I test cookware for a living, and Ninja's new grill is a game changer

Now that warmer weather is here, I prefer to use the grill rather than the stove or oven to get dinner on the table. I've tried several different charcoal and gas grills over the years, and though I'm a culinary school grad and professional cookware reviewer, I'm not the most confident griller. Then I got a chance to test out the Ninja FlexFlame Propane Grill, the brand's first foray into propane grills.

At first glance, I was wowed by all of its features — and a little intimidated. This grill also smokes, roasts, griddles and makes pizza. I had never used anything like it, and in my grilling experience, it can be easy to undercook or overcook almost anything. Armed with a wireless meat thermometer, I put this appliance through its paces. Here's my Ninja FlexFlame review.

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The key to this grill's many functions is that it pairs three propane-fueled burners with an electricity-fueled convection heat system (which ensures 360-degree cooking), a smoker igniter and a temperature gauge. In fact, I can't say enough about the temperature gauge — it's easy to read (see my picture of the dial below) and will turn you into a grilling guru because it takes the guesswork out of the cooking. Want to throw chicken drumsticks on at exactly 400°F? You can do that without worrying that the grill is too hot or too cold. It will give you the confidence to expand your grill repertoire and get into smoking, roasting and more.

Speaking of smoking, I used the setting for pork ribs, and the results were as close to restaurant quality as you can get at home. I marinated the ribs in barbecue sauce, preheated the grill to the "low & slow" setting and set the temperature dial to 250°F. Then, I put the ribs on for 90 minutes before pressing the "woodfire flavor" button (to ignite the pellets I pre-loaded into a box on the side of the grill), which I left on for 45 minutes.

The air flow of the convection heat cooked all the food I prepared faster and more evenly than a traditional grill ever has. The trick to preventing overcooking is to use a leave-in meat thermometer, preferably one with Bluetooth that sends real-time temperature and cooking time updates to your phone so you can monitor exactly what the internal temperature is. The grill comes with a detailed manual that lists cooking times, but some, especially for proteins on the bone, might be a touch long in real life.

This grill requires electricity — you will need a three-prong outdoor extension cord and an easily-accessible outlet in order to use it. However, the electricity does make it a far more useful appliance than a simple grill, so it's worth the effort and cost involved in getting it up and running.

Also of note is that the grill does not include a water-resistant fabric cover, which is surprising, as it does come with extras like a pizza stone and smoke pellets. In my humble opinion, a cover is not optional when you're buying a $900 outdoor cooking system. You need one, and you're going to have to buy it separately.

So far, I've tried smoking ribs, roasting a whole spatchcocked chicken and grilling steaks, burgers, pork tenderloin and lots of vegetables. I have plans for pizza and griddled smash burgers next. The convection or cyclonic fan aspect of the grill is incredible for cooking meats fast and evenly. The temperature gauge makes every meal a success — there's no guessing as to what the ambient temperature is, and if you're using a leave-in meat thermometer, it's truly foolproof outdoor cooking.