In the full review (14 sections)
Short verdict: Ninja’s Woodfire Pro XL cooked a grill packed edge to edge with Korean barbecue chicken all the way through, and the chicken was tender and tasty. It also showed me its limits. It took longer to preheat than most gas grills, the fan is loud, the cord is short, and when I overloaded it the juices pooled at the front instead of reaching the drain, which dropped the temperature and cost me grill marks. It was fine, but I wanted something closer to a traditional grill. I tested only the grill function, not the woodfire smoke. On October 26, 2026, Amazon showed the OG850 as currently unavailable, and I couldn’t find it in Ninja’s US lineup. Ninja lists the smaller Woodfire Outdoor Grill (OG301) at $349.99.
How I tested it
My video is from March 2025. The Amazon link in the video goes to the OG850, the Woodfire Pro XL with the built-in thermometer. The video doesn’t say whether I bought it or Ninja sent it. It does include an Amazon affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy through my links on this site.
I filled the grill with Korean barbecue chicken and cooked it on the grill setting at medium, with a 20-minute timer. I didn’t use the woodfire (smoke) function or the built-in thermometer in this test. The grill was on concrete outside, and the concrete may not have been level.
I’ve reviewed Ninja’s indoor grills before, and this one works much the same way.
I didn’t measure temperatures, time the preheat or measure noise. Specs come from the OG850 Amazon listing, checked October 26, 2026.
Quick specs (sourced)
| Spec | Ninja Woodfire Pro XL (OG850) |
|---|---|
| Functions | Grill, smoke, air fry, bake (4-in-1) |
| Grill area | 180 sq in |
| Power | 1,760 W, electric |
| Smoke | Wood pellets, about 1/2 cup per cook |
| Thermometer | Built-in probe |
| Claimed capacity | 2 racks of ribs, 10 burgers, 4 lb of wings, 2 whole chickens or a 10-lb brisket |
| Weight | 38.9 lb |
| Dimensions | 22.28 x 20.03 x 15.82 in |
| In the box | Grill grate, thermometer, crisper basket, pellet scoop, pellet starter packs, grease tray and liner |
| Price as of Oct 26, 2026 | Not confirmed. Amazon shows it as currently unavailable |
| CPSC recalls | None found |
Preheat and the cord
The first thing I noticed was the cord. It’s short and has no extension. If your outdoor outlet is any distance away, you’ll need an extension cord. Get one with the right gauge for the wattage and check Ninja’s instructions first.
The preheat took longer than most gas grills. When it was done, the screen said to add food.
The fan
Once the grill was hot, a fan kicked on, and it’s loud. It hadn’t run during preheat. When I closed the lid with the chicken on, it came back on. This is outdoor-only for a reason, and the noise is part of it.
Overloading it
I put on a lot of chicken. It covered the whole grate. Then I closed the lid and let it cook.
About seven minutes in, I noticed dripping. There was moisture coming from inside with the lid closed, and some of it was burning off. At the flip, I opened it up and found a lot of liquid sitting at the front of the grate. The sauce was still on top of the chicken.
The drain is at the back. The liquid wasn’t getting there. Part of the reason may have been uneven concrete. The bigger reason was the chicken at the back, which was blocking the drain. When I pulled some pieces forward, the liquid started draining.
With all that liquid sitting on the grate, the temperature dropped a lot. That’s my fault for overloading it, but it’s worth knowing. Don’t cover the drain.
The flip alert and turning up the heat
At the halfway point, the screen told me to flip. I liked that. It’s one less thing to keep track of.
To cook off the extra liquid, I turned it up: press Temp, turn to High, press the dial. That’s easy enough.
How the chicken turned out
With about five minutes left on the 20-minute timer, I cut into the biggest piece. It was tender and cooked through, and it tasted good. I didn’t get many grill marks. Some of that was the liquid and some was turning the heat up. One piece had a bit of char on the bottom.
Overall I was happy with the food. I overloaded the grill, and it still cooked everything through.
Why I wanted more
In the video description I said it was fine, but I wished it felt more like a traditional grill. It works the same way as Ninja’s indoor grills: a closed lid, a fan and a timer. If you want open-flame grilling where you watch and move the food, this isn’t that. If you want a grill you can set and walk away from, it does that well.
How it compares
| Ninja Woodfire Pro XL (OG850) | Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill (OG301) | Weber Lumin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power source | Electric, 1,760 W | Electric, wattage not listed | Electric, 120V 1,560 W |
| Grill area | 180 sq in | Not listed | 242 sq in |
| Wood pellet smoke | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Built-in thermometer | Yes | Not listed | Not listed |
| Price as of Oct 26, 2026 | Not confirmed, unavailable on Amazon | $349.99 (Ninja) | $499.00 (Weber) |
| Tested by me | Yes, grill function only | Not tested | Not tested |
Amazon says the OG850 has 30% more grill space than the original Ninja outdoor grill. The Weber Lumin is bigger and doesn’t use pellets. I haven’t tested either rival.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cooked a full grate of chicken all the way through
- The chicken was tender and tasty
- Flip alert on the screen
- Easy to turn up the heat mid-cook
- Built-in thermometer and pellet smoke (I didn’t test either)
Cons
- Slower preheat than most gas grills
- Loud fan
- Short cord with no extension
- Liquid pooled at the front when I overloaded it, which dropped the temperature
- Few grill marks in my test
- Doesn’t feel like a traditional grill
- Not currently available on Amazon
Who should buy it, and who should skip it
Buy it if you like Ninja’s indoor grills and want that same set-and-forget style outside, and you can find the OG850 at a price you’re comfortable with. Leave space around the food.
Skip it if you want a traditional grill feel, open flame or a quiet cooker. Also skip it if your outlet is far from where you’d grill.
FAQ
Is the Ninja Woodfire grill loud? The fan is loud. It kicked on after preheat and again when I closed the lid.
How long is the cord? Short, with no extension. You may need an extension cord rated for the grill.
Can you fill the whole grate? You can, but don’t block the drain at the back. When I did, liquid pooled at the front and the temperature dropped.
Does it tell you when to flip? Yes. A flip alert comes up on the screen.
Did you test the woodfire smoke? No. I used only the grill function.
Is the OG850 still sold? Amazon showed it as currently unavailable on October 26, 2026, and I couldn’t find it on Ninja’s US site. Ninja’s OG301 was $349.99.
Has it been recalled? I found no recall for the OG850 on CPSC’s recall search as of October 26, 2026.
Why this review stops here
My video covers one cook, chicken on the grill setting. I didn’t test the smoke, air fry or bake functions or the thermometer. I also can’t confirm a current price.
Sources
- My video: Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill unboxing and review, March 2025
- Ninja OG850 on Amazon (currently unavailable), accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Ninja OG850 series FAQs, accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Ninja Woodfire outdoor grills on Ninja’s US site, accessed Oct 26, 2026
- Weber Lumin electric grill, accessed Oct 26, 2026
- CPSC recalls search, accessed Oct 26, 2026