Nutribullet Prime Review – Is it our favorite model ?

[Update 2021 – The Nutribullet Prime is a good blender but we confirmed with Nutribullet that they have discontinued this model. You can still find it for sale online and it is a very good price now but keep in mind that any replacement parts won’t be available in the future. The alternative is the new Nutribullet Pro Plus]

Nutribullet has introduced multiple blender variations in recent years which can make it very confusing as they look so similar. I have written extensively on Nutribullet blenders and have been a long time Nutribullet user so I was curious to see what is different with the new Nutribullet Prime 1000w system.

In this Nutribullet Prime review, I will evaluate how it compares to the other Nutribullet blender models and what I like and don’t like about it.

The Features

The Nutribullet Prime base looks and feels the same as the Nutribullet 600 and 900 Pro with its simple, compact design and no controls. The Prime does add suction cups to the bottom which is a nice feature.

For power, the Prime’s 1000 watt motor is plenty of power for the 32oz jar size and can blend most vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds without issue. It really is intended as a smoothie maker and not necessarily meant to do other kitchen tasks like making nut butters and food prep.

Other Nutribullet models come with cups as small as 18oz for milling, grinding, and making small batches, but the Prime’s 32oz cup is the most popular cup size for making full-size meal replacement smoothies.

Nutribullet Prime 1000w System comes with:

• 1000 watt base
• 1 28oz stainless steel insulated cup (keeps drinks cold for up to 8 hours)
• 2 32oz Colossal cups (one comes with a with handle)
• 2 flip top lids
• 2 screw on lip rings
• 1 extractor blade
• Recipe and user guide book

Nutribullet Prime Demonstration

Nutribullet Prime Review

Positives: The Prime is perfect for making personal smoothies as it offers nice power and cup size. It works well if you use the proper amount of liquid and don’t overfill it with ingredients. It uses Nutribullet’s simple on/off twist design and adds a simple 60 second auto-off timed feature for people who want to be able to just “walk away” from it. The stainless steel to-go cup is a nice accessory.

Negatives: It is a newer model and even though it essentially has the same design as their original models I like to wait until a blender has been on the market for a while to evaluate longer term usage. There are some Nutribullet Prime user reviews that mentioned issues with “burning” smell but in general there are no other issues with this model to date.

I don’t find the 60 second auto-off feature needed as it doesn’t adjust for the amount of ingredients and I don’t typically need to blend for a full 60 seconds with Nutribullet, but I guess it can be useful sometimes. (Sidenote – overblending can cause Nutrient loss)

Overall Opinion: The Prime takes the popular features from its prior models and really targets it towards the smoothie market with two 32oz “meal replacement” size cups, a little more power, and a nice insulated container for on-the-go smoothies.

The Prime is essentially the same blender as the Nutribullet 900 Pro (The 900 is a top blender in personal blender tests) but the Prime has a little more power. The Nutribullet Prime should meet most people’s needs that want a compact blender for green smoothies.

The Prime 1000w price is sometimes cheaper than the 900 Pro model despite the additional power and accessories which makes it a good choice. Update June 2018, the Nutribullet Prime has been discontinued by Nutribullet. It isn’t available in most retailers and Nutribullet doesn’t sell this model directly but you can still get it online while supplies last.

The best price I have seen recently on the Prime 1000w System is at Amazon (Amazon is a direct seller of the Nutribullet Prime).

Nutribullet Prime vs Other Nutribullet blenders

The Nutribullet Prime 1000 watt motor is in the middle among Nutribullet blender models in regards to power. 1000 watts is plenty for making personal-size green smoothies, protein drinks, and pureeing ingredients. Actually, Nutribullet’s wide mouth design allows it to blend more thoroughly than some powerful full-size blenders.

The main difference with the Prime blender vs other Nutribullet models is the 1000 watt motor and timed blending shut off. Nutribullet Prime has the same on/off twist design as their other blenders, but also includes a pre-programmed 1 minute blending cycle which automatically stops the blender when the cycle is done.

The Prime’s blending program is sort of a very basic version of the pre-program function that is on their other models like the MAX, Rx, LEAN.

There are other Nutribullet blenders with more power than the Prime 1000 watt motor such as the 1200 watt Lean Blender, 1200 watt MAX blender, and 1700 watt Rx blender but Prime’s 1000 watts is enough power to thoroughly blend the ingredients in a 32oz container.

The blending blade and cup design are the same as the 600, 900, Select, and Lean Nutribullet blenders but the Prime does offer some nice accessories with the stainless steel to-go cup, silicon sleeves, and built-in handle. (Nutribullet Rx accessories don’t work with other Nutribullet blenders)

Nutribullet Prime vs Pro 900 vs 600 Comparison

The Prime is essentially the same blender as the 900 and 600 but the Prime has 1000 watts versus Pro 900 watts versus 600 has 600 watts.

The other differences are:

• On/Off: The popular Nutribullet 600 and 900 Pro models require you to slightly twist the jar to start/stop the blender. Whereas, the Nutribullet Prime has the same on/off twist design but also includes a pre-programmed 1 minute blending cycle that will automatically stop the blender when the cycle is done.
• Capacity: Capacity is determined by motor strength. The Nutribullet 600 has a max capacity or 24oz tall cup. The Prime and 900 both have a 32oz Colossal cup capacity.

The Pro 900 has multiple accessory packages with different cups and blades ranging from 9 items up to 15 items. The Prime uses the same accessories as the Pro but the Prime 1000 watt system comes with an insulated cup, built in handle, and cup sleeves. (see full list above).

The 900 Pro is the most popular Nutribullet blender and the Prime’s extra 100 watts won’t make much difference in blending results but the Prime is does have nice accessories. If you find that the Prime and 900 Pro are the same price then the extra 100 watts of power is nice to have.

Overall, the Prime is well priced versus the 900 with slightly more power and nice accessories.

Nutribullet Prime vs Ninja Blender

There are a lot of Ninja blender models but the Prime is similar to either the popular Ninja BL456 or Auto IQ blender.

Ninja BL456 vs Prime – The Ninja BL456 is the most basic personal blender from Ninja with similar power and accessories to the Nutribullet 900 Pro which we wrote about in our Ninja vs Nutribullet comparison.

The Prime has a larger cup capacity of 32oz vs Ninja’s 24oz capacity. Also the Ninja requires you to hold down the blender the entire blending cycle vs Nutribullet’s hands off. I prefer the power, feel, and capacity of the Nutribullet Prime vs the Ninja BL456.

Ninja Auto IQ vs Prime – The Auto IQ is an upgrade to the BL456 mentioned above by adding the Auto IQ electronic blending programs. Auto IQ provides hands off blending like Nutribullet but also uniquely offers multiple pre-programmed blending cycles. The BL482 is very popular but I don’t have the need for Auto IQ since I am just using a personal blender to make smoothies.

The BL482 Auto IQ has the same 1000 watt power as the Nutribullet Prime. There are multiple Ninja Auto IQ models and the BL482 is the most popular but I don’t like how the Ninja BL482 only comes with an 18oz and 24oz container vs Nutribullet Prime has a 32oz. The 32oz container is more preferable for meal replacement portion smoothies.

Overall, Ninja and Nutribullet personal blenders have similar specs and accessories and some people really prefer one brand over the other but I have a slight preference for Nutribullet blenders compared to the Ninja personal blenders for quality and blending performance. (see our Ninja vs Nutribulet blending video)

Final Thoughts

In summary, the PRIME is a solid personal blender. It is essentially a small upgrade to their already popular 900 pro with slightly more power, updated 32oz cups(with cup sleeve and handle) and stainless steel to-go container.

I mentioned above that the 1 minute auto shut-off feature doesn’t account for the amount of ingredients or what ingredients are in the container so you might overblend certain drinks. Although, you can always manually start/stop the blender at any point.

Overall, the Nutribullet Prime 1000 watt system is a good personal blender and I like that Nutribullet kept the simple, proven design and features of its popular 900 Pro. It is well priced for its features relative to other personal blenders and is a good choice if you are looking for a personal blender to make smoothies.

My only hesitation is that the Prime is new to the market and I like to see longer term usage for reliability. I will assume that since the Prime is so similar to the proven 900 Model that the Prime will continue to perform well over time.

PS – If you are looking for a blender to do more than single-serve smoothies and small blending jobs then consider a full-size countertop blender like a long lasting Vitamix or lower cost Vitamix alternative.