In use, we were pleased to find no steam escaped from around the lid, other than the steam vent as expected.

The body of the appliance is wrapped in paper, and cardboard inserts are used to keep it secure in transit.The multi-layered element allows for lots of variety at mealtimes, and we loved how its smooth, cubic shape looks on the counter. Adding the water is an important step if you want the steam bake function to work, as the steam is what bakes the contents inside. Any baking pans can be used in the Ninja Speedi that would normally be used in the oven as long as they fit the Ninja Speedi. We got stuck into using the Ninja Speedi quickly and easily, and while the instructions are well-written we didn't find ourselves relying on them much during set-up. Navigating each menu is simply done using the switch on the lid, and there's temperature and time settings on the display that can be customised for each preset.

Much like some of the best multi-cookers, the genius behind the Speedi is that you don't have to use multiple appliances – or even different lids – for different cooking methods. We were disappointed the Ninja recipe we tested didn't work so well, which made us more reluctant to try the others on offer.Many of these Ninja Foodi Recipes and Air Fryer Recipes can easily be adapted to the Ninja Speedi because the functions are the same. If a recipe says “Air Fryer” this can be made in the Ninja Speedi, the same is true for recipes that say “Crockpot” or “Slow Cooker”, simply use the slow cook function. We achieved good results with the steam bake setting, and our flourless chocolate and almond cake had a fudgy, brownie-like centre with a firm top.

Our attempt at Ninja's own chicken with creamy pasta recipe wasn't very successful – the pasta was rubbery and undercooked, while the broccoli had the opposite problem and turned to mush. The main difference between the Ninja Speedi and the Ninja Foodi is that the Ninja Foodi has a pressure cooker function, which the Ninja Speedi does not. For instance, one of my personal favorites is this Ninja Foodi Pumpkin Bread, it can easily be made in the Ninja Speedi with the Bake Function just as it was in the Ninja Foodi. There was a small amount of plastic wrap around the top of the Speedi, but we could see that Ninja has made a conscious effort to limit the amount of non-recyclable waste.

The switch on the lid allows you to flick between the Speedi Meals mode, which comes with a range of steaming options, and the air fry/hob setting, designed for air frying, grilling, roasting and sautéing. We like to keep an 8-inch cake pan on hand along with some smaller pans so that we can do a variety of meals in the Ninja Speedi.