I love a three-course meal, but not the mess and time it takes. Ninja Speedi solves both of those issues, unlocking the ability to cook one-pot-style in as little as fifteen minutes. The result is good food, fast, feeding up to four people.
We haven't got kids in tow just yet, but this multicooker is perfect for a two-person dinner, plus leftovers for work the next day. My husband loves my culinary efforts but detests how many pots and pans I use in the process. So I can say with conviction that this meal-prepping machine might be the makings of a long and happy marriage.
The Ninja Speedi is an air fryer that uses steam and crisp technology to cook juicy chicken, al dente pasta, and cooked vegetables that keep their crunch. I was invited to SharkNinja to test out this machine and also got to take it home to see how it worked in a real-life setting. Here are my thoughts...
Ninja Speedi review
The short version
The Ninja Speedi is a rapid cooker that doesn't make me dread my commute home after work. I simply pick my carb and protein elements, clear the veggie graveyard from my refrigerator, click a button, and this appliance does the rest for me. And, if I lack inspiration, there's a chef-created recipe guide with cooking charts to steer me in the right direction.
Could it look a little prettier? Absolutely. But considering this 10-function electric pot replaces your steamer, oven, and air fryer, I could live with its lack of aesthetic appeal. It's great for having weeknight dinners ready in under an hour, and the recipes available ensure I'm getting a balanced meal.
Come the weekend, I use the Speedi to cook a full 4 lb roast chicken dinner (with the trimmings), and I'm told it's possible to bake a chocolate fudge cake or slow-cook a stew (sealing everything in the same pan).
Ninja Speedi specifications
- Model name: SF300 Series Ninja® Speedi Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer
- Size (in.): H12.4 x W13.8 x L14.1
- Weight (lbs): 14 pounds
- Color: Sea Salt Grey
- Cord length (in): 36
- Wattage: 1760W
- Voltage: 120 volts
- Amperage: 14.6 amps
- Accessories included: Multi-functional crisper tray
Testing the Ninja Speedi
Unboxing and setting up the Ninja Speedi
I always look forward to unboxing SharkNinja kitchen appliances. This brand is the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) when packaging items sustainably with minimal plastic wrap. They make use of the outer carton with QR codes, so you're not left with fiddly paper manuals in a food-based environment. Talking from experience, I have way too many coffee-ringed, dog-eared, and olive oil painted pamphlets lying about.
Using the Ninja Speedi
Unique to this review (and perhaps one other), I was invited to the brand's headquarters to familiarize myself with the Ninja Speedi. But before I could get to eat, I learned about the internal mechanics of this kitchen appliance.
To use this machine, pop your ingredients into the pot, on the rack (or both), then select one of the 10 cooking programs:
- SpeediMeals: Cook mains/sides simultaneously using infused steam and cyclonic air.
- Steam Air Fry: Evenly cook, brown, and crisp ingredients without drying them out.
- Steam & Bake: Promote even rise while retaining moisture and fluffy texture.
- Steam: Gently cook delicate foods at high temps to lock in flavor and nutrients.
- Air Fry: Gives food crispiness and crunch with little to no oil.
- Bake/Roast: Prepare baked treats, oven-tender meats, and more using dry heat only.
- Grill: Cook at high heat to caramelize and brown food.
- Dehydrate: Dehydrate meats, fruits, and vegetables.
- Sear/Sauté: Brown meats, saute veggies, and simmer sauces.
- Slow Cook: Cook food at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.
Then use the SmartSwitch (flipping it up for rapid cooker, and down for Air fry/hob):
Test 1: cooking chicken breasts
Cooking skinless chicken breasts can be a disaster if you're not well-versed in preparing lean protein. Undercooked you risk salmonella, but overdone and they are dry and unpleasant to eat. Under the supervision of Ninja's professional chefs, our group prepared panko breadcrumed supremes, setting the machine to 390°F, and set time to 14 minutes.
Here you'll see the meat sit on the Cook & Crisp Tray (shown close-up below), while the pasta quills sit in the bottom of the machine with your choice of liquid (i.e: water, stock, or another flavored base for it to absorb).
And did you spot 'Lid' notice on the Ninja Speedi's screen? This proves just how user-friendly this machine is, and is something I saw when reviewing the Ninja Foodi hot and cold blender. No weird codes or error messages — just simple, easy-to-read prompts.
I didn't manage to get a shot, but on the base level were all the ingredients for the Ninja broccoli alfredo pasta. Though this recipe cheats using store-bought sauce, our version included penne, grated garlic, butter, heavy cream, cream cheese, and parmesan. The result was a 1lb serving of indulgent creamy pasta that I wanted to box up and take home (but sadly had to share out). The textures were spot-on: the starch element was firm to the bite, and the veggies retained their color and snappiness.
Test 2: Cooking a plant-based meal
Most air fryer recipes are centered around a meat option, but we must not forget about the vegetarians, or anyone wanting to switch things up now and again. For this test, we cooked Mediterranean vegetables (including bell peppers and zucchini) wedged between cubes of Halloumi cheese to create kebobs.
Under that was a bed of cilantro-lime white rice as our carb option. If you've always depended on microwavable rice or relied on a rice cooker — you'll be surprised at how well this machine cooks fluffy grains.
Yes — you'll still need to rinse the rice beforehand to remove the starch and use a ratio of 1:1.5 rice: water (or better still, broth for added flavor). But other than that, it's foolproof. No rice sticking to the bottom of the pan, no stirring, and no gloopy-soupy savory cereal. Please sir, can I (really) have some more?
Again, the veg was cooked but crunchy, and the Cypriot cheese had its signature squeak between the teeth.
Test 3: Baked salmon and couscous
I was interested to see how well the Ninja Speedi cooked fish. I enjoy salmon, but admittedly end up breaking the skin when broiling or baking it. So I was glad that this process was a little hands-off.
I'd worked my way through pasta and rice, so it made sense to prepare Ninja's harissa salmon and couscous recipe. I followed "most" of the instructions, but may have opted for smaller-than-instructed fillets which is where I went wrong.
After cooking time was up, my harrisa-brushed fish was a little charred, but the grains were fluffy. I did notice some of the steamed semolina closer to the pot was burnt, but it did not stick to the pan. If you've ever made rice in a rice cooker or made Persian rice with tahdig (a purposefully crispy base) — you'll know what I mean.
Lesson learned: follow the guidance properly. I'm not going to mark it down on this occasion, as it was human error that led to this kitchen nightmare. Chef Gordon would not be impressed.
Cleaning and maintaning the Ninja Speedi
All the included accessories are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. If you want to work smart and not hard, you can also use the Steam setting to steam-clean the inside of the lid and unit. Do be careful though, one drawback is the pot doesn't have any handles, so it can be super hot straight after cooking.
But, long story short, the non-stick ceramic coating on the cooking pot and crisp tray has your back — literally and figuratively so you won't need to soak or scrub it to death. Doing the latter may remove the protective layer, so scratch that idea and use a soft sponge instead.
Note, that the Ninja Speedi also has a little condensation collector on the back to catch steam vapor. So once the unit has cooled, be sure to remove and decant it.
Where to buy the Ninja Speedi
Buy the Speedi directly from Ninja, or shop it at Amazon, BestBuy, Walmart, and most electrical appliance stores. Admittedly, we haven't tried something as similar as this, but the closest comparison is the Ninja Foodi MAX 9-in-1 Multi-Cooker which our reviewer awarded 5 stars.
Good to know
If you're ever stuck on what to cook, Ninja has a helpful Speedi meal builder. Pick your ingredients, customize flavors, and create your own recipe in just five simple steps. I took a screen grab of the process, but the experience lets you pick bases, proteins, vegetables, seasonings, and toppings.
Should you buy the Ninja Speedi?
In some small kitchens, you might struggle with counter clearance and size. However, the Ninja Speedi avoids you having to have the oven or broiler on for your main, plus a pot on the hob for your side. Everything is done in one pot.
And, if you have soft textures of a slow-cooked meal — don't fret. As mentioned, pasta remains al dente, veggies aren't limp, and my salmon had (extra) crispy skin — all thanks to this air-fryer-cum-multicooker-contraption. But if you're just after a small air fryer to cook a few fries and nuggets — buy just that.
One thing I do wish is that they would come out with more colors, as the sea salt grey doesn't quite fit into my taupe kitchen scheme.
How we test
This isn't a standard convection oven, but I used the same process of how we test air fryers to determine what score I was going to give it. I observed how it performed, how eco-friendly the packaging was, and if it was able to fit into a small rental kitchen.
