Ninja FG551 Foodi Smart XL 6-in-1 Indoor Grill and Air Fryer, 4 Qt Capacity, Black/Silver

Why it's worth it

This is a 500°F indoor grill that also air fries, roasts, bakes, broils and dehydrates. The built-in probe thermometer takes the guesswork out of steak, and every part you dirty goes in the dishwasher.

It gets hot enough to actually sear. Ninja rates the cyclonic grilling at 500°F, and that's the number that separates real grilling from indoor steaming. Below about 450°F, meat browns weakly and the texture goes soft. At 500°F with circulating air, you get the dark crust and defined grate lines that make a burger taste grilled. That's the whole reason to own one of these.

The probe thermometer is the feature you'll miss on everything else. You stick the dual-sensor probe into your chicken breast, pick the protein and the doneness you want, and the grill manages the rest. No cutting into a steak to peek. No guessing whether pork is done. Nothing else in this lineup offers it, and if you cook thick proteins more than occasionally, it changes how relaxed the whole process feels.

From our review of 7 smokeless indoor electric grills, by David Sinclair, Managing Editor

What we like

• +It gets hot enough to actually sear
• +The probe thermometer is the feature you'll miss on everything else
• +One appliance covers a lot of counter jobs
• +Cleanup is genuinely realistic for weeknight use

What to know

• –It's big, and there's no getting around it
• –The splatter shield needs cleaning after every greasy cook
• –Smoke is reduced, not gone