Nutri Ninja vs NutriBullet Review – Our Test Results

Ninja vs Nutribullet Blender

2024 Update: This post is continually updated based on personal use and any changes to product models. We have used both Ninja and Nutribullet bullet blenders extensively and added new videos to our Youtube channel and below demonstrating how these blenders performed. If you are in a hurry, this Nutribullet model is our top pick.

The big matchup in personal blenders continues to be Nutribullet versus Nutri Ninja Pro. It can be a little confusing trying to figure out if their fancy marketing terms like “Auto IQ”, “Pro Extractor Blades”, or “Nutri Blast” actually mean anything.

To be honest, both are really just personal blenders so they are smaller than a typical countertop blender and their main job is to make smoothies. Yes, they claim to crush ice, nuts, seeds, make nut butter, etcetera…..but let’s be honest….most people use them for smoothies.

The big question is do Nutribullet or Ninja bullet blenders work better in helping you make smoothies ?

In this review, I will answer all of your questions when comparing Ninja and Nutribullet personal blenders. I have personally used both blenders and share my thoughts in the review below.

Ninja vs Nutribullet Brand

Ninja versus Nutribullet Blenders

It can get a little confusing when comparing the two brands as they each have multiple models, so here is a quick overview of the two brands.

Nutribullet

Nutribullet started with the Magic Bullet blender and then added the more powerful Nutribullet product line.

The company has rotated through various designs over the years and we’ve reviewed at least a dozen Nutribullet models. In this article we focus on the best-selling Nutribullet 900 Pro, as it is the most comparable model to the Ninja bullet blender. (related article: Nutribullet 600 vs 900 vs RX)

Nutribullet blender models have different motors, blending capacity and features so they are more varied among the models compared to Nutri Ninja.

Ninja

Ninja is a sub-brand of SharkNinja LLC which makes blenders, food processors, and coffee makers. Some people refer to the Nutri Ninja product line as Ninja bullet blenders because of the design shape and similar look to Nutribullet blenders.

Ninja has 3 Personal Blender lines:

1. Nutri Ninja Pro line has 4 models (BL450 / BL451 / BL455 / BL456) which are very similar with some different accessories like cups and recipe book.

2. Nutri Ninja Auto IQ personal blender line (BL480 / BL481 / BL482). The 3 AutoIQ models all use the same exact blender. The BL480 is the base model, the BL481 adds 1 32 oz Jar, and the BL 482 has an extra Recipe book.

3. Nutri Ninja BL580. Introduced in 2019, this blender is an updated BL480 Auto IQ blender with new design and the addition of their FreshVac Technology.

Originally I reviewed the Nutri Ninja Pro versus Nutribullet Pro 900 since they have the same speed motors and pricing. We have now added the Nutri Ninja Auto IQ blender into this comparison.

Comparison of Nutribullet vs Ninja Blenders

Feature Nutribullet 900 Pro NutriNinja Pro NutriNinja AutoIQ
Motor Strength 900 Watt/1.2 HP 900 Watt/1.2 HP 1000 watt/1.2 HP
Speeds 1 + Manual Pulse 1 + Manual Pulse 2 + Automatic Pulse
RPM 25,000 RPM 21,000 RPM 21,000 RPM
Capability Puree,Blend,Grind,Chop Puree,Blend,Grind,Chop Puree,Blend,Grind,Chop
Blend Capacity 32 oz 24 oz 32 oz
Warranty 1 year 1 year 1 year

Nutribullet Pro – TOP PICK

Nutribullet Pro 900Positives: In our blending tests, the Nutribullet Pro performed better than the Ninja. Another positive of the Nutribullet is that it has a large 32 ounce capacity. Capacity is worth considering because it means it can hold more raw ingredients for blending down to a finished smoothie. Nutribullet’s unique blade design works very well for grinding, chopping, and blending.

Nutribullet comes with many jars and a very nice recipe book for easy use. (We love the Nutribullet nutrition book and recipe guide). It has more RPM(rotations per minute) 25,000 compared to Ninja BL450 RPM of 21,000. Ranks at the top of personal blender comparison tests for blending performance. Good consumer reviews.

Negatives: Blades are not designed for blending ice only. The blade isn’t dishwasher safe so the blade’s rubber gasket can trap food under it if you don’t clean it after use.

Overall Opinion: I have used the Nutribullet Pro for years and love it. It comes with a nice set of accessories and I love their easy recipe book. Nutribullet has sold millions of blenders and the 900 Pro is the most popular model with a good overall rating from independent tests and consumers.

Click Here for Nutribullet Pro Current Price

Nutri Ninja Pro Review

Nutri Ninja ProPositives: The Nutri Ninja Pro has a nice 900 watt motor which is plenty of power for a 24 oz jar. Some people prefer the Ninja blade design versus Nutribullet’s blade. For actual blending results I found that the  Nutribullet Pro slightly outperformed the NutriNinja Pro for smoothie quality.

Negatives: The Nutri Ninja 900 comes with a smaller (24 ounce) jar which can be limiting. If needed, the 32oz jar is available for an extra cost. I don’t like how you have to hold the cup down on the Ninja blender during the entire blending time versus the Nutribullet you just lock it down and it blends. The Ninja comes with a small recipe book relative to Nutribullet’s. Nutri Ninja blender has slightly less motor speed than Nutribullet.

Overall Opinion: The Nutri Ninja Pro is a good compact blender and is reasonably priced. It is a more basic version of their Auto IQ model. It has 4.5 star rating on Amazon. I have experienced slightly better blending results for smoothies with the Nutribullet Pro compared to the Nutri Ninja and I prefer Nutribullet’s blade design for milling and chopping (see videos below).

Other minor issues of the Nutri Ninja are needing to hold the jar down to blend and the smaller 24 oz jar. 24oz cup will make about 1 pint size glass of finished smoothie. The NutriBullet comes with a better nutrition/recipe book and guide.

Overall the Ninja Pro is a simple low priced bullet blender that offers pretty good performance. For a little more money I prefer the blending performance and design of the Nutribullet 900(see review above). Also, there is the Ninja AutoIQ(see review below) which has more features and larger capacity than the Nutri Ninja model.

Click Here for Nutri Ninja Pro Current Price

NutriNinja Auto IQ BL 480 Review

Ninja or Nutribullet comparison- Nutri Ninja Auto IQ reviewPositives: Comes with an 18oz and 24oz cup. The nice improvement in the Auto IQ line is the ability to lock in the cup to the base when blending so you don’t have to hold it. The biggest differentiating feature of the Auto IQ is the pre-programmed settings which the Nutribullet and original Nutri Ninja Pro blender that I reviewed above don’t have. Ninja blender can easily crush stand-alone ice cubes which Nutribullet’s blades are not designed to do.

Auto-IQ has 3 button functions: Blend, Ultra Blend, and Pulse. For smoothies, just press the Blend or UltraBlend button and let it go. For pulse, it is more for chopping not purifying.

  • Blend is for blending fresh fruit, leafy greens, and yogurt.
  • Ultra Blend is for frozen fruit and ice, harder vegetables like kale and carrots, and Nuts & seeds
  • Pulse is when you want more control over the blending and don’t want to purify the ingredients like salsa or chopping nuts.

Negatives: Some users commented about the blades breaking on this blender but that seems to be a rare event. NutriNinja IQ has 1000 watt motor but the RPM(revolutions per minute) is still 21,000 so you don’t really notice a change in the slight increase of wattage compared to the Nutribullet 900 or NutriNinja BL450 which have 900 watt motors.

Overall Opinion: The BL480 is a solid blender and has very high consumer reviews. The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ adds some nice features that the original BL450 was lacking. It’s a good blender and about the same price as the Nutribullet 900. The Nutri Ninja BL480 is a good personal blender for the price with preset programs and works great for smoothies, but I feel the Nutribullet generates slightly better blending results.

Click Here for Nutri Ninja Current Price.

Do you need Auto IQ ?

Some people really like the Auto IQ function but personally I don’t. It really is a personal preference.

The reason I don’t is the Auto IQ is just a timed blending sequence and doesn’t adjust for the amount ingredients you are blending.  Also, I sometimes add ingredients like protein/superfoods or adjust the liquid amount after the initial blend so using the timer isn’t really necessary.

In general, having the electronics and various speeds makes more sense to me on a full-size countertop blender where you are using it for more things. A personal blender is generally just for making smoothies and I don’t need extra speeds or fancy features to make a smoothie. Finally, I prefer to have less electronics on my blender so I have less chance of something breaking.

The BL482 works fine and is great if you follow recipes and just want a hands-off timed blender. It really is just a personal preference if you want programs or not.

UPDATE – Ninja introduced a new Nutri Ninja model called the Nutri Ninja Freshvac BL580 which we already reviewed in another post. The BL580 is essentially the same as the BL480

We decided not to add it into the comparison table below because the FreshVac BL580 personal blender is essentially the same as the BL480 with similar AutoIQ and power but the BL580 has a new design and uses the new FreshVac 24oz cups. The blending performance is similar to the original Nutri Ninja models.

If you want more details and specifics on the 3 blenders then read on below.

Bullet Blender Blending Test

YouTube video

Blade Design

You can see in the Nutribullet vs Ninja blending test video above that despite having a similar 900 watt motor, the blending results do vary between the brands. Some of this performance variation is because of the blade design difference.

You can see the blade design difference in the picture below. Ninja has a conventional 4 prong blender blade design whereas Nutribullet has a 6 prong design. The 2 lower blades on the Nutribullet blade are very useful for milling and grinding dry ingredients. It seems that Nutribullet’s longer, wider blades mix the ingredients better when blending.

Nutribullet versus Ninja blender blade

A small difference worth mentioning is that the Nutri Ninja has reverse threads compared to the Nutribullet. The Nutri Ninja cup is threaded on the inside versus the Nutribullet has the threads on the outside of the cup. If you use the cups to drink from (and not just blend with) then you might not like having the Nutri Ninja’s grooved threads on the inside of the cup.

Performance wise, we have experienced slightly better blending results with the Nutribullet blender and Nutribullet blade design.

Accessories

Below I list all of the accessories that come with the various Nutribullet Pro packages, Nutri Ninja Pro package, and the Ninja AutoIQ BL482. (UPDATE- See unboxing video below where we show what comes with the popular Nutri Ninja Pro BL456 and Nutribullet Pro Deluxe packages)

The extra accessories in the 15 piece Nutribullet pro versus the 9 piece are in bold with an * for quick reference.

(The 9-piece Nutribullet & NutriNinja are about the same price. The 15-piece Nutribullet pro is slightly more and the Ninja AutoIQ is more than the Nutribullet)

2021 Update – The Nutribullet Pro 900 13 Piece set is the most popular Nutribullet 900 set which includes: 900 Watt Motor / 2 Flip-top Lids / 2 Colossal Cups / Hard Cover Recipe Book / 2 Handled Lip Rings / 2 Comfort Lip Rings.

The 15 piece set is not as common but it includes an extra blade and 18 oz cup. The 9 piece set has fewer cups and lids.


Accessories for each model

Nutribullet 9 Piece (Model NB9-0901)

Included in the 9-piece Set
– 900 Watt High-torque Power Base
– Extractor Blade
– 32 oz Colossal Cup
– 24 oz Tall Cup
– Handled Lip Ring
– Regular Lip Ring
– Flip Top To-Go Lid
– Life Changing Recipes Book and User Manual
– Pocket Nutritionist

Nutribullet 15 Piece (Model NB9-1501)

Included in the Nutribullet 15-piece Set
– 900 Watt High-torque Power Base
2 x Extractor Blade *
– 32-oz Colossal Cup
2 x 24 -oz Tall Cup *
18-oz Jar
– Handled Lip Ring
– Regular Lip Ring
– Flip-Top To-Go Lid
2 x Resealable Lids *
– User Manual and Cookbook
– Pocket Nutritionist
– Recipe Book

NutriNinja Pro

Included in the Nutri Ninja 900 Pro Set
– 900 Watt Motor Base
–  2 Jars: 18oz and 24 oz. Jar
– 2 Sip and Seal Lids
– Ninja Pro Extractor Blade
– Instruction Book
– 75 Recipe and Wellness Guide.

NutriNinja with Auto IQ BL480

Included in the Nutri Ninja AutoIQ BL480
– 1000 Watt Motor Base
– 24 oz Jar
– 18-oz Jar
– Pro Extractor Blade
– 3 Sip and Seal Lids
– Inspiration Guide
– Rachel Beller 3-Day Jump-Start Plan
– Rachel Beller’s Book Eat to Lose, Eat to Win

Ninja BL456 and Nutribullet Pro Deluxe Package Unboxing

YouTube video

Final Thoughts

Overall, I prefer the Nutribullet Pro because it offers better performance and more solid feel.

The entry level models from each company (Ninja BL456 & Nutribullet 600) are slightly cheaper but I would go with the Nutribullet Pro if your focus is on making smoothies.

Regarding Ninja’s Auto IQ, I personally prefer keeping it simple with the manual control of the Nutribullet and less risk of the electronics going bad on the Ninja IQ but many people LOVE the Auto iQ and the Ninja Auto IQ continues to be a top seller.

Both companies have a standard 1 year manufacturer warranty. If you decide to buy the Ninja Auto IQ blender then an inexpensive extended warranty is a good idea because it has electronics (especially if you are going to be using it a lot).

I hope you found this Nutri Ninja vs Nutribullet review helpful. Please share and comment below if you have any questions.

Anna Powell

Anna is a blending expert that for years has researched, tested, and written about 100's of blenders and smoothie recipes.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below

Supriya guptaa

I was given a Nutri ninja IQ as a gift over a year ago ,I would have barely used it 15 times and all of a sudden it stopped working . I don’t have a receipt either . Is there anywhere I can get it fixed or is it cheaper to buy another one ?

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hi Supriya, Sorry to hear you had problems with your blender. Typically any manufacturer would require a proof of purchase to verify you are the original owner. You can try contacting Ninja to see if they will help you. Their warranty info is 1-800-798-7398 or http://www.ninjakitchen.com/warranty/

    Reply
David

I bought a nutrininja iq in February and blank oil began leaking from the blade assembly within a couple of months. Without the oil, the blades would run very hot and smoke would be inside the canister. Shark replaced the blade assembly and the replacement did the same thing within a month. Shark says they will only triplane the blades once but will now be happy to sell me blades for $40. The rep claimed she had never heard of oil leaking but there are many comments about this problem on various websites. I am done with Shark if this is the way they back their products.

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hi David, Thanks for the feedback about your experience with Ninja blender. Wow, smoke is a pretty serious issue. I actually have never heard about oil leaking out so I will look into that. A lot of people love Ninja blenders especially the personal blender line, but I prefer the Nutribullet because I have used them for so long and my friends all use them and I generally don’t have a need for the electronics/preset functions. I have used a Nutribullet over a 1000times and never had an issue.

    Ninja, Nutribullet, and many other blender manufacturers have a standard 1 year warranty. Generally I suggest getting an inexpensive extended warranty like on Amazon.

    Reply
Yakub

Bought Nutibullet 1000 w. The motor blew on me twice within 2 months.
It leaks and blows the motor. Terrible experience. Never recommend this to anyone

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Sorry to hear about that Yakub. Where did it leak from ? From the center of the blade or our the edges where you screw on the container? When you saw 1000 watt model, was it the Nutribullet Prime model ?

    Reply
Adin

Hi, i was wondering about the quality, people complain about NutriBullet PRO stopping with work after one year, so my Question really is: How long is usually one used before it stops working, is NutriBullet really a machine for a year of everday use,, and how do they stack on frozen fruits being used,,especially NutriBullet PRO as they say its not meant for ice, so frozen berries smoothie is out of Question in regards it being stressful and accelerating the Destruction of the machine, and how how does nutri ninja pro stack with these questions also. Thank you very much

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hello Adin, It’s hard to say which brand is more reliable but go with the Ninja if you feel more comfortable with it. The more electronics there are on the blender the higher the liklihood it will have problems. If comparing the basic models (with no electronics) Nutri Ninja vs Nutribullet Pro(or Nutribullet 600) then I would think they both have similar reliability and both will perform well for you. Both brands offers a limited 1 year warranty but I prefer getting an inexpensive Square Trade Appliance appliance warranty on Amazon for extended warranty. I have used a Nutribullet blender for 4 years with almost daily use and never had any problems.

    You can use frozen fruit on either blender. You just don’t want to try blending large clumps of frozen ingredients. Make sure to use enough liquid and you should not have any problems. I use froze fruit and other hard ingredients like Nuts all the time with Nutribullet. I personally never use ice in my Nutribullet. The Nutri Ninja blades (point up like a traditional blade) should handle ice better over time than Nutribullet blade.

    Reply
Myriam

Hi, sorry about my English , I’m from France .
Don’t no wish one to buy as want one that do smoothie with carotte and zucchini.
Can you recommend one ?

Thank you.
Myriam

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hello Myriam. Both can handle those ingredients but the 900 would be better for hard vegetables..

    Reply
sierra

Hello there! Just wondering.. Is there a product that has the blending and juicing capability in one machine. I want a juicer, but I also want to make smoothies
I cant bring see it in my budget to buy two seperated machines at once.
So are thier any out there with both capabilities ? Or am I totally overlooking it?

Thanks!

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hi Sierra, Right now there aren’t a lot of combo units and their performance isn’t as good as individual units. Take a look at our detailed post about Juicer Blender combo machines. I feel blenders are more versatile because you can use more variety of ingredients and less waste. IF you get blender that is powerful enough to blend ingredients to a fine consistency you can just pour the blended drink through a mesh sieve for a close equivalent to juice.

    Reply
Amy

Hi – I have a Nutri Ninja Pro BL492, that I purchased at Bed, Bath and Beyond a couple years ago. My question is regarding the noise while using it. Does it just go along with the territory, that using a blender with a 1200W motor is going to be extremely noisy? I have to leave the kitchen while it is blending because it literally “hurts” my ears! I thought that maybe I was just extra sensitive to noise, but others who have visited our home while my son was making his protein shake, have commented on how noisy it is and that they don’t think it is normal. Just thought I would ask, as I didn’t see anything about it in the manual that came with the blender. I looked at comments from other owners, on Amazon, and some people say it is noisy and others say they don’t think it is! If this is indeed “normal,” any ideas for dealing with this issue? It really is a huge problem for me! As well, I live in an apartment building with very thin walls. I am VERY surprised that no one has complained! I am moving very soon and don’t want to immediately make the others tenants angry! Any thoughts and/or ideas regarding this issue and how to deal with it?
Thank you so much!
Amy

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hi Amy, Yes it is loud like other with this power. Try watching a Youtube videos like this one from Ninja using the BL492 and see if yours sounds different. I am assuming your blender isn’t making any grinding noises or something unusual. Otherwise if noise a big issue for you I like the compact Jamba quiet blender

    Reply
Sharon Ngonyo

Hi I’ve been doing my research on a new blender mostly for smoothie s and nut butters . Came across reviews of nutribullet blowing up and causing some serious injuries on some consumers. Now I’m to scared to buy it…is there any truth to this?

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hi Sharon,
    Yes, I am very aware of that concern since a lawsuit was announced in 2017 but we have seen no recalls or retailers removing the product. (We wrote about it near the top of this post and at the top of our Nutribullet FAQ post). We will continue to update this post if anything changes.

    We continue to use Nutribullet blenders and we emphasize that people read the instructions when buying any blender for proper use. For example with Nutribullet blenders dont crush ice only as it will damage the blades and don’t blend hot ingredients in a Nutribullet because it creates pressure in the jar.

    Reply
RENEE

I have a nutribullet, used it 4-5 days a week for more than 2 years (smoothies with frozen fruit and hard vegetables). Yes, I have had leaking near the blade center, sometimes bad enough where it leaks into the machine. Only happens when I over stuff the jar. The jars are my biggest complaint, the little plastic tabs are constantly breaking off.
I now have a BIG PROBLEM, last week the center spinning piece, attached to the motor MELTED. I have little pieces of plastic all over. It made the smoke detector go off! HELP. (any way to replace the center piece, it looks removable)

Reply
    Anna Powell

    Hi Renee, Have you ever replaced your blade ? If you are using it that frequently I would replace it every 6 months. I haven’t experienced leaks after using quite a few different Nutribullet blades across many years but having a new blade really helps. For the jars are you handwashing them ? Some people put them in the dishwasher which weakens the plastic and I don’t recommend. I haven’t personally had the tabs break on any Nutribullet jar (and I have a couple Nutribullet jars I have used for over 5 years) but they should lock into the base easily when you push down. If you have to push down hard them I would add a lubricant to the springs in the motor base.

    The center base can be replaced but I haven’t personally done it. Nutribullet doesn’t sell that part because it involves having to take the blender apart to replace it. There are sellers on Amazon and Ebay that sell that part for low cost. Here is a video on youtube that shows how to do it.

    Good luck . Let me know if you have any other questions.

    Reply
Rosalinda Oxenbury

Hi, this is Rose, i would like to know how much will it cost me for the blade, i have the ninja pro blade…

Thank you
Rose

Reply
Arty

Can anyone please tell me do the cups designed for the original magic bullet, with work for me i have a ninja 1000 watt professional unit just them (just a ninja blender typical…. will my blades screw on to those cup?

Reply
    Anna Powell

    No Ninja don’t work with Nutribullet and Magic Bullet cups don’t work with any other Nutribullet blender because Magic Bullet cups are too small.

    Reply
Steven

This was excellent, thank you!

Reply
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