Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverStick® Vivid 8-Piece Cookware Set is the newest Ninja Foodi cookware in our kitchen. We already enjoy the Ninja Foodi pots that we already own, and decided to add this collection of excellent cookware to our kitchen.
This set is comprised of a small 8-inch fry pan, a medium 10¼-inch fry pan, a small 1.5-qt saucepan with lid, a medium 2.5-qt saucepan with lid, and a large 6.5-qt stock pot with lid.
The construction of the Ninja Foodi NeverStick cookware exudes quality!
The body of the cookware is constructed of cast aluminum which is coated with a vibrant red coating. There is a bright, machined aluminum heat dispersion disk bonded to the bottom of each pan which provides an absolutely flat base which does not rock on the stove and is intended to evenly distribute heat at the cooking surface. The fry pans and sauce pans have substantial cast metal handles which are overwrapped with red silicone rubber in the grip area. The silicone grips afford a very good, secure non-slip gripping surface, and also provide a measure of insulation. The handles actually remain comfortable most of the time, but they still can get hot and require appropriate, cautious handling and hand protection. The stock pot has two large loop style handles which are also overwrapped with red silicone. The handles are tightly attached to the body of each piece of cookware with two large rivets that appear to be very secure. The handles of the fry pans and sauce pans each have a hole to allow hanging the pan.
The domed, tempered glass lids have stainless steel edge bands. The handles of the lids are large metal loops which are also overwrapped with red silicone and riveted through the glass. The lids fit all of the pots perfectly.
The Ninja Foodi Vivid pots and pans are substantial, but they are less substantial and are significantly lighter and thinner than the couple of pieces of relatively heavy Ninja Foodi NeverStick Premium Hard-Anodized cookware that we already own and enjoy. The heaviest Ninja Foodi Vivid pot is the stock pot which weighs 2 pounds, 14.6 ounces (1322 grams). The glass lid adds just over a pound and brings the weight of the covered stock pot to 4 pounds, 0.1 ounces (1819 grams). The lightest piece is the small, 8” fry pan which weighs only 1 pound, 5.5 ounces (611 grams). The other pieces of cookware, of course range between the weights of those smallest and lightest, and largest and heaviest pieces of the set. They are heavy enough to feel solid and to remain stable on the stove, yet not too heavy as to be burdensome to handle and use in daily cooking.
The non-stick internal coating appears to perform very well, and hopefully will remain effective and durable over the long-term. Most non-stick coatings eventually fail or wear after varying intervals of use and possible abuse. Non-stick cookware should not be exposed to excessively high temperatures, particularly when dry/empty. No pot stays perfect after being burned, but nonstick cookware will almost always suffer permanent damage. Ninja claims that this nonstick coating is PFOA free and is oven and broiler safe up to 400° F. In fact, Ninja claims that the lids, handles, and nonstick coating are all oven, broiler and stovetop safe up to 400°F”. Ninja claims that the nonstick coating is safe for use with metal utensils. However, Ninja also includes the cautionary to “Never use sharp instruments such as knives and forks or appliances such as electric mixers”. We never use metal utensils with any nonstick cookware and only use silicone, plastic or wood implements to preserve the integrity of the bonded, nonstick coating. Ninja also says that the nonstick cookware is dishwasher safe. My personal experience has convinced me that any nonstick finish will ultimately deteriorate after repeated dishwasher cleaning. The aggressive and caustic nature of dishwashing detergents is a potent threat to the finish and the nonstick coating of any metal cookware. Handwashing with a sponge and dish soap is easy and quick with the excellent non-stick coating of these Ninja NeverStick pans.
The Ninja Foodi NeverStick pans perform well on the stove. I measured relatively even heating on the bottom surface. Although the machined aluminum disk on the bottom of the pans naturally slows down preheating, it serves the important purpose of assuring even heat distribution and retention of consistent temperature control during cooking, with less risk of burning or uneven cooking. This is especially important with recipes that require long cooking times.
Ninja says that the Ninja Foodi NeverStick cookware is safe for use on all types of stoves, including gas, electric, halogen, induction and ceramic. There is a caution statement pertaining to the potential scratching of glass/ceramic cooktops which may result from sliding the cookware on the smooth ceramic surface. If I had a glass top range I would certainly heed that warning, as the machined aluminum metal disk on the bottom of the pans certainly appears to have the potential to scratch delicate or softer surfaces. Of course, pans like sauté pans, saucepans, stock pots, etc. are not typically shaken during cooking. Those types of cooking vessels are generally left stationary while the food contents are stirred. However, fry pans and omelet pans are often shaken during cooking, and given the weight and construction of this type of cast, aluminum cookware, I would not use heavy cookware in that manner on a smooth, ceramic/glass top stove.
Cleanup was extremely easy. The nonstick surface meets expectations and cleans very easily with just a sponge and dish soap, with very little effort and no need for difficult scrubbing. After repeated cooking, washing and drying, the interior and exterior of the pan, inclusive of the nonstick coating, still appear as if brand new.
According to the Ninja product website, the Ninja Foodi NeverStick cookware, inclusive of the nonstick surface has a Ten Year Guarantee. That is a nice improvement on the “lifetime” limited warranty that our older Ninja cookware carries. That “lifetime” is defined as five years. However, the box of the new Ninja Foodi NeverStick Vivid cookware is clearly marked as having the same “Lifetime” (“five year”) warranty as our older cookware. This contradictory warranty information makes me wonder which warranty actually applies; the warranty statement on the Ninja website, or the warranty label printed on the box that the cookware was packaged in? Using the Ninja warranty entails a return shipping charge to the customer, as listed on the website.
Overall, the Ninja™ Foodi™ NeverStick® Vivid 8-Piece Cookware Set is very nice. It is apparently well designed and constructed and appears to be fairly robust. I hope that it will also be very durable for the long-term. I have every expectation that these Ninja pans will serve us well for a very long time. They are performing very well now, and hopefully will continue to do so in the future.
My wife and I both really like our Ninja Foodi NeverStick cookware. Once we discovered how terrific our other Ninja Foodi cookware was, we had to have a full set!
