By Michael Hiller
If you’re cooking outside with any regularity — weeknights, weekends, full-blown backyard feasts — you need equipment that can keep up.
Enter the Ninja FlexFlame Propane Grill Outdoor Cooking System: part grill, part smoker, part griddle, all business. It’s not something you wheel out for a picnic. It’s built to stay put, to earn a place on the patio, and to handle pretty much anything you’re hungry enough to throw at it.
What sets it apart? Control. The combination of propane and electricity gives you precision rarely seen in propane grills. You’re not limited to vague “low, medium, high” settings—you set an exact digital temperature: 375 degrees for a perfectly roasted chicken, 550 degrees for a steakhouse-worthy sear, or a steady, low-and-slow heat for smoky ribs. Fueled by propane burners, the grill preheats to a blazing 600 degrees in about seven minutes, so you’ll be ready to cook before the first ice cubes melt in your guests’ margaritas.
And here’s the kicker, there’s a built-in fan that works like a convection oven — circulating heat with power, yes, but also smoke. That’s key. Because one of the FlexFlame’s real gifts is its wood pellet capability. Add a scoop of hickory, oak or cherrywood pellets, and suddenly that convection airflow is doing double duty, wrapping your food in flavor. It’s not over the top; it’s balanced, subtle and lingering. It’s a little whisper of smoke on steak, a full-bodied note on ribs, a gentle oak roundness on brisket. The kind of flavor that makes you look up mid-bite, nod and say, “Yeah, that’s good.”
Of course, the grill does more than smoke and roast. An optional flat-top griddle is perfect for pancakes in the morning, smashburgers for a hungry lunch crowd or fajitas outside. A pizza stone add-on delivers crisp, golden pizzas that make any outdoor evening better. It’s a legitimate all-in-one setup: grill, smoker, griddle, oven, and now, pizza maker.
Cleaning isn’t effortless, but it’s manageable. A grease tray catches drippings cleanly, and while the grates need the usual scrub after a high-heat sear, they’re built to take it. That’s a fair trade for the performance you get.
Its $1,000 price punches a bit high, and competitors might get close, but they don’t deliver the same versatility or thoughtful options like the pizza stone and griddle plate, which help you maximize the value of your investment.
The Ninja FlexFlame delivers if you’re looking for a grill that does more, cooks better, and lets you chase a few new ideas along the way.
THE DETAILS
Ninja FlexFlame Propane Grill & Outdoor Cooking System, $1000, is widely available at retailers (including Home Depot, Ace Hardware and Amazon) and directly from ninjakitchen.com.