NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO
"Single-serve" style blenders are all the craze. That's why we decided to compare two of the most talked about single-serve blenders, the NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO.
The popularity of these types of blenders is thanks to their reduced expense, simpler design and ease of use - and not to mention, they take up less counter space.
Also, you can't ignore the fact that the blending container doubles as the serving cup. It's as if these blender companies know how much I hate doing dishes (NutriBullet, are you reading my journal??).
The table of contents below lists the top factors we used for this review. Use to quickly skip to what interests you.
Although these types of blenders are called "single-serve", depending on the model, their containers can still hold more than a single serving - unless you regularly put away 32-oz green smoothies in one sitting, like me!
And when it comes to these kinds of blenders, the brands that I probably get asked to compare the most are the NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO.
This is because these are two of the most popular "single-serve" style models on the market today.
The NutriBullet PRO and Nutri Ninja are similarly sized and have the same exact wattage...
But as you'll see, I found that they produced quite different results (you may have seen my previous comparison between their two more expensive models, the NutriBullet Rx vs Nutri Ninja with Auto IQ).
As I do with all my product comparisons, I ran both the NutriBullet PRO and the Nutri Ninja Pro through exhaustive kitchen testing to see how they did blending all sorts of fibrous fruits and veggies, seeds, and ice cream...
And although they'e not technically intended for it, I even used them to grind things like flour and nut butter.
NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro 900-Watt Blender Battle!
GLANCE COMPARISON
NutriBullet PRO
$99.99 $84.99 w/ promo "PROBLENDER15" |
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Nutri Ninja Pro
$69.99 - $89.99 |
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1. COST
The NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro are both comparable in cost, and are among the less expensive offerings from NutriBullet and Nutri Ninja, with the aim of delivering all the health benefits of blending without breaking the bank.
NutriBullet PRO
The NutriBullet PRO 900-watt blender is available from their recipe-heavy NutriLiving website for $99.99, including free shipping if you register for free at NutriLiving.com.
For a LIMITED TIME just for Blender Babes readers – Receive $15 OFF (only $84.99!) when you purchase the NutriBullet Pro! Use promo code “PROBLENDER15”.
FREE GIFTS WITH PURCHASE FROM BLENDER BABES
All blenders purchased using Blender Babes' links & promo codes also receive our exclusive free gifts with purchase, to help you make the most of your new blender! To redeem, forward your purchase confirmation email from NutriBullet to freegift@blenderbabes.com : )
Oh, and you've got to love that NutriBullet donates a portion of profits to their NutriBullet University, a school nutrition program that teaches kids healthy eating habits!
Nutri Ninja Pro
There are several purchasing options with the Nutri Ninja Pro.
Nutri Ninja prices range from about $70 (standard) to $90 (complete), depending on which cups you'd like with your package:
24 oz, 18 oz, and 12 oz (the full complete package includes all three sizes).
2. DESIGN - NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO
The NutriBullet PRO's simplicity is reflected in its sleek, minimalist appearance - and I do like the graphite and champagne-colored brushed metal finish.
The Nutri Ninja Pro also strives to be minimalist in dull silver and matte black.
But of course, looks aren't everything as there's much more than meets the eye with both of these blenders.
POWER
As you may know, the wattage of a blender generally translates to the degree at which it breaks down and unlocks all that goodness in your fibrous fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds--
But with great power comes... well, a greater price tag.
The NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO both operate at a relatively modest 900 watts, which (if everything else is designed well) should be enough power to cover a lot of your general blending needs while also selling at lower prices than other more powerful models.
Are there blenders out there with more wattage?
Sure. In fact, both NutriBullet and Nutri Ninja offer more powerful and more expensive models, which I've previously reviewed in detail.
But for those who are looking to start experiencing the health benefits of blending right away at the most affordable level, 900 watts is an effective compromise.
On a side note, I also tested the Nutri Ninja Pro against its slightly more powerful counterpart - the 1,000-watt Nutri Ninja with Auto IQ - and I found there was virtually no difference with the extra 100 watts).
SPEED
NutriBullet PRO spins at up to a constant 25,000 RPM, at 1.2 horsepower.
Nutri Ninja Pro spins at up to 21,000 RPM, also at 1.2 horsepower.
SIZE
The NutriBullet PRO and Nutri Ninja Pro machines and containers are relatively similar in size, and will take up about the same amount of space on your kitchen counter.
NutriBullet PRO weights a total of 11.4 lbs, and its dimensions are 14 x 16.3 x 7.9 inches. The height of the largest (32 oz "colossal") cup that comes with the NutriBullet PRO is 8 inches.
Nutri Ninja Pro is a little lighter: its shipping weight is 7.9 lbs, and the Nutri Ninja Pro is 12.9 x 7.9 x 14.8 inches, with the largest cup (24 oz) standing 9 inches tall.
CONTROLS AND USER FRIENDLINESS
The NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro are both "single-serve" blenders built for maximum simplicity and ease of use--
Both the Nutri Ninja and NutriBullet PRO have only two settings: ON and OFF.
And both operate similarly, it's very simple.
Just throw you ingredients into the container, attach the blade component, then mount the container onto the power base--
But the key difference is in the last step:
The NutriBullet PRO just has to be pressed down before twisting (to lock) into place.
With NutriBullet PRO, this means you can continuously blend by locking the container in place, without having to hold anything down to keep blending.
The Nutri Ninja Pro is different in that it has to lock into place first before pressing down (thereby turning it on).
You then have to hold the Nutri Ninja down in order to keep it running, so beware if you think you'd hate to stand there and keep the container pressed down with your hands during the entire blending process.
With the Nutri Ninja I literally had to use both hands to hold it down while blending everything I tested...
And although I'm no millennial, I must say I grew very impatient as I stood there and waited for the Nutri Ninja Pro to blend!
Also, there were many times the Nutri Ninja Pro didn't blend fully to my liking - but more on that in performance results later on.
CONTAINERS / JARS
NutriBullet PRO
Standard: |
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Nutri Ninja Pro
Standard: |
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NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro
3. PERFORMANCE - Making Stuff
WHOLE FOOD JUICING
What do we talk about when we talk about "whole food juicing"?
Well, we're talking about blending whole fruits and vegetables, rather than extracting just the juice.
This means you're getting a slightly thicker consistency - but you're getting all of the nutrients (nothing wasted), more fiber, and less sugar.
As far as healthy things you can drink, I consider green juice the gold standard.
I make it often and I'm sure many of those in our Blender Babes community who are conscious about their health are no different.
I LOVE green juice - it's how I like to start every morning, as it's densely packed with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants.
If I'm ever stranded on an island, I sure hope it's an island with plenty of greens (and a generator, so I can blend it all)!
And so, I began the blender battle between the NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro with my favorite green juice recipe for testing.
I used Dr. Oz's New Green Juice, which is a great-tasting but low-calorie recipe that consists of super fibrous ingredients that are tougher for blenders to pulverize - including carrot, apple, kale, parsley, ginger, and is a full sized recipe.
Did I mention I love green juice?
For this test, I used each blender's 24 oz container to allow for the fairest comparison possible (also because the Nutri Ninja doesn't come with a 32 oz container).
NutriBullet Pro
At 900 watts of power, the NutriBullet PRO's result was definitely fibrous when I tasted it, but not too fibrous. There was still some visible texture remaining when I smeared the strained liquid onto a plate (the smear test).
I then strained everything by pouring the blend through a sieve which also allows me to judge the mass of pulp left (sieve test).
Nutri Ninja Pro
The Nutri Ninja Pro resulted in more texture, both with the mouth test and visibly on the sieve.
The smear and pulp tests also revealed a less homogenous result, as more fiber and foam visibly separated from the liquid.
When I took a sip to taste for the mouth test, some green juice spilled a bit on my shirt... but I don't think it was me!
I believe it had more to do with the lip of the Nutri Ninja Pro container as the threading is on the inside rim which allowed the full container to push some green juice over the edge while blending (I'm not that clumsy. Really).
THE VERDICT - Green Juice
The NutriBullet PRO broke down the pulp a bit more than the Nutri Ninja Pro, creating a more homogenous green juice.
SMOOTHIE MAKING
My favorite way to test a blender's ability to make smoothies is to see how well it handles tiny, stubborn berry seeds.
I don't know about you but getting seeds stuck in my teeth is probably my biggest pet peeve. (That, and chewing with your mouth open. Stop it. )
All the more reason for you to blend your food - so you don't have to chew as much... or at all. Seriously, close your mouth.
Now at 900 watts, you're inevitably going to get bits of seeds left over from blending berries - but let's see how the NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO blenders compared here.
For this 90-second test, I used a seed-rich recipe of strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
NutriBullet Pro
The NutriBullet PRO left small particles of seeds, which I could feel in my mouth when tasting.
You can even see a bit remaining in the container right after blending, and of course they're even more visible when strained through a sieve.
Nutri Ninja Pro
The Nutri Ninja Pro did not do quite as good a job of fragmenting the berry seeds, with many whole seeds remaining visible in both the sieve test and the blending container.
Notice that the Nutri Ninja Pro resulted in a bigger mass of leftover seeds when strained.
THE VERDICT - Smoothie Making
The Nutribullet PRO broke berry seeds better than the Nutri Ninja Pro, which left behind some whole seeds.
GRINDING
Dry grinding hard substances subjects blenders to a lot of stress so it makes for a great durability test.
I used both blenders to grind 1.5 cups of rice, as well as a 1/4 cup of whole flaxseeds.
NutriBullet Pro
The NutriBullet PRO milled rice into a coarse but uniform consistency. As is typical right after grinding, the rice flour felt a little warm to the touch.
With the flaxseeds, the NutriBullet PRO made for a finer result in less time, so you could say there was a bit more hustle to its grind (see what I did there?).
It started to produce flax meal within 15 seconds. At 30 seconds, it began to create a consistency somewhere between powder and flax butter, with some whole seeds remaining.
Nutri Ninja Pro
The Nutri Ninja Pro was unable to mill rice as thoroughly as the NutriBullet PRO. Larger particles and even whole grains of rice still remained visible.
Larger pieces of flaxseeds also remained after 15 seconds of grinding, with flax meal developing at 30 seconds, and approaching more of a flax butter consistency beyond 30 seconds--
But even then, there were still some whole flaxseeds remaining.
A Note Regarding Grinding: Although the NutriBullet PRO's extractor blade isn't super sharp, it's worth nothing that the makers of the NutriBullet PRO do not recommend using it to grind dry materials, although it obviously can.
Instead, NutriBullet offers a separate milling flat blade which is more ideal for dry grains and nuts.
The Nutri Ninja Pro is also not meant for grinding according to their manual, so it's no surprise that it's not quite up to that task.
Although both default blades can handle grinding to various degrees, excessively using either machine beyond its recommended capabilities is probably not advisable.
THE VERDICT - Grinding
The Nutribullet PRO mills and grinds more effectively than the Nutri Ninja Pro, which left some whole grains and seeds in tact.
Note: Grinding can be abrasive to your blending containers resulting in a slightly cloudy appearance over time, so you might consider getting an extra container or two to designate just for grinding.
CHOPPING
Before I get into this, you should know that neither the NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro is designed to do this. Which of course means I tried doing it. : )
My chopping test entailed dry-chopping onions and wet-chopping red cabbage where I added water to the max fill line (or enough to allow the ingredients to float just above the blade).
Chopping with machines like this requires a quick pulse action, so you shouldn't blend for too long - unless you want more of a puree.
NutriBullet Pro
"Pulsing" on the NutriBullet PRO requires you to twist the container to the left and release as quickly as possible.
The NutriBullet PRO did successfully chop most of the onion, although there was one big piece remaining.
Nutri Ninja Pro
Due to its design, pulsing on the Nutri Ninja Pro is a bit easier.
This is because all you have to do is push down and let go (no twist), which gives you more control when it comes to the length of the pulse.
However, Nutri Ninja Pro didn't fare as well as the NutriBullet PRO on the onion dry-chop, which left lots of large pieces.
Despite that, the Nutri-Ninja Pro did better than the NutriBullet PRO with the wet-chop, producing a slightly more even chop of the red cabbage.
This is probably due to better control over the "pulse" action on the Nutri Ninja Pro.
THE VERDICT - Chopping
Although it's also a bit easier to "pulse" on the Nutri Ninja Pro, the Nutribullet PRO did a much better dry-chop, while the Nutri Ninja Pro made for only a slightly better wet-chop.
ICE CREAM
One of the things I love making in a blender is dairy-free "nice"cream!
I performed this test with:
- 1.5 cups of chopped frozen banana
- 1/2 packet frozen acai
Both blenders required a minimum 1/2 cup of liquid (I used water) to blend the frozen ingredients.
NutriBullet PRO
The NutriBullet PRO had no problem whipping up these ingredients into a creamy "nice cream" texture in 3 minutes.
You can't quite tell in the photo, but there were a few tiny chunks of frozen banana remaining (however, you don't want to over-blend).
As expected, to get the desired consistency you have to stop intermittently and open up the container to manually stir around the mixture a bit before resuming the blending process.
Nutri Ninja Pro
The Nutri Ninja Pro also made "nice" cream with ease. There were also still some small pieces of frozen banana remaining, just like in the NutriBullet PRO.
THE VERDICT - Ice Cream
The Nutribullet PRO and the Nutri Ninja Pro can both easily make ice cream from frozen ingredients - oh, that's "nice"!
NUT BUTTERS
It's always fun to see how a less expensive machine handles tasks that are usually reserved for heavier-duty blenders.
One of my favorite tests for that is the nut butter test where I see if peanuts can be turned into peanut butter!
Not only is homemade peanut butter fresher, you can leave out the unwanted hydrogenated oils, sugar, and salt normally found in store-bought peanut butter.
NutriBullet PRO
The NutriBullet PRO created a somewhat creamy consistency after 3 minutes of blasting, but you can tell it starts to get this way almost right away.
I didn't expect to get anything this close to smooth peanut butter from either of these machines, so this was a surprise.
I did notice that the bottom of the unit started to develop some condensation from the heat buildup...
But keep in mind the instruction manual does says not to blend for that long and it was working pretty hard!
Nutri Ninja Pro
On the other hand, in the Nutri Ninja Pro, the nuts never seemed to get past the granular stage and failed to develop a creamy/buttery texture even after blending for 6 minutes.
THE VERDICT - Nut Butters
While neither of these blenders are meant for nut butter, the Nutribullet PRO was able to achieve a somewhat peanut buttery texture while the Nutri Ninja Pro couldn't get there, even after twice the time.
NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO
RECIPES
NutriBullet PRO
The Life Changing Recipes book is a cool bonus that comes with the NutriBullet PRO. I thought it was full of healthy (and delicious!) recipes.
Guides like this are always very helpful, no matter what level of experience you have with blending.
NutriBullet's companion lifestyle site NutriLiving.com is full of great recipes.
In addition to recipes, you'll also find lots of blog posts on health and nutrition, professional Q&A forums, and all sorts of helpful content to help you get the most out of your NutriBullet.
NutriLiving's recipe section alone is a great resource - they give you over 700 recipes.
And I like that you can easily cross-reference them all by categories like vegan, low-sugar, dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, etc.
And not only are a lot of their posts written by knowledgeable Dietitians, but free membership to NutriLiving.com also gives you one-one-one access to Registered Dietitians who can provide all sorts of nutrition advice.
They can also answer any questions on how to eat and drink healthier, make smart substitutions, and get optimal results from your NutriBullet.
Nutri Ninja Pro
NinjaKitchen.com also has hundreds of recipes which you can filter by food type (like smoothies, desserts, sauces, etc).
This is just as extensive a recipe archive as NutriBullet's companion site, but personally I prefer NutriLiving.com.
Most of what I use my personal blender for is healthy smoothies, so I'm more interested in finding recipes by nutritional category (dairy-free, low-sugar, etc).
NinjaKitchen.com is more of a site intended to convey all of Ninja's features and products, so by no means is it the extensive health lifestyle blog that NutriLiving.com is.
You certainly won't find anything like the one-on-one support you get from NutriBullet's Registered Dietitians.
Nutri Ninja Pro comes with a small low quality 30-recipe book and small wellness guide, but I find NutriBullet's Pocket Nutritionist guide and recipe book (136 pages of recipes) to be much more extensive.
THE VERDICT - Recipes
Nutribullet PRO's recipe book, pocket nutritionist, and companion lifestyle site NutriLiving is the hands-down winner here.
In addition to a great library of recipes, their site offers much more helpful content on numerous health topics, as well as one-on-one access to Registered Dietitians who can answer all your questions.
NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO
4. CLEAN UP
The NutriBullet PRO is simple to clean by hand with warm and soapy water, or just place your containers and lids (without the blade) in the top shelf of your dishwasher and set it on normal (not the sanitize cycle).
Meanwhile, all the components of the Nutri Ninja Pro are dishwasher-safe, including the blade.
Keep in mind there will still be times when you'll want to clean everything by hand, like when you've blended something especially sticky or stubborn.
But the "single-serve" type of blender is such a simple assembly that hand-washing is relatively painless.
A quick note: you might want to be a bit more careful when hand-cleaning the Nutri Ninja Pro since its upper blades protrude more than the extractor blades on the NutriBullet PRO.
That's because NutriBullet PRO's blades are flatter and set at a shallower angle.
THE VERDICT - Clean Up
Both blenders are relatively easy to clean. The Nutribullet PRO might be a little safer to wash by hand while the Nutri Ninja Pro has the benefit of a dishwasher-safe blade.
NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO
5. WARRANTY
The standard warranty that comes with your NutriBullet PRO lasts for 1 year and applies to defects and other malfunctions not related to normal wear and tear, and entitles the customer to free repairs or replacement.
NutriBullet also offers an extension for $14.99 which gives you 4 additional years on the warranty.
I usually suggest that people take advantage of extended warranties like this. I think it's just better to protect your investment, especially when it's not too expensive.
The Nutri Ninja Pro is unfortunately not available for sale from the Ninja website however you can order online at Amazon where you can also purchase a 3 or 4 year extended warranty.
When purchased in stores the Nutri Ninja Pro comes with a 1 year limited warranty and an extended warranty option is not available.
NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO
FINAL THOUGHTS
Both the NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO blenders offer an inexpensive entry point to the wonderful world of blending.
Given their minimalist design, they're both simple and convenient to use and clean.
However, I truly disliked having to hold down the container the entire time while blending with the Nutri Ninja Pro.
And when subjected to extensive testing, their capabilities were different, with the NutriBullet PRO emerging on top for most kitchen tasks.
While 900 watts provides more power than your cheapo Hamilton Beach or Oster, don't expect an all-purpose food processor - although the NutriBullet PRO was able to handle even some of those jobs to a degree.
Here's a quick recap and overall NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja Pro comparison:
NutriBullet PRO
$99.99 $84.99 w/ "PROBLENDER15" |
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Nutri Ninja Pro
$69.99 - $89.99 |
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Thanks for taking the time to check out our NutriBullet vs Nutri Ninja PRO Review!
If you have any question feel free to ask in the comments or contact us.
Disclaimer: Sponsored post. The NutriBullet PRO was provided for this review and giveaway. All findings and opinions are my own. Click here to learn more about Blender Babes’ Editorial Standards.
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NutriBullet PRO might just be the ticket as it would travel well.
This post is very informative about the pros and cons of each brand. I’ve been considering purchasing one of these two in particular and the choice is pretty clear. I’m going with the NutriBullet pro.
Perfect for my daughter to make her smoothies every day
I’ve been wanting a small blender I can take traveling, thanks for the review!
Thank you for your reviews!