When it comes to cooking appliances, Ninja is known for being the best. From the best air fryers to the best multi-cookers, the brand has a strong reputation of manufacturing high-quality kitchen staples that unfailingly produce delicious food every time. We should know, we've tested most of them!
Last year, Ninja made the exciting decision to expand into outdoor cooking appliances. The brand conducted a study which revealed the UK’s dining habits were shifting, with over a third of the population preferring to eat outdoors during the warmer months. This conclusion prompted Ninja to make a range of products that were easy to use, but allowed diners to continue enjoying al fresco dining.
Two of these products included the the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven and Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker. Both appliances were released within months of each other, meaning we were able to review them whilst the temperatures remained warm. They also have an identical price point, but our individual reviews have established that they vary in their design, efficiency and taste. For this reason, we'll be comparing the two to find out which works best.
Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven vs Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill: price and availability
The Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker has an RRP of £349.99 and is available to buy at Ninja and selected retailers. The Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven also has an RRP of £349.99, and is available at Ninja and other retailers.
Both appliances have a decent amount of accessories included in the price. The Electric BBQ incudes a Woodfire Pellet starter pack, pellet scoop, crisper basket and chef-created recipe guide. The Outdoor Oven includes two Woodfire Pellet starter packs, pellet scoop, roast rack, pro-heat tray and a pizza stone. There are also multiple accessories available to buy separately.
That being said, Ninja has currently reduced both appliances and included even more free accessories. Take a look:
Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven vs Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill: design
Rather than using gas or charcoal, both the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven and Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill use precision electric heat to cook a variety of foods and deliver premium flavours and textures. This brings a new level of ease to outdoor cooking, especially if you're hosting at the same time.
The Outdoor Oven is square in shape and has a similar cooking space to the Electric BBQ Grill. It measures 21.5 x 15.1 inches and weighs around 12kg, but it could probably only take one dish or pizza at a time. The right-hand dial provides the option to adjust the temperature and set a timer.
The Electric BBQ has a good sized grill plate which can fit 8 burgers or 16 sausages, but if that doesn't sound large enough, you can size up to the Ninja Woodfire XL. Just like the Outdoor Oven, it also has easy-to-use controls which allow you to easily switch between functions and temperatures. The LED panel lets you know when the appliance is at the optimal temperature to start cooking.
One of the biggest things that the Outdoor Oven and the Electric BBQ have in common is their Woodfire Flavour technology. There's a small integrated smoke box attached to the side of both appliances which is where the pellets go, and both our reviewers noted that it's surprising how little pellets are needed. It's easy to initiate the Woodfire Flavour technology on both appliances as they each have a button that starts the integrated smoker box.
Thanks to their electric design, both appliances are balcony-friendly, so you can still get use out of them if you don't have a garden.
Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven vs Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill: features
The Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven is equipped with eight cooking functions, including Pizza, Smoker, Top Heat, Bake, Max Roast, Gourmet Roast, Dehydrate and Keep Warm. When the oven is on the Pizza setting, the right-hand dial can also be used to to scroll between the different kinds of pizza you can make. This includes Neapolitan, Thin, Pan, Frozen or Custom.
The Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker has seven cooking functions, including Grill, Smoker, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat and Dehydrate.
As you can see, both appliances don't share all the same settings, but they make up for it in different ways. For example, the Outdoor Oven doesn't have an Air Fry setting, which our reviewer noted would have been really useful.
Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven vs Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill: performance
There's no denying that the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven and Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill both produce really delicious food. Both our reviewers had no complaints about how juicy and flavoursome their food was, and found the pellets to be a really nice addition.
It was clear that it took longer for the Outdoor Oven to preheat, totalling around 25 minutes altogether. The Electric BBQ took about 10 minutes on its own and around 15 with the pellets, so it was significantly quicker. Both appliances tell you when it's time to put your food in, which is a huge help.
Another big difference was that our reviewer found the Electric BBQ got dirty on the inside, even after one or two uses. Whilst this is expected due to its small size, it was a tricky to clean as you can't remove the lid. On the other hand, the Outdoor Oven did get dirty too, but it was only really the pizza stone that got the worst of it. This was easily done as it's simple to remove, and just has to be submerged and washed with soapy water.
Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven vs Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill: verdict
If you're stuck between the Ninja Woodfire Electric Outdoor Oven or Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill, then you'll be glad to hear that you can't really go wrong with either. They're both fantastic appliances to own if you enjoy outdoor cooking and you're looking for something a lot simpler than one of the best barbecues.
We would say that the Electric BBQ is a lot better for smoking and grilling, especially if you like working with different cuts of meat. The Outdoor Oven is better suited to those who like an appliance that can do everything, especially if you're hoping to perfect your pizza making skills this summer.
Both appliances produce delicious and tasty food, and the Woodfire Flavour technology adds a nice touch to whatever you're cooking. It's also useful to have the option of using the pellets, especially if you're cooking something that already has a lot of flavour.
Interested in more? Check out our comparison between the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker and ProCook Air Fryer Health Grill.
