Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill Review (2026)
Quick Verdict: The Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro 7-in-1 (IG651) is the most capable indoor electric grill the brand currently sells, and across the expert community the consensus is consistent — if you want one countertop appliance that grills, griddles, air fries and bakes without smoking up the kitchen, this is the unit to beat. A 1,760-watt heating system, a 500°F grill grate, a flat-top griddle plate, and a built-in Foodi Smart Thermometer combine into a genuinely versatile machine that goes well beyond a simple contact grill. It is large, it is not cheap, and the cleanup involves several removable parts — but for households that grill indoors year-round and want air-fry capability in the same footprint, nothing in Ninja’s lineup matches it. Researched editorial overview below; this is not a hands-on lab test.
| Specification | Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro 7-in-1 (IG651) |
|---|---|
| Type | Indoor electric grill + griddle combo with air fryer |
| Cooking functions | Grill, BBQ griddle, air crisp, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate |
| Power | 1,760 watts (120V) |
| Max grill temperature | 500°F grill grate; 500°F cyclonic air |
| Smart thermometer | Yes — built-in Foodi Smart Thermometer |
| Cooking style | Use opened (grill + griddle) or closed (contact-style crisping) |
| Dishwasher-safe parts | Yes — grate, griddle plate, crisper basket, splatter shield |
| Price tier | $$$ |
How We Researched the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro
This review synthesizes Ninja’s published specifications with the consistent conclusions of independent reviewers and the broad pattern of owner reception across major retailers. We focus on confirmed technical data — wattage, temperature range, plate sizes, included accessories — and on the strengths and trade-offs that reviewers repeatedly raise. We did not run our own lab tests; this is researched editorial buying advice rather than invented hands-on benchmarking. No payment was received from Ninja or any retailer for placement.
Design & Build
The IG651 is a substantial countertop appliance. Where a basic George Foreman contact grill is a flat clamshell you can stand on its end in a cupboard, the Foodi Smart XL Pro occupies a meaningful slab of counter and needs storage space to match. The hinged lid lifts to reveal a wide cooking bed that accepts either the Pro Power grill grate or the flat-top griddle plate, and the unit is designed to be used either opened (so both surfaces are exposed like a small indoor flat-top) or closed (where the lid bears down and the cyclonic air crisps from above).
Build quality is solid for the category. The housing is sturdy, the lid hinge feels deliberate rather than flimsy, and the removable parts seat positively. A splatter shield clips around the cooking area to keep grease off your backsplash, which is a meaningful quality-of-life feature given how aggressively this grill sears. The control panel is digital with a clear readout, and the included Foodi Smart Thermometer plugs into a port so you can cook proteins to a target internal temperature rather than guessing by time.
Grilling Performance
The core argument for this grill is heat plus versatility. The grill grate reaches 500°F, which is genuinely hot for an indoor electric appliance and high enough to put real char marks and a seared crust on steak, chicken and burgers. Ninja pairs that hot grate with cyclonic high-temperature air circulating from above, and the practical result reviewers consistently describe is faster, more even cooking than a flat single-element grill, with less need to flip constantly.
The “smokeless” claim deserves an honest qualifier: like all indoor electric grills marketed this way, it reduces smoke through a combination of a temperature-controlled grease channel and the splatter shield — it does not eliminate smoke entirely. Searing fatty cuts at 500°F will still produce some vapor, and a range hood or open window is sensible. What it will not do is fill your kitchen the way a cheap open-coil grill does.
Beyond Grilling: Griddle, Air Fry & More
The 7-in-1 billing is the real differentiator versus single-purpose grills. Swap the grate for the flat griddle plate and you have an indoor flat-top for smash burgers, eggs, pancakes and stir-fry-style vegetables. Drop in the crisper basket and the cyclonic air turns the unit into a capable air fryer for fries, wings and frozen foods. The roast, bake, broil and dehydrate modes round it out into something closer to a compact multi-cooker than a dedicated grill.
- Grill grate — 500°F searing for steaks, chops, burgers and vegetables
- Flat griddle plate — smash burgers, breakfast cooks, stir-fry
- Crisper basket — air-fry fries, wings, frozen foods
- Roast / bake / broil / dehydrate — oven-style functions in one footprint
Cleanup & Maintenance
This is where the trade-off lives. The grate, griddle plate, crisper basket and splatter shield are all dishwasher-safe, which is excellent — but there are several pieces to remove, rinse and dry after every cook, and the unit’s footprint means it is not something most people leave on the counter permanently. Reviewers who love it tend to use it constantly; those who are lukewarm usually cite the storage bulk and the multi-part cleanup. If your priority is “wipe two plates and walk away,” a simpler contact grill is less hassle. If you want the capability, the cleanup is a fair price.
Heat Settings, Capacity & Real-World Cooking
What separates the Foodi Smart XL Pro from cheap grills in day-to-day use is controllable heat plus genuine capacity. The digital panel lets you choose a function and a target, and the smart thermometer takes the guesswork out of proteins — set a doneness for chicken or steak and the unit guides you to it rather than leaving you cutting into the meat to check. For a family, the wide cooking bed matters: you can lay out a full batch of burgers or chicken thighs in one pass rather than cooking in shifts, which is a real advantage over a small 90-square-inch contact grill when you are feeding four to six people.
The opened-versus-closed flexibility also changes how you cook. Opened, both surfaces are exposed and you work like a short-order cook on a flat-top, flipping and moving food freely; closed, the cyclonic heat bears down from above for faster, more even cooking and crisping. In practice that means breakfast and stir-fry favor the open griddle, while wings, frozen foods and even reheating favor the closed crisp mode. Few single-purpose grills offer that range, and it is the main reason owners who buy into the platform tend to use it several times a week.
How It Compares Within the Category
Against a basic contact grill, the trade is obvious: the Ninja does far more but costs more, takes more space and asks for more cleanup. Against an outdoor electric grill like the Weber Lumin, the Ninja is the indoor, all-weather, multi-function choice that tops out near 500°F, while the Lumin is the patio sear-machine that climbs past 600°F but cannot air fry or live on your counter. Against the Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe, the Ninja wins on breadth (air fry, bake, roast) but the Cuisinart wins on dual independent temperature zones. Knowing which of those axes matters most to you — versatility, peak heat, indoor-vs-outdoor, or simultaneous two-temperature cooking — is the fastest way to decide whether this is your grill.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- 500°F grill grate — genuinely hot enough for real searing indoors
- True 7-in-1 versatility: grill, griddle, air fry, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate
- Built-in Foodi Smart Thermometer for cook-to-temperature accuracy
- Usable opened (flat-top style) or closed (cyclonic crisping)
- Splatter shield and grease management reduce kitchen smoke meaningfully
- All major cooking parts are dishwasher-safe
Cons:
- Large footprint — demands real counter or storage space
- $$$ price; more than most single-purpose contact grills
- Multi-part cleanup after every cook
- “Smokeless” reduces, but does not eliminate, smoke when searing fatty cuts
- Overkill if you only ever want to grill a few burgers
Who Should Buy the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro
Best for: Households that grill indoors year-round and want one appliance to also air fry, griddle and bake — replacing several gadgets with a single (admittedly large) unit.
Buy it if you: have counter or cabinet space to spare; want genuine 500°F searing rather than warm-pressed cooking; value the smart thermometer for cooking proteins to temperature; and will actually use the griddle and air-fry modes regularly.
Skip it if you: only want to grill the occasional burger (a basic contact grill is cheaper and simpler); have a tight kitchen with no storage headroom; or dislike multi-piece cleanup.
Alternatives Worth Considering
George Foreman Smokeless (GRD6090B) — Simpler & Cheaper
Best for: Buyers who want easy contact grilling without the multi-cooker complexity.
The George Foreman Smokeless is a 1,275-watt contact grill with a 90-square-inch surface, digital temperature control, and smoke reduction of up to 85%. It does one thing — press-grill 4-6 servings quickly — and stores flat. It cannot air fry, griddle or bake, but it costs far less and is dramatically simpler to clean. For a buyer who found the Ninja’s scope and bulk overwhelming, this is the sensible step down.
Cuisinart Griddler Deluxe (GR-150) — Best Dual-Zone Contact Grill
Best for: Buyers who want grill-and-griddle flexibility in a flat clamshell with independent dual-zone temperature control.
The Griddler Deluxe is an 1,800-watt unit with reversible nonstick plates totaling 240 square inches and six configurations (contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, half-and-half). Its dual independent temperature zones let you cook two foods at different heats simultaneously. It lacks the Ninja’s air-fry and cyclonic functions, but it is a more compact, more focused grill-griddle for buyers who don’t need the air fryer.
Longevity & Care
The good news on durability is that the parts most exposed to wear — the grate, griddle plate, crisper basket and splatter shield — all detach and go in the dishwasher, so you clean them thoroughly without forcing moisture into the electronics. Protect the nonstick surfaces with silicone or wooden utensils and avoid abrasive scrubbing, and let everything cool before washing. Empty and rinse the grease channel after fatty cooks so residue doesn’t bake on and start smoking the next time. Because there are several components, the practical longevity tip is simply to clean it after each use rather than letting cooks accumulate — owners who stay on top of cleanup report the unit holding up well across frequent use, while neglected grease management is the usual culprit behind smoke and odor complaints. Store the parts seated in the unit to keep them together and protect the contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro actually smokeless?
It is smoke-reducing rather than truly smokeless. A temperature-controlled grease channel and the clip-on splatter shield cut the smoke a cheap open grill would produce, but searing fatty cuts at 500°F still generates some vapor. Use it under a range hood or near an open window for best results — it will not fill the kitchen the way a basic coil grill does, but no indoor electric grill is genuinely smoke-free when searing fat.
How is it different from the standard Ninja Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 (DG551)?
The 6-in-1 DG551 is a grill-and-air-fryer that uses a single grill grate. The IG651 Pro adds a dedicated flat-top griddle plate and the “use opened or closed” design, which is why it is billed 7-in-1. If you specifically want indoor flat-top cooking (smash burgers, eggs, stir-fry) alongside grilling, the IG651 is the one to get; if you only want grill plus air fry, the cheaper DG551 covers it.
Can it replace an air fryer?
For most households, yes. Dropping in the crisper basket and running the air-crisp mode gives you genuine air-fryer performance for fries, wings and frozen foods. The capacity is large, which suits family-size batches, though the unit’s bulk means it is a less convenient grab-and-go air fryer than a small dedicated model.
Are the parts dishwasher-safe?
Yes. The grill grate, griddle plate, crisper basket and splatter shield are all dishwasher-safe per Ninja. The main trade-off is the number of pieces — you have several parts to remove and clean after each cook, which is the most common complaint among otherwise satisfied owners.
Does it need a special outlet?
No. At 1,760 watts on 120V it runs from a standard North American household outlet. As with any high-wattage countertop appliance, avoid sharing the circuit with other heavy draws like a microwave running simultaneously to prevent tripping a breaker.
Is 500°F hot enough to sear like an outdoor grill?
For indoor electric, 500°F is at the top end and produces real char and a seared crust — far better than the warm-pressed result of a low-wattage contact grill. It will not match the radiant intensity of a high-output gas or charcoal grill, but among indoor electric options it is one of the hotter, more capable searers available.
Final Verdict
The Ninja Foodi Smart XL Pro 7-in-1 is the do-everything choice in indoor electric grilling. A 500°F grate, cyclonic air, a flat-top griddle, air-fry capability and a built-in smart thermometer add up to a single appliance that can genuinely replace several gadgets. The cost of that capability is real — it is large, it is priced at the top of the category, and it asks for multi-part cleanup after each use. But for a household that grills indoors all year and wants griddle and air-fry duty in the same machine, it is the most complete option Ninja offers and a deserving benchmark for the category.
Last updated: June 2026
See our main guide: Best Electric Grills.