5.0 out of 5 stars TYPICAL NINJA
NINJA, THE ROLLS ROYCE OF COOKWARE, STRIKE AGAIN. CANNOT FAULT IT IN ANYWAY. AS LONG AS YOU KEEP IT CLEAN, ITS EASY TO CLEAN. COOKS REALLY WELL, LIGHT INSIDE IS VERY GOOD SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE FOOD. SETTINGS SO EASY TO USE, AND WHAT I LIKE IS IF YOU SET SOMETHING ON EG: 20 MINS AND WITH 2 MINS TO GO YOU SEE IT NEEDS LONGER, YOU JUST HIT THE + BUTTON ON THE TIME AND IT ADDS A MIN WITH EVERY PUSH, NO NEED TO STOP ANYTHING. OF COURSE, IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT ALL THE FOOD HAS BEEN COOKED TO PERFECTION.

5.0 out of 5 stars Really good oven.
Heats up quickly, shorter cooking times than my old convection oven. Very well made , easy to clean and plenty of room for pizzas , whole chicken or various items on different shelves.

5.0 out of 5 stars Cleaning Problems.
Excellent product. 5 Stars for ease of user programming. Once you work out your cooking times and make any necessary adjustment it’s great.
Now the problem with cleaning as with the majority of reviews is extremely difficult. Going by the book a clean after use with a damp cloth & soapy water does not work other than on the door glass. The back panel has often brown staining on it that will not budge unless you us a well known soap pad contrary to instructions. Same problem with the top. I hasten to add we are very sparing with the use of oil & tend to use veg oil or a spray.
Apart from the cleaning issue the oven is a welcome addition to our kitchen. I am however slightly concerned about the complaints on the ovens not working afterseveral months.

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than just a toaster.
My main house oven is rated 2400w at 0.88kwh however, due to its volume of 1584cm2 it can take 15 to 20 minutes to come up to heat. Add cooking time for pizza say 20 minutes and ones green electric bill has increased by 14.8pence. With this new Ninja mini oven, it took 1 minute to pre-heat and 20 minutes to cook the previously mentioned pizza. The electrical saving will take a few years to reclaim said outlay (2 237.5 pizzas err later), however it is part of doing ones bit for the environment even if all electricity used is renewable.
My humble toaster is 2100w and is no longer needed with this mini-oven. I am no longer restricted to size of bread, now baguettes and bagels can sit alongside vegetarian patties for thick filled toasted meals. Up to six standard bread slices fit side by side in this ninja.
Other than that, the oven is ideal for my tiny apartment as it stows away nicely in a vertical position. It will cope with pizza, fries and other toasty or oven items for two people well. Because it is one of those 8 appliances in one, it adds a further dimension to the assortment of cooked items. Overall, I am happy with its small size and versatility. Cleaning it has been made easier with the hinged bottom door. The design has been well thought out and the quality is excellent, as one would expect for a top of the range mini oven.
Photographs show before and after toaster… and the Ninja mini oven in situ and use. The pizza is a Tesco 386g for two, with extra topping added, pineapple and mushrooms for those interested in heaps!

3.0 out of 5 stars STYLE OVER SUBSTANCE, NOTABLE FLAWS & UNDETERMINED LONGEVITY
This is review is written by a buyer who purchased the item.

QUICK REVIEW

PROS
– Middling functionality – some food item cook okay others not.
– Large centrally placed convection fan to aid heat distribution.
– Settings are easy and intuitive to use.
– Manual adjustment of temperature (outside of pre-programmed temperature).
– Reasonable volume (29L).
– Numerous accessories supplied inclusively.

CONS
– Food is not always cooked evenly.
– The 90 second preheat function does not bring the oven to full temperature.
– Cleaning can potentially be problematic if dealing with oily stains.
– No continuous ‘light on’ function – light switch has to be turned on manually.
– Cable is short at 85cm (< 1 metre).
– Wattage is 2400W to run with associated electric cost.
– Electronic settings could potentially malfunction making the oven redundant.
– Unable to manually adjust: (i) heating elements on/off function or (ii) fan on/off function or (iii) fan speed; these are all pre-set depending on the function selected.
– Longevity remains to be established.
– Price = relatively expensive compared to basic countertop ovens.
– Contacting Ninja UK customer service via email resulted in a non-response (twice) and thus noteworthy should the oven breakdown within the warranty period.

Sadly, the notable flaws, limit my overall endorsement, in my opinion, more style over substance.

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DETAILED & IN-DEPTH REVIEW:

Previously, I have owned a basic style countertop oven (Klarstein 60L) that was okay for the short time it worked (!), thus, I have previous experience for comparison. Also, I am not some Ninja fan girl (!), this is my first Ninja product; I will assess it based on its merits or lack thereof. Points to note, in no particular order, include:

(1) COOKING FUNCTIONALITY:

Only had the oven a short time, however, I made the effort to bake a few different items to gauge its functionality, my experience is as follows:

HOMEMADE BREAD ROLLS: Used the bake function. Buns over-browned on top too early (e.g. 9 min mark) so I had to cover them with foil. However, the end result was evenly cooked buns that cooked in 17-18 mins. Subsequently, I tried a lower temperature but this resulted in uneven cooking, i.e. patches of cooked adjacent to undercooked areas. Notably, I never had this issue with my Klarstein countertop oven.

HOMEMADE GARIBALDI BISCUITS: Used the bake function. I made sure the oven reached temperature before placing the biscuits in the oven, mainly because biscuits bake in a short period of time and are temperature sensitive. I used an oven thermometer and waited until the oven reached the required temperature, in this case, 180oC took approx. 6 mins. The biscuits baked fine and in the time stated in the recipe. I did not need to make any adjustments.

CAKE: Not attempted yet, but in light of my bread roll experience, I fully expect to have to cover the cake with foil whilst baking due to likely over-browning on top. This was also an issue I had with my Klarstein, and experience taught me to use a deep cake tin (PME aluminium 3” deep cake tin bought on Amazon), so it is easier to place the foil on top without any fear of the foil sticking to the top of the cake and ruining the aesthetics (!). Also, one will need to be careful with cake as it can be delicate, I am finding the fan can dry items out (e.g. bread rolls) when they over-brown too quickly on the surface but are still undercooked in the middle. I expect baking a cake will require some trial and error with adjustments to the temperature and cooking time. I hope these tips help.

HOMEMADE BAKED POTATO FRIES: Used the bake function (not airfry). I did not parboil as I cut them very thinly. Gave the fries a shake and toss midway. Resulted in crispy edges but slightly undercooked middle area. It seems that even thinly cut fries need partially steaming before baking.

HOMEMADE BAKED CHUNKY CHIPS: Used the GRILL (not bake) function. First steamed the chips until nearly cooked, I did not boil them as I did not want them absorbing too much water. Placed the chips on a baking tray on 2nd to top rack (sprinkled a little oil/seasoning) and used the GRILL function to brown the surface. They needed to be turned over to brown evenly. The result was blotchy browning, much like when cheese melts with brown blotches on the surface rather than an even sheet of browning. To my surprise they actually turned out good (my first time trying this method).

HOMEMADE PIZZA: Used the pizza function. The top of the pizza overcooked and underside was undercooked, ended up with crispy top and soft, undercooked bottom! Overall, awful result. The problem is that the pre-set temperature is too low; pizza bakes best at very high temperatures and on a pre-heated baking stone/steel that conducts and retains heat like a battery to transfer to the pizza. Fortunately, I have a G3 Ferrari pizza maker (highly recommended, if you make homemade pizza regularly, one of my all-time best buys on Amazon, it has lasted me years). I do not intend to use the Ninja pizza function ever again.

HOMEMADE BAKED POTATO BHAJI (PAKORA): Used the bake function. Placed bhaji (potato coated with batter) in clusters on baking paper over a ‘pizza mesh/screen’ for better air circulation. The top cooked nicely with crispy edges but the underside was undercooked (raw bits); therefore, I had to turn them over to be cooked properly. After turning them over, the end result was okay, evenly cooked bhajis with crispy edges. The trick is not to use too much batter and just lightly coat the veg (that is pre-steamed in the case of potatoes).

I have not tested all the different functions, but I hope this gives you some indication of the functionality.

(2) HEATING ELEMENTS:

The heating elements seem to be of the coil variety. There are 3 positioned at the top and 2 positioned at the bottom (perforated grill surrounding bottom 2 elements). See PHOTOS.

In my previous Klarstein oven the heating elements would glow orange when the oven was in use, as part of its functionality – this is not the case with the Ninja. Also, the manual gives you NO indication as to when the heating elements should glow orange. In my opinion, the failure to provide this basic information is a significant omission, as one could easily think they have potentially received a faulty product (!).

The only information the manual provides is: “Why do the heating elements appear to be turning on and off? This is normal. The oven is designed to control temperature precisely for every function by adjusting the heating elements’ power levels”.

Hence, I decided to just put the oven on for 30 secs, and test which heating elements glow orange, with each of the different function settings, these are my results:

Grill – TOP heating elements ONLY
Airfry – None
Whole Roast – None
Bake – None
Pizza – None
Toast – BOTTOM heating elements ONLY
Bagel – BOTTOM heating elements ONLY
Reheat – BOTH top and bottom heating elements
Dehydrate – None

Obviously, this was only a 30 second test and the possibility exists that it may take some functions longer to heat up and glow orange, so I suggest you run your own test (!), I did not have the time, patients, inclination or money to waste, in doing a longer test.

To determine the actual answer, I contacted Ninja UK via the website support page, after a non-response to 2 emails to Ninja customer support (a number of weeks later this is still the case), I rang Ninja UK to ask them when the heating elements should glow orange and was given the following information:

Roast – both
Whole roast – both
Grill – top
Reheat – both
Toast – both
Air fry/Bake/Pizza/Dehydrate – none

NB: This information was received after the customer service representative left the phone to retrieve this information. Initially I was told the grill function should have both the top and bottom elements glowing and then he changed his mind after I pointed out that only the top elements glowed when I tested the oven and that this made logical sense. In all honesty, I must admit, I was not convinced of the competency of the customer service representative.

Nonetheless, it seems that the heating elements only glow orange with certain functions and this is not made clear in the manual.

(3) CONVECTION FAN:

The large centrally placed convection fan is a feature that separates this countertop oven from other basic countertop ovens [See PHOTOS]. Other, basic models tend to have a much smaller fan situated on the side(s).

It is worth noting that when the fan is in use it will make a noise as part of its functionality, nonetheless, the noise level is not unbearably loud.

Also, please be aware that the fan: (a) activation and (b) speed, depends upon the function selected in the settings (as stated in the ‘Quick Start Guide’). For example, roast/air fry activates maximum speed; alternatively, pizza/bake will activate low fan speed.

Apart from the pre-selected fan speeds for the different functions, there is NO way to adjust the fan speed manually to your own requirements, should you wish to do so; the same goes for switching the fan on/off.

(4) WATTAGE:

The sticker at the back of the oven states the wattage is 2000 – 2400W. Obviously, given the current energy prices, this could be a point for consideration. As a comparison, a more basic 30L countertop oven can be lower e.g. 1500W (and cost half the price to purchase). My previous 60L countertop oven was 2000W and this oven seems to run at a similar cost despite being half the size.

(5) PREHEAT FUNCTION:

There is a 90 second preheat function, but this is misleading as the manual states that it does not actually come to full required temperature within the 90 seconds, rather, it continues to heat up thereafter.

The Manual actually states: “Why is my unit not fully preheated when the preheat cycle is completed? During preheating, the unit will not reach the intended cook temperature, but it will preheat to a level that will start cooking your ingredients. As the cook cycle continues, the oven will continue to heat up and cook your food to doneness. It may take up to 10 minutes for the unit to reach the intended cook temperature. This does not affect the cooking quality of most recipes”.

When baking biscuits, I tested the time taken to reach 180oC and it took approx. 6 mins. I would NOT put biscuits in the oven after 90 seconds as they would not cook properly.

(6) ELECTRONIC SETTINGS:

The setting are easy to use once you read the manual. [See PHOTOS].

The temperature can be manually adjusted from the pre-determined function settings. However, there is no means of manually adjusting the (i) fan being on/off (ii) fan speed or (iii) heating elements glowing orange, should you wish to do so, as these are pre-determined depending on the setting selected.

Also, I have reservations, if the electronics malfunction for any reason, then the oven would become redundant. Hence, the oven’s longevity, could in part, depend upon the robustness of the electronics – I guess, only time will tell.

(7) INSTRUCTION MANUAL:

I would strongly advise you to read the manual before use, it is very helpful. Once you have read the manual the electronic settings are easy to understand and use. [See PHOTOS].

(8) ACCESSORIES SUPPLIED:

The oven comes with [see PHOTOS]:
(a) air fry basket;
(b) non-stick roast tray;
(c) non stick oven tray;
(d) wire rack x2 and
(e) crumb tray.

The roast and oven tray are both non-stick and seem to be of reasonable quality. I have not used them but I have read reviews where individuals have reported warping of the trays, this could potentially be problematic e.g. if roasting liquid inclusive items where the juices run to one end (!). The air fry basket will need to be used with care, it is not flimsy/bendable but doesn’t look like it would take heavy duty wear-and-tear either. The 2 wire racks seem okay and slide into position without any problems.

Personally, I will be using my existing aluminium trays / cake tins etc. I am not a fan of non-stick, so cannot comment on their functionality.

(9) SIZE DIMENSIONS:

This is reasonable sized oven and thus takes a reasonable amount space on countertop. The box the oven came in states the following dimensions: L=61.6cm x W=50cm x H=42.2cm.

My own approximate measurements of the oven are:
Height = 33cm (internally 24.5 cm) x
Length = 43.5cm (35cm internally) x
Depth=50.5cm or 38cm excluding handle and back fan area (29 cm internally).

The wire rack is approximately L=36cm x D=28.5cm.

The approximate height from top rack position to the bottom rack position = 14.5cm.

(10) OVEN CAPACITY:

Listing states capacity = 29L. Obviously, capacity will depend upon personal requirements.

(11) WEIGHT:

The box states it weighs: N.W = 19.8 kg and G.W = 20.35 kg. The Amazon listing stated 14.6 kg (at the time of writing this review) which is incorrect. Given its weight, I would not say it is portable. An elderly person (or otherwise) may need assistance setting it up (and potentially with delivery).

(12) OVEN DOOR:

The oven door does not lie completely flat when open. Although completely doable, one needs to take care when taking the crumb tray out. Also, the seal around the door seems to be rubber and non-continuous with 4 noticeable small breaks (see PHOTO). Nonetheless, as the food cooks fine, I assume it functions well enough.

(13) TEMPERATURE ACCURACY:

I have not tested if the temperature is maintained constantly throughout cooking. As stated above, I have tested the time taken to reach temperature (180oC). However, even if you do not have an oven thermometer one can exercised common sense and test if the food cooks in the recipe’s stated timeframe, if so, then the temperature is probably close enough accurate. In my experience, it seems the oven temperature is reasonably accurate.

(14) LIGHT:

A small light is situated in the top left hand corner [see PHOTO]. or right if you are facing the oven. When two trays are placed in the oven, I find the visibility on the lower tray to be somewhat obscured by the top tray.

My previous Klarstein counter top oven had a light that stayed on continuously when it was switched on, so at any given time you could easily see the progress of baked goods e.g. biscuits. The Ninja oven has no continuous ‘light on’ function, you have to specifically switch the light on to monitor the cooking progress, as cooking takes place in the dark (!). The only time when the light automatically comes on is when you open the oven door and when there is 1 minute remaining of the cooking time.

The reason for a non-continuous light on function could be energy efficiency. However, the cynical side of me does wonder if this could be due to the limited lifespan of the light bulb (!) – only time will tell.

(15) RACK LEVELS:

There are 4 rack levels and you can use 2 rack levels at any given time. The manual (and function settings) guide you as to where to place the racks depending on the function selected.

(16) CLEANING:

Personally, I am likely to use the oven for baking e.g. bread rolls, sometimes biscuits, rarely cake/muffin and pastry items etc. Thus the oven is not likely to get very dirty (e.g. stuck on oily/fat stains). However, prior to purchase I read many reviews complaining about how difficult it was to clean fat/grease/oil stains within the oven. I suspect that if you are cooking oily/fatty food, the convection fan may potentially spray a mist of oil/fat particles around that will stick to the internal surface and thus make this oven somewhat of a nightmare to clean because once the temperature cools down enough for cleaning, the stains will likely somewhat harden and stick.

The other main issue exacerbating this potential problem is that the MANUAL states: “Use warm, soapy water and a soft cloth to wash the oven’s interior and glass door, DO NOT use abrasive cleaners, scrubbing brushes or chemical cleaners, as they will damage the oven”.

If you plan on using the oven for oily food items, the potential cleaning issue could be an important point to note, if cleanliness and hygiene is important to you and/or you want a spotless looking oven when guests come around etc.

(17) EXTERNALLY HOT WHEN IN USE:

Like other countertop ovens, this oven gets very hot externally when in use and so one needs to exercise caution accordingly (e.g. keep children away to avoid inadvertent burns).

(18) EXTERNAL HOUSING UNIT:

The metal around the oven is not heavy duty, understandable as this would add considerable weight (and likely cost) to the oven. However, it is not completely flimsy either, just use it with care.

(19) ELECTRIC CABLE:

The cable length is around 85cm, in my opinion, this is actually quite short. This means that the oven has to be positioned near a socket.

(20) WARRANTY:

Item comes with a 1 year warranty. You have to register the product by going the Ninja website online. Notably, the warranty starts from the date of the order (not delivery).

(21) BEFORE FIRST USE:

The instruction manual (bottom page 5) states that before first use to run the oven on ROAST function, with ALL ACCESSORIES, for 20 mins at 230oC to remove residue. Please be aware that fumes are given off and the room will smell so windows/doors will need to be opened – you have been warned. There are no further smells thereafter (!).

(22) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

The box states that the oven is made in CHINA.

(23) PRICE:

The price of this 29L oven was similar to a 45L commercial oven available online; hence, I cannot say it is competitively priced. The only reason I opted for this model was because it was sold by Amazon. Furthermore, a more basic counter top oven of a similar size can be obtained at half the price. In my opinion, the oven is not value for money, especially, given its flaws.

(24) LONGEVITY:

As this is a relatively new model, one cannot comment on longevity and the warranty is only 1 year (it is unclear if this means it is not expected to last long) – only time will tell.

(25) DELIVERY:

This oven was sold and fulfilled by Amazon. At the time of purchase there was a large delivery window cited, despite Amazon stating it was in stock. Mine took around 2 weeks to arrive. This is a warning, watch out for the estimated delivery date quoted, irrespective, of whether it is cited as being in stock, you could potentially be waiting weeks.

(26) PACKAGING:

The oven comes in a box within a box. The external box having Ninja written on it along with the size dimensions, weight, country of origin etc. Hence, if this is a gift, you may wish to take this into consideration.

(27) NINJA CUSTOMER SERVICE:

Due to my heating element query, I had the opportunity to test Ninja UK’s customer service. My email request (twice) for assistance garnered no response (!), despite Ninja stating you should usually receive a response in 48 hours. Furthermore, I checked the 1 star reviews on ‘Trust pilot’ and many related to poor customer service. Hence, I can only surmise that if you run into problems with this product after Amazon’s 30 day money back guarantee period you could be dealing with Ninja’s potentially poor customer service if issues arise within the 1 year warranty period.

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I hope you found this review helpful, it took a great deal of time and effort to write up my analysis and scrutiny of this product, hopefully, it provides a more balanced view and points for consideration.

SIDE NOTE: Also, sorry about the quality of the photos, I used the flash function but some photos are still dark (!). I am just a buyer trying to contribute back to the community that has helped me with my purchasing decisions.