Best Ninja Blenders of 2019

After spending 18 hours on research and evaluation, the Nutri Ninja Blender with 1,200-Watt Auto-iQ Base emerged as the top ninja blender we reviewed. You’ll find that this blender is remarkable with its auto-iQ technology, an automated pulse option for blending.

Ninja blenders are an extremely popular variety of blender in the market today. They come in different models which each have their own pros and cons

Some Ninja blenders are best geared for grinding and pureeing for making smoothies while others can also function as a chopper and food processor. The pitcher sizes and other additional accessories such as cups and bowls also vary from one blender unit to another.

To help you better make sense of these slight differences. We have put together a buyer’s guide covering some of the most important factors to consider so you could avoid making the wrong purchase.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Ninja Blender

There are a few things you need to look into before deciding to buy a ninja blender:

1. Power

A blender’s power or wattage is a good indicator of a blender’s overall capacity to blend, grind, and chop. Usually, the more powerful blenders on the market that can grind or puree ingredients up to an extremely smooth and even texture have at least 1,000-watt output.

This means there's a noticeable difference between the cheaper Ninja Blenders and the more expensive ones. However, the grinding capacity of most Ninja grinders that are less costly should not be automatically discounted since most of them do a particularly decent job at grinding and/or chopping (among other tasks).

2. Pitcher Size

As you may be expected, size does matter when it comes to the pitcher. If you are using your Ninja Blender for blending and chopping foods for family-sized meals, you should look for a blender with a large pitcher size - at least 72 oz. (no one wants to do their blending or chopping in batches).

However, if you are using a blender for personal use for something like single-serve smoothies, the best Ninja Blender for you is one with less capacity and is easier to store (like the Ninja Nutrition Pro). On the other hand, if you are preparing for your entire family, you would mostly need a blender with at least 64 oz. of liquid volume capacity ( to prepare for 4 or more people - like our top pick.

3. Multi-Functionality

Before buying a Ninja Blender, you have to be 100% clear as to how exactly you'll be using it. Some users intend to secure a blender mostly for making purees and smoothies. If you are this kind of person, we highly recommended you to get blenders that are designed for grinding and pureeing.

If you'd like one with more versatility, you should purchase a blender designed to be multi-functional. Some blenders can also function as a food processor and as a chopper. However, blenders that are multi-functional tend to be more costly if you are looking for the type with a professional-grade performance. In the end, you would have to carefully consider your needs to be able to choose the right blender for yourself.

4. BPA-Free

Another aspect we wanted to highlight is that all the products we reviewed are certified BPA-free. BPA (Bisphenol-A) is an industrial chemical that has been used in the making of certain plastics since the 1960s. The reason it's important the products are BPA-free is because research has shown that BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers made with BPA. There are possible health affects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants, and children. 

Safety is one of our top priorities so again, all products reviewed are BPA-free.

How We Assessed and Evaluated These Products

Ninja is a specific brand of blenders that offer various models with different specifications and features. Initially, we looked into the specific features and specifications that are unique to Ninja blenders. After informing ourselves with the unique features that Ninja blenders possess, we then proceeded to gather more information about Ninja blenders that are currently on the market.

There's a sizable number of Ninja blender varieties that are on the market these days. To evaluate these products, we looked closely into  consumer opinions by reading through various cooking blogs and other product discussion threads. Blenders which received bad feedbacks were then eliminated from our list.

After weighing in the consumer reviews, we then looked into the products' individual merits. We looked at specific features such as the presence (or absence) of Auto-IQ technology, their wattage, volume, and price. Upon careful consideration on their features, we were able to trim down our list from 25 products to our top 5. We wanted to highlight the best for different uses (family, personal, chopping, etc), and that's how we finalized the below list!

Our Top Picks

The top product we tested is the Nutri Ninja Blender System with 1200-Watt Auto-iQ Base (BL 642). It contains a 72-ounce pitcher for use with larger groups, three smaller cups (18, 24, and 32-ounces) with sip and seal leads to take your smoothie on the run, 

The blender base is powered by a 1,200-watt motor with the Auto-iQ Technology touched on briefly in the introduction. Auto-iQ features timed, intelligent blending programs that allow you to click a button and walk away. Are you making a smoothie in the morning while also cooking eggs? Just click the "Frozen Drinks/Smoothies" button, and focus on not ruining your omelette! 

Speaking of performance, so far we have seen it does what it advertises. We liked the six-blade design as it ensures that any food placed in the pitcher/cup is evenly chopped, minced, or pureed. Notably, the purees produced have a really smooth and fine texture that we loved. 

Just a safety note - be careful when handling the blades (not just with this Ninja Blender, with all of them). It’s sharp enough to easily cut you so please be extra careful when handing.

It’s BPA-free like all blenders we tested. ​Lastly, it’s dishwasher-friendly which spares most users the risk of cutting themselves by washing it manually.

Overall, this blender is reliable and versatile which makes it an indispensable kitchen appliance, especially for those that love their smoothies and purees.

Another great product we tested that's best for making your morning smoothie is the Ninja Nutrition Pro (BL456).

Its 900-watt motor (along with the six-blade technology) breaks down fruits and vegetables for delicious smoothies, and easily breaks down ice so there are no large chunks that smack you in the nose when drinking.

The Ninja Nutrition Pro base is only 14 inches tall and comes with two smaller cups, a 24-oz and an 18-oz cup, perfect for making smoothies. This allows you to easily store the product when not in use!

Although it doesn't have the Auto-iQ Technology of our top choice, it gives you the ability to manually pulse to make it easier to crush ice, seeds, and other items you add to make your smoothie... smooth!

As with our top choice, all parts are BPA-free and dishwasher safe.

Although it does have lots of great features, there are a couple pitfalls compared to the other products reviewed. For one, it doesn't blend as quickly as the more expensive blenders. I think that's to be expected, but we just wanted to make sure it was known. The other bit that surprised us was how loud it was despite its small size. It was close to being as loud as the other much larger blenders.

Next up on our list is the Ninja 4-in-1 System with Auto-iQ (AMZ012BL), the upgraded product for those that need multiple functionalities.

Like other Ninja Blenders, the Ninja 4-in-1 System is designed to help you in a wide variety of tasks such pureeing, chopping, grinding, etc., but this has containers specially designed to perform those tasks. It comes with:

• 72 oz "Total Crushing Pitcher" (notice the blade in the middle of the pitcher) 
• 24 oz high-speed blender cup for your personal smoothie
• 4-cup food processor bowl that is best designed for chopping, mixing, and dough making
• Auto-Spiralizer with three spiralizing discs (spaghetti, fettuccine, and ribbon) to make a healthy alternative to pasta

The base features a 1,200-watt motor with Auto-iQ Technology with six different programs (smoothie, frozen drink, extract, chop, mix, and dough).Blending is quick and easy due to the large motor, making margaritas was a breeze, spiralizing zucchini to use instead of pasta was easier than expected, and mixing chocolate chip cookie dough was quicker than usual (and less tiring)!

As with the other products, BPA-free and dishwasher friendly make for safer cleaning and long-term use.

With all the good things we've experienced and have read about the Ninja 4-in-1 System, we've seen some recent reports the plastic pitcher is cracking/leaking. Most people have said it's due to the motor being too powerful for the plastic pitcher.

Next on the list is the specialized product, the Ninja Master Prep Blender/Food Processor (QB1004) - perfect for chopping, food processing, and whatever other meal prep work that needs to be done!

This product comes with an interchangeable 450-watt power pod (in the image, it's on top of the middle pitcher). Like mentioned in the introduction, a larger motor isn't always the best. This smaller motor is perfect for the tasks it was built to perform, anything larger would probably be overkill and not do the job properly.

Along with the power pod, this Ninja Blender also comes with a 48 oz pitcher for blending and smoothies, a 40 oz bowl for food processing and meal prep, and a 16 oz chopper bowl for even chopping. It also comes with two storage lids so you keep prepared food (like guacamole or diced onions) in the refrigerator and bring them when needed.

On top of all that, it's incredibly easy to use. There's only one button on the top, so you don't need to worry about any confusion on which button to press or feature to use. Two of the containers also come with handles making it easier to hold and pour when needed!

The pitcher included for blending is... ok - it gets the job done. The other blenders on the list are much better suited for making smoothies but if mixing/chopping is a higher priority, I would recommend this product.

The other part of this Ninja Blender that isn't great is that while on, you must hold down the blender. The non-skid rubber bottom does help keep it in place but if you're not there to hold it, chances are it will move and possibly fall over.

The last Ninja Blender on our list is a cheaper alternative to the full-sized blenders, the Ninja Professional 72 oz Countertop Blender (BL610). It still has multiple functionalities but at a lower price point. Fans of smoothies and juices will find this blender, which is run by a 1,000-watt motor, effective in blasting through ice, frozen fruit, and vegetables.

The first thing we noticed is its simplicity. Some people will like that, others not so much. There's a power button, a pulse button to help with crushing ice/large chunks, and three buttons to control how strong the blender is running.

With all that being said, there are a few negatives we wanted to mention. For one, there have been scattered reports of the plastic container cracking (and even one person that said a whole blew out while they were making a smoothie). That's not great but again, these reports are few and far between. It's also not great for chopping, dicing, or anything other than blending, really.

The last item that we didn't like was that it only came with the 72 oz. container. There aren't any smaller containers in case you needed to take your smoothie to-go. But I wouldn't say this last part was a deal breaker because most people have cups with lids at home.

Final Thoughts

Editor's Pick: Nutri Ninja Blender System with 1200-Watt Auto-iQ Base (BL 642)

Among the 25 Ninja blenders we’ve reviewed, we were impressed the most with what the Nutri Ninja BL642 has to offer. We loved its powerful capacity to grind, chop, puree, dice, and mince different ingredients, which makes it a premium ‘one-size-fits-all’ kind of blender. Most people will be able to enjoy this blender, regardless if you a health buff or just a regular user preparing something for the entire family. Also, you’ll be grateful the blender comes with multiple containers so you can make frozen drinks for a group or a personal smoothie in the morning before heading to work. Lastly, what we most loved about this product is the Auto-iQ technology which allows you to just push a single button for automatic pulse blending. If you are looking for a professional-grade blender with an excellent performance and volume capacity, this product will a great fit for you.

Alternatives: Ninja Nutrition Pro (BL456) and Ninja 4-in-1 System with Auto-iQ (AMZ012BL)

The first alternative to our top pick, for those looking for a personal smoothie maker, is the Nutri Ninja Nutrition Pro (BL456). We highly recommend this for any serious health buff looking for a device that can efficiently puree and blend. You’ll enjoy evenly blended smoothies and purees processed by this blender’s 900-watt power and sharp blades. We also loved how small it is, making it easy to store while not in use.

The second alternative, for those looking for additional functionality, is the Ninja 4-in-1 System with Auto-iQ (AMZ012BL). This is the best option if you need a blender that doesn't just blend, cut, and puree. With the added containers, you can also chop, mix, make dough, and even spiralize whatever vegetable you'd like!