00:00Hey guys, if you saw my hands-on video here on the channel, you already know that you're looking at
00:04the Ninja Flex Flame, Ninja's first propane-powered grill. And at $999, it's also Ninja's most expensive
00:12product to date. This thing is promising to be the all-in-one backyard cooker, propane grill,
00:18smoker, pizza oven, griddle. I've cooked a lot of meals on it and tested every setting to answer
00:24the big question. Should you buy it or skip it? Let's break it down. Setup was super simple.
00:30Attach the grill to the base, screw in the control panel, pop on the doors, insert the grease trap,
00:35done. One of the easiest grill assemblies I've ever had. It comes with basic grates, but Ninja's calling
00:40this a quote-unquote system, so there are tons of accessories you'll want to pick and choose from.
00:45Full and half griddles, roasting racks, smoke and roast racks, even a weatherproof cover. I'll show
00:51off a few later on in this review. Now it is propane-powered, but it also does need electricity
00:57to run. That powers both the control panel and the built-in fan, which circulates air for more
01:02even heating. It gets very loud when the lid is closed, not gonna lie, but that same fan is why
01:09this thing can hit 600 degrees in as little as seven minutes and hold that temp even if you're opening
01:15and closing the lid a lot. For my first cook, I grilled up kebabs and some fresh pita. I used the basic
01:20grill mode and it was a super even cook all the way through. The grates didn't stick much. Nice
01:25charring, very strong for showing. Now let's talk about smoking, because this is where it gets fun
01:32and where the flex flame surprised me the most. This isn't just add smoky flavor territory. With
01:38the two-pound smoke box and the internal fan, you actually get real smoke behavior. A little bark,
01:44some smoke rings, the whole deal. I made a small rack of beef ribs using the roast rack accessory,
01:49fired up the wood fire burner on low and slow, and just let it ride for three hours. The result?
01:55Fall off the bone ribs with a mouth-watering bark and actual smoke rings, no lie. I did have to refill
02:01the smoke box halfway through, so if you're going to be smoking a lot of food, stock up on pellets.
02:06The sample bags that Ninja included are not going to cut it. Ninja says you're supposed to use its
02:12brand of pellets, but you really can use whichever ones you like. Speaking of which, if you have any good
02:16pellet recommendations you swear by, drop them for me in the comments. You can also use the bake or
02:22roast mode for faster cooks that still bring the flavor. I roasted a spatchcocked chicken right there
02:27on the grates. Used the wood fire setting again, dropped in a wireless probe, and let the fan do its
02:32thing. Crispy skin, juicy interior, maybe one of the best roast chickens I've ever made without an oven.
02:39My family just demolished it. And that's the thing. Between the wood fire setting and consistent
02:44airflow, you're getting an oven-style roasting with actual grilled flavor. That combo is going to be
02:49tough to beat on the market right now. The Flexflame Grill also supports true two-zone cooking. Turn
02:56on the front burners, leave the back one off, that's it. I used this setup to make the strip steak you see
03:01here. I seared it up front for a couple of minutes each side, then moved it to the back to finish gently.
03:06Basically a reverse sear, but in real time. The inside was perfectly even, almost like I sous-vited it
03:12without the water bath. And because of the layout, I didn't have to reach over active burners to flip
03:16or move things around. Absolutely loved that. Griddle cooking? Also an option. I used the half griddle
03:22accessory on the basic grill setting and made some bacon for breakfast. The heat distribution was nice
03:28and even, and cleanup wasn't bad. Just remember to wash the griddles down and give them a good season
03:33before your first cook. And let me know if you'd want to see a video where I actually show you how to
03:37properly season a griddle. The griddle plates are pretty heavy and you can't move them once the
03:41grill's hot, so make sure you plan ahead. I kind of like this half griddle setup. It gives me the
03:46flexibility of a flat top without giving up full grill real estate. If I'm cooking for a crowd,
03:51I'd probably want the full griddle, but for everyday use, just for myself, half and half might just be my
03:56go-to. There's also an optional pizza stone that I didn't show here in this video, because if I'll be honest,
04:03if I'm making a pizza, I'm going to be using a dedicated outdoor pizza oven. You can check out my
04:08full review of the Unicoda 2 here on the channel if that's what you're after. Cleanup is easy. The
04:13drip tray pulls right out. The grease trap is here underneath. Nothing too crazy. Just know that the
04:17lid will be discoloring over time. It's a patina thing, not a flaw, just something to expect. Ninja also
04:23does sell a cover, which I recommend for outdoor storage. I got a lot of rain this weekend and I was glad to
04:29have it protected out there. Okay, let's talk value, because at $999 before all the accessories
04:36I've been mentioning and showing off, this isn't competing with your average backyard grill. I
04:42recently reviewed the Weber Spirit, which comes in at about half the price. It's smaller, super
04:47beginner-friendly, and you can purchase a griddle accessory for it. For a lot of people, I think that'll
04:52be more than enough, but the Spirit doesn't smoke, it doesn't bake or roast, and it doesn't hit 600
04:57degrees in 7 minutes. Still, if you just want to grill and maybe occasionally griddle, I'd say go
05:03with the Weber. But if you want the works, the smoke, the multi-zone cooking, fast high heat,
05:08the Flexflame absolutely justifies the higher price. It's not just five appliances in one,
05:13it's five legit appliances in one. So buy or skip. If you're looking to seriously upgrade your outdoor
05:21cooking game and don't want to mess with all these separate grills and smokers and griddles,
05:26buy it. You'll get high performance, serious versatility, and really impressive food.
05:30But if you're just starting out, short on space, or mostly making burgers on the weekend,
05:35skip for now. Get something like the Weber Spirit instead. I'll include links for both options in the
05:39description, as well as links for all the accessories that were here in this video.
05:43If you found this video helpful, hit that like button and subscribe. I've got more grill tests,
05:47tech breakdowns, and reviews coming your way. Drop your questions in the comments, I always try to read
05:52them. Otherwise, thanks for watching guys. I'll catch you in the next one.
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