Ninja Ceramic Cookware Review: We Tried the Ninja Extended Life Premium Ceramic Fry Pan
Updated: Jul. 03, 2024
Our Product Testing Team performed eight tests on the Extended Life Ceramic line from Ninja ceramic cookware, including frying eggs and oven baking. Here's how this budget-friendly pick performed against the competition.
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Ceramic pans from brands like Caraway and Our Place currently dominate cooking TikTok and YouTube shorts. With videos floating around of eggs flinging freely from pans without a hint of oil or butter, it’s no wonder folks are curious about this magical cookware. It purports to be stick-free, easy to clean and nontoxic—what’s not to love?
However, with prices averaging at $100 and upwards for a single saucier, ceramic cookware certainly has a reputation as a luxury item for serious home cooks. Enter: Ninja ceramic cookware, the budget-friendly alternative to these pricey pans. Selling at nearly half the cost of competitors and boasting bold features like a scratch-free surface and oven-safe materials, our Product Testing Team just had to put them to the test. Here’s why we can’t get enough of these sizzling, stick-free pans.
What is Ninja Ceramic Cookware?
Ninja is a trusted brand that produces some of our favorite kitchen gadgets, including blenders, air fryers, air fryer accessories and the social media-famous (and perpetually out of stock) Ninja Creami. As Ninja fans, our team is all about the high-quality materials and multifunctionality of the brand’s appliances and kitchen tools.
Ninja’s Extended Life ceramic cookware is no exception to its sky-high quality standards. The pans are made from handsome aluminum, sporting a gold ceramic coating and stainless steel handles. Aluminum helps regulate temperature and eliminate hot spots, while the ceramic coating contains zero harmful chemicals like PFAS, PFOA, lead, or cadmium. It’s also pleasantly nonstick, making it a great choice for those who find scrubbing their clad pans tedious.
Ninja ceramic cookware is available as individual 10.25-inch and eight-inch pans or as a nine-piece set. Each component boasts a five-year Ninja Foodi NeverStick limited lifetime warranty, which protects against defects in material, construction, or workmanship.
For our evaluations, we tested the 10-inch pan in our testing lab.
TMB STUDIO
We Tried It
Ninja Extended Life Premium Ceramic Cookware
Ninja ceramic cookware is the perfect marriage of easy-to-clean nonstick and a tough, scratch-free surface, all at an affordable price point.
How We Tested Ninja Ceramic Cookware
Alongside Ninja ceramic cookware, our Product Testing Team tested 16 pans and performed roughly eight tests on each to determine the best ceramic cookware. The team used an induction cooktop and a regular hot plate for these tests. We remained as consistent as possible regarding heat settings and timing throughout the test cases. Only induction-compatible cookware was used on the induction cooktop.
Overall, the team collected about 675 data points and spent an estimated 40 hours on this test, including researching, sourcing, intaking and testing the products. The tests were conducted on some of the most popular cookware brands, including GreenPan and Xtrema. Testers looked at each pan individually and compared them against each other (such as in our GreenPan vs. Caraway review).
Metrics
We scored each pan based on the following metrics:
- Packaging and Specs: This category includes the contents of the package, whether it’s part of a larger set and each pan’s capacity. Testers weigh each skillet with and without the lid and measure the total diameter and the pan’s depth.
- Features: We look for features like pour spouts, available colors, available sizes, attractiveness, burner compatibility, oven-safe temperatures and heatproof handles. Testers also note any additional notable design features, if applicable. Also considered are foods or utensils to avoid and recommended oils per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Performance and User Experience: Testers cook a crepe in the pan sans oil to identify any hot spots and evaluate the evenness of cooking and heat distribution. They then cook two chicken tenderloins in the pan with oil, evaluating the searing and nonstick capabilities. Lastly, testers fry two eggs in the pan, one with oil and one without, to evaluate their nonstick capabilities.
- Cleaning: Testers clean the skillet after each use, following the manufacturer’s instructions and evaluating its ease of cleaning and its appearance afterward.
- Value: The final evaluation of the pan’s overall performance compared to cost determines its overall value.
Product Testing Team Evaluation
The cookware, with a hard-anodized exterior and oven-safe materials (up to 550°F), is a useful addition to any home cook’s repertoire. Like most ceramic-coated pans, Ninja ceramic cookware requires little to no fats and oils, making it a healthy alternative to traditional cookware. Unlike other ceramic cookware, however, the scratch-free surface means metal tools are safe to use. That said, wood, silicone, plastic or softer tools will help protect the ceramic coating better.
We began our tests by sizzling up some chicken. After several minutes of cooking, our chicken breasts flaunt beautiful sear marks without any sticking whatsoever—and that’s without the use of any oil! Fried eggs slide out of the pan like a dream, and our crepe sports a nice, consistent blonde color after four minutes of cooking. The 10-inch pan is a standard size and doesn’t feel too heavy or unwieldy as we move it from burner to burner. As a bonus, food slides right off of it while cleaning.
“For those looking to get a bit more serious with their cooking without wanting to commit to higher price points, Ninja provides better quality at a fair price,” says Product Tester Dylan Fischer. Apart from the price, we appreciate that each pan comes with an informative sleeve wrapped around the pan that gives a general overview of its care at a glance. After using the pan a few times, the aluminum bottom looks slightly discolored but by no means burned.
Long Term Testing
Senior Set Stylist Melissa Franco has used her pan for about a month, primarily for eggs and omelets. She notes that while the Ninja pan takes a little longer to heat up, it retains heat well. She uses less fat to prevent the food from sticking, too, making it a healthier option for her family.
“My kids eat eggs or omelets every morning for breakfast, so the ninja pan has been a great addition to our cookware,” says Melissa. “It’s the perfect size, one that we use every day, and so far, it has been holding up great. It’s very non-stick, and of course, we did the ‘slide-out’ egg test. It passed easily!”
She notes that it’s easy to clean with soap and water, but she also loves that she can throw it in the dishwasher for convenience. In addition, she’s excited for the oven-safe materials that she expects will streamline her cooking.
“While we haven’t had a chance to use it in the oven yet, I’m very excited to,” she says. “We didn’t have an oven-proof pan before this, so I’ve improvised by making a recipe on the stovetop and transferring it to a baking dish. The ability to use this pan on the stovetop, in the oven, and under the broiler is a huge bonus!”
Pros
- Heavy-duty construction
- Oven safe up to 550°F
- Metal tool safe
- Aluminum base provides even browning
- Affordable price point
Cons
- Not as visually appealing as some other brands
Why You Should Trust Us
Our Product Testing Team has years of combined experience testing and evaluating everything from the best toasters to the best flower delivery services. Many of us have backgrounds in kitchen and culinary careers ourselves. The remainder of our team are passionate home cooks who want to recommend the best products using honest and fair testing practices. We would never recommend a subpar product, regardless of how popular it is or how big the brand is.
FAQ
Is Ninja ceramic cookware safe to use?
Yes, Ninja ceramic cookware is safe to use. The absence of “forever chemicals” like Teflon makes it a cleaner alternative to nonstick options.
What is the disadvantage of ceramic cookware?
While ceramic cookware brands like HexClad and Caraway offer easy cleanup and cut down on oil use, they’re not without their drawbacks.
“Ceramic-coated cookware comprises a metal base (usually aluminum) with a layer of non-stick ceramic coating. It’s marvelously non-stick, and eggs will fling freely from it,” says Culinary Director Sarah Farmer. “But over time, the coating diminishes, eventually exposing the metal base—and food will start to stick.”
To preserve the life of your ceramic cookware, use only non-metal utensils and non-abrasive cleaning agents and brushes while washing. By following proper care practices (and limited high-heat exposure), you can extend the life of your ceramic-coated cookware.
Where to Buy Ninja Ceramic Cookware
Ninja ceramic cookware is available at several online stores, including the Ninja website, Amazon, Walmart and Macy’s. The individual pans retail for around $50, while the cookware set is listed for about $250. Considering the ease of cleaning and fantastic food release capabilities, we consider this a total steal.
TMB STUDIO
We Tried It
Ninja Extended Life Premium Ceramic Cookware
Ninja ceramic cookware is the perfect marriage of easy-to-clean nonstick and a tough, scratch-free surface, all at an affordable price point.
Originally Published: July 03, 2024
