Get to know the Ninja Cooking System (pictures)

At a price of $199, the Ninja Cooking System is really three appliances in one: a slow cooker, an electric stovetop, and a countertop oven.

The well-designed dials on the front of the Ninja make it easy to select your cooking mode, as well as to adjust the time and temperature.

The six-quart cooking pot is dishwasher safe and capable of holding enough food for the whole family.

We slow-cooked roast chicken, pot roast, and white beans in the Ninja, all of which passed our taste tests. We even tried a slow cooker macaroni and cheese recipe, and the Ninja's batch got some of the highest marks.

Switch the Ninja into oven mode, and you'll be able to bake foods like these sweet potato waffle fries at temperatures up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In stovetop mode, you can cook at low, medium, or high temperatures. The Ninja nailed this frozen Gorgonzola gnocchi entree.

The Ninja comes with a metal roasting rack that makes steam baking a cinch (just add liquid below the rack). You'll also get a silicone muffin tray and a baking pan.