Ninja Combi Review (2026): The "15-Minute Meal" Is a 23-Minute Meal
Quick Answer: The Ninja Combi (SFP701) is a countertop steam-combi oven that also air fries — not a pressure cooker, and not the best pure air fryer Ninja makes. It is genuinely good at one-pan family meals: the US model has 14 functions, a pan Home Depot lists at 6.2 quarts, and 1,760 watts, and in Reviewed's test a frozen-salmon-and-rice Combi Meal was done in 23 minutes following Ninja's own recipe (the box says "as little as 15"). Its weak spot is crisping: RTINGS scored its air frying 6.7 out of 10, with only about half of each batch coming out crisp and well browned. Buy it at around $200–$230 if you want protein, grain, and vegetables cooked together; buy a basket air fryer if crisp fries are the goal.
The Ninja Combi gets searched like an air fryer, sold like a multicooker, and engineered like a small combi-steam oven. That identity confusion is the most useful thing to understand before buying one. In this Ninja Combi review we pull together what independent testers (RTINGS, Reviewed, Tom's Guide, Better Homes & Gardens Australia) actually measured, explain why its capacity figure changes depending on which country's listing you read, and say plainly who should buy it and who should get a cheaper, better-crisping basket air fryer instead.
Our Verdict at a Glance
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.0/5)
Price: $229.99–$249.99 list depending on retailer; sale prices around $200 are common
Best for: Families of 3–4 who want one-pan dinners (rice or pasta underneath, protein and vegetables on top), cooking from frozen, and replacing a slow cooker plus toaster oven with one appliance
Skip it if: You mainly air fry fries and wings, you want a pressure cooker (the Combi has no pressure function), or your counter can't spare room for a 20-pound box
What Exactly Is the Ninja Combi?
The Ninja Combi All-in-One Multicooker, Oven & Air Fryer (US model SFP701) is a front-loading countertop oven that injects steam from a water-filled pan while a convection fan circulates hot air. Steam keeps grains and proteins moist; the fan browns the top. Its headline trick is Combi Meals: rice or pasta with liquid goes in the deep Combi pan, protein and vegetables sit on the crisper plate above, and everything finishes at the same time.
According to Reviewed's July 2024 test, the US model's 14 functions are Combi Meals, Combi Crisp, Combi Bake, Rice/Pasta, Sear/Sauté, Steam, Bake, Toast, Pizza, Slow Cook, Proof, Sous Vide, Air Fry, and Broil. Australian listings name a slightly different 14 (Grill and Reheat appear; Sous Vide and Broil don't), another sign that "the Ninja Combi" is not one identical product worldwide.
| Spec (US SFP701) | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Functions | 14 | Ninja US / Reviewed |
| Pan capacity | 6.2 qt (RTINGS: 6.3 qt, about four servings) | Home Depot listing / RTINGS |
| Power | 1,760 W (1,780 W on AU/Singapore models) | Home Depot / SharkNinja SG |
| Weight | About 20.15 lb | Home Depot listing |
| Dimensions | 13.11" H × 15.4" W × 14.9" D | Home Depot listing |
| In the box | Combi pan, bake tray, crisper plate, recipe book (Reviewed's unit also had an 8-inch round cake pan) | Retail listings / Reviewed |
| Pressure cooking | No | Reviewed |
| Warranty | 1 year limited in the US (2 years in Australia/New Zealand) | Ninja US / Ninja NZ |
Why the Capacity Number Doubles Depending on the Country
Read three listings and you get three different sizes for the same SFP701 model number. Home Depot's US listing says 6.2 quarts (about 5.9 liters). Australian retailers such as The Good Guys and Bunnings list 10 liters. SharkNinja Singapore and UK retailer Argos list 12.5 liters — roughly 13.2 quarts, more than double the US figure.
The food didn't change; the measurement did. The smaller figure describes the usable Combi pan, while the larger metric figures describe the whole oven cavity. For planning meals, the number that matters is the pan: RTINGS rates it as enough for about four people, which matches what a 6-quart basket air fryer feeds. Don't buy the Combi expecting a 12-liter family oven on the strength of a non-US spec sheet.
What Independent Testers Found
We haven't run the SFP701 through our own kitchen, so this section gathers what four independent testers reported. The pattern is consistent: the steam-assisted modes are the strength, and the dry air-fry mode is the weakness.
| Test | Mode | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen salmon + rice + broccoli | Combi Meals | Done in 23 min per Ninja's recipe; salmon and rice cooked well, broccoli needed more time | Reviewed |
| Rice and pasta | Rice/Pasta | Most even cooking and best texture of all tests; no pan rotation needed | Reviewed |
| Biscuits | Combi Bake | "Beautifully baked" | Reviewed |
| Brussels sprouts | Combi Crisp | Charred and burnt in places at the manual's 20 min + 5 min preheat, even when tossed halfway | Reviewed |
| Pot roast (8 hours) | Slow Cook | Good char and even doneness; needed more liquid for a sauce | Reviewed |
| Air frying (standard test foods) | Air Fry | 6.7/10 — about half of each batch crisp and browned, the rest under- or over-cooked | RTINGS |
| Large batches | Air Fry | 7.6/10 | RTINGS |
Tom's Guide reached a similar overall verdict from the other direction: it praised Combi Meals for "big, basic meals" but described a steep usability curve across most functions and found the Combi less successful as a replacement for a stove or more advanced single-purpose appliances. Better Homes & Gardens Australia gave it 8 out of 10 and called it good value for people who want more than one function.
Where the Ninja Combi Falls Short
- It is not a great air fryer. A 6.7/10 air-fry score from RTINGS puts it behind dedicated basket fryers. If fries, wings, and nuggets are most of what you cook, a Ninja basket air fryer crisps more evenly for less money.
- It overcooks if you trust the timer blindly. Reviewed's Brussels sprouts burnt at the recommended time, and the reviewer noted the frozen-protein timings assume well-done meat. Check the last five minutes of every cook until you learn the machine.
- No pressure cooking. Older Ninja Foodi models pressure cook; the Combi swapped that for steam-oven functions. If you want fall-apart beans or 30-minute pot roast, look at a pressure cooker air fryer combo instead.
- Cleaning reports conflict. Tom's Guide found the oven interior hard to clean; Reviewed found the steam-clean routine (three cups of water in the pan, run on Steam) hands-off and effective. The nonstick accessories are dishwasher safe either way. Our read: use the steam-clean after greasy cooks rather than letting splatter bake on.
- It's heavy and the trays are specific. At about 20 pounds it isn't an appliance you lift in and out of a cupboard, and BHG Australia warns that the pans are sized for this oven — lose one and the Combi Meal layout stops working.
- It draws nearly a full circuit. At 1,760 W, it uses about 98% of the 1,800 W a standard US 15-amp, 120-volt kitchen circuit supplies. Don't run it on the same outlet as a kettle or toaster.
Ninja Combi vs. the Alternatives
The Combi competes with three kinds of appliance at once. Here is how it lines up against the most common alternatives shoppers weigh it against.
| Appliance | Type | Steam | Pressure cook | Air-fry crispness | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja Combi SFP701 | Steam-combi countertop oven | Yes | No | Fair (RTINGS 6.7/10) | One-pan family meals, cooking from frozen |
| Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker | Steam & crisp multicooker, 6 qt, 12 functions | Yes | No | Fair | Smaller counters, two-layer meals |
| Ninja Foodi pressure cooker (SmartLid) | Pressure cooker + air fryer lid | Yes | Yes | Good | Stews, beans, roasts finished crisp |
| Instant Pot Duo Crisp | Pressure cooker + swap-on air fryer lid (6.5 or 8 qt) | Yes | Yes | Good | Instant Pot users who want crisping |
| COSORI Pro LE | Dedicated basket air fryer | No | No | Very good | Fries, wings, everyday crisping on a budget |
If you're torn between the Combi and a steam-capable air fryer, our roundup of the best air fryers with a steam function covers basket-style options, and our air fryer vs. steam oven guide explains which cooking method suits which foods. For the whole Ninja lineup ranked, see our best Ninja air fryer guide.
Who Should Buy the Ninja Combi
- Buy it if your weeknight dinners are protein + grain + vegetable, you often cook from frozen, and you'd use it to retire a slow cooker, rice cooker, or toaster oven.
- Buy it if you bake: Combi Bake produced Reviewed's best-looking results (biscuits), and steam helps bread and cakes rise.
- Skip it if crisp texture is the point. A dedicated air fryer such as the COSORI Pro LE costs less and crisps better.
- Skip it if you want pressure cooking — get an Instant Pot Duo Crisp or a Ninja Foodi pressure cooker instead.
- Skip it if you cook for one or two: a 20-pound oven is a lot of counter for small portions; see our best air fryer for two people picks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Ninja Combi worth it?
Yes, if you want one-pan meals rather than a pure air fryer. The Ninja Combi cooks rice or pasta, protein, and vegetables together; in Reviewed's test a frozen-salmon Combi Meal was ready in 23 minutes following Ninja's own recipe. Its air frying is only fair (RTINGS: 6.7/10), so buyers who mostly cook fries and wings get better results from a cheaper basket air fryer. At around $200–$230 it is good value for families of three or four.
Is the Ninja Combi an air fryer?
It has an Air Fry mode, but it is really a countertop combi-steam oven. Its core design adds steam from a water-filled pan to convection heat, which keeps food moist while the fan browns the top. That makes it stronger at complete meals and baking than at maximum crispness.
Does the Ninja Combi pressure cook?
No. The Ninja Combi has no pressure-cooking function. It replaced the pressure cooking found on older Ninja Foodi models with steam-oven modes such as Combi Meals, Combi Crisp, and Combi Bake. If you want pressure cooking plus crisping, choose a Ninja Foodi pressure cooker or an Instant Pot Duo Crisp.
How big is the Ninja Combi?
Home Depot lists the US SFP701's capacity as 6.2 quarts, and RTINGS rates it as enough for about four people. Australian and Singapore listings quote 10 or 12.5 liters, but those figures describe the whole oven cavity, not the usable pan. Externally it measures about 13.1 inches tall, 15.4 inches wide, and 14.9 inches deep, and weighs about 20 pounds.
Can the Ninja Combi really make a meal in 15 minutes?
Some meals, but plan on longer. Ninja markets complete meals "in as little as 15 minutes," yet the frozen salmon, rice, and broccoli Combi Meal Reviewed tested took 23 minutes per Ninja's own recipe, and the broccoli still needed more time. Expect 20–30 minutes for most Combi Meals.
Ninja Combi vs Ninja Speedi: which should I buy?
Both use steam plus convection to cook layered meals. The Speedi is a smaller 6-quart, 12-function top-loading cooker that suits tighter counters. The Combi is a larger front-loading oven with 14 functions, including Combi Bake and Sous Vide on the US model, which makes it the better choice for baking and bigger family meals.
Final Verdict
The Ninja Combi earns its place as a one-pan dinner machine, not as an air fryer. Steam-assisted modes produced the best results in independent testing — even rice and pasta, well-baked biscuits, and a frozen-to-plate salmon dinner in 23 minutes — while dry air frying lagged dedicated basket fryers. Buy it around $200–$230 if it replaces two or three appliances on your counter; buy a basket air fryer if crispness is the goal, or a pressure cooker combo if you need pressure.
Ready to Decide?
- 📦 Smaller counter? Ninja Speedi Rapid Cooker — Check Price
- 🍟 Crisping first? COSORI Pro LE Air Fryer — Check Price