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If you’re trying to decide between the Nutri Ninja vs the Magic Bullet, there’s a good chance you’re someone with a particular need. While both blenders have similar designs, and are made with the same on-the-go convenience in mind, they don’t necessarily suit the same type of consumer. Depending on how often you use your blender, what types of ingredients go into it and what type of consistency you prefer, one could be better than the other.
The Nutri Ninja and Magic Bullet are designed to make individual servings rather than big batches at a time. Both blenders use screw-on blade caps that can be readily replaced with a screw-on cap to transform what was just your blending container into a smoothie cup to-go. The biggest difference however is that Nutri Ninja models are equipped with a more powerful motor which starts at 900 watts, compared to the Magic Bullet (which comes in at 200 watts). However, for the right consumer, the Magic Bullet offers excellent bang-for-your-buck.
Nutri Ninja Overview
Nutri Ninja Pro BL450
Single-serve Blender-
Pulverizes ice and frozen fruit easily
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Sturdy construction
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900-watt cyclonic action motor
The Nutri Ninja blender is one of many blenders that make up SharkNinja’s household appliance family. SharkNinja is no stranger to the blending game. The company prides itself on creating accessible culinary products, designed for use both by professionals as well as hobbyists.
The Nutri Ninja is not just on a single model but rather a series Think of them as trim levels. There are some that are more basic, with one speed and one setting. Others pack more of a kick, with variable-speed settings and better features to help get more control over your smoothie’s consistency.
It’s important to remember that although all these blenders bear the Nutri Ninja name they are not all made the same. Some of the products contain Fresh Vac technology, which is designed to extract the oxygen out of the blending cups before blending. This helps fight oxidation, which in theory is supposed to better preserve the nutritional value of your smoothie. Some products also contain Auto-IQ technology, which uses different pulsing patterns to help get the perfect consistency.
The base model is called the Nutri Ninja Pro BL450, and for the sake of an apples-to-apples comparison to the Magic Bullet, it is the focus of our review today. Sure it may lack bells and whistles like the Fresh Vac and Auto-IQ, but its simplicity and style were designed to compete with the Magic Bullet in appealing to the value-conscious consumer.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Great for blending fibrous ingredients
- Powerful motor
- Rugged construction
- Even effective at blitzing seeds
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Noisy when in operation
- Sometimes leaks when overfilled
- More expensive compared to the Magic Bullet
Magic Bullet Overview
Magic Bullet
Single-serve Blender-
Is both a blender and food processor
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Microwave and freezer-safe cups
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Excellent bang-for-buck
The Magic Bullet is something of a legend. It entered the market in 2003 and was the very first blender to rock the ‘to-go’ cup design. The design became a runaway success, and the company has since spun-off other brands, including the NutriBullet and Baby Bullet.
The Magic Bullet itself hasn’t really changed since 2003 and is beloved by many as it is one of the most inexpensive option on the market that also happens to be highly useful. It’s also inexpensive for a reason. The blender houses a 200 watt motor, which in today’s world of 1,000+ watt juggernauts, makes it seem wimpy.
There’s no denying it, the Magic Bullet isn’t a powerhouse when it comes to blending certain ingredients. For example, it has a hard time cutting through certain ingredients like ice. And smoothie consistencies can be, well, inconsistent. However if you not looking to do tasks that demand high output, like blending high fibrous ingredients, or making nut butter, we wouldn’t discount this blender.
Where the Magic Bullet really shines is in its ‘jack of all trades’ capabilities. It can tackle a variety of things: from making party dips like salsa, pasta sauces, frosty milkshakes, to dicing onions. We put the system through its paces and were pleasantly surprised at its ready to please attitude.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Extremely versatile
- Easy to clean
- Ultra compact (small apartment friendly)
- Very budget-friendly
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Significantly smaller motor than the Nutri Ninja
- Requires longer blend times
- Has a tendency to overheat under heavy load
Comparison
To do a fair comparison, let’s first take a look at the general features that you can expect to see on both Nutri Ninja and Magic Bullet blenders. Specifically, we’ll take a look at their motors, blades, settings, pricing, and any additional features that you would want to know about before considering one of these as a kitchen sidekick.
The Motor
This is one category where a head-to-head comparison of the Nutri Ninja and Magic Bullet isn’t even close. The Nutri Ninja trumps its competition with a beefy 900 watt motor. The Magic Bullet comes in at a significantly lower 200 watts. At first glance, the lower output of the Magic Bullet might sound like a dealbreaker but for the right type of consumer, it shouldn’t be.
Most people place value in bigger motors because, well, bigger is better. And it’s true that a more powerful motor can and should make quicker work of whatever it is you’re trying to blend. However, the biggest advantage to a larger motor is its ability for prolonged output. Hitting the blender with back-to-back smoothie blitzes to feed a family on the go? Get the bigger option. Your motor is less likely to overheat, and the blend will remain as consistent on the second batch as it did the first.
If you’re only planning on using your blender for shorter bursts, like making an individual smoothie, the wattage might not be as significant factor for you. Especially if you’re throwing easier ingredients at it, such as liquids or soft fruits.
If you’d like to use your blender for more varied ingredients, and want to be grinding up tougher ingredients including ice, you’ll want to consider the blender with more power. The choice comes down to how you plan on using the blender to suit your life.
The Blades
Both the Magic Bullet and Nutri Ninja come standard equipped with a cross blade. A Cross Blade is named for its four-pronged blade design, and is the general purpose blade most commonly found in blenders. The cross blade design allows it to be used for chopping, grating and blending.
The Magic Bullet however, also comes with an additional flat blade accessory, giving it a leg up over the Nutri Ninja in terms of value. A Flat Blade is most effective at grinding hard foods such as seeds, coffee beans and spices.
The Extras
If the Nutri Ninja easily wins in a motor head-to-head comparison, then the Magic Bullet does the same when it comes to the ‘extras’.
Out of the box, the Magic Bullet includes power base, 2 blades (cross and flat), 2 blender cups, 4 mugs, 4 colored comfort lip rings, 2 sealed lids, 2 vented lids, and recipe book. We were a little conflicted on the mugs have handles on them: on the one hand it made picking up your smoothie more convenient, but it also made using car cup holders not possible. The different coloured comfort lip rings is a great touch however – allowing us to sort smoothie blends by individuals within the household. And of course, having a separate cross and flat blade is a great touch as it allows the Magic Bullet to do a wider variety of singular jobs.
The Nutri Ninja comes with the power base, 1 cross blade, and 2 blender cups that, when combined with the included sip and seal lids, double as a smoothie cup to go. And although the blender cups are quite tall, they were at least cup holder friendly.
When it comes to convenience, many consumers equate this with having access to pre-programmed settings. Pre-programmed settings can be a great thing to have in order to get the desired consistency, whether it’s for a smoothie, soup or sorbet. To this extent, neither the Magic Bullet nor the Nutri Ninja Pro have any pre-programmed settings to consider. So if you anticipate using your blender to handle a variety of jobs, there are other blenders you might like to consider instead.
Warranty
The Nutri Ninja offers a one year limited warranty on the original unit and/or non-wearable parts that are defective.
The Magic Bullet also offers a limited warranty for one year from the date of it was purchased. The warranty protects against defects in materials and workmanship.
In short, while the warranty period for both blenders is sub-standard compared to some of the more premium competition, it’s par for the course for blenders at this price point.
Nutri Ninja or Magic Bullet? Our Verdict
This has to be one of the harder comparison verdicts we’ve had to make. At the end of the day, the individual-serve blender that’s going to depend on your own personal needs. Do you need something that is the most budget-friendly and has more accessories, or do you need a blender with more power and the ability to do multiple blend jobs back-to-back?
If budget is your main priority, then the Magic Bullet comes in at the more favorable price point. However, despite the Bullet having more accessories, we have to crown the Nutri Ninja as the blender champ in this face-off. Both blenders compete in the same value segment, and are of similar build quality, but the Nutri Ninja’s blade design and beefier motor delivered smooth, consistent blends in a shorter period of time. Plus the advantage of a larger motor means that it is less likely to overwork and overheat, and therefore has the better prospect of lasting for years to come.
Winner: Nutri Ninja
The Nutri Ninja gives you 900W of powerful performance to blend ingredients into delicious smooth results. Ninja Pro Extractor Blades break down fruits and vegetables for nutrient rich juices while crushing through ice, seeds, skins and stems for an even consistency every time. The twist-on sip & seal lids allow you to take your drinks quickly on the go.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically, you can, but it would still fall short of using a dedicated juicer. The Nutri Ninja does have the capability of juicing but it takes a great deal of time and results in a lot of pulp you’ll have to extract.
The Magic Bullet actually has a juicing attachment that can be purchased, which attaches to the blender the same way a cup would and results in you being able to juice directly in the blender. This juicing attachment is only compatible with the Magic Bullet.
