It’s important to keep in mind that Ninja approaches blenders a little differently than most manufacturers. It offers something unique with each option. Maybe it’s a super-powerful motor. Maybe it’s several accessories that go with your base. Maybe it’s a host of programs, which allow you to make silky sauces, delicious smoothies, and even cook soup. Because it can tackle multiple culinary tasks with ease, the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ is our top choice. Whatever you’re looking for in a blender, you can find a Ninja to match. Here are the best Ninja blenders to have in your home. What We Don’t Love: No extra containers We expect a lot from our blenders these days, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It’s the 21st century! Why not have a blender that both cooks and makes a mean blended margarita? You deserve it! But, some of us are just looking for a great blender to make the occasional smoothie, puree some tomato soup, and other miscellaneous tasks. In that case, you can’t do better than the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ. It has a low, medium, high, and pulse setting, plus programs for crushing ice, making a smoothie, and even making ice cream. The high wattage means it can handle even the firmest ice with its eyes closed, plus the blades and pitcher can be thrown in the dishwasher after you’re done. This might just be the best blender you’ve ever owned. Price at time of publish: $120 Dimensions (LxWxH): 9 x 6.75 x 17.5 inches | Weight: 8.1 pounds | Features: 3 programs | Wattage: 1100 W | What’s Included: 72-ounce container What We Don’t Love: Low wattage For those on a budget, it would be hard to do better than this compact Ninja blender. Rather than offering a base with buttons that you push for different settings, the base is the container that you fasten the blades inside and the power source atop it. The bases included are a 48-ounce pitcher, a 16-ounce chopper bowl, and a 40-ounce processor bowl. You do sacrifice a bit of wattage for this convenience, as 450 watts is the lowest on the list, but it offers an immense amount of flexibility and makes for easy storage. And, when you consider that it’s a food processor and blender in one, the price seems even more reasonable. This is perfect for a college student or someone new to cooking who’s looking to outfit their kitchen. Price at time of publish: $60 Dimensions (LxWxH): 10.6 x 6.7 x 18.1 inches | Weight: 7.1 pounds | Features: 0 programs | Wattage: 450 W | What’s Included: 48-ounce pitcher, 16-ounce chopper bowl, 40-ounce processor bowl What We Don’t Love: No programs If you have a family that drinks a lot of smoothies, I’m very pleased to introduce you to your perfect blender. While the Ninja BL610 Professional Blender is low on bells and whistles—the buttons are low, medium, high, and pulse—it offers a very high wattage. This means it will easily crush ice and frozen fruit for a perfectly blended drink. It could also be a great fit for an individual who likes to have their frozen drinks pre-batched since the blender container has a maximum capacity of 64 ounces or 8 cups. There’s enough horsepower to blend it all together without air bubbles or a chunk of mango jamming the blades. And, don’t forget about the dishwasher-safe container! Price at time of publish: $100 Dimensions (LxWxH): 10.6 x 8.2 x 15.8 inches | Weight: 7.1 pounds | Features: 0 programs | Wattage: 1000 W | What’s Included: 72-ounce container What We Don’t Love: Not as many functions as the others Are you a fan of the personal blender? I can’t blame you! It’s convenient to store, great for on-the-go protein shakes, and makes getting all your macros simpler than ever. Ninja has a few options for personal blenders, but I like this take. This model offers relatively high wattage for the style, two durable 16-ounce containers that fit in most car holders, and solid batching ability. While it only has a simple pulse function, it should crush ice and blend frozen fruit with ease, making it perfect for milkshakes and daiquiris. And, everything but the power source is dishwasher-safe. Price at time of publish: $60 Dimensions (LxWxH): 4 x 4 x 13 inches | Weight: 4.6 pounds | Features: 0 programs | Wattage: 700 W | What’s Included: (2) 16-ounce containers What We Don’t Love: Hard to clean You might not think of simply whipping out your blender to make a quick batch of soup, but that’s sort of multitasking is what makes this Ninja model amazing. If standing over a stove to cook homemade soups and sauces isn’t your idea of fun, this may be the perfect fit for you. The Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender, which is relatively affordable for a high-powered blender, includes an 800-watt heating element and 12 programs for precise blending, cocktail assembling, and actual cooking. You can choose between a hearty or a smooth soup. You can saute or simply make a sauce. Of course, being a blender, you can also choose between a frozen drink and a smoothie. The flip side is that, due to the heating element, you can’t submerge the container in water. Price at time of publish: $130 Dimensions (LxWxH): 8.8 x 7.9 x 17.9 inches | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Features: 12 programs | Wattage: 1400 W | What’s Included: 64-ounce container, tamper, cleaning brush
What to Look for in a Ninja Blender
Type
The fun thing with Ninja is that you really can find something perfectly suited for you. Its models break down into personal blenders or pitcher blenders. The personal blenders are available at both low and high wattages, but the bases often cannot support a full-size blender container. If you desire both, you should look for a Ninja blender with a personal cup attachment or one of its “kitchen systems.” A few kitchen systems will also include a food processor attachment, making it a multi-functional appliance.
Accessories
There are several Ninja accessory options, including food processor bowls, dough blades, and on-the-go smoothie cups. If you already have a Ninja and are just looking to add an accessory, though, make sure that the accessory will fit your machine. Not all accessories are compatible with all machines.
Does the wattage make a difference?
Most blenders range from 500 to 700 watts, though you can find them as low as 200 and as high as 1500. The more often you plan on blending hard foods (especially ice), the more worthwhile it is to go for higher wattage, starting at around 600. If you’re mostly planning on using your blender for soups and sauces, though, you can probably get away with lower wattage.
Are the Ninja blender cups interchangeable?
Many of the blender cups are interchangeable, but many are not. Before you buy additional accessories or a different Ninja model, make sure to confirm that it’s compatible with whatever accessory or model you want to use it with.
Why Trust Simply Recipes?
Christine Clark is a summer smoothie drinker and a winter soup eater, making her a big fan of blenders. She is now a Vitamix owner, but her first excellent blender was a Ninja. When she’s not making smoothies or eating cheese, she’s reading and exploring Vermont. Read Next: The Best Single-Serve Coffee Makers
