt for a custom pizza setting. Each setting adjusts the temperature and timings, with the Artisan setting reaching the highest temperature of 370 degrees and cooking the pizza in 3 minutes for that artisan char effect.

The pizza oven took less than 15 minutes to preheat for the highest temperatures (lower temperatures for the other settings took less time). There was no guessing with a temperature gauge or gun involved, it beeped and ran a message across the control panel to 'add food' as soon as it was up to temperature.

I trialled the Artisan, Thin Crust and New York settings on a pre-made pizza anda homemade pizza to compare the results. While all the setting delivered a deliciously crisp base (despite my poor dough skills), I think the preset timings are a little off on the Artisan setting.

It cooks the pizza for three minutes, which is fast, but a typical pizza oven will usually take 60 to 90 seconds. The extra charred result on my pizza crust made me think I could have taken it out a little earlier, but you could perfect this as you get used to the appliance with the custom mode setting.

The oven was also quick to reheat after each pizza, and I found I could make two in quick succession, with it taking not much more than 1 minute to come back up to temperature after each one.

The biggest perk was that the pizza didn't require any turning during the pizza oven process to achieve an even cook. A huge bonus considering the trouble I had in the first place getting the pizza off the Ninja pizza peel into the oven.

The large holes in the pizza peel were very unforgiving of my poor pizza dough skills, and the space in the pizza oven is quite tight. It sent my first pizza attempt tumbling into a molten mound of cheese and tomato on the pizza stone. I largely fixed this with an extra dusting of semolina, but I still found the dough catching on the holes, so I would consider swapping to a more beginner-friendly option like the Ooni pizza peel

Baking

The baking function is a fun addition to the artisan pizza oven. It works as well as an indoor oven and was a godsend during the summer heatwave when I couldn't bear to turn the kitchen oven on.

It just involves swapping the pizza stone for the baking tray and adjusting to the baking setting, which allows you to set the temperature and timer. It has the same preheat alerts as on the pizza setting, a feature I wish came in more cooking appliances.

I successfully baked a focaccia in the oven following a recipe in the Ninja Quickstart guide. It cooked in around 15 minutes and had a lovely golden brown on the top, however, the base was a little paler than I'd have liked. On a whim, I also tried toasting a batch of granola in the oven; it worked a treat and gave the oat and honey mix a gorgeous toasty finish.

Airfry

The air fryer function uses a mesh metal tray that you sit on the baking tray to catch any crumbs falling into the heating element. This was the only feature that I was a little bit disappointed with in the Ninja artisan pizza oven.

I used it to cook a batch of chips, and while it did a nice job of evenly browning them it took longer for them to cook and was more faff-y than using my standard Ninja air fryer. The large surface area of the tray allowed the chips to cook relatively evenly, but I missed being able to give them an easy shake like I do with my Ninja Dual Zone air fryer.

I would not buy this pizza oven for the air fryer function; instead, I'd just see it as a perk for crisping things up in the outdoor oven.

Cleaning

Cleaning the Ninja artisan pizza oven was surpisingly easy. The pizza stone, baking tray and air fryer tray are the door are the only elements that require cleaning. Both the baking tray and air fryer tray had the same incredible non-stick present in most Ninja appliances. Oil, burnt on bits and granola scraps, all fell off without any scrubbing required.

The pizza stone can't get it wet, so instead you have to rely on any cooking remnants being burnt and brushed off. I have come to learn that pizza stone are just destined to have a dark, sooty splodge from the first use, and this was the case with this pizza oven. The trickiest part to clean was the semolina that had fallen around the edges of the pizza stove into the heating element below.

Comparisons

In terms of an electric pizza oven, the Ninja Artisan pizza oven is a brilliant option for a small space and comes in at an impressively low price point. The Ninja Artisan Pizza Oven can often be found on offer for £250, however, even at full price, it is still under £300.

This is cheaper than most of the gas-powered pizza ovens we've tested at Ideal Home; however, if you like the price but want a more hands-on cooking experience with that wood-fired taste, you would be better off considering the entry-level wood-fired Ooni Fyra 12 Pizza Oven (priced at £249).

There aren't many directly comparable pizza ovens to the Ninja Artisan, as it is one of the few dedicated electric pizza ovens for outdoor use only. However, if you are looking for an electric pizza you can use inside, it's worth considering the Ooni Volt and Sage Smart Oven Pizzialolo. However, they are double the price of the Ninja pizza oven, costing upwards of £700.

The best oven to compare to the Ninja Artisan is its predecessor, the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven. The original Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven is more expensive by around £50 than the new version, but it is designed to be more than a pizza oven and is able to smoke meat, dehydrate, roast and more.

The new Artisan pizza oven also doesn't include the option to use wood pellets to get that wood-fired flavour. If you're looking for that authentic taste, this might be a feature worth paying a little more for.

Should you buy it?

You should buy the Ninja Artisan Pizza Oven if you are a looking for an affordable, small, compact pizza oven that is beginner-friendly, and will allow you to prove, air fry, bake and cook pizza without a fire element with ease.

You shouldn't buy the Ninja Artisan Pizza Oven if you love an authentic wood-fired taste, want to be more hands-on when cooking the pizza with turning and checking the temperature, and don't have an easy-to-access power outlet to plug it (or an extension lead) into.

I still enjoy that hands-on cooking experience, so I have held onto my gas-powered pizza oven. However, I am recommending the Ninja Artisan Pizza oven to all my friends with either kids who love pizza or are fair-weather bakers, as it is the ultimate stress-free appliance for effortless homemade pizzas on tap.

If you're sick of muted, neutral appliance colours then you needn't complain anymore: Ninja is bringing colour to its bestselling products – this time it's the Ninja Creami (which we awarded five stars in our Ninja Creami review) that's been made over in a palette of pastel colours.

The range is available to buy now from the Ninja website for £169.99, and what's even better is if you use the Ninja discount code NINJA20, you can get an even bigger discount, taking the price down to just £135.99 (for a limited time only).

This isn't the first summery collection that Ninja has unveiled this week, with the launch of the Ninja Slushi in frozen cocktail-themed hues alongside the Creami. Here's a look at all of the new shades you can pick up this best ice cream maker in.

The Ninja Creami first went viral back in 2022 and it's been supremely popular ever since, with fans using it to whip up everything from protein ice cream to alcoholic slushies.

But one thing that's been missing is the chance to pick it up in a shade that matches the fun that making your own ice-cream at home brings.

That's why I've got a feeling this pastel collection (which has ice-cream themed names of course) is going to be very popular indeed. It also helps that the release of the much anticipated Ninja Swirl (which is now available to buy) has helped bring the price of the Creami down.

Ice cream makers are really taking off this summer – including new models that require no pre-freezing – and this make over of the Creami is just the latest in a line of chances to pick up colourful appliances too.

What do you make of these new colour options? Will they sway you to invest in the Creami?

The Ninja NeverStick Waffle Maker is the latest product from my favourite kitchen appliances brand to only be available in the US for the time being, along with the Ninja Swirl and the Ninja Thirsti.

If you love the look of this clever vertical waffle maker and don't want to wait until the UK release (which has not yet been announced), then I've found just the alternative for you. It's from CASO Design, which I've tried one of the best microwaves from.

You can buy the very similar CASO Design WaffleUP right now on Amazon for £89.99, with it boasting five browning levels and the same space-saving design. Here's how the two products compare.

The selling point of both of these products the vertical space-saving design – you won't have to deal with a waffle maker taking up valuable space on your worktop with either of these, which are also much easier to stash in your cupboard.

With both of these products you pour your batter for the waffles into the chamber by pouring from above. This should cut down on spills and mess and means that you should pour the optimum amount too.

Both also have non-stick materials, so you won't be picking the remnants of your waffle out of the mould.

In terms of cost, while it's not known how much the Ninja NeverStick will sell for in the UK, it's available in the US for an RRP of $99.99. The CASO Design equivalent is instead available for £89.99, though we're hoping that there might be an Amazon Prime Day discount on it coming up.

The only real difference I can see between these two waffle gadgets is that while the Ninja produces squares, the CASO design is circular.

Of course, we'll keep you updated as soon as we know more about the release of the NeverStick in the UK. Plus, we're hoping to test one of these vertical waffle makers as soon as wen can to see how they perform. In the mean time, if you're keen to try one like this, I think the CASO alternative looks like a great buy.

When Ninja puts their mind to creating a cooking appliance, it is almost guaranteed that they'll knock it out of the park. That is the case with the Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven & Air Fryer, which has currently been reduced to £229.99 from £299 at Ninja.

This isn't Ninja's first outdoor oven, but it is their newest one, launching in March this year. In my Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza Oven review, I found it had taken the pizza-making ability of the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven, which impressed our reviewer, and distilled it into a more affordable and sleeker model.

Now it has been reduced by another £70 in Ninja's sale, making it an even better price. There's never been a more perfect time to snap up what I think is a contender for one of the best pizza ovens on the market. It's also one of the rare few powered by electricity.

If you're baffled by why anyone would opt for an outdoor electric pizza oven over a wood-fired or gas version, the simple answer is for ease. I tested the Ninja Artisan electric outdoor pizza oven for a couple of weeks and noticed how much easier it has been to use than other gas pizza ovens I've tested.

It is a plug-and-play appliance; all you need is an outdoor safe extension cord, something to rest it on, and you're ready to start cooking at the touch of a button. No tracking down a gas cannister or messing around with woodchips to get a fire going.

The Artisan Electric outdoor pizza oven has four presets for thin crust, artisan, New York and deep pan to cook the perfect pizza. It is designed to be beginner-friendly, including prompts on the screen at the bottom for when it has preheated, when to put the food in and when to take it out.

If you enjoy the art of bringing a pizza oven up to temperature, rotating it in the oven and that authentic woodfired taste, then this pizza oven is not for you. However, if you want something that is almost effortless to use, this is just the ticket.

It also has the added bonus features of doubling as an air fryer and proving oven. I'm still sceptical about why anyone needs an outdoor air fryer, and have yet to try it, but in theory, all of these functions should complement each other.

You can start by proving the dough in the oven at a low temperature, then air frying your chips as a side dish at a higher temperature, before going in for the finishing touch with the full 370 degrees to cook your pizzas.

At this high temperature, the pizzas cook in 3 to 4 minutes. It is slightly longer than other pizza ovens I've tried, which cook them in just 60 seconds. However, the couple of pizzas I've cooked in it have produced the best crust I've managed on the first go with a new pizza oven.

The rest of the Ninja sale

I'm a full convert to electric outdoor cooking, with an electric Weber Lumin BBQ and now this pizza oven, I find it so much more convenient in my small urban garden.

If you are tempted to expand your outdoor cooking set-up with some other electric appliances, both Ninja's Electric BBQ and the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven are on sale. They both impressed our reviewers as the perfect additions to an outdoor kitchen.

Ninja's ever-popular bean-to-cup espresso machine is now available for its lowest price ever, with the Luxe Café now available on Amazon for £479.00, down from £549.99.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor (and proud owner of this machine myself as per my Ninja espresso machine review), I've been watching the price alerts on the Luxe Café closely (and cross-referencing it with CamelCamelCamel, a great price history tool). £479 is by far the cheapest this machine has ever been, with a total discount of 13% off – with £70.99 to be saved. It's also £220.99 cheaper than the new Pro version, which is £699.99 from Ninja.

So, if this iteration of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines has been on your list for a while, here's why now is a great time to take it off your wishlist for good.

Amazon isn't the only place this machine is on sale, if you'd prefer to shop around, though it is the cheapest price I can find (by far). At John Lewis, the Luxe Café is £499.00.

The brand is running its own sale this week too, with a range of summer deals on the Ninja website, including a free travel mug with purchase of the Luxe Café and the new upgraded version which I covered in my first look, the Luxe Café Pro.

The arrival of the new Luxe Café Pro (which features an integrated tamper for reduced mess and a larger milk jug) means I'm predicting we might see more discounts in the future on the OG version of the espresso machine.

It's not the only coffee machine deal out there this week on Amazon either, with things gearing up before the arrival of July's Prime Day (which has been announced for July 8th until July 11th). This Philips bean-to-cup deal is a steal for anyone who would prefer a totally automatic option, while this Lavazza pod machine price slash will appeal to anyone on a budget.

If it's a new coffee set-up you're after, it seems right now is definitely a good time to shop. Could any of these machines take your fancy?

Hosting instantly becomes easier once you can tick drinks off of your to-do list. Incredibly, I might have crossed out the need for drinks-related dinner party and BBQ forever with my latest arrival to test as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor: the much coveted Ninja Slushi.

The Slushi, which we got very excited about in our first look back in November, is for the first time available with a steady stream of stock on the Ninja website (£349.99 at Ninja), so you don't have to set your alarms to secure one.

That means that I've finally been able to get my hands on it too. Come along with me as I unbox the most hyped appliance of 2025 and learn all about its features for making frozen cocktails, juice and even milkshakes!

1. It's lightning fast

The thing that makes the Slushi so groundbreaking is that it contains a refrigerating element like the ones you see in commercial slush machines at the beach or theme park. That means that you don't need to pre-freeze a thing or wait long hours for the machine to get cool enough.

Instead, within as little 15 minutes, you can be serving up frozen drinks. As I've only just unboxed the machine I haven't had enough experience with it for a full review just yet, but my first drink (using the Slushi function) took just 22 minutes to make.

I also loved that there was a very low minimum amount of liquid you needed to add to get the machine started up, so that you can do a serving for one if you like.

And yes, the question you've all been waiting for the answer to: pulling the lever is exactly as satisfying as it looks.

2. There's some crossover with the Creami

The Ninja Creami is a machine we love here at Ideal Home – our review of the original and Deluxe version review is testament to that. But did you know there's actually some crossover in the functions available on the Creami and the Slushi?

I was so impressed with the Milkshake setting when I tried it on the Creami Deluxe, so I'm intrigued to see how it translates here with a different mechanism. The same goes for the Frappé setting too.

3. It can keep drinks cold for up to 12 hours

Initially I was wondering what I would do with all of the created frozen drink I was trying out. That's before I realise that the Slushi can run for up to 12 hours, so you can dispense it throughout that time.

That's not only ideal for avoiding waste but also fantastic news for anyone who wants to use this to throw a Slushi party. I can't wait to host one of my own.

Are you a Ninja Slushi fan or is the expense for frozen drinks a little too much for you?

Ninja's bean-to-cup coffee machine is now on sale, with £50 off over the Easter weekend making it the cheapest it's ever been, with the lowest possible price for the Ninja Luxe Café at Amazon for £499.00 as well as John Lewis for the same price (that's cheaper by 99p).

Since installing the Ninja Luxe Café in my kitchen, there's constantly a fight to be the first one to the coffee machine in the morning. A truly startling amount of coffees have been extracted from this machine in the months since I started testing it. As per my 5 star Ninja Luxe Café review, one thing is for sure: it would take a seriously capable machine to replace it.

So if you've been eyeing for your own kitchen, this is where you can catch it on sale.

The Ninja Luxe Café is on sale

This price drop (to £499.00) makes right now the cheapest I've seen the Luxe Café at since its release last summer. It's currently reduced across the board at Ninja, John Lewis, Amazon and Very and becomes even cheaper if you can use a Ninja discount code in conjunction with the offer.

Plus, the added benefit of buying from Ninja is the lure of free delivery. There's plenty of other kitchen appliances on sale right now over at Ninja for the Easter weekend too.

Of course, £500 is a lot to spend on anything so it's worth thinking about if investing in a machine like this is cost effective. It's certainly not the cheapest way to make a cup of coffee at home if we're talking about the upfront payment, but the cost per use can be a much more useful metric.

In my household, with at least 5 coffees a day coming from this machine, it's been a talking point as to how much we've saved on nipping out for coffee-shop drinks (especially if you prefer the taste of the ones you can make at home!).

So, if you've had the Ninja Luxe Café on your wishlist for a while, now might be the time to strike while this discount applies. But act fast as this is the first time I've seen it on sale and I'm not sure how long this deal will last.

Let's be honest: nothing can ruin a good kitchen colour scheme as easily as a small appliance. When your only options are black or...black, it's easy to see why air fryers and toasters end up routinely shoved under worktops.

That's why, as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I've been petitioning for pastel versions of appliances like the best Ninja air fryers for the longest time. The brand is better than most for offering various colour options (it's one of the things I wish I knew before I invested in my Ninja air fryer) but pastel shades have still never appeared.

Until now. Released exclusively in the US (I know, I'm sad too), the spring collection features pretty Pink, Periwinkle and Mint. This is a look at the new envy-worthy shades and my favourite pastel-coloured UK alternatives that you can shop instead.

It's the Ninja Crispi specifically which has recieved this pastel makeover (via the Ninja US website). It's by far my favourite air fryer of the year (as covered in my Ninja Crispi review).

Portable, powerful, and PFA-free, the Cripsi is also complete with glass food containers that you can slot straight into your fridge with your leftovers. So it's easy to see why the pastel colours really complete the appeal with this one.

In total, it takes the colour options in the US up to six for the Crispi, while in the UK you can only pick it up in Blue, Sage Green or Stone (£179.99 from Ninja Kitchen UK) with the latter being my personal favourite.

As the Ninja Crispi is only really an air frying lid, it's not the all-over pastel makeover we've been praying for just yet. But we're seriously hoping this is a sign of more pastel things to come this side of the pond, too!

If you love the look of these pink and periwinkles and don't want to wait, these are my favourite pastel air fryers that you can snap up right now.

How do you feel about coloured air fryers? Are you more prone to stashing yours away anyway? Let me know in the comments!

Ninja is hosting a pop-up event for its sell-out espresso machine, the Ninja Luxe Café, which you enter through a giant version of the coffee maker. Inside, you'll find various stations to try out the machine for yourself, as well as the chance to consume ample amounts of caffeine.

Following the release of the Luxe Café (which I awarded an easy five stars in my Ninja Cafe Luxe Café review), one of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines out there, the hype has only grown around this product. Not only is it excellent value for the price, considering the market competition from the likes of Sage and De'Longhi, it's also remarkably capable.

The London pop-up is open to the public for free until Saturday the 5th of April (with tickets available via Eventbrite). Here's everything I learned when I visited the House of Vibes to have a coffee myself.

1. It's designed to help you achieve the golden espresso extraction time

My favourite thing about testing the Luxe Café is how user-friendly it is. While most of the bean-to-cup coffee machines look good, once customers get them home it can be a steep learning curve to understand how to use them to make a good cup of coffee.

That's not the case with the Luxe Café. As demonstrated at the pop-up, the machine guides you through the tweaking process with every packet of new beans you get, recommending you the ideal ground size for the perfect espresso, even if you are a beginner.

To illustrate the point at the pop-up, I tried an under-extracted coffee before tasting an espresso made with the machine-recommended grind size - the difference in taste was stark.

I also learned that the machine is geared toward the golden espresso extraction time of 27 seconds, so that you can have a perfectly pulled shot every time. With features like these, it's easy to see why this machine has been such a hit with Ninja fans.

2. It's perfect for summertime coffees

Though I tried a cold brew on the machine during my testing, I hadn't quite realised the depth of flavour available with the setting, especially when experimenting with different types of beans.

The pop-up was hosted in collaboration with the coffee experts over at Lavazza, who put on a whole host of different bean varieties to try with the cold brew function. If you haven't tried cold brew before, the pop up is great opportunity to taste all of the different floral, fruity and nutty flavours and see if you like it.

Part of the pop-up also features an espresso martini bar, made with the delicious cold brew from the machine!

Another feature of this Luxe Café which is perfect for summer is the cold froth setting on the automatic milk frother, another one of my top highlights on the Luxe Café.

The hands-free frother creates absolutely perfect microfoam for lattes, and the cold setting is just as good. I can't wait to use it all summer long for an iced cappucino or two!

3. It pairs perfectly with Ninja's new travel mug

The Ninja Luxe Café has so many selling points that it's hard to imagine it being rivalled by something as simple as a travel mug, but the accompanying Sip Perfect flask already has a huge following of its own.

Designed to keep any hot drink deposited in it at a 'perfect temperature', it absorbs heat from too-hot coffees to give commuters a much-improved morning experience.

It pairs perfectly with Ninja's espresso machine with its leak-proof lid and heat-retaining abilities, so I can't wait to try it out to see if it lives up to its hype.

Have you tried Ninja's new coffee machine?

Ninja air fryers are endlessly popular for good reason. They cook food quickly and well, are packed with innovative features and are easy to use. As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I think Ninja is far and away the air fryer brand to beat.

You can't escape that it is also one of the most expensive. The priciest model will set you back a huge £269.99, though it's no coincidence that this is the product that I've rated better than any other in our list of the best Ninja air fryers for years now (a fact you can read all about in our Ninja FlexDrawer Air Fryer review).

So in this case then, it's true that you get what you pay for. In that spirit, these are the lessons I wish I'd applied before I bought my Ninja to get even more value out of the money I spent.

1. The smaller options are still just as powerful

Ninja's most hyped air fryers will probably be familiar to you by looks alone. Arguably, the brand's Dual Zone air fryer with its two drawer design is the most popular air fryer in the country – you see it in kitchens everywhere.

And while the bigger options certainly deserve praise, if I were picking an air fryer all over again, I'd be seriously considering Ninja's air fryers with a smaller footprint.

Though lesser known, when we've tried them here at Ideal Home, we've loved the smaller versions every time. Recent examples include my five-star review of the Ninja Crispi and our expert Home Economist Helen's glowing review of the Ninja Air Fryer MAX PRO (which confusingly is one of the smaller ones in the range).

Why do we like these compact versions? For one, the cooking results are great, especially with the Crispi (£179.99 at Ninja). In a smaller space, the huge amount of power goes a long way to help with crisping. Homemade chips will never be the same again!

They are also deceptively capable if you need more portion availability. Though something like the PRO MAX (£109.99 at Ninja) is a lot smaller than the double drawer products, with 6.2 litres of cooking space, you could still make dinner for four without being stretched.

There's still plenty of choice if you opt for a small model too, with different models to suit households up and down the country. Here are some of my favourites I've tested over the years.

2. There is such a thing as too many functions

Usually when I'm steering someone towards buying a Ninja appliance, the number of functions is one of the big selling point, as you get so much more built in for your money.

Take the Ninja Foodi 10-in-1 Multifunction Oven for example (£269.99 from Ninja). With it, you can air fry, roast (in two different ways), grill, bake, make pizza, dehydrate, reheat, toast and use the bagel function. After trying it, our reviewer Helen said she couldn't fault its cooking ability and versatility in her 4.5 star review.

At the same time, she also warned that it's only the type of appliance worth investing in if you'll actually use most of those settings. Otherwise, you're just paying an excess for something that you don't need.

It's why I like that Ninja are also opting to bring out appliances with less functionality that you can pick up with a smaller price tag as I explained in my first look at the new 4-in-1 AF200UK air fryer. The TLDR? It's £50 cheaper (at £149.99 from Ninja) than the original two drawer version, just without the two least used settings.

When it comes to functionality then, my message is to think about what you really need and what you'll actually use and spend your money from there.

3. The design of the drawers makes a huge difference

I've tried dozens of air fryers and from those experiences, one thing I'd caution you not to overlook is the configuration of the drawers on whichever Ninja air fryer you choose.

Whenever I have a straightforward two-drawer model in my house to test, I do feel like there are limitations as to what I can cook. For family cooking, I think they can work well as they can bring elements of meals together when you need bigger portions but for single dishes, I'd prefer one larger cooking space every time.

It's another thing to weigh up in your buying decision then. Or, if you want ultimate flexibility, it's a good reason to opt for a multi-zone design, as with the Ninja FlexDrawer (£269.99 from Ninja). The big USP with the FlexDrawer is that you can change from one cooking megazone to two smaller spaces whenever you like.

4. There are more colour options than you might think

It's not as important as cooking power or ability, I know, but if you're design conscious, then the colour of your air fryer is something to consider.

The only available colour of the Ninja Dual Zone for a long time was black, but in recent years, there's been an extended range of shades available. I recently tested the Ninja Double Stack in white, which I think looks much better in a neutral kitchen than the black version. Plus, there's limited edition versions on Amazon including the Ninja Double Stack in a rose gold colourway (£229.99 at Amazon).

While I'm still holding out hope for some pastel colours from Ninja soon, it is worth noting that there's options other than black that you can try out right now.

Is there one thing you wish you had known before you invested in your Ninja air fryer?

Whether you're in the kitchen or relaxing in your garden, Ninja keeps on delivering new products at an impressive speed to liven up the experience. This time, Ninja has announced a shiny new pizza oven: the Ninja Artisan Electric Outdoor Pizza & Air Fry Oven.

After the huge success of what I consider to be one of the best pizza ovens, the Ninja Woodfire, it makes sense that the brand has dreamt up even more innovative ways to enjoy alfresco dining this summer.

Here's how the Artisan differs from the original Woodfire and why it's going to be a seriously coveted item this spring. One of the big reasons? It's the cheaper buy, at £299.99 via the Ninja website where you can sign up now.

1. It's far more compact and features a window

The Ninja Woodfire, described by our reviewer as 'an outstanding bit of kit', was used to make outstanding pizzas as well as delectable brownies (thanks to the bake function) in our tests.

That aside, one thing it lacked is that signature pizza oven look. That's where the Artisan serves as an updated version, with similarities in design to the Ooni Karu we've reviewed.

It has a 12" x 12" cavity for your pizzas and though exact measurements aren't available yet, its USP is its compact design, so it's sure to suit those with smaller spaces.

The 'Chef's View Window' gives you a chance to check up on your pizza without disrupting the high heat needed for an ultra-crispy base.

2. It's got a proving mode

The baker in me is very happy to hear that, like the Ninja FlexDrawer air fryer we've reviewed, this oven features a proving function. That's an upgrade from the Woodfire and the perfect addition for anyone making pizza dough.

The prove setting gives your dough time to come to life at a temperature of 30°C. It needn't be limited to just pizza either – instead of splashing out on a proving drawer, you just got access to one for all of your baking exploits.

3. It's far cheaper

The obvious benefit of the new Artisan oven? It's £149.99 cheaper than the Woodfire and has so many of the features.

First up, it keeps the air fryer ability (which is genius for taking the stress out of BBQs or garden parties) and has the same expansive five pizza-making modes (Artisan, Thin, New York, Deep Pan, Calzone & Custom).

Throw the proving mode in and the fact that this is altogether a much better-looking oven, and I'm sold on this being the big Ninja buy of the summer.

I'm hoping that we can add a review of the Ninja Artisan Outdoor Pizza & Air Fry Oven to our long-list of tried and tested pizza ovens. Until then, is there a go-to outdoor cooking appliance that you've got higher up your wishlist than this one?

Ah, the Ninja Crispi. A strange concept you have to admit – a mini glass-bottomed air fryer with a removable lid that contains a heat element and a fan. Is it the future of cooking or just a bit too far?

I intended to find out when I reviewed it as Ideal Home's curator of the list of the very best air fryers. Here's how I got on.

(P.S The new and upgraded Ninja Crispi Pro XL dropped in the UK as of March 2026, if you want to check out our first try of it!)

In a nutshell

You have to give it to them, the Ninja Crispi is every bit as useful as the brand claim – it has the power of a full-sized air fryer but without the bulkiness. Instead, it has fabulous easy clean glass containers in two sizes and an easy to use Power Pod which sits on top of whatever you're cooking.

I was expecting the Crispi to be gimmicky, but the glass containers are far more convenient than a regular air fryer drawer with the added benefit of being free of PFAS (which stands for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, otherwise known as microplastics).

There are four modes to use here: Air Fry, Roast, Keep Warm, Recrisp. Though there are Ninjas out there with plenty more functions (like Max Crisp or Dehydrate), this smaller selection is all you really need for day-to-day cooking. All of them performed excellently in our tests. I air fried succulent chicken wings, perfectly oozing mozzarella sticks and wedges, crisped a pasta bake and roasted chicken and green beans.

This is a versatile buy, though even the biggest container (3.8 litres) won't suffice for cooking for a crowd. I think it's a perfect secondary air fryer for perfect crisping or ideal for students, one-to-two person households or those looking for an air fryer to make the speediest possible lunches.

Specifications

• Capacity: 1.4L & 3.8L container
• Modes:  Air fry, roast, reheat, keep warm
• Weight: 6.6kg
• Power: 1700W
• Dishwasher safe: yes, the containers
• Size: 34.5 x 30.4 x 34cm (h x w x d)

Getting started

This is no normal air fryer and there are plenty of parts to get to grips with when the Crispi is out of the box.

The main element of the Crispi is the PowerPod - in other words the lid. It's this that contains a heat element and fan for circulating that hot air that is going to crisp your food.

The PowerPod fits neatly onto the smaller of the two glass containers (the 1.4 litre capacity one) but it doesn't firmly attach on like you might expect. It's easy to lift off.

If you want to use the larger 3.8 litre container then you have to use the PowerPod and the included adaptor, which fits like a neat skirt around the bottom. Both of the glass containers feature heat-resistant edging, so that you can place them down on surfaces without worrying.

Another plus point of the glass containers altogether is the fact that you're getting away from using entirely-plastic air fryer drawers. I find that concerns about microplastics difficultt to soothe given how ubiquitous they are, but if this is a step you want to take then the Crispi is a good choice.

The PowerPod itself is seamless to use. You can pick it up easily thanks to the moulds around the top and then pick from the four different modes. These modes will give you a preset cooking time and temperature but these can be changed with the controls.

The included materials are great for guidance on what foods require a 'Recrisp' as opposed to 'Keep Warm'. Plus, though the Crispi is maybe not the most design-led appliance of all times, I do love this Stone colour (and the Sage Green option is also lovely) and it's small enough to stash away with ease if you're a minimalist.

I mistakenly thought that the Crispi was a battery-powered device which you recharge so that you could take it out and about with you, but this isn't the case. The PowerPod must be plugged into the mains for this air fryer to operate, so while you could take it to the office with you you'll need a power source at hand.

Cooking

I tried every setting on the Crispi whilst alternating between using the large and small glass containers, starting off with mozzarella dippers.

Mozzarella dippers

I figured mozzarella dippers would be a fitting first test as a party food that you might air fry out and about.

I started with the smallest container and found that all but two of the dippers in the pack could fit in to the space. I then popped the PowerPod on top and set them to cook on 'Air Fry' for 8 minutes at 180.

One thing that's gone viral about the Crispi is that you can see the air frying process in action because of the glass containers. This has led to various flimsy foods flying around inside the container, much to users' delight. This will happen in a normal air fryer too due to how the heat circulation works - you can just see it with this one.

Luckily these dippers were clearly weighty enough to withstand the powerful fan and stayed rooted to the spot.

When I returned they were perfectly crispy and browned on the outside with the perfect stringy cheese consistency inside.

Maybe I just forgot how much I love a mozzarella dipper, but I really was immeadiately blown away by how effective the Crispi was. I was slightly skeptical of the lid design before this test, as the Pod doesn't feel like it fixes on securely, but this worry clearly made no impact on this device's cooking power.

Chicken wings

Next, I switched to the larger container to try my hand at chicken wings. One important aspect of this test was that I wanted to try to air fry the wings without adding oil to see if they would get sufficiently crisped. That's one of the advertised USPs of this fryer, with the claim that its '75% less fat' than other methods.

The large container is really surprisingly spacious. Though 3.8 litres doesn't sound like a lot, I felt I could fit a heft of wings in comfortably with room to spare.

I added the wings in to crisp up on the Air Fry setting once again. 20 minutes later I added a sauce and popped them back in for a few minutes and the results were delectable.

No oil was needed and the wings crisped just as they were meant to.

Pasta bake

Next up was using the 'Re-Crisp' setting, which fits with the portable vibe of the Crispi. You can use it to 'revive leftovers with gentle heat' on cheese-topped dishes or veg, according to Ninja, so I tried it out with a pasta bake.

I then left the preset temperature and timings to work their magic.

Suitably cheesy, this was the perfect showing of how the Crispi works for quick lunchtime refreshes without using a microwave.

The pasta was warmed through and the topping was well melted. Though carrying around the Crispi and the plug might get tiresome fast, I can see where the portable element might be enticing.

Bacon

Next, it was onto bacon, which is always a good litmus test of how quick a crisp can be achieved.

I switched back to using the smaller container here for a one-person portion, which allowed for three rashers.

Less than ten minutes later, what I think is perfectly done bacon was ready to eat. It was another showing of how surprisingly powerful this little appliance is. It really does pack the punch of much larger Ninja air fryer, which I wasn't expecting.

Roasting

I then tried the roast setting with a piece of breaded chicken and green beans. I used my go-to layering trick (that's also a favourite of Jamie Oliver) to squeeze both into the smaller space.

The results were fine, though less crispy and speedy than using the air fry setting.

I've kept hold of the Ninja Crispi for further testing and I think the big question will be to see if it can truly roast a whole small chicken as the brand claims. Stay tuned for that.

This combination would be the perfect thing to have for a lunchtime, which is where the included lids from Ninja also come in so handy. Pop the lid on and you can pop it straight into the fridge.

What's it like to clean?

Cleaning the glass air fryer elements was far easier than a normal air fryer tray. I just popped both into the sink for five minutes with washing up liquid to soak and came back to remove any sticky parts. The glass gives you the obvious benefit of being able to really see how clean things are too.

The containers and inserts are also dishwasher safe if that's more to your liking.

How does it compare to similar products?

As usual, with the brand's more-is-more approach, Ninja is the first brand that I know of to try anything like this in terms of portability and design.

So rather than compare like for like, let's have a look at how it compares to other Ninja air fryers. The Crispi comes in at £179.99 (which is admittedly pricey), but our top-rated air fryer ever the Ninja FlexDrawer (5 stars in our review) costs far more at £269.99. The difference is the capacity though, with family cooking much easier with the FlexDrawer's huge 10.4 litres of space.

If you'd prefer a classic air fryer design but still want compact, then the Ninja Pro (which also was awarded a hard-won 5 stars in our review) is a winner.

Should you buy the Ninja Crispi?

I was skeptical about the Crispi and assumed that it would be more gimmicky than anything else, but I'd have to admit it exceeded my expectations at every turn.

I prefer the glass far more than my current air fryer set up (which involves trays that I can never seem to get fully clean) and the cooking results were truly amped up, probably due to the small space that the hot air has to circulate in.

Ninja can sometimes get carried away with packing appliances full of functions you don't need. The four that this air fryer has is everything you really need, in my opinion, and I just love the addition of the two lids for popping leftovers into the fridge.

For one or two person households, the Crispi would make a great fit. Also, in an increasing age of minimalist clutter free worktops, it's a really easy thing to stash away until you want to use it again. I have to say that, surprisingly, I'm sold on the Crispi. Could you see this air fryer in your home?

Ninja's seemingly endless stream of bestselling products shows no sign of slowing down. The latest product to join its ranks is a 5-in-1 grill and air fryer which the brand claims uses '75% less fat than deep frying and 50% less energy than an oven'.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I've seen my fair share of the best air fryer and grill launches from the brand, but this one is a little different. It takes what I think is the brand's most underrated product range (its indoor grills) and makes it far more accessible for a standard kitchen.

Everything great about the Ninja Foodi Health grill, which scored highly in our Ninja Foodi Health grill review, still stands but has been parcelled into a smaller and more affordable product. Here's a first look at everything it can do.

The first thing to know about this Ninja grill is that it has a much smaller footprint than other options from the brand with the same kind of functionality. Perfect for small kitchens, it's still suitable for family cooking with space for cooking a 1.4kg chicken or 4 burgers at one time.

It has five cooking functions in total: grill, air fry, roast, bake and dehydrate. Though it's not as many as something like the decked out Ninja Speedi, it's the perfect combination of settings for everyday cooking.

I think that the grills are one of Ninja's most underrated and least known about product lines, but I'm hoping this revamp makes them more appealing to those who need an air fryer with more than just one mode.

One of the things that make this product particularly good for family cooking is the interchangeable grill plate and deep cooking pot. The grill plate is ideal for cooking salmon, steak and similar protein while the cooking pot stands in when you want to air fry or bake larger (probably carb-based) portions like chips.

For the price tag of £199.99, you also get a Smart Cook System thermometer, which is built-in to help you with your cooking process. If you're cooking a steak for example, the thermometer can monitor the internal temperature of the meat and then alert you as to when it's optimally cooked, leaving you more time to get on with other things.

Does this Ninja grill have the features you need for everyday cooking?

Lidl is launching a brand new double-stack air fryer that we think could rival the popular Ninja Double Stack.

Over the past few years, air fryers have proved they’re more than a cooking gimmick and have rightfully earned a place on our kitchen countertops. I can speak for the Ideal Home team when I say we couldn’t live without an air fryer - which is why we’re always on the hunt to find the best air fryers on the market.

However, we’re also partial to a budget buy, so spotting the Lidl Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer with Window (£89.99) was launching in stores on 20 February this year, we couldn’t resist bringing it to your attention, too.

Lidl's Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer

At £89.99, the Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer is more than £100 cheaper than the Ninja Double Stack. While Ninja is certainly an Ideal Home favourite and a household name when it comes to air fryers, it’s hard to resist such a huge saving - especially if you’re looking for air fryers under £100.

The main thing that sets the Lidl model apart is the inclusion of a window, allowing you to keep an eye on your food as it cooks. Window features are often seen on higher-end air fryer models, so the inclusion in the Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer means you don’t have to scrimp on the best air fryer features.

The Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer features two 5.5L cooking baskets as well as racks to optimise cooking space. Like the Ninja Double Stack, the Haden air fryer also has Match and Sync cooking features to time your meals perfectly.

Lidl’s Haden air fryer has a larger capacity than Ninja’s 9.5L capacity and has a total of 12 cooking features compared to Ninja’s six. That being said, we haven’t had a chance to try the Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer (although I do plan on getting my hands on one), whereas we have reviewed the Ninja Double Stack and put it through its paces with our trusted team of reviewers.

Rating the Ninja Double Stack four stars out of five, our reviewer found this fryer was space-saving compared to other duel zone air fryers and was able to cook more than other air fryers. However, they felt it didn’t quite live up to Ninja’s high standard of air fryers. Because of this, if you’re looking to invest in a top-of-the-range air fryer, I’d recommend the Ninja FlexDrawer Air Fryer, which is Ideal Home’s best-rated air fryer.

'Lidl's version of the Ninja Double Stack is quite startling in its similarities (even down the control panel on the side), but it's hard to say exactly what the performance will be like without taking it for a test run,’ says Molly Cleary, Kitchen Appliances Editor and Certified Expert for Appliances.

‘I've tried the Ninja Double Stack in white and was so impressed by its design and performance and while I think Ninja still holds the title of the prettier option, I can see why people might want to take a chance on this Lidl alternative for the price!'

Ninja is hard to beat in terms of quality, so if you were looking to invest in an air fryer, I’d suggest spending a little more on an iconic Ninja fryer. However, if you’re looking to save a few pennies, Lidll is renowned for providing high-quality alternatives to our favourite brands - I think the Haden 11L Double Stack Air Fryer is certainly worth a try.

Alternatives

Ninja has released a 'new' version of its bestselling Dual Zone air fryer with one difference: it has 4 cooking functions, instead of 6. And the good news is, that makes it far cheaper than the original.

This new contender for title of best air fryer, the Ninja Foodi 4-in-1 Dual Zone Air Fryer 7.6L AF200UK, is available now from the Ninja website for £149.99.

That's £50 cheaper than the current RRP of the original Ninja Dual Zone, which has been a 5-star favourite here at Ideal Home for years since we tested it in our review. The original has been the barometer we've tested all other dual-zone air fryers against, so we're excited to see Ninja introducing a more affordable option into the mix.

Of course, there has to be a trade-off, so you're sacrificing the dehydrate and bake settings for the lower price, which seems like a fair trade considering how much you'll likely end up using them.

Here's the full low-down on this pared-back release from Ninja.

The great thing about this new release from Ninja is that it makes the Dual Zone far more affordable than its been before. So if you've had it on your wish list for a while or you've always wanted to upgrade but been held back by the cost, then this is likely welcome news.

For your money, you're getting 7.6 litres of cooking space, which is still a lot as far as the best dual zone air fryers go, as well as the features that made the original a sell-out, like the ability to perform two separate functions in the independent drawers.

Ninja has been on a role these last few months with a range of new and exciting launches including the new Ninja crispi, a unique portable air fryer and the viral Ninja slushi which is finally available to pre-order at Currys. But sometimes its the launches that take it back to basics like this new affordable version of the dual-zone that are the best ones.

So if you've been waiting for your chance to pick up this cult kitchen buy, I think now's the perfect time. Will this new look Ninja be gracing your kitchen any time soon?

Since its release in November, the Ninja Slushi has been nigh-on impossible to secure. Luckily, tomorrow the 5th of February, Currys is opening its own pre-order process so that shoppers get hold of the Slushi for £349.99 from its website.

With stock now available elsewhere than at Ninja itself, which has been operating a queuing system to manage the thousands of customers trying to snap up this machine, the chances of securing a Slushi are surely improving.

Here's how I'd recommend going about getting hold of this in-demand appliance, as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor.

Ninja Slushi stock at Currys

The last time that Currys had stock of the Slushi was back in November, which the retailer says was cleared out in 12 hours. While that's still lightning fast, it's far longer than I've seen it in stock at Ninja, which makes me think that Currys is your best bet for successfully checking out.

With the pre-order opening tomorrow, the best thing to do is to sign up to alerts on the Slushi product at Currys and wait to be notified of the stock dropping. You should then have the best possible chance of securing the Slushi.

Though, if you'd still rather buy through Ninja, we have a stock-watch page full of information on that, too.

Why is the Slushi so in demand? Well, because this frozen drinks maker enables users to make all sorts of cocktails at home without the need to pre-freeze. Previously, this was something only commercial-grade machines could do, until the Slushi came along.

Other selling points, which we covered in our first look at the Slushi, include the fact that the entire process of slushifying only takes between 30-60 minutes.

Currys has long been a reliable stockist of all of our favourite Ninja products and even has its own exclusive range of white Ninja air fryers. So if it's another route to securing an in-demand appliance you need, then look no further.

Ninja's newest product, the Crispi, finally has a release date confirmed for the UK.

The Crispi, which will be sold for £179.99 on the Ninja Kitchen UK website, will be available to buy from the 5th of March.

In a nutshell, it's a portable glass air fryer that offers handheld air frying for the first time. So whether you want to take it to the office or a picnic, you can.

With a 3.8 litre capacity, the brand claims it can feed up to 6 people at a time. It also should have space for cooking a small 1.2kg chicken.

Just from a glance, it's pretty obvious that as far as the best air fryers go, the Crispi is a very different beast. Here's our first look at what the Ninja Crispi can do, so that you can decide whether you want to snap it up when it is finally released.

What is the Ninja Crispi?

The Crispi is advertised as a 'complete cooking system', which means it's got far more going for it than just acting as a lunchbox, despite appearances.

With your purchase you'll get a PowerPod (which contains the heat element for air frying), a large glass container, a smaller one (with a 1.4 litre capacity) and storage lids.

The lid (which is called the Ninja Crispi PowerPod) is where the magic happens: with 1700-watts of power for cooking anything you like speedily on the go.

Once you're done with air frying, if you don't want to eat the food immediately, you can then take off the PowerPod and pop one of the included lids onto the glass container.

If you often face long queues at your office for the microwave, then the Crispi offers a solution with the option to crisp up your leftovers in minutes yourself instead.

With the dawn of air frying on the go, it's easy to see the appeal of the Crispi for sprucing up alfresco dining too. It'll certainly make a picnic in the park a more appealing option.

Here at Ideal Home towers, we're pretty intrigued as to the portability of the Ninja Crispi. But if you just can't wait for the Crispi to come into stock, then here's a pick of the other air fryers from Ninja that we've already tried and loved.

Now the Ninja Crispi has a confirmed release date, do you have any interest in one of these small glass air fryers?

It's no secret amongst the Ideal Home team that I'm a diehard Ninja Kitchen fan. My Ninja Creami is a particularly treasured possession, with the brand's ice-cream maker going viral again and again in the last few years.

Now, the brand behind some of the best air fryers and ice cream makers on the market is amping up the at-home ice cream experience with the Ninja Swirl, which is the first soft-serve machine from the brand. Set to launch in the US next month, there's plenty of excitement around this product online.

The bad news? The Ninja Swirl hasn't been announced for release in the UK and there's no news on when it might arrive on our shores. The good news is that we've already tested an excellent alternative that you can snap up now. Here's what we know about the Swirl so far and the details on our favourite stopgap from Cuisinart.

Our favourite Ninja Swirl alternative

The Ninja Swirl was quietly launched on Ninja's US website, with just a few sentences describing the product and a sign-up link for US customers to learn more.

It's described as a machine that can 'customize flavours, control ingredients, and create classic scooped or soft serve treats' at home. But that's not all we've learned about the Swirl, as a select few influencers in the US have received the product and been busily posting videos about the machine's capabilities.

In a video by one influencer @abbiekonnick, it's clear to see that some elements of the original Creami and Creami Deluxe have been integrated into this soft serve maker. The right side of the machine has very similar options for your dessert creations like 'Ice Cream' mode and a 'Sorbet' setting.

The other side of the machine is where the soft serve feature comes in, with nozzles added to to the design of the standard Creami tubs which you can then insert into the soft serve dispenser.

If you love the idea of a soft serve machine and don't want to wait for the Swirl, then I've got an excellent alternative that we've tried and tested here at Ideal Home.

In our Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker review, our expert tester Helen found that ice cream mixes were easy to turn into soft serve cones at home and that plenty of customisation was available for dairy-free options too.

The RRP of the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream maker is £199.99 from Amazon. For that price, you get an all-in-one ice cream station, including three toppings dispensers. Plus, the product's capacity is 1.42 litres, meaning that you can make up to six portions at a time.

So, if you love soft serve and don't want to wait for the UK release of the Ninja Swirl, we think this Cuisinart pick is your best bet as an alternative.

Ninja's newest product has landed just in time for last-minute gifting season and comes with a clever feature that will be welcomed by commuters and coffee-lovers alike.

The Ninja Sip Perfect Travel Mug is available to buy from the Ninja website for £29.99, and pairs very well indeed with Ninja's first innovation in the coffee world, the Ninja Cafe Luxe, which just got restocked.

With a leak-proof lid and a BPA-free build, the Ninja Sip Perfect has already proved very popular with Ninja's legion of fans, selling out in every colour and size except the white 300ml version. If you can get your hands on it, this is why I think it's the perfect last-minute Christmas gift.

The Ninja Sip Perfect Travel Mug

If you know someone who is very attached to their coffee machine, then there's one innovative feature of the Ninja Sip Perfect that is bound to appeal to them.

The Sip Perfect can make it so that whatever hot drink you put inside is drinkable at the optimal temperature. That doesn't just mean that it works like a normal reusable coffee cup (in that it keeps your drink warm), but it can also cool your coffee down if it's too hot and make it the most suitable temperature for you to immediately drink.

For those who take a hot drink on the go for their morning commute or walk, then this feature is pretty genius. Combined with the LeakLock lid, which is designed to prevent any in-transit spillages, the appeal of this travel cup is clear to see.

With the sell-out success of the other colours and sizes of this mug already, I'd recommend acting fast if you like the sound of those features. Will you be picking one up?

The Ninja Detect Power Blender and Processor is a reminder of quite how far things have come from old-school blenders and food processors, combining them all into one gadget and offering up 20 functions in one go.

As good-looking as all the other Ninja gadgets, it’s not a cheap purchase, but for what you get I think it’s worth it. From slicing veg to blending smoothies, it’s not only easy to use without needing a degree in Ninja instructions, but also does the job well in speedy time. And on top of that, it’s easy to clean, which is always a winner.

During a week of testing, I find myself gleefully swapping between chopping, slicing, blending and more, and by the end am happy to ditch my previous blender and food processor and embrace a long-term relationship with the Ninja. Here's why I think this new release from the brand earns the title of one of the best blenders.

Ninja Detect Power Blender Pro & Single Serve TB301UK specs

• Size, Dimensions: H: 44.5 cm x W: 21 cm x D: 17.5 cm
• Weight: 6.3 kg
• Colour: Black,
• Power: 1200W,
• Modes: 20 functions - 14 manual & 6 automatic
• Includes: Motor base, 2.1L jug, 1.8 Food Processor Bowl, 3x 700ml Single-serve cups, Ninja Detect Total Crushing & Chopping Blade, Chopping Blade, Dough Blade, Slicing/Shredding Blade, Hybrid Edge Blades & Recipe Guide

Who tested this blender?

Unboxing the product

Opening a Ninja box is always an event, with all the right blurb on the outside to get you excited for the product you’re about to get your hands on. The Ninja Detect Power Blender & Processor is a hefty bit of kit, and you might spend a while unboxing it thanks to its various functions, attachments and bits of kit.

All carefully wrapped in sustainable packaging, you’ll find the motor base itself, along with the food processor jug, the blender bit and what they call a ‘personal blender’ that has a Nutribullet feel.

There are extra single-serve cups and various blades for its many functions. You’ll definitely need a bit of space to store it, along with all these bits, but that’s the price you pay for something that has 20 functions and does all sorts for you. In all honesty, it’s the kind of gadget you’re likely to be quite happy to leave out on the counter, because it definitely looks the part, all sleek and black and space-age.

Setting it up is fairly easy thanks to the quick start guide, and I’m overjoyed to find that it has big suckers on the bottom to ensure it sticks down firmly and won’t move around.

Testing

Making a smoothie

The first test is a basic smoothie using fresh fruit. I choose my ‘personal blender’ for this one as it’s not too bulky, and chuck in raspberries, blueberries and kiwi with a splash of water for a simple fruit juice/smoothie.

I’m eager to try the ‘BlendSense’ function, which basically auto-senses the ingredients inside and adjusts the settings. It’s super intuitive to use - just put it in the BlendSense mode then hit start and off it goes. Within what feels like seconds I’ve got a smooth juice that I can guzzle straight out of the cup.

Perfect for a morning juice or smoothie, and easy to use. The ‘liquid detect’ element of the Ninja - designed to kick in if I haven’t got enough liquid in the blender - doesn’t interfere because I’ve picked juicy fruit and a bit of water, but it’s reassuring to know that it would.

Making a coarser smoothie

I go for something a bit more challenging next, using the blender jug and opting for some smoothie ingredients that might be a bit more challenging. Frozen berries, celery, oat milk and more kiwi, plus a few fresh berries for bulk. Again, I go for BlendSense and in response to the tougher ingredients it takes a bit longer, but still makes light work of them.

It’s not a quiet machine, and a decibel meter registers up to 100dB at some points, but I’m not sure we’d expect a blender to be particularly quiet - and it’s not a problem when it goes on for less than a minute. It certainly feels more aggressively noisy than my old school blender, and does the job in far less time.

The lid of the blender jug has an easy pouring spout so I can get my smoothie into a glass to enjoy. The fact it makes light work of frozen berries - and indeed ice - means it’s also advertised as being the gadget to go to for frozen cocktails, and that combined with the pouring spout means it’s going to get some regular use for cocktail hour in my house.

Food processor

Next up is the food processor function. I’m keen to make a soup, but am a bit sad to discover that I’m not supposed to blend hot liquids in my food processor.

So instead, I decide to use the Ninja’s chopping and slicing functions, so use this to prepare my soup instead. First up is onion, which I chop with the blade. It’s a revelation. I’m not particularly averse to chopping onions the conventional way with a knife, but may never do it again after experiencing how easy this is.

In it goes, I simply select the chopping function, then decide the size I want (I go for large), and let the Ninja do its thing. It runs for a few seconds, pauses, runs again, pauses, and runs a final time and there it is - my chopped onion. I’m impressed.

I’m so excited I try leeks too. It takes a bit longer, and I have to be careful not to put them in too long, but cut them into manageable chunks, but it still makes light work of them.

I’m so excited I swap the chopping blade for the slicing blade and feed a carrot through the spout at the top. Lo and behold, neatly sliced carrot in seconds. It’s a time-saving dream, and could be a real game-changer for busy people, or if you’re prepping food for big meals and lots of people. Like Christmas, for example.

There’s a dough blade, too, which again will no doubt be a time-saving dream. Again, it’s super intuitive, with automatic programmes for different doughs and batters, so you can almost leave it to it.

What's it like to clean?

If the ease of use wasn’t delightful enough, the fact that the jug, cups, food processor bowl, lids and blades are all dishwasher safe is the cherry on the cake.

No messing around with hard-to-clean accessories and attachments - it’s just a case of chucking it all in the dishwasher and knowing it’s ready for the next use.

Should you buy the Ninja Detect Power Blender & Processor Pro?

The Ninja Detect is the blender and food processor I really didn’t know I needed in my life, but am overjoyed to have found. Yes, it’s not small, but the sheer number of functions it can do, and the easy and intuitive way it does them, is a revelation compared to old school food processors and blenders.

Not just that, it does what it says on the tin - and does it well. Chops, slices, blend and more without a pause, and all quickly and efficiently. Add to that the fact it looks good and is easy to clean, and I’m sold.

Yes, at £229.99, it’s not a cheap gadget. But it’s worth remembering that it’s almost three good quality gadgets in one, so with that in mind, if you’re someone who does a fair bit of cooking, prepping, blending and more, it’s worth the money. I’m converted.

One of Ninja's sell-out launches for this year, the Ninja Café Luxe Espresso Machine, is finally back in stock at Currys for £549.99. If your Christmas presents were lacking or you're looking for a way to banish the January blues, I can think of no better way than café-quality coffee at home with this machine.

The demand for this product has been unbelievably high and after trying it for myself, I know why. This is a do-it-all version of the best bean-to-cup coffee machines but with automatic features that will make it attractive for coffee experts and beginners alike.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, it was my lucky job to be one of the first to get my hands on the Café Luxe, the details of which you can read all about in my Ninja Luxe Café review. If you want to get in on the action too, here's where this 5 star machine is in stock and ready to buy.

Where the Ninja Luxe Café Espresso Machine is in stock

Here's where the Ninja Café Luxe is back in stock at the time of writing.

• Ninja: The coffee machine is in stock for £549.99
• Currys: The coffee machine is in stock for home delivery
• Very: Find the Cafe Luxe for £549.99

The first two drops of the Ninja Luxe Café sold out in seriously quick time and it's been a fair wait to see it back in stock. Now it's 2025, you can finally snap it up again.

There are a few different stockists of this machine which is good for chances of securing it before it sells out again. Everyone has a favourite place to shop for big purchases like this, but there are a few perks at each retailer (with stock dependent, obviously!).

At Currys, if you pick up the Ninja Luxe Café, you'll be eligible to pick up the Ninja Blast, Ninja's pint-sized portable blender, for just £25. That's a great deal if you're buying for a Ninja brand fan.

Whichever retailer you choose to buy the Luxe Café from, I can say with confidence you're in for a total treat. Whilst it's incredible for coffee-making, it could even rival Hotel Chocolat's Velvetiser with its capability for hot chocolate too.

Unlike the recent Slushi restocks, I'm hoping the availability of this machine sticks around a little longer, so that more people can enjoy the merits of the Ninja Luxe Café machine.

The Ninja Foodi 8-in-1 Flip Mini Oven is less air fryer, and more mini oven. Yes, it has an air fryer setting, but most of its modes like roast, grill, bake and the options for toast or bagels just feel more like you're using an oven than an air fryer.

That said, with the promise of less energy use, and the handy flip-up innovation that means it doesn’t take up too much space on the counter, this could be a good option for people who don’t already have a built-in oven or are looking to save on energy bills.

It also has a special selling point of being all about the traybake which might be appealing to those in search of a one-pot wonder cooked quickly and efficiently. I tried it to see whether it's a great hybrid of one of the best toasters and the best air fryers, or if it's best left on the shelf.

Ninja Flip Oven Product Specs

• Type: 8-in-1 mini oven
• Dimensions: 14.96 x 19.72 x 7.56 cm
• Weight: 8.5kg
• Temperature: 240C
• Functions: 8 cooking modes
• Power: 2400W,
• Capacity: 3.8L

Who tested this product?

Unboxing the product

The Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven has the same swanky Ninja packaging as its siblings, including a focus on sustainability. No plastic or polystyrene here, just the protective cardboard shell and recyclable bag to keep it safe.

It’s a big bit of kit, but the big selling point is the ‘flip’ element which means that while it looks pretty bulky on your counter-top, it flips up to take up less space. A clever idea though I’m keen to see whether it’s as simple and easy as it claims.

Its silver finish feels quite industrial, and it’s not quite as sleek and space-age as some other gadgets in this category, but it’s still got a nice digital display and feels pretty high end.

I’m delighted to find a super easy guide for using it, rather than the biblical books of instructions that come with some ovens and air fryers. And after a quiet peruse - as well as a leaf through the recipe book that comes with it, I definitely come away with the feeling that while one of the eight functions of the Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven is to air fry, this is more mini oven than all-encompassing cooking gadget.

As well as air frying, it roasts, bakes, grills, dehydrates, toasts, cooks bagels and has a keep warm setting. All things the oven in my kitchen could do to be fair, so it’s just a case of whether this does it more cheaply and easily.

According to the marketing blurb, it will save up to 55% on my energy bill, so maybe this is where the real use is. It also claims to be up to 50% faster than fan ovens, which could be great for families in a hurry, or someone who simply doesn’t want to wait.

Cooking

Chicken breast

The simplest thing to cook in an air fryer - and the original reason I bought an air fryer in the first place - a chicken breast is my first test. While some air fryers or ovens have presets for chicken, this is arguably simpler (some might say more basic), so it’s a case of setting the temperature and time and then testing as you go.

This is fine by me. I’ve never owned an air fryer with a built-in temperature probe, and don’t tend to blindly trust presets on gadgets either, so I’m used to guessing the time and temperature then checking if something's cooked. No big deal.

I go 180C for 20 minutes which is my standard go-to time. There’s a light you can put on to take a look at progress without opening the door, which is quite handy to see how it’s doing. At 20 mins they look close, so I take them out, but the probe reveals the bigger of the breasts is not quite cooked. It’s only a few minutes more, though, and it’s perfect.

The easy instructions include a section on which of the several pans and racks I should use for what purpose. For air frying I can apparently use the tray, with the air fryer basket on top.

Which I do, and it’s great as the tray catches any juices from the chicken. But I also realise that because the trays are separate it’s a bit of a faff pulling them out of the oven. User error perhaps, but I think it could be a bit simpler with a tweak to the design.

Homemade chips

Homemade chips are always a good measure of an air fryer. According to Ninja, the Foodi Flip Mini Oven needs up to 75% less fat than traditional frying, using Digital Crisp Control Technology for a perfectly-cooked inside and crispy outside.

Which means, technically, this should make great chips. I chop my potatoes up into thick-ish chips, fairly uniform in size, season them and toss in oil. Then pop in the oven at 180C for 15 minutes in the air fryer basket sitting over the tray.

On it goes, and fairly quietly too, with the sound only getting up to 54dB - much quieter than some other air fryers. It’s quiet, but my chips aren’t done after 15 minutes, so I leave them in and put a breaded fish fillet in for the 30 minutes it needs, and figure that will be enough time for them to be cooked.

It seems slow going for the next 15 minutes, so I nudge the temperature up to 200C to crisp them up and after a total of 40 minutes they’re done. Brown and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside. I’m not sure how much different or more efficient this is than putting them in the oven though to be honest.

Frozen food

The breaded cod is my test of the Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven’s ability to do frozen food. The instructions say 180C for 30 minutes, and the fish is done before that, confirmed thanks to my trusty temperature probe, and plenty hot enough inside when I try it, with a decent crunch to the breadcrumbs.

This gadget might not have been great for chips, but for stuff like this it works well.

Bacon

Bacon provides me with another test subject for the air fryer function. It cooks quickly, crisping up nicely and ready to eat in about five minutes. But again, having to juggle two trays that aren’t attached but need to be removed in tandem to prevent dripping isn’t easy.

It all feels a bit clumsy. I can’t help but feel that the basket could do with an integral catcher, as I find the bacon fat dripping on the front door as I remove it - leaving me with something else to clean.

Bagel

Two of the Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven’s cooking modes are ‘toast’ and ‘bagel’, so I decide to try a bagel. It’s fairly simple and easy to operate in bagel mode, with the option to choose how many slices - which I assume to be bagel halves - I’ve put in, as well as how ‘dark’ I want it toasted.

In the bagel goes, set to two slices and toasting to a midway setting, and it’s done within a few minutes. Great, though I can’t help but think I could have toasted it in my toaster in this time and didn’t necessarily need a new gadget for something this simple.

Traybake

The Ninja Foodi Flip claims to have been purposefully designed for traybake meals, and even comes with a recipe book dedicated to them, from – lemon and herb chicken breasts to nachos and roast vegetables. As well as specific recipes, there’s an idiots guide to how to assemble a traybake - starting with protein, adding veg, then some kind of seasoning or marinade then simply cook.

I’m no stranger to traybakes so decide to do my own thing, mixing vegetables like aubergine, onion, courgette, peppers and leek, tossing in olive oil and curry powder, then adding a chicken breast cut into four manageable chunks - mainly because I’m a bit worried the veg might get frazzled before the chicken’s cooked through.

The guide recommends roasting at 200C for 10-20 minutes for fish, and 20-30 minutes for poultry, so I go with 25 minutes at 200C. By 20 minutes in the chicken is definitely cooked (thanks, trusty temperature probe), but I think the veg could be a bit crispier so I leave it for the final five and it comes out perfectly.

What's it like to clean?

The Ninja Foodi Flip not only flips up, but its back also flips down to apparently make it easier to clean. It’s a good idea, and makes it easy to access. The trays are easy to remove, but I’m a bit disheartened to see that some aren’t dishwasher proof so need washing by hand.

Not the end of the world, but also not ideal compared to some gadgets that are easy to sling in the dishwasher and forget about. There’s also the issue mentioned above of meat juices dripping onto the door - again creating mess.

How does it compare to similar models and predeccesors?

The Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven is a beefy bit of kit, and does feel a bit more industrial than some of its sleeker alternatives, like the Ninja MAX PRO. It very much feels more oven than air fryer, though the fact you’ve got the versatility of both, with multiple functions, puts it up there alongside other similar gadgets like the Sage Smart Oven Air Fryer.

The fact it can be flipped up helps with storage, and might make it preferable to some other models, though the £219.99 price tag could be off putting to some other cheaper models. It’s also not quite as easy to clean as some other models

Should you buy the Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven?

The Ninja Foodi Flip Mini Oven is a decent bit of kit - as you’d expect with Ninja’s reputation. The fact you can do all sorts with it from roasting meat to air frying chips, baking cookies, and even toasting bagels and toast means it’s a versatile gadget, and the traybake selling point will most likely be a winner with families or time-starved people eager for a one-tray meal.

That said, we’ve been cooking tray bakes in our ovens for years, and most households have a toaster that’s probably a bit easier than using this to toast a bagel or make your breakfast. The space-saving idea is pretty good, which leads me to wonder if this is a gadget for someone who is tight on space and perhaps doesn’t have a built-in oven in their kitchen - or maybe doesn’t want to use it for a specific reason, whether that’s cost-cutting or something else.

However, if saving money is on the agenda, it’s not the cheapest gadget of its type out there, so you’ve got to speculate to accumulate, so to speak. It’s pretty intuitive to use, which is always appealing, but equally not the easiest thing to clean compared to some, which might be frustrating for those of us who like to be able to throw as much as possible in the dishwasher. One for people with a specific requirement, perhaps, though not necessarily the go-to for all of us.

Ninja brands this product ‘more than a grill’, and it truly is given that it has six functions including air fry, bake, roast, reheat, dehydrate and grill. But it’s probably the last one of these that’s the piece de resistance.

Thanks to what it calls its ‘Smart Cook System’ including a built-in digital cooking probe that monitors your food’s temperature while it cooks and tells you exactly when to take it out, and how long to rest it for.

It takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of it it could be a game-changer versatile iteration of the best air fryers for amateurs among us, holding your hand to make sure you manage a rare steak or don’t overcook meat again.

Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer AG551UK

• Function: Air fryer & grill
• Measurements: H:27 x W:39 x D:41 cm
• Weight: 10.18kg
• Maximum temperature: 260C
• Wattage: 2460V
• Colour: Grey & silver

Who reviewed this product?

Unboxing the product

There’s something exciting about unpackaging a hallowed Ninja product, especially if you’ve never had one before. They’re the name that’s synonymous with all things air fryer, and are showing no sign of stepping aside, so it’s exciting to see how they’re trying to stay on top and the new things they’re introducing.

The Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer has a bit of an air of the old-school George Foreman grills about it, combining all the state-of-the-art 2024 air fryer design with a classic flip-top oven style cooking gadget. The packaging is as you’d expect from Ninja, all sleek pictures and design, combined with sustainable packaging that’s refreshing to see.

The machine itself feels quite heavy when you take it out of the box, which is unsurprising when you see it tops the 10kg mark. But despite being a chunky bit of kit, it looks quite sleek thanks to the design and swanky digital display. It comes with a fair few bits, including cleaning brush, various instruction manuals and all sorts of trays for its many cooking functions.

The added extra compared to some air fryers is the digital cooking probe, which is carefully hidden away in a little compartment that might be hard to find unless you read the instructions. There’s even a removable splatter guard that’s quite a nice touch, and makes it easy to clean.

While it’s only a grill and air fryer, it still has six different modes so you can do your roasting, baking and dehydrating too. There’s comprehensive instructions with it, plus various reminders stuck to the gadget itself, as well as a book of recommended marinades and sauces, suggesting that Ninja really do want you to be maximising the grilling capability of this gadget.

Cooking

Chicken & steak

Given the Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer comes with a built-in temperature probe so you can check the exact temperature of your food rather than just nuking it, it seems to make sense to test it out on meat that you might want at a very specific temperature.

I figure if I can grill a piece of chicken to exactly the right temperature without having to worry, this could save me a lifetime of overcooked or undercooked chicken. Maybe I can even nail a rare steak super easily.

I start with a chicken breast - that way I won’t waste an expensive steak. As well as using the temperature probe manually, you can pop it into the meat and shut the lid on it, then set the grill to a preset for rare steak and lo and behold, it should cook it perfectly.

It takes me a while to work out how to get it all set up. These days, we’re used to gadgets being fairly intuitive, but this is a bit more complex so I find myself resorting to the instruction manual.

I pop it in, think I have it set up right, though it doesn’t quite seem as the instructions suggest but on I plough. Twenty minutes later I open the lid to a shrivelled, dry piece of chicken but when I cut it open, it’s raw inside.. Epic fail, but somehow I think it’s user error.

I try again later, and this time pay attention. It turns out I hadn’t quite plugged the probe in properly so the preset option hadn’t actually activated. As I do it right properly the second time, my mistake becomes obvious and it’s actually quite easy to set up.

Find the meat you want to cook, and it does it for you. On the air fryer goes, whizzing into preheat mode before instructing me to add the meat. One thing I do notice is it’s loud - louder than some other air fryers I’ve tried. When I measure the decibels it’s around 65dB, compared to the last one I tried which was around 63dB. No wonder I think it’s loud.

Unlike the first time, the attempt at the chicken breast is much more successful. The probe’s in properly this time, so I can see the temperature rise on the display. And when it hits 75C - when chicken is properly cooked, the air fryer switches off. I lift the lid and it instructs me to let it rest, counting down as I go.

Yes, maybe this is less important than for a steak or joint of meat, but it’s handy to know your hand is held every step of the way. The one downfall is the metal wire connecting the probe - designed not to be damaged when the lid closes on it - gets pretty hot. I learn this the hard way as I grab it, remembering the salutary lesson that I should be more careful before touching it next time.

I’m on my way to being convinced, but decide a rare steak might be the way forward. So I test it on a simple fillet. In the probe goes, and I use the presents to set the meat type, and my cooking preference. The same goes, except this time I get too cocky and wander off, which means that although it turns itself off after the right amount of time, instead of resting in ambient temperature, it rests in high heat.

So when I finally remember and come back to retrieve it, cutting into it reveals it’s done slightly more than rare - but I’m 99% confident that had I removed it from the grill when I was meant to, and let it cool out in the kitchen, it would’ve been fine. The grill insert for the air fryer also proves itself as great for steak, giving it the same effect as searing it in a pan or on a barbecue would. The only downside is the kitchen has the same smell - whereas more classic air frying keeps things a bit less smoky and meat-smelling.

Chips

A classic creation, homemade chips would be my test of the Ninja’s normal air fryer function. I swap the grill tray for the deeper tray designed for stuff like this, chop my potatoes into chips and toss them in oil and seasoning.

I’ve already got a frozen fish fillet in for 30 minutes (see below) so wait until it’s halfway through and start with 15 minutes - on previous air fryer tests this hasn’t been quite enough, but here’s hoping. The Ninja advises you to give food a shake mid cook time, which I do, and at 15 minutes they’re cooked perfectly. Crispy on the outside, soft inside, and completely cooked. A triumph.

Bacon

The next experiment is bacon. I choose streaky, because it goes nice and crispy in an air fryer (and tastes great). In it goes into the normal air fryer pan and on I pop it at a fairly high temperature (200C) for ten minutes.

It comes out cremated - more fool me. This thing is efficient for sure. I try again, and it’s done in about four minutes. Quick and easy, but be warned, you need to keep an eye on small things because this gadget gets hot quickly and cooks things at pace.

Frozen food

As the easy answer for frozen food, it’s important to test the air fryer on something from this category. Breaded cod fillets are the ones. The instructions say to oven cook at 200C for 30 minutes, so I opt for the same time, putting the homemade chips in halfway through.

I notice at this point that the fish looks done, so give it a little check with a temperature probe. It is indeed done. In half the time the packet said. Efficient cooking indeed - and a reminder that if I’m using this I should check up on food as it may cook quicker than I think.

What's it like to clean?

I’m thrilled to find out the inserts are all dishwasher proof, though I’m not always convinced when things with meat juices glued to them.

However, these come out nice and clean, and it’s a relief compared to having to try to scrub out inaccessible air fryer insides or trays.

How does it compare to similar models and its predecessors?

Having never used a Ninja before, it’s hard to compare, but when stacked up against a basic air fryer, this definitely takes things to the next level.

The ease of putting the temperature probe in and having the wizardry do the cooking for you is quite welcoming, especially to an amateur cook like me, though the flip side is having to get used to various digital instructions and get the probe in right.

If you want a more standard simple air frying product, our Ninja FlexDrawer is our top-rated air fryer ever. Or, if you like the sound of the merits of this grill, but would like to use it outside instead, the Ninja Woodfire BBQ is a great shout.

Should you buy the Ninja Foodi MAX Health Grill & Air Fryer?

As a newcomer to the world of Ninja, I was pretty impressed by this product. Basic air frying is pretty easy, and seems super efficient, with clear instructions on preheating, when to add food and when to turn it.

But the real bonus is in the grilling function, which holds your hand through exactly how to cook a piece of meat, using the temperature probe to remove any guesswork and stopping the grill at the right moment, even reminding you to leave it to rest.

That said, like any space-age creation, it takes a bit of getting used to, and you might actually have to follow the instructions to nail it.

It took me a few goes to work out the best way to use the Smart Cook System, but persistence paid off and I’ll confess to being a convert. There’s scope for more experimentation too, including bigger joints of meat.