The world of BBQ’ing has traditionally been one filled with coal and smoke.
In today’s world of trying to stop the planet from dying, many are looking at more eco-friendly ways to cook food outdoors without losing that classic BBQ experience or flavour.
So when I was offered the chance by the good folk at Currys to give one of Ninja’s electric BBQ beasts a try, I was intrigued by how it would stack up against more traditional coal, gas or wood-fired machines. As always, the BBQ was given for free, but that doesn’t make the review any less honest.
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NINJA Woodfire OG701UK Outdoor Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker
Build – 4/5
This BBQ is an absolute chonk of a beast. It is robust and sturdy, yet not as heavy as you’d think – the box states it’s around 23kg. It needs a table to sit on, as it doesn’t have legs, but you can buy one from any retailer or get the official Ninja one on their website.
The cord is around 1m in length, which is not the longest and would require an outdoor plug to be located nearby in order to use it without having to place it indoors and run out with your food to enjoy with your guests.
When in use, the BBQ does not actually get hot on the outside at all, and it has two waterproof IP ratings which is perfect for the British weather. Yes, I did BBQ in the rain . . . for King and country, obvioulsy.
Functionality and use – 5/5
The in-built smoker and wood chips provided is a great little addition to this BBQ. It makes up for the fact that you’re not going to get the classic smoke taste or flavour you would normally get from a traditional unit. There’s a grease-catching drip tray to go underneath, which contains recyclable tin foil trays to make cleaning super simple.
The small screen at the front gives clear timings and tells you when each stage – from smoking to pre-heating to “time to put your food in” to “done, now eat” – is finished. It also beeps at you to warn you when each stage is ready, as well as when to turn your meat, so you can go about your socialising without worrying. I make a marinaded beef dish, and the timings were actually spot on. The addition of the smoke to the dish was a great touch and will help you elevate every dish.
You can use this without the smoker, for those not keen on that part. It also works as an air-fryer, and although I’ve not tried that function yet, it does appear to be super simple and it comes with its own air-fryer basket.
The in-built meat thermometer is a nice touch, and one that most home cooks wouldn’t have thought about, but will rely on when using it for the first time. And joy of joys – you can BBQ whatever you want and not be covered in a giant ball of eye-killing smoke at the same time.
Cleaning – 3.5/5
The only downside to this is that not much of it can go in the dishwasher. The actual grill tray, while non-stick and easy to clean by hand, is small enough to fit in most dishwashers and contains no electrical parts . . . so why can’t it be washed in a dishwasher?
The non-stick part of it is excellent, and really is far superior to many non-stick kitchen items. The rest of the unit also needs to be cleaned by hand – including the drip tray, thermometer, lid and smoker. It’s a chore, because the unit is, as I said, a chonk, but them I’m also a bit lazy and this very much reads like first world problems.
Is it worth it?
Absolutely.
Yes, £249.99 is a lot of money for many in today’s world – currently on sale with £100 off – but this is an investment/ If you love BBQ’ing but want to try something unique that in the long run saves you money on buying coal or wood etc, then this is the unit for you.
You can even play over 36 months with a Currys instalment plan, or buy now, pay later within nine months. However you choose to buy it, I would highly recommend this as it does change the BBQ game as we know it.
Overall score – 4.16/5
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