Photo: Ninja
Ninja blenders are gaining in popularity because they are affordable and yet, they perform very well, with most of them being marketed as having “total crushing technology”.
Additionally, most of them are compact, with small motor bases that occupy very little space on your kitchen countertop.
That said, there are quite a variety of Ninja blenders in the market and this means that it might be challenging to pick a good one for the job.
For this reason, this article covers the 7 best Ninja blenders in the market with a view of making it easier for you to pick to find the most ideal choice that suits your blending needs.
In this post:
- 7 Best Ninja Blenders – Review
- 1. SharkNinja BL660 – Best Overall Ninja Blender
- 2. SharkNinja QB900B – Best Budget Ninja Blender
- 3. SharkNinja BL610 – Best Ninja Blender for Large Families
- 4. SharkNinja BL688 – Best Ninja Blender for Smoothies
- 5. SharkNinja QB1004 – Ninja Blender with a Top-Mount Power Pod
- 6. SharkNinja BL642 – Powerful Ninja Blender
- 7. SharkNinja BL482 – Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ
- Ninja vs. Vitamix Blender
- How to Buy the Best Ninja Blender
- Conclusion
7 Best Ninja Blenders – Review
IMAGE | PRODUCT | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. SharkNinja BL660 (Best Overall) |
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 | 2. SharkNinja QB900B (Best Budget) |
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 | 3. SharkNinja BL610 (Best for Large Families) |
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 | 4. SharkNinja BL688 (Best for Smoothies) |
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 | 5. SharkNinja QB1004 (Top-Mount Power Pod) |
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 | 6. SharkNinja BL642 (Powerful) |
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 | 7. SharkNinja BL482 (With Auto-IQ) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. SharkNinja BL660 (Best Overall)
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2. SharkNinja QB900B (Best Budget)
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3. SharkNinja BL610 (Best for Large Families)
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4. SharkNinja BL688 (Best for Smoothies)
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5. SharkNinja QB1004 (Top-Mount Power Pod)
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6. SharkNinja BL642 (Powerful)
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7. SharkNinja BL482 (With Auto-IQ)
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1. SharkNinja BL660 – Best Overall Ninja Blender
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 1100 watts
- Speed: 3 speeds
- Pitcher size: 72 ounces
SharkNinja’s BL660 is the best overall blender because it is quite powerful and very simple to use. It has a powerful 1100-watt motor that runs 6 blades, which are fixed on a central rotating shaft and this results in superior blending capabilities.
For starters, the powerful motor makes it capable of crushing ice and frozen fruits, which means that this unit can be used to make cold and creamy smoothies and purees.
The 6 blades, on the other hand, makes it blend with ease because they hit the ingredients inside from different angles.
In terms of speed, this blender has 3 of them, which include a low, medium and high speed, and tops this off with a pulse setting for manual control over the blending process and a single serve function for making smoothies directly in the Ninja cups.
On capacity, the BL660 features a 72-ounce pitcher, which is big enough to make drinks for the whole family and has a diamond-shaped design that helps in creating powerful vortices that help in circulating the ingredients inside for even blending.
Other than this, there is the option of getting 16 and 24-ounce Nutri Ninja cups, although these significantly raise the price of the blender. On the bright side, these help you to easily make smoothies and use the same cup to carry the drink wherever you go.
More Detailed: SharkNinja BL660 Review
Pros:
- Powerful 1100-watt motor
- 6 evenly distributed blades for quick blending
- 3 speeds plus a pulse and single-serve function
- Large 72-ounce pitcher
- 16 and 24-ounce Nutri Ninja cups are available as accessories
Cons:
- Does not have any presets
- Ninja cups accessories make the pack very expensive
2. SharkNinja QB900B – Best Budget Ninja Blender
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 400 watts
- Speed: 1 speed
- Pitcher size: 48 ounces
SharkNinja’s QB900B is the most affordable blender in this review, but it is also among the best because of its highly desirable features.
For starters, the unit comes with a 48-ounce pitcher as well as a 16-ounce chopper and this makes it a blender as well as a food processor that is ideal for a small family or for personal use.
Each of these jars has a non-slip base, an anti-splash guard and an easy flip pour spout for convenience when serving your smoothie or puree.
In terms of design, an interchangeable top mount power pod, just like in the QB1004 above, is used. This one though is less powerful, featuring a 400-watt motor and this makes it unsuitable for blending hard fruits or crushing ice.
However, what the blender does not have in terms of power, it makes up for this by being small and lightweight, which makes it very portable and easy to store under kitchen cabinets.
The unit is also very easy to use, featuring a simple 1-speed pulse control that is activated by pressing a large ergonomic button at the top of the power pod.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Comes with a 48-ounce pitcher and a 16-ounce chopper
- Interchangeable top mount power pod
- Small and lightweight
- Easy to use with an ergonomic pulse button design
Cons:
- Less powerful 400-watt motor
- Only a 1-speed pulse setting
3. SharkNinja BL610 – Best Ninja Blender for Large Families
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 1000 watts
- Speed: 3 speeds
- Pitcher size: 72 ounces
Ninja’s BL610 is quite similar to the BL660 above in terms of design and functionality. For instance, it has a similar 72-ounce blending jar that is perfect for making large batches of drinks for a large family.
The blender has the same 6 blade assembly that allows it to crush ice and frozen fruits very fast. This is coupled with a powerful 1000-watt motor, which provides the required torque to the blades to blast through ice and hard fruits with ease.
For speed, this motor’s output is controlled via 3 settings, which include a low, medium and high, with the low being good for soft fruits such as bananas and strawberries while the high tackles apples and other hard fruits.
In addition to this, the unit has a pulse setting for crushing things such as ice to snow and also giving you more manual control over the blending process so as to achieve your preferred smoothie or puree texture.
On maintenance, the pitcher is dishwasher safe and this makes it very easy to clean. It is also BPA free, which means that it is very safe to use.
Pros:
- Large 72-ounce pitcher
- 6 blade assembly for superior crushing and blending power
- Powerful 1000-watt motor
- 3 speeds plus a pulse setting
- Dishwasher safe and BPA free
Cons:
- No presets
- No cup accessories
4. SharkNinja BL688 – Best Ninja Blender for Smoothies
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 1200 watts
- Speed: 3 speeds
- Pitcher size: 72 ounces
SharkNinja’s BL688 is a powerful countertop blender that has the ideal features for making smoothies. For starters, it is run by a strong 1200-watt motor, which has the capability to pulverize ice to snow in seconds so that you can make smoothies and other frozen drinks.
This performance is further enhanced by a 6-blade assembly, which cuts the ice from multiple angles to fasten the pulverization process.
You get Auto-IQ technology, which runs the smoothie, frozen drink and puree presets and this ensures that the process is done automatically while extracting the most nutrients from the fruits, vegetables or other ingredients inside the pitcher.
For safety, the unit’s 72-ounce blending jar, blades, and lid are BPA free and are even dishwasher safe, which makes it very easy to clean up after making your frozen drinks. The only problem is that this piece is very expensive.
Pros:
- Powerful 1200-watt motor
- Auto-IQ technology automates the smoothie, frozen drink and puree presets
- 6 blade assembly
- BPA free and dishwasher safe blending jar, blades and lid
- Large 72-ounce pitcher
Cons:
- Expensive
- Does not come with Nutri Ninja cups
5. SharkNinja QB1004 – Ninja Blender with a Top-Mount Power Pod
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 450 watts
- Speed: 1 speed
- Pitcher size: 48 ounces
SharkNinja’s QB1004 is a unique Ninja blender because it features a top mount power pod instead of a motor base. Basically, this means that the motor is mounted above the pitcher when blending.
Despite this design, the unit still features a 6-blade assembly for the pitcher, which is very effective at crushing fruit to form smoothies or purees. It also comes with a 4-blade assembly for its other jars.
However, this particular model features a less powerful 450-watt motor, which is not powerful enough for crushing ice or frozen fruits and thus, these should be avoided.
On the bright side, it comes with a 48-ounce pitcher, a 40-ounce food processor and a 16-ounce chopper bowl, in which the power pod can be quickly interchanged between them for convenience. This makes it the top-rated Ninja blender in this review.
To make it even better, the set is relatively affordable, although the power pod only has a single speed pulse technology for running the unit.
In terms of maintenance, all the jars are dishwasher safe, including their storage lids. These parts are also BPA free and this makes them safe to use for food and drink making.
Pros:
- 6 and 4 blade assemblies
- Comes with a 48-ounce pitcher, 40-ounce food processor, and a 16-ounce chopper bowl
- Affordable
- Dishwasher and BPA free parts
Cons:
- Less powerful 450-watt motor
- Small capacity pitcher
6. SharkNinja BL642 – Powerful Ninja Blender
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 1200 watts
- Speed: 3 speeds
- Pitcher size: 72 ounces
If you are looking for a powerful Ninja blender for crushing ice or frozen fruit, the BL642 is your best option.
This appliance features a 1200-watt motor, which is very powerful and provides enough torque to hammer through hard frozen fruits and ice with ease.
Coupled with its 6-blade assembly, this blender pulverizes ice to snow to seconds to form cold smoothies and creamy cold drinks. It also breaks down veggies, fruits and seeds to give you very nutritious, vitamin-rich and healthy drinks.
In terms of capacity, the BL642 comes with a large 72-ounce pitcher as the main jar and 16, 20- and 24-ounce Nutri Ninja cups with sip and seal lids for making smoothies and purees on the go.
For control, this unit has a couple of pre-programmed settings such as a smoothie, puree, blend, and ultra-blend, and these are automatically controlled using an Auto-IQ technology that combines a unique timed pulsing, blending and pausing to do the whole work for you.
A pulse setting is also built in and is still controlled via the Auto-IQ but the three low, medium and high-speed settings are manual and thus, you must be physically pressing these buttons in order to run the blender.
Pros:
- Powerful 1200-watt motor
- Comes with a 72-ounce pitcher plus 16, 20 and 24-ounce Nutri Ninja for making drinks on the go
- Features a couple of presets with Auto-IQ technology
- 3 manual low, medium and high speeds
- Pulse setting is available
Cons:
- Powerful motor consumes quite a lot of power
7. SharkNinja BL482 – Ninja Blender with Auto-IQ
Photo: Ninja
- Motor: 1000 watts
- Speed: 1 speed
- Pitcher size: 18, 24, 32 ounces
Ninja’s BL482 is equipped with Auto-IQ, which automates the blending process. This makes it more effective at extracting nutrients out of your frozen fruits in blend mode, as well as from fibrous foods such as kales and seeds in ultra-blend mode.
The blender has a small-sized motor base and comes with small cups measuring 18, 24 and 32 ounces in capacity, making it ideal for personal use.
Regardless of this size, the blender features a powerful 1000-watt motor that provides enough torque for quick and easy blending. However, it has a set of 4 blades and this might not be as effective as the 6-blade assembly in most of the other Ninja blenders.
On the bright side, you get a pulse mode for manually controlling the blending process and a built-in timer that enables you to note the manual blending duration so that you can reuse those settings for a consistent texture every time.
Pros:
- Powerful 1000-watt motor
- Auto-IQ technology for blending automation
- Comes with 3 blending cups
- Features a pulse mode for manual control
- Built-in timer for timing the manual settings
Cons:
- Features only a 4-blade assembly
- Comes only with small jars/cups
Ninja vs. Vitamix Blender
These two major blender brands have been the topic of discussion among many customers and because of good reasons. They produce high-quality blenders that compete very seriously in the market.
In doing this comparison, it is best to look at the best features in the brand’s products and this is given below:
| Ninja Blenders | Vitamix Blenders |
|---|---|---|
Price | Ninja blenders are usually 2-3 times cheaper than Vitamix blenders | These are the costlier option although their build quality is generally higher |
Power | Although Ninja products are considered to be powerful, their 1100 – 1200-watt max power is no match Vitamix | Vitamix blenders are usually built to have a lot of raw power, ranging from about 2 – 2.2 horsepower or about 1490 – 1640 watts |
Material | Mostly constructed using plastics | A combination of plastic and metallic parts |
Blades | Features very sharp blades, mostly in a set of 6 that are placed vertically along a rotating shaft | Dull but strong blades that are hardened and laser cut, making them strong enough to pulverize ice to snow very easily |
Blend quality | Produces the same quality as a Vitamix blender but may take a longer time to blend | Takes a shorter time to blend smoothies or purees because of having faster motors |
Safety | Features Bisphenol A (BPA) free containers, blades, and lids, which basically means it is non-toxic and does not contaminate the food | Also made using BPA free parts |
Hot food | Generally, Ninja blenders are not made to handle hot foods. The pitchers may start leaking as a result of the pressure build up inside | Most Vitamix blender pitchers, especially the large ones, are designed to handle hot liquids, with features such as vents that help release the steam build up |
Cleaning | Very easy to clean because most of them have dishwasher safe parts | Most modern models have dishwasher-safe parts, with some having self-cleaning capabilities |
Ease of use | Widely known for their Auto-IQ systems, which take the guesswork out of the blending process. Some high-end models also feature built-in timers for tracking the manual (pulse) blending to help you make a similar textured drink every time | Well known for its simple controls and variable speeds that are set using clearly labeled dials. However, most of the models do not have presets as compared to Ninja blenders |
Made in | Designed in the USA but made in China. They are more economically made and thus, cheaper than Vitamix blenders. However, this does not mean that their quality is inferior to Vitamix blenders in terms of performance. For durability though, these blenders cannot outlast those in the Vitamix lineup | Designed and made in the USA. These blenders have been used in homes and kitchens for decades and are associated with having high-quality motors and parts |
From the comparison above, it is quite clear that Vitamix blenders perform better and are more durable, but they come at a high cost.
On the other hand, Ninja blenders are not that badly off. What makes them very popular is their affordability. If you are on a tight budget, this brand is a good option to consider and you may look for an extended warranty just to give you peace of mind due to the durability factor.
How to Buy the Best Ninja Blender
Photo: Ninja
1. Motor
A motor’s power rating is usually proportional to its power output. Therefore, the higher it is, the more powerful the blender.
Although such a motor consumes more electricity, it would give the blender more torque to crush through tough frozen fruits and ice, leaving you with very creamy smoothies in the perfect texture.
An important thing to note here is that blender that are rated at less than 500 watts are not capable of handling such hard ingredients and thus, you can only use them to blend soft fruits. However, they are cheaper than the more powerful ones.
Buying guide: if you are on a tight budget, a less powerful blender (typically less than 600 watts) will do. A good example is the QB900B. However, if you want to make the best smoothies and purees, buy a Ninja blender that has at least a 1000-watt rating such as the BL688.
2. Speed
Speeds directly determine the texture of the juice that you will produce. Therefore, the more you have, the more the variety of drinks that you can make.
For Ninja blenders, most of them feature at least low, medium and high speeds, plus a pulse and some few presets to help automate the blending process for some common drinks.
There are some units though that simply feature a single pulse speed and this might be inconveniencing if you like to make a wide variety of juices, smoothies, and purees.
However, if you are particular about the texture that you want and the single speed blender produces it just the way you like it, that will work for you. Otherwise, a multi-speed blender such as the BL660 is best.
3. Blending Cup
A blender’s cup or jar size is also a big factor to consider. Basically, jars that have a capacity of more than 64 ounces can be used to make a large batch for the whole family.
Medium sized 40 – 50-ounce pitchers are enough for small sized families while 16 – 24-ounce cups are ideal for personal use.
Depending on how many people you have in your household, you should buy a blender with the appropriately sized container.
4. Accessories
For Ninja blenders, the most common accessories are additional blending cups, which enable you to make different quantities of juices and smoothies on the go. Such cups are very helpful because they let you blend your drinks and carry them using the same container.
However, you need to check if these accessories significantly increase the cost of the product. If this is the case, it might not be worthy to buy such a blender.
5. Ease of Use
Whether you are a technical or a non-technical person, nothing beats an easy-to-use product and, in this case, an easy-to-use blender.
Even though most of them have simple button interfaces, SharkNinja’s BL482 is certainly easier to use because it has Auto-IQ, which runs the blending automatically to achieve a consistent texture every time.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the best Ninja blender depends on your blending needs. That said, we recommend the SharkNinja BL660 as the best choice but you should read through the review to see the available options.
Sources
- Blender Face-off: Ninja vs. Vitamix – Consumer Reports
- Vitamix vs. Ninja: Blender Comparison – Everything Kitchens