The Ninja Foodi Max AG551UK is a countertop health grill and air fryer designed to replace several cooking gadgets in one go. With a 3.8‑litre capacity and room to grill up to six portions at once, it’s built for hungry households that want fast, healthier meals.
Ninja has a strong reputation in the UK for well‑thought‑out kitchen kit, and this model fits that mould with its combination of grill, air fry, roast, bake, reheat and dehydrate functions. It also includes a digital food probe to help you cook meat and fish accurately.
Backed by an impressive 4.9 out of 5 rating from almost 4,000 owners, it’s clearly a favourite in real kitchens. It’s not the cheapest option, but on paper it offers more versatility than a basic air fryer, which is what you’re really paying for here.
The Ninja Foodi Max AG551UK is ideal for families or couples who cook regularly and want to cut down on oven use. With capacity for around six portions in grill mode and a 3.8‑litre cooking pot, it’s well suited to batch‑cooking chicken, chips and veg, or doing a full steak night without firing up the hob and oven.
It’s a strong choice if you’re trying to eat more healthily but don’t want to give up crispy textures. The air fry and grill functions are designed to use very little oil, and the raised grill plate and crisper basket help fat drain away rather than soak back into your food.
If you’re short on space and like the idea of one appliance doing the job of a grill, air fryer and a mini oven, this will appeal. It’s particularly good for busy households that want straightforward results – the integrated food probe takes away a lot of guesswork with meat and fish.
Budget‑wise, this sits towards the premium end of the air fryer market, so it makes most sense if you’ll use several of its functions regularly. If you just want the odd portion of frozen chips, a simpler, cheaper air fryer might be more sensible.
The integrated digital food probe is a standout feature. It allows you to cook steaks, joints and fillets to a precise temperature, so you’re far less likely to end up with over‑ or under‑done meat.
Its six cooking functions – grill, air fry, bake, roast, reheat and dehydrate – give it far more versatility than a basic air fryer. You can toast halloumi, crisp up chicken wings, bake tray bakes or even make your own dried fruit and beef jerky.
The grill plate and crisper basket elevate food so hot air can circulate properly, helping to achieve even browning and crispness without the need to turn items constantly. The non‑stick surfaces and removable plates make food release easy and help keep cleaning manageable.
Owners rate it extremely highly, with a 4.9/5 score from thousands of reviews, which suggests reliability and performance that match the spec sheet.
This is a relatively bulky appliance, with a height of 42 cm and a wide footprint, so it will dominate smaller worktops and isn’t designed for vertical storage.
The 3.8‑litre capacity is generous for an air fryer, but if you regularly cook for more than four people or like to batch‑cook in one go, you might find yourself doing multiple loads for some meals.
There’s no delay timer, which some people like for fitting cooking around their schedule. You also don’t get a viewing window, so you’ll need to open the lid if you want to check on progress.
Finally, the price is on the higher side for this category. You’re paying for the probe and multi‑function design, but if you only need simple air frying, it may feel like overkill.
Day to day, the Ninja Foodi Max AG551UK is designed to be straightforward. Touch controls make selecting programmes and adjusting time and temperature simple, and once you’ve used it a few times, it’s easy to build go‑to routines for your favourite meals.
The cooking pot, grill plate, crisper basket and splatter guard are all removable, non‑stick and listed as dishwasher safe, which takes a lot of the pain out of cleaning. The included cleaning brush with scraper helps tackle any stuck‑on bits around the grill plate.
Cyclonic air technology circulates hot air around your food, so you don’t need to babysit chips or vegetables as you would in a frying pan. The built‑in timer and reheat function add extra convenience, letting you warm leftovers without drying them out.
The trade‑off is footprint. At just under 40 cm wide and nearly 30 cm deep, it demands a permanent home on the worktop or a large cupboard. It’s not especially suited to being moved in and out of storage for occasional use.
With 1760 watts of power, the Ninja Foodi Max AG551UK heats quickly and has enough oomph to handle thick cuts of meat and densely packed trays of veg. The 740 cm² cooking surface gives plenty of room to lay out steaks, burgers or chicken breasts without crowding them.
The star of the show is the integrated food probe. Set your desired doneness, insert the probe into your meat and the grill will monitor internal temperature, helping you achieve juicy chicken and steak with confidence. This is a feature usually reserved for more advanced or premium grills.
Beyond grilling, the air fry function delivers crisp results with a fraction of the oil of deep frying. The raised crisper basket lets fat drip away into the cooking pot, and the non‑stick surfaces reduce the need for extra grease. For keen home cooks, the roast and bake modes turn it into a mini countertop oven, handy for sides or small bakes.
The dehydrate setting opens up longer, low‑temperature cooking for snacks such as dried fruit, vegetable crisps or jerky. It’s not a feature everyone will use, but it adds flexibility that many competitors simply don’t offer.
Automatic programmes and clear touch controls keep everything approachable even if you’re new to air fryers. Variable temperature control is available within the programmes, so you can tweak results without having to master complicated manual settings.
The Ninja Foodi Max AG551UK is priced as a premium air fryer and health grill, and it doesn’t try to compete with entry‑level models on cost. Instead, it justifies its price with a richer feature set: a powerful heating element, integrated food probe, multiple cooking functions and dishwasher‑safe accessories.
If you only need a simple air fryer for the odd portion of chips, you can definitely spend less. But if you plan to use it several times a week as a genuine oven and grill alternative, the extra versatility starts to look like good value.
The outstanding user rating – 4.9 out of 5 from nearly 4,000 reviews – reinforces the sense that buyers feel they’ve had their money’s worth. For many households, the potential energy and time savings from not using a full‑size oven as often will also help offset the initial outlay over time.
The Ninja Foodi Max AG551UK is a highly capable health grill and air fryer that comfortably earns its place on the worktop. It combines strong grilling performance with crisp air frying and adds useful extras like dehydrate, roast and bake, making it far more than a one‑trick gadget.
The integrated food probe, generous cooking area and dishwasher‑safe accessories make everyday cooking easier and more reliable, which explains the excellent owner feedback. Its only real downsides are the relatively high price, the bulky size and a capacity that, while decent, won’t suit the very largest families for one‑batch meals.
If you’re looking for a premium, do‑it‑all countertop cooker and you’ll make use of its multiple functions, this is an excellent buy. If your needs are more modest and budget is tight, a simpler, smaller air fryer may be a better fit.
