Ninja | Grill & Smoker | Outdoor Woodfire Pro XL | 4 in 1 Grill, BBQ Smoker, Air Fryer & Bake | Portable | Includes Built in Thermometer & 2 Woodfire Pellet Packs | Dark Grey | OG850

A compact, electric grill that finally makes smoke simple

After a month of weeknight meals and two backyard gatherings with the Woodfire Pro XL, I’ve stopped wrestling with my old propane grill. This electric, pellet-assisted cooker hits a practical sweet spot: the convenience of plug-in heat with a steady hit of real wood smoke, plus the ability to air fry and bake outdoors. It won’t replace a stick burner for smoke purists or a full-size gasser for huge parties, but for most patios and balconies, it’s a surprisingly capable all-rounder.

Setup and build

Out of the box, setup is straightforward: insert the nonstick grill grate, slide in the grease tray with the disposable liner, and you’re ready to cook. The exterior is sturdy, the lid hinge feels confident, and the handles make it easy to carry from storage to the patio. It’s not featherlight, but it’s compact enough to stash between uses.

One important note: this is a true outdoor appliance. Plan for an outdoor-rated outlet and avoid long, light-gauge extension cords that can sap performance. I kept mine on a covered deck; the weather-resistant design handled drizzle and a chilly morning without complaint.

Design and capacity

The 180-square-inch grate translates to real-world capacity for small groups. I comfortably fit:

• 10 standard burgers or 2 full racks of baby back ribs
• A pair of spatchcocked chickens
• A 9–10 lb brisket flat or pork shoulder (tighter height clearance near the lid, but workable)

The crisper basket that sits on the grate is handy for wings, fries, brussels sprouts, and anything that benefits from airflow. You won’t feed a block party in one pass, but for families and impromptu gatherings, the space is genuinely useful.

Grilling performance

Electric heat gives this grill quick, predictable preheats, and the grate holds enough thermal mass to deliver convincing browning. Steaks and burgers picked up solid sear marks and an even crust without hot spots, and vegetables stayed snappy instead of dried out.

Searing is where many electric grills stumble; this one doesn’t. It won’t vaporize drippings like a red-hot cast-iron plate, but it delivers a satisfying backyard char. I found best results by preheating fully, patting proteins dry, and resisting the urge to flip too soon.

Smoking with pellets (without babysitting a fire)

Here’s the twist: the Woodfire Pro XL uses electric heat for temperature control but burns a small amount of wood pellets to generate smoke. That means:

• Fast startups and stable temps, even in cool or windy conditions
• Far less pellet consumption than a traditional pellet grill
• A lighter, cleaner smoke profile than a stick burner or large pellet smoker

The onboard pellet chamber takes about a half-cup at a time. On the dedicated Smoke setting, that produces a noticeable plume and a wood-forward flavor in the first stretch of the cook. For ribs and poultry, I ran an initial smoke phase and topped off pellets once mid-cook to maintain the flavor arc. For brisket or pork shoulder, plan to add pellets periodically if you want smoke beyond the first hour.

Does it create bark? Yes—especially on ribs and shoulders when you keep the grate clean and dry. The smoke ring will be gentler than a big offset, but the end result is deeply satisfying for the effort involved.

Outdoor air frying and baking

Air frying outdoors is more useful than it sounds. Wings, fries, and potatoes crisp nicely without perfuming the kitchen with cooking odors. The basket capacity is enough for about 4 pounds of wings if you’re willing to toss midway.

Baking works too. I used the bake mode for flatbreads and a cast-iron cornbread, both of which benefitted from the steady heat and the faint whiff of smoke from a short pellet cycle. Think of it as a versatile, outdoor countertop oven that happens to grill very well.

Controls and the built-in thermometer

The control panel is clear, with dedicated modes (Grill, Smoke, Air Fry, Bake) and a simple interface for time and temperature. The built-in probe thermometer is the star here. For steaks, chops, and poultry, it removes a lot of guesswork: set a target, monitor progress, and pull when it beeps. In my tests it read within a couple degrees of my instant-read thermometer.

A quick tip: avoid placing the probe tip near bones, which can read lower than the surrounding meat until the last minutes. Aim for the geometric center of the thickest part and double-check once or twice as you learn the unit.

Wood pellets, flavor, and consumption

The included starter packs (Robust and All-Purpose blends) are a smart introduction to flavor options. I tended to use:

• Robust for beef and pork ribs
• All-Purpose for chicken, veggies, and fish

Because the heater isn’t pellet-fired, you’ll go through far fewer pellets than on a traditional pellet grill. Expect to top up for long cooks if you want persistent smoke. For most weeknight meals, a single half-cup cycle was perfect—noticeable smoke without overpowering the food.

Cleanup and maintenance

Cleanup is generally easy if you keep up with it:

• The nonstick grate wipes down well after a quick burn-off. Use nonmetal tools to protect the coating.
• The grease tray and disposable liner save time; keep a few extra liners on hand.
• The interior lid and fan shroud collect a sticky film during smoke sessions. Don’t let it build up. While it’s still slightly warm, a damp microfiber cloth and a food-safe degreaser take care of it. If you wait too long, you’ll need more elbow grease.

After every few cooks, I remove the grate and basket, wash with warm soapy water, and give the pellet area a quick vacuum to keep ash from accumulating.

Portability and weather resistance

Compared to a cart-mounted gas grill, this is easy to move and store. It lived outdoors through a couple of rainy days without issue. I still recommend a cover if you’ll leave it outside full-time; the weather resistance is reassuring, but a cover keeps the interior cleaner and reduces the frequency of deep-clean sessions.

What could be better

No cooker is perfect. Here’s what stood out:

• Pellet chamber size: For truly long smoke sessions, the small hopper means you’ll add pellets periodically. It’s not difficult—just plan for it.
• Smoke intensity: The flavor is genuine but cleaner and lighter than large smokers. Purists chasing heavy smoke rings may want a dedicated unit.
• Capacity ceiling: 180 square inches is generous for its footprint, but it’s still a compact grill. If you routinely cook for a crowd, you’ll cycle batches or step up in size.
• Interior cleaning: The fan and upper interior need attention to avoid caked-on residue. Staying on top of it makes a big difference.

Who it’s for

• Apartment and condo dwellers with access to an outdoor outlet
• Anyone who wants real wood flavor without managing a live fire
• Cooks who appreciate the flexibility to grill, smoke, air fry, and bake in one portable unit
• Gas or charcoal owners looking for an easy weeknight alternative

If your ideal weekend is tending a stick burner for 12 hours, this isn’t trying to replace that experience. If you want 80% of the flavor with 20% of the work, you’re squarely in the target audience.

Practical tips from testing

• Preheat fully before searing; give the grate time to come up to temperature.
• Dry proteins well and avoid overcrowding to promote browning.
• Use the probe for doneness, but verify placement—especially around bones.
• For long smokes, add pellets in stages: a burst at the start, another mid-cook, and one near the stall for large cuts.
• Keep spare grease-tray liners and a small shop vac for ash handy.

Recommendation

I recommend the Woodfire Pro XL for cooks who want a compact, plug-in grill that adds real wood flavor without the complexity of managing a fire. It grills convincingly, smokes better than most hybrids, and doubles as an outdoor air fryer and oven. The built-in probe simplifies hitting target temps, and cleanup is manageable if you stay ahead of residue on the lid and fan.

It’s not a replacement for a barrel smoker or a four-burner gas grill if you need maximum capacity and heavy smoke, but as an everyday outdoor cooker that earns its keep across weeknights and small gatherings, it’s excellent. If your space or schedule pushes you toward convenience, this is the rare multi-function unit that delivers it without sacrificing the taste you fire up a grill for in the first place.