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Product Review: Ninja Professional Blender

Angela | November 26, 2010

Don’tcha just love to blend?

I don’t know about for you, but for me, blending is cathartic. It lets me get out my pent up anger on innocent pieces of fruit and vegetables. A few pulses, a swirl of the blades, and even the most frozen of items can be turned into liquid deliciousness. I love to blend so much that I wrote an ode to green drinks on my non-cooking blog last month.

A few weeks ago, I dropped the glass jar of my trusty red Black & Decker blender, and had a dilemma on my very messy hands. Initially, I thought I’d just replace the broken glass jar and go on about my day. But, replacement jars cost almost as much as a new standard blender, and, once you add on shipping, they can be more.

Ironically (or perhaps coincidentally), 2Chili had been on my case to buy a heavier-duty blender because he felt I blended enough to warrant something beefier. Translation: he was annoyed by the length of time he was required to listen to smoothie blending during football games or other important entertainment. He had a fair point.

After quite a bit of research online, I could not find a blender on Amazon.com, my preferred shopping destination, that met the “looks good” and “gets good reviews” qualifications I had in mind. As much as I would have liked to get a Vita-Mix, I couldn’t pull the trigger on a $500 blender. So, we got in the car and headed to Target one night to see if perhaps there was something there that at least fit the “looks good” category.

We came home with something called the Ninja Professional Blender. It was the only one they had, and, we came this close to not getting it because we couldn’t figure out how to get the blasted thing off its base in the store. Turns out the floor model was glued together. Jeesh.

DSC_0825 DSC_0824

So, is it all ninja-like and stuff?

Well, I have never met a ninja, but I imagine if ninjas could blend, they would blend at least this well. I have given it some fairly decent challenges, like frozen cubed pumpkin, and lots of ice, and it blends them up like nobody’s business. It has some cons, though, which I’ll get into below. For the record, removing the jar from its base just requires a very simple twist.

Pros:

  • Very powerful. It has a 1000 watt motor. For the price (roughly $99 not on sale), that is pretty amazing.
  • High volume. At 72-ounces, the pitcher can hold a lot of whatever it is you are blending.
  • Locking lid. The lid locks down, and you can’t run the motor without the lid locked. This is good from a safety perspective, but also from a “no splattering” perspective. How many times have you had the blender lid blow off and its splatter everywhere when blending up a pretty full jar of goodness? I am not embarrassed to admit that happened to me quite a bit in the past. No longer. The lid locks down and doesn’t budge until you release it with a “release” button.
  • Nifty pour spout. You can blend up your favorite smoothie and pour it out neatly, without worrying about that landslide of smoothie that could come flying out at any minute if you’re not careful. This is a nice touch!
  • Blends pretty much anything in no time. I would say my blending time has been cut at least in half, if not by 75%. Because there are three blades that rise into the blender, instead of just one at the base of the jar, there is less of a worry about getting the delicate balance of liquid-to-solids down just right. Put in your ingredients, and either pulse to combine, or blend at a speed of “1,” “2” or “3,” and the machine takes care of everything. I can blend things into an ice cream consistency now because the machine will blend with a lot less liquid.
  • The blades are removable. No more scraping at the bottom of the blender jar to get out that last bit of whatever you’ve blended – just release the lid and pull out the blades, and you can easily remove all the mixture.
  • Easy to clean. I was initially leary about putting the jar into the dishwasher, even though the instruction manual says it’s dishwasher safe. But, after a few times of cleaning it with the other method listed — putting a drop of detergent into the jar, with the blades in tact, fill with water to the 3/4 line, and blend for 20 seconds — I decided to try out the dishwasher. And, I can confidently report, it is perfectly dishwasher safe. After about 10 dishwasher cycles, it still looks brand new. No fogging, which is what I was worried about. I think this plastic must be very heavy duty, unlike the plastic on my food processor jar!

Cons:

  • It is tall. The assembled blender just barely fits under our upper cabinets. I have to be really careful sliding it under the cabinets, as the “release” button on the lid protrudes a bit and can get caught on the face frame of the cabinet. Also, it can be awkward to fill using the water spout in your fridge (if you have such a thing, as we do).
  • The blades are removable. Yes, I know that was also a “pro.” The thing is, if you’re not careful and leave the blades lying around, they can do serious damage to human flesh. Just ask 2Chili. He managed to cut his hand the very first night we had the blender. After that, I started either cleaning the blender immediately, or, if I put it in the sink, I made sure to store the blades in the blender jar.
  • The jar is plastic. I really, really didn’t want a plastic jar, as we all know what happens to plastic over time. It gets foggy and scratched. But, I did break a glass jar, so I guess there is no really perfect solution here. Just be careful when removing the blades, because if you touch them to the jar, well, the jar scratches.

Troubleshooting:

As time has gone by and this page has seen more and more traffic, I have seen a few trends what is driving folks to the review, so I thought it was worth updating the page.

  • Blender Won’t Start. I seem to get quite a few visits from folks having troubles getting the Ninja to start. If your power button is blinking red and your blender won’t start, the most likely culprit here is that the lid is not locked. Be sure the lid is locked down and clicked into place, and that will probably fix your issue. If it doesn’t, you should contact the Ninja  Support folks.
  • Can’t Remove the Lid. A second driver of traffic to this page is not being able to remove the lid. I have found that if you wash the Ninja jar in the dishwasher and then put the lid in place when it’s still slightly damp, a suction cup effect forms. You then have to pull very, very hard to remove the lid. I recommend pulling the jar off its base and putting it on the counter so you can get a little more leverage when pulling off the lid.

The Verdict:

I found it amusing that product description for this blender states that “it’s a socially positive appliance that can bring joy to all.” I doubt it will really help you in social situations unless you are a margarita-blending maniac or you regularly hang out with the crew from Jamba Juice. But, it does blend and it blends well. If you are looking for a heavy-duty blender with a low-duty price, you might want to check this one out. I have never used a Vita-Mix, so I can’t compare this “professional blender” with the gold standard for blenders. For my very pedestrian purposes, it works great!

If you enjoyed this review and decide to purchase this blender, purchasing from Amazon via this link – Ninja Professional Blender – helps support Test Kitchen Tuesday by providing a small referral fee from Amazon. Thanks for stopping by!




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196 Responses to “Product Review: Ninja Professional Blender”

  1. Edward - If You Can Read, You Can Cook says:
    November 27, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    Very interesting. Considering how loud blenders are in general and how quiet ninjas are supposed to be, I guess the question to ask is “how loud is it?”
    I love the fact that this has removable blades; my old $20 blender had that and my new $20 blender doesn’t. Having the blades fixed is a real pain in the butt.
    I’m not a big fan of safety lids. I’ve never had a blender lid explosion accident, and my mini food processor gives me fits because of it’s locking lid which only locks in one direction but latches in two directions. I spend half my time with that thing trying to figure out why it won’t run.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      November 27, 2010 at 6:59 pm

      Hmm, that is a good question. I would say the motor is definitely quiter than the average blender. But, if you’re chopping up something really hard, such as frozen pumpkin or lots of ice, you get a good deal of vibration of the contents against the plastic jar for a few seconds until it starts to really blend it, which is pretty loud. I think that could really be improved with a glass jar. I like the locking lid – I had a history of not holding the lid down tight enough on high-volume blending items. It is pretty easy to lock and release. There is a part that flips up when it is released, and you simply press it down to lock it. I have one of those same types of food processors, in which I do not like the locking mechanism, but this one is very easy to know when it is or isn’t locked. The biggest thing that swings me over to liking this blender is really how easily, quickly, and thoroughly it blends. I can blend a typical smoothie with frozen fruit and ice in less than 20 seconds…

      Reply
      • Tammy says:
        May 17, 2013 at 9:39 am

        Hi Angela, I just bought this Ninja blender and I put in frozen strawberries, blueberries and a container of
        yogurt. It did not blend very well and I had to keep taking the lid off and scrape the sides. I’m wondering if
        there are any tips you could give me?
        Thank you.

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          May 17, 2013 at 7:07 pm

          Hi Tammy,

          I would consider adding something that is a little more liquid to your mixture as the first thing you put in. Or, if you don’t want to do that, put your yogurt in first, then the berries. I’m not sure what order you added them, but you generally want the most liquid thing first, then the frozen items next.

          Hope that helps – let me know!
          Angela

          Reply
    • Sherrie says:
      June 2, 2012 at 6:22 pm

      120.00 bucks for a blender and the damn thing won’t work– no matter what I do — it wont work.
      so disgusted by my decision to buy a “better” blender. POS I am so mad.

      Reply
      • Angela says:
        June 2, 2012 at 6:50 pm

        Hi Sherrie,

        Do you have the lid lock aligned properly? It needs to line up a certain way or else the blender won’t start…just take a look to see if you have the arrows lined up. Otherwise, I would take it back to where you bought it for a refund or replacement.

        Angela

        Reply
      • Sevan says:
        June 18, 2013 at 12:37 pm

        ~I was wondering the same thing until I looked online (misplaced the manual), & found out that the problem was that the arrow on the lid needed to match up with the arrow on the pitcher-& VOILA-It Worked…This is an added safety feature for our own benefit-not only because the blades are razor sharp, but it also keeps the lid locked in place so we don’t have to spend days finding & scraping batter off the ceiling, the fridge, & everywhere else it gets flung when those cheapo lids come off mid blend. I love this mixer…It actually can blend my hummus without having to stop it from getting stuck constantly!

        Reply
        • Kathie says:
          July 28, 2015 at 11:58 am

          Thank you for your help! It worked after matching up arrows! Whew!

          Reply
    • Sandra Bongiorno says:
      August 26, 2012 at 11:29 am

      I love my Ninja like no other appliance I’ve ever had. I now have the largest at my home in Florida and the medium one in my camper. I use it at least once each day and sometimes more. The locking lid made me laugh when I finally figured it out but I love that it won’t start unless locked. The suction that develops if there is moisture in the container or lid is easy enough to get past. There is a recipe for ice cream that tells you to have an ice cream maker handy but I found that if you stir the solution every hour until it’s almost sold and then reblend it,it’s luscious. No need for a separate ice cream maker. Enjoy.

      Reply
    • Joy says:
      April 27, 2013 at 3:13 pm

      “How loud is it?” OMG – LOUD! And I don’t like the fact that smoothies are not really smooth. They are very granular! Not impressed with being able to chew my smoothie.

      Reply
  2. Rene says:
    December 30, 2010 at 9:34 pm

    I am interested in buying one, mostly for juicing purposes. How does the Ninja juice? Do you have to add a lot of water?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • carol says:
      March 10, 2012 at 12:49 am

      I have both a juicer and the Ninja. I love my Ninja, but as far as juicing? My juicer makes a much better drink. I tried juicing in my Ninja and was disappointed. I didn’t like all the pulp and I didn’t like having to add water to my juice to make it drinkable. Maybe other folks have had a more positive result with juicing with their Ninja, but not me. But I LOVE my Ninja for a lot of other things! I just keep both on the counter, my juicer and my Ninja!

      Reply
      • Angela says:
        March 10, 2012 at 7:37 am

        Hi Carol,

        I think your approach is fairly common for folks that juice a lot. The Ninja does a lot of things really well, though IMO juicing isn’t it’s #1 skill. It’s workable, but you have to have the right mindset if you want it to juice!

        Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
    • Jim says:
      November 8, 2013 at 9:16 pm

      The ninja is not very good for juicing. It will grind the helloutta anything (we make a lotta salsa and it chops it right up, hot or cold), but for juicing, I recommend a Vitamix!

      Reply
  3. Angela says:
    December 31, 2010 at 12:01 pm

    Hi Rene,
    I haven’t used it for straight up juicing yet – that is a good idea! I’ll try it and amend this review in the next week or so. Personally, I think the ninja’s strength is more around thicker items like smoothies and ice crushing. I have used it for making various veggie purees for baking, such as sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, applesauce, etc. For pureeing, you have to add less water than a traditional blender, but, you do still have to add water. If you mostly want juicing, you might better off with a traditional juicer, IMO. But, if you want something that is pretty diverse, this probably could work for you if you are willing to do some trial and error. What is a typical juice you would want to make? I can give it a shot for you and report back! I love a new experiment…

    Reply
  4. Rene says:
    December 31, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    Sounds like a great machine. For juicing I was thinking of just regular veggies. Carrots, peppers, tomatoes, apples, oranges, ginger. Nothing too crazy. I know that some higher end blenders claim they can juice but it just ends up in a thick mess. People have been saying the Montel Williams Health Master blender doesn’t do the greatest job juicing,j which it claims to do, and it seems similiar to the Ninja. Thanks for the reply and look forward to hearing how the Ninja does with juicing.

    Reply
  5. Angela says:
    December 31, 2010 at 5:59 pm

    Ooh, I’m excited to try this out! I’ll do some sort of juice test with a couple different ingredients this week and write a post about it. Thanks for the comment and the inspiration for a new test!

    Reply
  6. Angela says:
    January 4, 2011 at 12:35 pm

    Hi Rene,

    Here is the result of the juicing experiment: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/01/04/getting-juiced-how-to-make-juice-with-a-ninja-blender/

    I’m surprised at how well it did, but if you’re a daily juicer, I would still probably recommend a dedicated juicer machine. But if you want something that is more multipurpose, it is possible to juice with the Ninja, as long as you are willing to manually strain the pulp with a sieve.

    Good luck!

    Reply
  7. ceseme says:
    January 8, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    I can’t get the lid off. I push the release button and pull the handle upward, but the lid stays firmly in place. What am I doing wrong?

    Reply
    • Faye says:
      April 27, 2011 at 5:29 pm

      Put thumb under lid and push up…………

      Reply
  8. Angela says:
    January 8, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    Hmm, that is not a problem I have had. The lid can be sticky sometimes if you put it on right out of the dishwasher when it is a little damp around the edges. I have found that doing this makes it kind of like a suction cup and you really have to pull. Best advise I can offer is to pull really hard if it is sticking. You might need to take it off its base to get enough leverage if it is really stuck, since it is so tall. Otherwise, if that doesn’t work, you might want to call Ninja directly – it shouldn’t be impossible to remove!

    Reply
  9. Chandana says:
    April 13, 2011 at 11:27 am

    Hi there Angela, just got to this site 🙂 .. and have saved it :).
    Do you still like your blender? Is it still functioning as efficiently? Would you still recommend it?

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      April 13, 2011 at 11:55 am

      Hi Chandana!

      Yes, I love the blender. It’s awesome – I think it is my most favorite kitchen item ever. I have a few scratches in the jar now because it is plastic, but otherwise, it is still working great, and I use it almost every day (much to Dan’s chagrin). 🙂

      Reply
  10. Kat says:
    May 10, 2011 at 12:38 pm

    One night when I was very ill with food poisoning which seemed to go on for at least a week and messed up my sleep/wake schedule, I saw the Ninja blender, or rather the Ninja Kitchen System 1100, on an infomercial.

    I was impressed that the infomercial included the supposed inventor of this blender who claimed to have lost weight using the product, but having been a newspaper reporter and editor for years and years, I am skeptical of everything I read and see. People lie. A lot. And money can easily turn a saint into a sinner. I was also impressed that I could supposedly save a lot of time and money by using this blender, as well as the fact that I didn’t get nauseated watching the infomercial since of course I had food poisoning.

    I have lots of questions:
    Is this blender “legitimate”? I love the idea of a plastic jar (I also love stainless steel) because I am very clumsy (possible M.S.) and have broken entire sets of dishes, cups and glasses over the past several years.
    If it is “legitimate” and I buy it, would it include the recipe books that were mentioned in the infomercial? Or was that a one-time only thing?
    Would the blender itself be sufficient or should I buy the entire 1100 system? I spend too much damn money on pre-made coffee drinks, smoothie-type drinks, gluten-free soups, etc., because that’s pretty much all I can “eat” because it’s all I can “cook” and keep down (even before the food poisoning). I hate that every time I go to the market, I wind up with heavy, heavy bags full of soups in boxes, coffee drinks, cans of protein powder, cans of pre-made protein drinks, etc., because carrying all of it from the trunk to inside the house makes my pain a lot worse and is exhausting.
    So would it be worth my while to buy the entire system?
    Is it really quiet when it blends? I ask because no matter how much I’ve paid for blenders in the past — vand I’ve gone through quite a few because they don’t seem able to handle ice, etc., or they just break down and stop working — the blenders are so loud, neighbors have come over to ask if I was OK.
    Is it really possible to make all the types of drinks shown in the infomercial?
    Or is it just a scam?
    Any help or advice would be most appreciated. Thank you in advance.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      May 10, 2011 at 5:04 pm

      Hi Kat,

      Well, I don’t know that I can answer all of your questions, but I can say I absolutely love my Ninja. I’ve had it about 6 months now, and it still works great. I don’t have the whole “kitchen system,” I just have the Ninja Professional Blender, so I can’t comment there. However, I have been thinking about buying the whole kitchen system because I enjoy my Ninja Professional so much. I think it would be neat to have the smaller jar and accessories as well.

      In terms of noise when it blends, I wouldn’t say it’s particularly loud or quiet – kind of average, I guess. The big thing is it blends FAST. I mean, it devours stuff. So, when you do blend, it doesn’t go on as long as it would with a normal blender. I use it to blend all kinds of stuff, and it works well. One thing I’ve noticed, though, is because the jar is so tall, it definitely works best with a significant volume of things, as gravity helps push down whatever you’re blending. So, if you just want to chop up 1/4 cup of nuts, the food processor would be better. But, if you want to turn a pound of peanuts into peanut butter, it is absolutely awesome.

      I guess to answer your biggest question on if it is a scam, no, I don’t think so at all. For me personally, it has been great. You might want to consider buying yours at Target or Amazon, where they have a refund policy, that way you can feel comfortable that you can return it if you don’t like it.

      Happy blending!

      Reply
  11. PJS says:
    May 24, 2011 at 3:12 pm

    Hi
    thanks for the review. I also aminterested but in other reviews, folks says it really doesn’t create a smooth smoothie- tiny grainy bits are left as with the ice. ALso I aminterested in making green smoothies. How does do with veggies?
    Thank you.
    PJS

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      May 27, 2011 at 9:29 pm

      Hi Pamela,

      It sort of depends on how much volume you put in the jar when it comes to the smoothies. The more you put in, the better it does in terms of overall blending. For smoothies, I usually use about 8-12 oz of liquid plus frozen fruit and rarely use ice. I am able to get a very smoothe consistency. You will get tiny bits of spinach or kale left over in green smoothies, which I don’t mind so much, but if you’re wanting them completely dissolved, it doesn’t do that with the greens. But, it can pulverize frozen fruit no problem at all!

      Reply
      • Kait says:
        March 8, 2012 at 10:45 am

        So you still have to chew your green smoothies? This is the biggest thing I’m trying to “replace” for my new blender! Thanks.

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          March 8, 2012 at 3:05 pm

          Hi Kait,

          Hmm, no, I wouldn’t say you have to chew — you may have a few tiny little bits of greens, depending on whatever else you’re blending it with, but not really “chewable” size. For some reason, I have found if I have a banana in the mix for the green smoothie, everything seems to be blended up more smoothly than if I don’t. I can’t explain why! The three-blade system is fantastic for pulverizing stuff, but it just can’t make greens like kale and spinach into as fine of a consistency as a traditional blender with the blades at the bottom. You may find that the Ninja Pulse is a better fit for you – as it is the best of both worlds. It has single-cup blending with the blades at the bottom, as well as a pitcher with blades through the middle. I wrote a review here: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/01/03/product-review-ninja-pulse-blending-system/

          Reply
          • Leah says:
            January 8, 2013 at 3:40 pm

            I have the whole system. Most of it is still in the wrapper in the cupboard. I just don’t use the dough maker. As far as green smoothies, I have made many of these in the last few weeks. I can blend for 10 minutes and still have bits of spinach. My husband doesn’t mind but I don’t care for the texture. I feel like I’m chewing my smoothie. Looking for a blender that will actually blend a smooth smoothie!

          • Angela says:
            January 8, 2013 at 8:10 pm

            Hi Leah,

            Have you added ice to your green smoothies? Adding ice, or some frozen fruit, pretty much does away with the green bits. Also if you have the single serve cup (not sure what model you have), you can get a very smooth smoothie. It has to do with the way the blades go through the center of the larger jars. They are great for some things, but need a little help (ice) to obliterate greens…

            Angela

    • DingusMcgee says:
      April 23, 2015 at 8:58 am

      The older Ninja models were terrible and did not make smooth smothies. I believe they have fixed that problem in the current models (within past 1-2 years).

      Reply
  12. mike says:
    May 27, 2011 at 8:24 pm

    i have been interested in getting a good all around blender,, actually the living well by montel williams infomercial caught my eye. i briefly looked this ninja professional 900 watt over at walmart and it looked pretty well made and the price wasnt that absurd. i didnt buy it as i wanted to do a little research first, well after sitting here reading for a hour it looks like this blender makes pretty good smoothies and shakes,, obviously crushes ice very well,,, juicing sounds like a pain if you gotta strain off the pulp but thatys not what im after,, im looking more twords a health drink machine where i can dump in whole apples and bananas, some blueberries,, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, broccoli, ect and drink the entire mixture as a healthy shake drink. now im torn between these two blenders i have mentioned,, has anyone compared these two and how do they stack up against each other? thanks,,, mike

    Reply
  13. Frappu-so-so « Food it Forward says:
    August 1, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    […] you are curious about the Ninja blender, read this […]

    Reply
  14. Sondra says:
    August 15, 2011 at 10:43 am

    Angela, I want to know if it really chops up ice as finely as it shows on the commercial? And do you have to add water to the ice as regular blenders require? A blender I bought about 8 years ago was advertised as able to make fine ice from ice cubes but the ice kept getting stuck. My sister said to add water but it still didn’t work like I wanted. In 2008 I bought a snow cone ice shaver to give me shaved ice then mix to make a smoothie. I’m thinking about the Ninja but don’t want to be disappointed in another blender. Thanks for you reply.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      August 15, 2011 at 11:48 am

      Hi Sondra,

      You know, I don’t know – I have never tested it for that! I have had commenters say they make snow cones with it, but have never tried. You have provided me a good idea for a test. I will test it out and write up a post in the next couple of days and report back to you!

      Reply
    • Angela says:
      August 17, 2011 at 7:49 pm

      Hi Sondra,

      I just did a “snow” test and can say it does chop up the ice into snow. I’m going to write up a post on this tomorrow. Basically, fill up the 72 oz jar with cubes, blend for about 30 seconds to a minute, and you have snow cone worthy ice! Pretty cool!

      Angela

      Reply
  15. JD says:
    August 17, 2011 at 9:38 am

    What are those photos? Looks like the Ninja burned out in the picture on the right. Thanks for all your info!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      August 17, 2011 at 9:51 am

      Hi JD,

      Interesting point. That is just the shadows from the way the light was coming in from the window to the right.

      Reply
  16. Ber says:
    August 18, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    I have a Waring 1050xtx Xtreme blender. The bushing broke and since I use my high power blender at least 2x a day I had to get another high power one but not at $300! So I purchased the ninja 1200 set, bowl and pitcher. So far I love it and the customer service is tops. Since I purchased a display unit, the only one in the store, it was missing a blade but the manufacturer is sending me one! So just for CS alone I rate this unit highly.

    Now, so far I have been able to do just as much with it as with my professional Waring and it is quieter to boot. Yes, the Waring carafe is plastic too and I do know just what you mean about the looks of the carafe eventually.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      August 21, 2011 at 7:08 am

      Interesting that the Ninja is quiter than the Waring! I got over the plastic jar concern fairly early into owning my Ninja. It is a little scuffed up now, but the blender is just so fantastic that all of a sudden the plastic jar didn’t matter as much. Though, I do see myself perhaps buying a replacement jar someday – though not any time soon. There is just no need. Thanks for your comparison of the two blenders…

      Reply
  17. Sondra says:
    August 23, 2011 at 8:40 am

    Thanks for experimenting with the ice. I’ll be putting away some money over the next couple of months to get the Ninja set. Target has the set for $159.99. Like you I’d rather get it from somewhere I can take it back to. Thank you, thank you, thank you. With the stuff the Ninja can do I’ll only use my mixer for my oatmeal cookies with raisins and nuts.

    Reply
    • Lyla says:
      July 13, 2012 at 7:51 pm

      I purchased the 1200 last night at Wal-Mart for $152.00. I thought I had picked up the 1100, which I knew was that price when I looked a little closer at the box and saw it was actually 1200! I had ordered the Pulse with Slicer/Shredder from QVC last week. I was trying to replace my KA stand mixer, which I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of and my GE food processor, which had been recalled anyway (that’s another story) After reading another post that the quality of the slicing/shredding isn’t that high, I thought the KS 1200 might suit me better. I like the fact of the smaller bowl and the whisk attachment, as I do a lot of baking. The smaller bowl is great as I’m single but when the grandchildren come, the large pitcher will be nice, as well as using it for my baking needs. I think I’ll gift the Pulse to my daughter. I spoke with Ninja Customer Service via their chat line and discovered you can order 4 single serve tumblers as an accessory, you just can’t blend “in” them; basically they can be used as a to-go cup, which I believe I will be ordering in the near future. In this way, I think I should be close to having the best of both worlds! LOL! 😉

      Reply
      • Angela says:
        July 14, 2012 at 7:57 pm

        Hi Lyla,

        I didn’t realize you had already bought the 1200. I would totally stick with it! You won’t regret it. I was behind on reading my comments when I replied to the string with you and Debbie T, and thought you were still in research/shopping mode. It is going to give you better results if you do a lot of large baking projects. Great idea to give the Pulse to your daughter and keep the KS for yourself.

        Angela

        Reply
        • Lyla says:
          July 15, 2012 at 12:09 pm

          Thanks, Angela! I was a bit perplexed by yours reply advising me to keep the Pulse instead of the 1200 but as I’m new not only to the Ninja world but also too your group, I thought I might be missing something. I’m still at somewhat of a crossroads as I like the fact of the single-serve cups but maybe the processor bowl will suffice. My Pulse also has the slicer/shredder, so that’s also a drawing card although the whisking attachment is nice not to mention the larger pitcher…72 vs 48. As you can see, I’m still sitting on the fence! 🙁

          Reply
          • Angela says:
            July 15, 2012 at 4:57 pm

            Sorry Lyla. I was travelling yesterday and that’s what I get for only reading the conversation you had with Debbie T. I might suggest you keep them both (I have both!) as it sounds like they will both serve you nicely. See which one you use more and like better, and then give your daughter the other one. 🙂

          • Lyla says:
            July 16, 2012 at 6:43 am

            Thanks for your input, Angela! You actually have both and use both?! Which do you use/like move and why? It’d be a lot handier if they all fit on one base so I wouldn’t have to clutter my counter, which is one of my objectives, but then I guess there’d be no need to sell other models, would there?! LOL! 😀

  18. Carl says:
    September 1, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    I love my Ninja and use it every day, but my wife started to blend some frozen strawberries and the “JAR” just BUSTED!!! Well there is an almost round whole in the wall of the jar that is a couple inches across. So much for quality!!! Hope they replace it.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 1, 2011 at 6:01 pm

      WOW! I cannot believe that! I have blended up some seriously dense stuff (like frozen butternut squash) with no issues at all. I wonder if the heat from the dishwasher degrades the plastic over time. Do keep us posted on the outcome…

      Reply
  19. Strawberry Mango Shake : FITBLOGGER says:
    September 1, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    […] threw it all into the Ninja blender, and had a really great recovery drink in no time at all. This drink has the thicker consistency of […]

    Reply
  20. ashley says:
    September 3, 2011 at 5:14 pm

    i ordered the ninja and i cannot get the lid off when i took it out of the box…no matter what i did the lid would NOT come off…Help!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 3, 2011 at 5:46 pm

      Hi Ashley,

      Apologies ahead of time if you have tried this, but did you press the “Release” button on the top of the lid? When you press that button the handle to the lid pops up and you should be able to get it off. You may have to pull very hard the first time.

      If you still can’t get the lid off, I would recommend calling Ninja directly for help at 800-798-7398. .

      Reply
  21. Marianne says:
    September 4, 2011 at 11:39 pm

    Great review(s) of the everything the Ninja Blender can and can’t do (I’ve been perusing your site). I’m in desperate need of a blender since my Magic Bullet died, and just can’t justify the cost of a Vita-Mix or Blendtec, being on a student budget and all. A friend suggested I check out the Ninja Blender, so I’ve been doing some research. Looks like it will satisfy my smoothie/nut milk/nut butter blending needs. I think I might just go out and treat myself to one tomorrow – perhaps as a “back to school” present!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 5, 2011 at 6:59 am

      Hi Marianne,

      Glad you are finding some helpful info on the site! I have been testing a Magic Bullet “copycat” from Cuisinart and I keep promising a review on it (soon, soon). I can’t speak directly about the Magic Bullet itself, but I have found that the Ninja has spoiled me with its sheer power. I forget sometimes that “normal” blenders can’t chop frozen bananas whole or pulverize nuts so quickly. I am with you on the cost of the Vita-Mix or Blendtec – it is hard to justify, on any budget. Good luck with your new school year!

      Reply
  22. Melb says:
    September 15, 2011 at 9:53 am

    Hello! I have the Ninja 1100 and absolutely loved it. I started my green smoothies about two days ago and the smoothies are coming out gritty. They have bits and small pieces of greens that are not blended well. I have contacted the manufacture and they start to put the water and greens in first and try that. So, I am going to try that and a couple of things. I am determined to make it work just like the Vitamix/Blendtec. Whenever this breaks or goes out, I will be purchasing the high priced blenders! But until then………:)

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 15, 2011 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Melb,

      Yes, I would say I have a similar experience to you – but I guess it doesn’t bother me that much I just chew up the little bits of green and go about my day. I have noticed the Ninja does best with volume – it blends more smoothly with more contents, but you don’t always need a whole pitcher full of green smoothie. 😉 I think it is due to the the way the blades are stacked and spaced, instead of being at the bottom like a traditional blender. Thank you for noting this – I will update the review to reflect this nuance.

      Reply
      • Jill Marie says:
        October 15, 2012 at 8:52 am

        Blend up a lot and drink what you need at the time. Then put the rest in a glass jar to refrigerate or take with. Green smoothies all day! I was over the moon when I saw the Ninja at Lowe’s that looked much like the Vitamix. I did see through reviews and experience that all the greens are not totally smoothed. However, it tastes fine and adds some more fiber.

        Reply
  23. DavidB says:
    September 25, 2011 at 1:24 pm

    Just bought the Ninja blender. Used it once and when I went to use it a second time, the power light kept blinking no matter what I did and the blender would not come on. I don’t think it was mentioned before fully in details, if it was forgive me. I had the lid on and the container on tight, but the power light was still blinking. I figured it out…….On the top of the lid and the handle of the pitcher, there are an arrow on each. The arrows must be lined up or the power button will blink and the unit will not come on. The unit I bought was a refurbished unit and even though you can send it back within 30 to get repaired, there was shipping to them and then including $30 for shipping back. So basically, if I did that, it would of been cheaper to buy a new one from the beginning. You can imagine how upset I was after only having it one week and using it once. The instructions said nothing about a blinking power light or a full set of instructions.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 25, 2011 at 5:40 pm

      Hi David,

      That’s too bad! I have had many comments on this topic and I think I have mentioned the lid must be locked, but you’re right, I don’t think I ever mentioned the arrows have to be lined up. Good call out. I hope it is working better for you now!

      Reply
      • Lindsie says:
        March 16, 2012 at 2:21 pm

        I thought I was going to scream when I couldn’t get the Ninja to work…and then I found your blog about lining up the arrows. Thank you for the help! It really is a great blender now that I can work it.

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          March 16, 2012 at 8:57 pm

          Hi Lindsie,

          Glad to be of help! Happy blending!

          Reply
  24. Norma says:
    October 10, 2011 at 8:13 am

    Hi Angela,

    Great web site. I just bougt my Ninja Pro System 1100 at BJ’s Wholesale Club for $129 +tax.
    I have a Vitamix, a Magic Bullet and now the Ninja. Each has its special function. With the Vitamix, the blades are not removable unless you disassemble the whole unit. Therefore, if I want to grind up meat, I never truly felt safe using the Vitamix for that purpose. It pulverizes a bit better than the Ninja, but both make great smoothies. The snow cone in the Ninja is great. I made one for my grandson the other day, and he loved it. To grind ice in the Vitamix, you need to add water, which does not make for a great snowcone. The Magic Bullet is great for doing tiny amounts of chopping. A small amount of whipped cream etc.

    One other item to comment on is that the Ninja is easier to get items such as ice cream scraped out of the bowl than the Vitamix. The blades and narrow bottom of the Vitamix makes it a very difficult task to remove thick items from the bottom of the bowl.

    The Vitamix is also great for making hot soups right in the jar. Just let the soup blend for approx. 7 min.

    I love all three of my blenders – each for its special features.

    BTW, the Ninja has a smaller footprint, and if you set the lid upside down on the tall bowl, it slides under my cabinet just fine.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      October 10, 2011 at 1:58 pm

      Norma,

      THANK YOU for the honest comparison of the three blenders. I agree wtih you that they all have their different purposes, and it sort of depends on what you need it for when you determine which is right for you. The Ninja meets my needs and then some, but some folks are unhappy with it. I had never thought of the benefit of the tall blade for grinding meat – good point!

      The Ninja fits very well under the cabinets in my new house — which means we probably built our uppers in our old house a skosh too low. 😉

      Thanks for stopping by!
      Angela

      Reply
  25. Vickie says:
    October 23, 2011 at 7:45 pm

    My Majic Bullet has served it’s purpose so I began researching Ninja vs. Healthmaster. Your posts have me ready to click over to Amazon or Target and buy! Obviously you love your Ninja but what do you know of the Healthmaster and how it stands up to The Ninja. I’m mainly using using it for smoothies and frozen drinks. But after reading all the posts I’ll be ready to do so much more.

    Thanks so much,

    Vickie

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      October 24, 2011 at 8:13 am

      Hi Vickie,

      Honestly, I don’t know much about the HealthMaster. I browsed through the site this morning and it appears that the HealthMaster is more like a BlendTec or VitaMix, in that all the blending is done by a blade at the base. The Ninja has three blades that go through the middle of the pitcher. This is both good and bad! It is great for many applications, especially making homemade Lara Bars and more food proccessor type applications, like making mashed potatoes or blended soups. But, it doesn’t make as “smooth” of an end result in a lot of areas like a traditional blender would – some people complain that it leaves greens like spinach kind of “gritty” and doesn’t completely blend them up. I think it is GREAT with frozen items, like frozen bananas and other dense fruits for making smoothies. In a head to head power test, they are the same (1100 watts) and their jars hold the same amount (70 oz). The Ninja Kitchen System comes with a lot of handy accessories and a smaller jar in addition to the large one, so it may be more versatile. All that to say, it just sort of depends on what you will use it for! I think you will probably be happy with either option, and they are both way less expensive than BlendTec or VitaMix. Good luck!

      Reply
    • Angela says:
      October 25, 2011 at 8:29 am

      Hi Vickie, a second thing! I found a discount page for you today if you decide to go with the HealthMaster. I happened to be looking at a website that had an ad for $50 off:

      http://www.myhealthmaster.com/special_offer/?gclid=CJXcwIiThKwCFQuAhwodPyhnMg

      Angela

      Reply
  26. Sherri says:
    October 24, 2011 at 9:26 pm

    I just bought a Ninja 1100 and I can’t find a good ice cream receipe. I want a vanilla & chocloate creamy ice cream. I looked at so many places but all I get it throw frozen strawberries & half & half. Thats not what I want. Can you help me? Please send it to my email if you have a good receipe. I can’t see this tiny, tiny print & I put 2 pairs of eye glasses on. And I don’t have that bad of eye site. But the writing on this site is smaller than the writing on a dime.
    Thank you,
    Sherri
    Sherri182@aol.com

    Reply
  27. Portland Firefly says:
    November 4, 2011 at 11:14 am

    Hi!
    I saw the Ninja 1100 system on a TV infomercial when I was ‘chemo sick’. I had blisters in my mouth from the Doxil side effects and couldn’t eat. I called Bed, Bath & Beyond (to make sure they had one in stock) and drove right over there with my 20% off coupon and came home and juiced up the salads I could not eat. I love this Ninja system with the additional smaller jar and different blades; and with my coupon -cost: &130.00.

    Thanks for the recipes; they have encouraged me to branch out.
    I made a sherbert with frozen rasberries, dash of lemon, half-n-half, sugar. What raves!
    But I, too, would like a vanilla recipe. Maybe Vanilla bean, vanilla extract and some vanilla sugar with half-n-half.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      November 4, 2011 at 3:47 pm

      Portland Firefly, you got a good deal! Nice job! I am hoping you are well on the path to recovery now. I am thinking through this vanilla request…I will tinker and see what I can come up with! The challenge of course is having something to make it thick that won’t interfere with the pure vanilla taste. Stay tuned in the coming weeks and I’ll see what I can do.

      Reply
  28. Christa says:
    November 23, 2011 at 10:50 pm

    What happens if the blades don’t turn, although the lid is locked and secured? It turns fine when there is nothing in there, but when I put into simple like mayonnaise and mustard to make a potato salad (no potatoes or just the mayo and mustard) it wouldn’t turn. Should I make a call to the company?

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      November 24, 2011 at 7:08 am

      Hi Christa,

      I would check to make sure you have the lid in the exact right spot. There is an arrow on the lid and an arrow on the jar handle — those two need to be lined up for it to work. If they aren’t it won’t turn. That is probably your issue. If the arrows are lined up, you should probably call Ninja customer service.

      Hope that helps!
      Angela

      Reply
    • NE says:
      March 22, 2012 at 4:05 pm

      iam Having the same problem with my Ninja< the arrows are in the same directions the light had stop blinking that mean the lid is in position so why won the blade turn. Help Please!

      Reply
      • Angela says:
        March 23, 2012 at 7:11 am

        Is the lid securely locked down? Even if it is just a little bit loose, the blades won’t turn. Try pressing down on the lid with your hand to make sure it is securely in place. If that doesn’t work, I would suggest you call Ninja support: 877-646-5288.

        Reply
  29. Joyce Jung says:
    December 26, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    Hope this is the right place to post a question . . . . Can you tell me if the Ninja 1100 can grate cheddar cheese successfully . . . does the cheese need to be partially frozen, in small chunks or large chunks? etc.

    jjungirl@gmail.com

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 26, 2011 at 4:31 pm

      Hi Joyce,

      Someone else asked this question earlier in the week, but I don’t know the answer just yet! I will pick up a block of cheese this week and give it a whirl for you. My hunch is that you could try pulsing small cubes of about 1-2″ and you’d probably end up with shreds, but not really a true “grated effect. I’ll give it a try and let you know!

      Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 28, 2011 at 9:47 am

      Hi Joyce,

      I tried out the cheese grating today and am going to write up a full post on it early next week. Bottom line is “yes,” the Ninja will grate cheese, but it’s not exactly the same texture as grated cheese, as suspected. It’s more like small cheese shreds or chunks, but strings like true grated cheese. To get the cheese grated, cut it into 2″ cubes and pulse 9-10 times and you’ll be done! If you are going for functional, this will work. If you are going for “looks like grated cheese” a box grater or food processor with the grating blade would probably be better. Hope that helps!

      Angela

      Reply
  30. Jerry says:
    December 29, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    Hi Angela
    I love your site. I recently bought the Ninja Prep Professional so I could make the Dr Oz green drink. I leave it pulpy; more like green applesauce.
    The reviews that I read on the product indicated that it was just slightly less efficient than the VitaMix, at a fraction of the price. The reviews also mentioned the excellent customer service. I think that the earlier posters here should have no problem getting their issues addressed. I also appreciate the many fine recipes that you have. I have been making pancakes from a mix, so I am eager to try your recipe. The idea of making my own almond milk is really appealing. I have already bookmarked your site. I look forward to learning much more from you.
    Keep up the fine work!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 29, 2011 at 7:28 pm

      Hi Jerry,

      Thanks for stopping by and your nice note! I am with you that for the price, the Ninja is a great alternative to the Vita-Mix or Blendtec, which can cost 5X the amount! I have had mine over a year now, and I still love it just as much as I did when I first got it. That is saying something.

      Good luck trying new recipes (including the peanut butter)!

      Angela

      Reply
  31. Sandy W says:
    January 11, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    I have to say we had been looking at this blender kitchen pro 1200 and my hubby ended up getting it for me for Christmas I made the banana bread recipe the other day and it was great I tried the pizza dough last night and it broke the little sprocket that holds the dough paddle in place snapped in half I followed all instructions so I have to say I am rather disappointed in this appliance and we are taking it back to the store ..sorry

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      January 11, 2012 at 2:07 pm

      Hi Sandy,

      There is no need to apologize. I have no affiliation whatsoever with the Ninja Blender folks. I simply enjoy their blender! I hope you have better luck with whatever you replace it with!

      Angela

      Reply
  32. David says:
    January 22, 2012 at 1:07 pm

    Hi Angela

    We just bought the Ninja Professional. Can I order the parts from the 1100 such as the dough hook and whisk and use them with the Professional? Has anybody tried this? Thanks.

    Reply
  33. Carol Williamson says:
    January 24, 2012 at 10:10 pm

    I just bought my Ninja today..so far so good. I also am wondering how to make a simple chocolate or vanilla ice cream. I threw in frozen strawberries and blueberries with heavy whipping cream and it turned out perfect ice cream. But I really want to make just a chocolate ice cream..any suggestions? Thanks so much! By the way, I bought the whole system at Bed, Bath and Beyond..Went to their website, joined their mailing list, and they emailed me a 20% off coupon. I got $32 off the $159 price tag!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      January 25, 2012 at 11:39 am

      Hi Carol,

      Here is a simple recipe that yields a Wendy’s Frosty-like chocolate ice cream.

      http://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/07/12/faux-frosty/

      I wrote it for the Magic Bullet but it works in the Ninja too!

      I did the same strategy with BB&B when I bought my Ninja Pulse. That 20% coupon is a good one!

      Angela

      Reply
      • Carol Williamson says:
        January 25, 2012 at 2:27 pm

        Thanks Angela for the reply! I actually did try the banana, chocolate and cream before I read your response. But didn’t like the overwelming banana flavor. I’m just wanting to make a pure chocolate ice cream. I’m thinking it is not possible in the Ninja! I’m wondering if frozen chocolate chips and cream might work though??

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          January 25, 2012 at 3:50 pm

          Hi Carol,

          Don’t give up! I think it is possible, I just don’t quite have the answer for you yet. I have had an idea for a while that I haven’t tried yet, so you may give it a shot. I thought about freezing plain greek yogurt (at least 2%, not nonfat) for about 2 hours, and then combining that with the cocoa powder (and maybe ch. chips). Freeze it either in an ice cube tray or somehow in small portions so the blender can blend it. Perhaps give it a whirl and let me know if that works!

          Angela

          Reply
        • Amy says:
          April 14, 2012 at 4:49 pm

          I freeze Coffeemate liquid creamer in cubes and throw them in the Ninja with frozen skim milk cubes…think of all the flavors! I use a frozen banana but I think some yogurt would work with the Coffeemate too.

          Reply
  34. Katie says:
    January 30, 2012 at 5:52 pm

    Hello Angela and others,

    I recently bought a ninja and haven’t had problems save for once when no matter what I did for awhile the power light wouldn’t stop blinking,. But I found that unplugging and taking the jar off the appliance and wait a minute plug it back in and put the jar back on. Don’t know if it truly fixed the problem but it worked for me. I bought the one with a smaller bowl and extra stuff I love the dough bowl if you haven’t added it to the collection I highly suggest doing so, also the cinnamon roll recipe book was wonderful even with adding to much yeast.

    I found though with dough I had to get a paper clip to get sticky stuff out of the star nut like thing some how dough got in there, which I will say, is very possible my fault as I was very unorganized in prep for it. But regardless it made a great consistency and could compete with my moms Bosch universal big bulking thing, the advantage of the ninja against it is also its weakness. For large company at least with the dough bowl isn’t practical. However it’s great for small groups as you don’t have to haul out a huge heavy appliance and take tons of time cleaning it.

    Also Angela well done on the site I’m book marking it. I look forward for more recipes!

    Best of wishes
    Katie

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      January 30, 2012 at 9:21 pm

      Hi Katie,

      Thanks for stopping by! I don’t have the full Ninja KS with the smaller 40 ounce bowl, but it is definitely on my list when I have a little extra cash some day…

      Happy Blending!

      Reply
  35. Jen says:
    January 31, 2012 at 1:39 am

    I just purchased mine tonight and I ofcourse wanted to blend! I first blended a frozen hot chocolate, which was Great! Didn’t quite crush the ice into snow like it stated, but it was better than any other blender I’ve ever owned. With that in mind I wanted to blend just ice to see if I could get that SNOW consitancy. I put about 7 C of ice in the machine, put the lid on and turned it on ice. It blended for a min and then made this HORRIBLE Sound. I immediately turned it off and couldn’t figure out what was wrong. then I saw the blade wasn’t attached to the top of the lid and it was shaking and rattling the whole inside. I dumped the ice and noticed I now have two huge gashes in the sides of my plastic jar. I’m worried it’s compromised the plastic, simular to rock chip in a windshield. What should I do? Do you think it’ll be ok to keep using over time or should I return it. Could it be defective? Has this ever happened to anyone else?

    Reply
  36. Nancy says:
    February 4, 2012 at 4:50 pm

    We just bought our Ninja 1200 from Macy’s today. I have already made a wonderful smoothie and the batter for potato pancakes. It worked perfectly.

    My smoothie was just a handful of frozen strawberries, few frozen blueberries, 1/2 frozen banana and 1/2 cup of silken tofu. I also added a dash of vanilla and a little squeeze of honey. Put it on 3 and it was done in no time. It was a little thick, so I thinned it with coconut milk. ( not canned but So Delicious unsweetened in the carton) Turned out awesome. Thick and ice cold.

    You could easily omit the tofu and use more banana or even coconut ice-cream. I like the tofu as it does not add sweetness just protein. Great for first thing in the morning.

    Really what I want to say is that I was as excited about finding this website as i was for my new Ninja. Thank you for all the time you spend and the ideas you share,

    Nancy

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      February 4, 2012 at 8:40 pm

      That sounds like a great smoothie, Nancy! I happen to love the So Delicious coconut milk – it is fantastic.

      Thanks for dropping by and your kind words. Enjoy your Ninja!

      Reply
  37. Carole says:
    February 24, 2012 at 8:37 pm

    I didn’t notice any issues with the greens in my smoothies. I put coconut milk in first (So Delicious), added a few scoops of soy protein powder, then baby carrots and a couple of big handfuls of greens, added frozen fuit ( pineapple spears, mango wedge, half banana, strawberries, apricot, black raspberries, and blueberries) and packed it all down so it was below the full line. It only took about 30-40 seconds to puree it down to a nice thick frozen smoothie drink. I waited until my hubby had drank over half of his before confessing about the carrots and greens!! Going to try it without the raspberries as we were both getting seeds in our teeth—but neither of us found any evidence of the carrots or greens!! We attributed the grit to the raspberry seeds and protein powder, but it didn’t take away from our enjoyment at all!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      February 26, 2012 at 8:17 am

      Hi Carole,

      I always appreciate a little sneakiness with husbands and greens. I do similar things with my husband as well! Most times he doesn’t notice. 😉 Thanks for your note!

      Angela

      Reply
  38. anjie says:
    March 9, 2012 at 9:30 pm

    Hello….we just bought the Ninja KS at Costco for $94 and some change. Sooo looking forward to trying it out!!!
    Thanks, everyone, for all the great ideas!
    Angela, this site is great, I just happened upon it when doing a search for reviews.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:34 am

      Hi Anjie,

      Thanks for stopping buy! $94 for the entire Ninja KS is a great bargain — have fun trying it out!

      Reply
  39. Terry says:
    March 17, 2012 at 4:16 pm

    Do you know if the containers and lids are bpa free? Also thinking of getting the 1100 or 1200 and using the smaller one for things like hummus and bean dips…would it in your opinion be a better idea to just spend the 99 on the ninja pro for smoothies and because of the blade position in the ninja not always getting things smooth enough (thinking chunky bits of bean in the humus?) to get a small food processor w/a diff blade alignment for that purpose or have you found the small ninja in the 1100/1200 series to do the job well w/out lumps? Thanks! Terry

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      March 17, 2012 at 8:40 pm

      Hi Terry,

      If I had it to do over again, I would buy the full Ninja Kitchen System. You are right on the money that the large jar/blade position can impede super smooth blending for smoothies, but it doesn’t leave them lumpy. The issue most folks have is that if you are blending green smoothies you will have a hard time getting the greens to completely “dissolve” if that makes sense. You can make smooth hummus just fine in the large jar, but the blender blends best with a lot of volume, so the smaller jar on the full Kitchen System would definitely come in handy.

      As far as the jars, yes, they are BPA-free – good question! Here is a link to the FAQs from Ninja where they point out the jar is BPA-free SAN plastic: http://www.ninjakitchen.com/Ninja-NJ600-Professional-Blender.shtml

      Lately, I have been really loving my Ninja Pulse, which comes with to-go cups for smoothie blending and also a blender jar for bigger jobs. Not to throw another thing in the mix, but I have really been impressed with it, and you can get it for around $79 if you shop around. Hope that helps and didn’t cause you more confusion than good!

      Reply
  40. Jilian says:
    April 26, 2012 at 6:29 pm

    Hello Angela!

    I saw the Ninja advertised on TV the other night and immediately wanted one. My mother has a vita mix and I have forever been jealous. I have Celiac Disease which means I am
    Gluten intolerant and I cannot eat anything containing gluten. That said, I’ve been researching different flours to bake with and different food options to try, thus my excitement with the Ninja.
    I am wondering if you have blended or kneaded I should say, successfully, cookie doughs? Bread doughs? I’ve never been a Smoothie girl, but that infomercial made smoothies look like I could drink them everyday…and your website has so many wonderful things I cannot wait to try! I’m just hung up on the dough part. I really would love to be able to mix up a batch of chocolate chip cookies or pancake mix in a blender! That’d be awesome. Gluten free of course;) and where have you found the best deal for the kitchen system? The informercial was about $200… Thanks for all your great posts and what looks to be amazing recipes!!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      April 26, 2012 at 7:58 pm

      Hi Jilian,

      Thanks for stopping by! If you buy the Ninja Kitchen System (that comes with the dough paddle, smaller jar, etc.), you can certainly make dough. I am not a big baker, so I haven’t made cookie dough myself, but I did have a guest post from a lovely woman who taught us how to use the Ninja Pulse (just a smaller Ninja) for making cookie dough. I use it for pancake mix, no problem at all. I have also used it to make soft pretzel dough. I have to say honestly, if I was going to buy it again, I would get the full kitchen system, not just the individual blender. I have the Ninja Professional Blender and the Ninja Pulse now, and the Pulse comes with a dough hook and other accessories, which is really nice to have.

      Some folks have reported finding a good deals at Costco, but, I think the best deal available is to sign up with Bed Bath and Beyond to get their emails. They will send you a 20% off single item coupon. That is how I bought my Ninja Pulse for a bargain! Also, Amazon.com has a great price if you don’t want the fuss of signing up, waiting for coupon, etc.

      Speaking of gluten free, I just wrote a post this week on how to make brown rice flour with the Ninja.

      Good luck and happy blending!
      Angela

      Reply
  41. Rick says:
    April 28, 2012 at 9:49 am

    We bought the Ninja for just mixing some drinks and shakes, here is what i have found! I noticed little plastic pieces laying around after cleaning it one day but could not find where they were coming from. Then my wife brought me her shakes and said this is full of plastic! I looked and sure enough there were little pieces of plastic in her drink!!! So i start to investigate the problem more. I couldn’t find anything, until I looked at the shaft where the blade connects to the bottom of the blender. Sure enough it was tearing up! Has anyone else experienced this problem??
    I love this blender and maybe we just have received a bad one!

    Rick

    Reply
    • Born2Hula says:
      June 9, 2012 at 12:22 pm

      Whoa Bryan, that’s nuts.
      I just purchased mine and so haven’t seen that problem.

      You should contact them my phone immediately and if that doesn’t get the response you are looking for, there is a FaceBook page for the Ninja and whomever it is that’s running that page seems to be following up immediately with people who have had problems of any type with their unit. You might consider friending them so that you can have a more public forum on the issue (and get a really fast response if the phone people don’t offer to replace the parts that are seeming faulty)

      Hope it works out and please let us know the outcome.

      Reply
      • Born2Hula says:
        June 9, 2012 at 12:24 pm

        Whoops, I wrote Brian but meant to address Rick. 🙂

        Reply
  42. Bandie says:
    May 12, 2012 at 11:19 am

    Hi! Just wanted to say I recently got the Professional Ninja 1100, with the 72oz container as well as the smaller one which has the dough blade. It also included the bonus recipe book so I can’t wait to work my way through it.

    I think I got lucky on getting a good deal, they had this one beside a lesser version but the only price listed was $69.99. I knew I had seen this 1100 for $99 on sale so I figured I’d make the plunge with another $30 off. Well at the register it comes up at $129….ugh; but the manager went back and noticed in rearranging their inventory they had mistakenly taken down the other price and the $69.99 price was the only price showing, so they honored the $69.99….man wish I had picked up 2. But, I had wanted one for a while so I’m happy with just the one for that price.

    I’ve only made a few smoothies with it so far, but I absolutely love it!

    Reply
  43. Barbara says:
    June 3, 2012 at 6:19 pm

    Well, I think it is junk. I haven’t had it that long and already having problems. The blender just wont turn the blades inside. No blinking light outside, tested both cogs and they both work, just won’t spin the blade inside the jar. I’m so frustrated with this, I’m ready to return to the store, but it was a gift and I have no receipt. I wouldn’t recommend it….I wish I spent the extra bucks and got the “vita mix”. Live and learn!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      June 3, 2012 at 6:40 pm

      Barbara, it sounds to me like the lid may not be lined up properly on the jar. It has to go on a certain way, with the arrows lined up, or the blades won’t spin. Give it a look and see if that may be the problem. If you can’t get it working, I would contact Ninja support (they have info on their website) and they can probably help you sort it all out.

      Good luck!
      Angela

      Reply
  44. Tien says:
    June 6, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    Hey! I just recently purchased the Ninja Professional Blender yesterday, haven’t opened or used it yet. I was wondering if I could buy the single serve individual cups for the kitchen system and use it on the professional blender? Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      June 7, 2012 at 7:11 am

      Hi Tien,

      I can’t say 100% for sure on this one, as I have not tried it, but the bases of both the Ninja Professional Blender and the Ninja Kitchen System are the same. The key thing is you want to make sure to get the blade that goes with the cups, or you’ll just have cups!

      Good luck!

      Reply
  45. Bryan says:
    June 8, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    My wife got me the whole Ninja kitchen system for my birthday in March, so I’ve had it for about 3 months now. I will say that I absolutely love it. Have used it for a lot of different purposes: pancake dough, smoothies, chopping, crushing ice…have yet to do something withit that didn’t work well. As you mentioned, the blades are super sharp, and I have suffered a few cuts from them. But you know, I want sharp blades on my blender.

    I will say that I have hardly ever used the small bowl, so I can’t speak much to that.

    Reply
  46. Terra says:
    July 8, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    I LOVE this blender but I have one problem that even their customer services has not been able to help me with. I was wondering if you have the same problem. When I wash my blender in the dishwasher, food particles have become lodged in the underside corner groves. I can not get it out for the life of my and is just kind of gross!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 8, 2012 at 8:57 pm

      Hi Terra,

      Interesting dilemma (and, yes that is kind of gross!). I haven’t had this problem! I put it on the top rack with the handle part facing up and it comes out very clean. Have you tried cleaing it with an old toothbrush? Another idea would be to soak it in a container of water to loosen up the particles and then scrub with a bristle brush. Also, while unorthadox, you could try spraying it with your garden hose with a jet pattern sprayer to get more pressure — sort of like a pressure washer effect — if you have one! Good luck!

      Reply
  47. Kevin says:
    July 15, 2012 at 10:33 am

    Hi Angela,

    I’m trying to decide between the Ninja KS and the Pulse. Can you give any comparison details between the two? The primary application would be fruit and/or veggie smoothies. It’s going to be a gift and the person I’m buying for would benefit from retaining the fibre in the smoothies rather then using a traditional juicer.

    I suspect they would also use for ice cream and frozen yogurt as well. And they may also try the dough mixing but likely with masa (corn flour) for tortillas and related items (pupusas for those who know what those are 🙂

    Thanks,
    Kevin

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 15, 2012 at 4:55 pm

      Hi Kevin,

      It really depends on the person and the size of their kitchen. If you have the budget to buy the full KS, you honestly can’t go wrong – your recipient will be well-served and it can do almost anything. However, the Pulse is pretty darn effective, and it’s size makes it nice for folks with smaller kitchens/storage areas. Its jar is large enough to juice as well, and those single serve cups are just so handy for quick smoothies to go. The Pulse comes with the dough paddle, so I think for making tortilla dough and pupusas would be do-able. I personally use the Pulse more than the Ninja Professional Blender these days because I have been on a wild smoothie tear, and I only blend for one, so it is nice to clean the smaller jar or the to-go cups. If your person has a large family to feed (or more than 1-2 people), the full KS would probably suit them better.

      As you can see, there really are pros to both – I would decide based on the amount of storage roo they have! I hope that helps and doesn’t add more confusion!

      Angela

      Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 15, 2012 at 5:06 pm

      Hi Kevin,

      I forgot to add – have you read my Ninja Pulse review? I did a little side-by-side comparison between the Pulse and the Ninja Professional Blender in it:

      http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/01/03/product-review-ninja-pulse-blending-system/

      Hope that helps,
      Angela

      Reply
      • Kevin says:
        July 18, 2012 at 6:28 pm

        Thank you very much for your insight. I should have thought to check your site to see if you had a review of the Pulse after reading you bought one. Interestingly enough I’ve decided on another option for the gift, but I’m going to get a Pulse for myself. BB&B in Canada doesn’t have it yet so will have to wait or see who else might have it here. I’d be happy to buy through your Amazon link but cross border shipping is still a killer because of the clearing fees.

        Thanks again.

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          July 19, 2012 at 7:47 am

          Hi Kevin,

          Glad to be of help! And have fun with your Pulse when you find one!

          Angela

          Reply
  48. Lyla says:
    July 15, 2012 at 11:27 am

    Would love to see a review on both the KS 1100 and 1200! 😉

    Reply
  49. Lyla says:
    July 16, 2012 at 3:28 pm

    Do you think it’s easier to make cookie dough etc with the 1200 rather than the Pulse? Not sure how long to pulse compared to the speeds on the 1200. The actual speeds are more normal, or what I’m used to. They both have the 40-oz bowl with the dough paddle but it would seem that the 1200 might be easier to use. Has anyone used the Pulse for anything other than smoothies?

    Reply
    • Lyla says:
      July 16, 2012 at 3:44 pm

      I should add the big blending cookbook refers to using the Pro/1100/1200 with the set speeds rather than the Pulse. I’m planning on making the Carmelita Bars tonight for my home visit tomorrow with my boss. I think I’ll use the 1200 rather than the Pulse. I understand there’s quite a learning curve associated with the Pulse.

      Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 16, 2012 at 6:34 pm

      Hi Lyla,

      Here is a recipe for cookie dough using the Pulse. Keep in mind, you just hold the lid down and it will blend at a steady state:

      http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/01/24/guest-post-how-to-make-cookies-with-your-ninja-blender/

      I use the Pulse for everything – not just smoothies. It’s quite capable!

      Angela

      Reply
      • Shirley says:
        July 13, 2013 at 11:41 am

        Just wanting a Ninja large enough for one or two smoothies I recently purchased the Ninja Storm 400. I haven’t used it yet but after reading the reviews on the larger Ninjas I now wonder if I have opted for a too small item. any thoughts?

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          July 13, 2013 at 2:30 pm

          Hi Shirley,

          The Ninja Storm is new to me, so I had to look it up! This looks like it is the “original Ninja” Master Prep that has been rebranded and sized down just a tad. You should have no problems whatsoever making one or two smoothies in it. It has a 40 ounce bowl, which is similar to the Ninja Pulse, and I have no issues at all making two servings of smoothie in the 40 ounce jar.

          Hope that helps,
          Angela

          Reply
  50. Lyla says:
    July 16, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    Do you think you’d need an independent food processor besides the 1200?

    Reply
    • Lyla says:
      July 16, 2012 at 4:37 pm

      Oh…and if so, what do you recommend? I had a GE and it worked quite well but it was recalled. I’m 90% sure I’ll keep the 1200. Thanks for the input!

      Reply
  51. Lyla says:
    July 16, 2012 at 5:13 pm

    I should say I’m sorry for bombarding you with all the questions! 🙁

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 16, 2012 at 6:37 pm

      Hi Lyla,

      No worries at all. If you keep the Ninja KS with all the attachments, etc., I think you could get away without a food processor. It really just depends on what you use your food processor for! I do have a cheap food processor in the back of the cabinet that I pull out sometimes for head-to-head tests, but to be honest, I never “really” use it. I always go for the Ninja instead. The only thing it does for me that the Ninja doesn’t do is grate cheese…but I usually just use a box grater for that!

      Angela

      Reply
  52. Lyla says:
    July 16, 2012 at 8:14 pm

    I’m curious how you use your Ninja in place of a food processor. Do you have any instructions or info? I haven’t seen anything so far. Thanks for all your attention and information. It all of a sudden appears to me that it’s a wonder you don’t feel like a Mama or at the very least, a baby-sitter! LOL! You are always there for all of us and help so many of us make the right decision when we ask for your opinion. It constantly amazes me! It’s not just me! And I, for one, am so thankful for your patience and always being there! God bless you, Angela! 🙂

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 17, 2012 at 7:19 pm

      Hi Lyla,

      Hmm, I have never really thought about “how” I use it as a food processor. I just use it for most things, when I would ordinarily pull out the food processor. I will think about a post or some sort of showdown. If you have ideas, I am all ears. Some of my best/most popular posts have been reader requests.

      Glad you are finding the site helpful. You are right, at first, I was a little surprised by all the activity on my little blog, but in time, I have grown into appreciating my little corner of the web and helping people find their best blending options. 🙂

      Reply
  53. Lyla says:
    July 17, 2012 at 7:47 am

    Oh my! Would someone like to tell me why I didn’t get this Ninja sooner?!! I made Oatmeal Carmelita Bars and I can’t believe how easy it was! My first thought was…I hope I can reach someone on the group cause I couldn’t get mine to turn on either! THAT’S when I noticed the POWER button! Ya think?!!! LOL! 😀 If they taste as good as they were easy to make….well let’s just say I’m sold on my 1200! No more sitting on the fence! I done fell off! LOL! 😛 I will be returning the Pulse to QVC since I’m sure I can find one for my daughter less than $130! I’ll let you know how they turn out! Thanks for always being there, Everybody! 🙂

    Reply
  54. Lyla says:
    July 18, 2012 at 12:31 am

    The bars were amazing, but I stand corrected, they are actually called Caramel Oatmeal Bars and can be found in the Ninja Breakthrough Blending cookbook. They were beyond easy and fast to make and were simply fantastic! Also, a fast, easy way for cleanup…just fill the pitcher about halfway with water, pulse a few times and Voila! Doesn’t get any better than this! 🙂 I think I found a new best friend! I can’t await to adapt my own recipes to this new method! 😉

    Reply
  55. Marcy says:
    July 23, 2012 at 10:36 am

    I noticed that Ninja is now offering “Ninja® Kitchen System 1100 (4) Single Serve Cups with Drink Lids” for $24.95 on the “Parts” tab for the 1100. Will these work as-is with the 1100? I was hoping something like this would be available, but I’m nervous to buy them because I can’t quite figure out how they will work.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 23, 2012 at 10:44 am

      Hi Marcy,

      I reached out to Ninja with your question as I legitimately didn’t know and find this confusing as well. Here is what I found out. The cups will only work with blender Model number BL660 and Kitchen system model number BL660W — the new units. They will not work for NJ602 (Ninja Professional Blender) or the BL700 (Ninja KS 1100) units.

      I hope that helps!
      Angela

      Reply
      • Lyla says:
        July 23, 2012 at 11:17 am

        Any info regarding the 1200?

        Reply
  56. Lyla says:
    July 23, 2012 at 10:53 am

    I spoke with customer service on this very thing. I was advised the blender blades aren’t available, just the tumblers themselves. So so you you can’t actually blend in them. Since they are available for our systems, I’m hopeful the blender blades will be available soon but I fear that may be for a future model since they all seem to be proprietary. Just an educated guess, but I hope I’m wrong! 😉

    Reply
  57. Lyla says:
    July 23, 2012 at 11:48 pm

    I spoke w/customer service this afternoon. The new Limited Edition has another 100 watts of power and includes a single serve tumbler you can blend in and includes a new Cold Fusion cookbook. I found it strange that you forfeit the whipping blade; if you want that, you need to purchase it for an additional $7.95.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 24, 2012 at 8:53 am

      Hi Lyla,

      Great information, thank you for letting us know. Their product line is getting really confusing these days. Though, I think the single serve tumbler is a great addition – I know a lot of people want that accessory! Too bad it won’t work with older models. 🙁

      Reply
  58. Lyla says:
    July 24, 2012 at 5:04 pm

    You’re very welcome! Now I’m torn again! 🙁 I’d like the single serve tumbler but would also like the whisking blade but the higher wattage would be nice as well. I actually do more baking than smoothies, at least for now….but that could change! 😉 I can’t believe they take away features that were available in previous models! It gets pretty expensive when you have to order features a la carte, if you will, that were available before! OK Mama Angela! Any input?! ;P Thanks!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 24, 2012 at 7:34 pm

      I agree – it can get very expensive to add pieces and parts individually! If you do more baking than smoothies, it sounds like your setup is just fine! I wouldn’t change anything and keep the whisking blade. The blender has plenty of power as it is – do you run into instances where it is underpowered?

      Reply
  59. Lyla says:
    July 25, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    LOL! Funny you should ask! I made Three Chocolate Cookies from Paula Deen. It’s a big batch, so I used the large pitcher. I wasn’t thinking, obviously, so I used the blending blade instead of the dough paddle so I ended up with “chocolate” chocolate cookies. They still tasted OK but didn’t look as nice. Not only that, I had such a big batch that all the lights flickered and it actually stopped!! Thought I broke it for sure. Dont know if that extra 100 watts would’ve made a difference or not! 😉 So you think i have the right model for me? Wish there was a dough paddle for the large pitcher, but, alas!; I guess it’s not meant for that. Love how the Ninja cleans up so easily…fill it half full with hot water, pulse a few times and voila! What a cinch!

    I noticed I’m no longer notified by email thru WordPress; hence why I didn’t respond last night. Could you look into that for me? 🙁 I’d really appreciate it.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      July 26, 2012 at 10:49 am

      HA, well, I guess you could benefit from MORE POWER (said like Tim the Tool Man Taylor from the old Home Improvement sitcom).

      As far as your subscription, I can’t do anything to change it for you, sorry. I wonder if you are somehow unsubscribed to comments? I noticed you have a couple different email adddresses, so that could be why as well…

      Reply
      • Deb says:
        September 9, 2012 at 1:32 pm

        I was wondering if there is a dough paddle for the 72 oz pitcher also???

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          September 9, 2012 at 8:03 pm

          Hi Deb,

          Gosh, I can’t seem to find one! It looks like it’s only available for the smaller pitcher…

          Reply
  60. Carol says:
    August 11, 2012 at 7:58 am

    I just tried my Ninja Pulse with both the 40 oz. container and the 16 oz. individual ones with kale and carrots. It blends them to fine pulp but you will have to still chew the smoothie as the pulp still has texture to it. The kale had tiny, gritty pieces floating in the liquid and the carrot too wasn’t blended smooth where you wouldn’t have to chew. You will need a Vitamix or a Blendtex to get a smooth, silky smoothie. I just blended those in a bit of water as a test.

    Reply
  61. Freddie B says:
    August 17, 2012 at 9:13 pm

    I have one of these and the biggest problem I have is with the square design of the blender jar. You see, many times in each of those 4 corners, stuff accumulates as the circular motion of the blades blend everything else, but what it is in the corner. Imagine the view from above while it is working,a circle of perfect blending motion contained in a square….well, what’s outside of the circle but inside of the square still are those 4 corners….stuff just doesn’t flow that well out of there and you must stop the operations. BTW I do use a lot of frozen veggies and fruits. NEED A ROUND JAR…..and….it would be the PERFECT substitute of a Vitamix.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      August 20, 2012 at 8:33 pm

      Hi Freddie,

      Very good point. I have had the same thing happen and never thought much about just pushing down stuff from the sides. But, you’re totally right – a round jar and it would be much better!

      Reply
  62. Lyla says:
    August 27, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    Has anyone tried the Limited Edition?

    Reply
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  64. kathy says:
    September 13, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    ok, don’t laugh but would you still say that it’s easy to clean if you didn’t have a dishwasher? I’m a bit leery of those blades and no, sadly, i don’t have a dishwasher ):

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 13, 2012 at 4:00 pm

      Kathy, I am in the same boat with you right now. I don’t have a dishwasher. (Or a kitchen at all for that matter – we are in the middle of a monster remodel).

      It is honestly easy to clean without a dishwasher. You put a drop of dishsoap in the blender (not much) and fill it mostly up with water, and then you BLEND!!! Then rinse. It works fine. Handle the blandes by the tip and keep your fingers away from them. Honestly, the blades are more dangerous in the dishwasher because you can forget they are in there…

      Reply
  65. Lyla says:
    September 24, 2012 at 7:41 am

    I should be receiving my Ninja KS Limited Edition today! So excited! For the same price of the 1200 plus the 2-year extended warranty at Wal-Mart I could get the Limited Edition with 1200 watts of power, which has the single-serve tumbler, including a 5-year unlimited warranty plus free shipping! So I returned the 1200….it was a no brainer! 😉

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      September 24, 2012 at 7:47 am

      Wow, congratulations!!

      Let me know if you want to write up a guest post with your favorite recipe that you create. It’s high time! 🙂

      Reply
  66. Cyndi says:
    October 14, 2012 at 2:47 pm

    Hey there, I have enjoyed reading all of this! 🙂 This is amazing information. However, the reason I’m researching this is because I now have to make my own peanut butter. Along with a bunch of other stuff…I have to stay away from processed foods. I don’t suppose you know if this will do peanuts??

    Reply
    • Amy says:
      October 14, 2012 at 3:38 pm

      Hi Cyndi. I have made almond butter and cashew butter with my NInja. Does a great job! Just the nuts and a little oil (canola, coconut, even olive)

      Reply
    • Angela says:
      October 14, 2012 at 4:01 pm

      Hi Cyndi,

      Yep, here is my post on how to do peanut butter: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/01/10/its-peanut-butter-jelly-time-how-to-make-your-own-peanut-butter-in-3-minutes/

      It really does a great job. Like Amy said, you can add a little oil (even coconut oil – super yummy) and peanuts, and in about 3 mins you’ll have great homemade peanut butter. Good luck to you!

      Reply
      • Cyndi says:
        October 15, 2012 at 8:40 pm

        NICE! It’s taken a couple of months to figure what’s not going to quit after a couple of months or a year of use. As well as do the job I need it to do…This makes the decision final! KS here I come!! I’m so excited, thank you Angela for all of this. This is amazing.

        Reply
  67. Sue says:
    October 15, 2012 at 11:31 am

    I just found this page, and have read a lot of the comments. I had a Cuisinart blender that totally broke the other day – and boy do I miss my smoothies! My son and daughter-in-law got a Ninja for a wedding gift, but she says you have push on it the whole time it runs? Thinking they have a different model. So, here’s my question – I see there is a NEW Ninja 1500 Kitchen System. Has anyone tried that or had any feedback from it. I have been looking at all kinds of reviews online, but it is not clearing up my confusion. Really, I thought how hard is it to pick out a new blender? Hmmmm.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      October 15, 2012 at 1:48 pm

      Hi Sue,

      Your son and daughter-in-law probably have the Ninja Pulse, which does require you to push the lid the whole time to blend. http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/01/03/product-review-ninja-pulse-blending-system/

      Ninja does keep coming out with new items, it’s true! I would recommend you go to a store like Target or Bed Bath & Beyond, where you can look at it in person. I haven’t tried the new 1500 KS, but usually each “new” version is like the old version with a few extra accessories. I do know that the newer model allows for single cup blending, which, if you have the opportunity to get, is a great addition!

      Reply
      • Sue says:
        October 15, 2012 at 2:18 pm

        Thanks so much. Yes, I love the idea of the single cup blending, but also not sure I want to switch totally to one that you can’t just start and let it go for other things. I don’t know how long the 1500 has been out, but will go check it out at Bed Bath and Beyond tomorrow. I am missing my morning smoothies and protein shakes. I see the bigger model is quite tall – is there anywhere to find the actual height? Don’t want to get it home and not have it fit on the counter! 🙂

        Reply
        • Angela says:
          October 15, 2012 at 3:44 pm

          Hi Sue,

          Yeah, I think for your goals a variant of the Ninja KS is probably right up your alley – it provides for the steady state blending without holding the lid, and the newer models have the single serve cups. Mine is currently boxed up because we are remodeling – but if you take a look at some of the pictures I posted in the review, you can see it does clear upper cabinets. Those were fairly “low” uppers. So, while it is tall, I really think it should fit under most standard upper cabinets. Let us know what you decide!

          Reply
  68. Susanne says:
    October 26, 2012 at 3:32 am

    Hi Angela! Great tips and recipes! I just bought the Ninja B500 Blender (with the dial), it used to be sold as a 900 watt but mine is actually 1000 watt. I was so tired of my other blender and the stupid bullet that didn’t live up to ANY of it’s claims in my opinion (the only thing i like about the bullet is the travel cups and some of the recipes seem ok). I was skeptical about the ninja so i didn’t buy the biggest model, but now that i’ve seen what this thing can do i definitely want to get the larger model. I bought this blender because i drink smoothies every single morning and it takes WAY less time to use the ninja and clean it after then it did to mess around with my other blender or bang/shake/stir using the bullet. Thanks for all the great recipes! Does anyone know how the small pulse blender works (similar to the bullet?). I love the convenience of the small size for the office, but if it is no better and tackling ice than the bullet i wouldnt buy it

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      October 26, 2012 at 7:52 am

      Hi Susanne,

      Thanks for your note! In fact, I love the Ninja Pulse and use it more than my Ninja Professional blender. Here is my review:

      http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/01/03/product-review-ninja-pulse-blending-system/

      Yes, it does fine (great, actually) with ice!

      Angela

      Reply
  69. Jean Britton says:
    November 27, 2012 at 2:34 pm

    How do you chop fresh meats in the ninja 1200?

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      November 27, 2012 at 3:32 pm

      Hi Jean,

      We don’t eat meat around these parts, so I’m not really an expert here. However, I would suggest you can use it just how you would use a food processor!

      Angela

      Reply
  70. Tonya says:
    December 2, 2012 at 8:59 pm

    I have the ninja 1100,when I bought it the single serve cup attachment was’nt offered at that time. I’m now looking to buy it. I’ve been to many sites but can’t seem to find one to buy what i’m looking for,can you please direct me in the right direction.

    Tonya D Brannon

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 3, 2012 at 7:20 am

      Hi Tonya,

      If you want the single serve cup, unfortunately it won’t work with the Ninja 1100 (I confirmed this with Ninja Customer Support some time back). So, the option is to buy the new Ninja Mega Kitchen System – I just bought one and a review is coming later this week. Additionally, if you want to keep your 1100, the Ninja Pulse has a single serve cup and would be cheaper than buying a whole Ninja Mega…

      It stinks, I know!

      Angela

      Reply
  71. John Wallace says:
    December 6, 2012 at 4:39 pm

    Vita-Mix, Blendtech the best (not)..I have a home in Buckeye,AZ (vacation) I use a blender quite offten. Not having one there I went to Costco and bought the 1100 kit, I though that I had to have a Vita-Mix until I tried the Ninja, used it for one week until I came back to Tacoma, WA. I used my old Vita-Mix. Not the same, I have gone on line and purchased the new Ninja Mega system.

    This is the best blender that I have ever used.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 7, 2012 at 3:00 pm

      Thanks for the perspective, John. I have never used a Vitamaix, so I didn’t know how the Ninja stacks up – your comment is super helpful!

      Reply
  72. Garth says:
    December 28, 2012 at 8:07 pm

    I have had this blender for about 6 months. I have used this blender 3 times a week minimum for large batches of smoothies consisting largely of frozen fruit – extremely thick. I am hard on this blender and it was performing superbly until a few days ago.

    After placing the ingredients in the blender I placed the lid on, locked it, turned on the base and chose a speed. The motor sounds like usual but the blades budge just the tiniest bit and they don’t spin, chop or anything else.

    I emptied the blender and tried again. Empty, the blender blades spin. When I put just a few ice cubes in they don’t. The motor sounds great (no funny electrical smells) but no action.

    I filled the blender with water and the blades spin.

    I do not know what to make of this. I see Google search results with descriptions of problems like mine but have not seen even a general description of what might be the cause. And yes, I read above about needing to have the lid on correctly but then I wouldn’t be able to activate the base without having the lid locked properly. This appears to be something different.

    i’m calling their customer service number Monday but I don’t want to wait that long to blend again…..HELP! (^o^)

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 28, 2012 at 8:46 pm

      Wow, Garth, I have never heard of this. I wondered if you were blending something really, really hard, but when you say it won’t spin with even a few ice cubes, that is very odd.

      Unfortunately, I don’t think I will be much help for you here. 🙁 However, have you tried having a “Live Chat” with a customer service rep so you don’t have to wait until Monday? I did this once when I had some questions, and the person was pretty helpful. The “Chatters” are staffed on Saturdays starting at 7 a.m. EST, so you may want to give that a try. Here is a link – the chat button is in the top right hand corner:

      http://www.ninjakitchen.com/Ninja-NJ602-Kitchen-System-1100.shtml

      Good luck, and please let me know what comes of your issue!

      Angela

      Reply
    • Olga says:
      June 28, 2014 at 9:17 am

      Hi Garth,
      I know your post is over a year old but I am having the exact same problem as you did. Power sounds good and blends only liquid but the blades won’t rotate even with just a couple cubes of ice. Did you ever got anywhere with customer service? I called and they implied that my blades were doll and they tried to sell me new blender. Please let me know or if anyone else know or experience a similar problem I will appreciate any guidance.

      Reply
      • Angela says:
        June 29, 2014 at 8:16 pm

        Hi Olga,

        I’m curious – how old is your blender? If it’s less than one year old, you should be able to get it replaced from Ninja under warranty!

        Also, if your blades are dull, you can purchase a replacement blade only and not a whole new blender!!

        Angela

        Reply
        • Olga says:
          June 30, 2014 at 8:40 am

          Angela,
          Thank you for responding. My blender was out of warranty and the blades still pretty sharp. They recommended the replacement of the motor with a refurbish one but I did not have the $75 bucks. Also I did some research and apparently is the planetary gear which is made of plastic and brakes easily. Ninja will not sell the gear separately. The only option is to buy a refurbish motor to replaced the old and hope it will not happen again because refurbish blenders are not covered by warranty. I’m really sad because I truly love this blender and the ability to make healthy meals.

          Once again thank you for your response.
          Olga D.

          Reply
          • Angela says:
            June 30, 2014 at 9:37 pm

            Shoot, Olga, I’m so sorry to hear that!

            And sadly, I just gave away my old Ninja Professional Blender to Goodwill this past weekend because I never use it anymore (I have way too many Ninja Blenders from all the reviews I’ve done). You may want to keep an eye out for a motor on ebay or Craigslist.

            So sorry to hear it!
            Angela

  73. Rick Daniels says:
    January 7, 2013 at 3:03 am

    I own what I guess would be a 1st generation ninja. The motor mounts on top of the container lids and does its work on top, which now is the opposite of your latest products. It has gotten to the point that the motor safety switch basically never gets released so the motor just won’t start, and it has become useless.

    Reply
  74. Bill says:
    January 8, 2013 at 9:28 pm

    I bought this for Christmas (2 weeks ago) and there are already some problems. The machine sounds like there is a bearing or gear inside it that is making a noise just as you start it and when it stops there is a spinning and ringing noise that is not a good sound. I will be returning it this week. Love the way it juices but not the sound of gears grinding and bearings going. Don’t know if I will buy another one if the exchange one starts to make the same sounds.

    Reply
  75. Sabrina says:
    January 11, 2013 at 11:01 am

    I have a small problem that actually makes a huge differance… Is it me or can any of you are able to blend oats, seeds, into dust??? I like the blender.. Just not sure if the machine doesnt do this or maybe the one I have is defective… if anyone else has this problem please let me know…. My old blender (black and decker) makes everything into dust. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      January 11, 2013 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Sabrina,

      It’s not you — it’s the blade design of the blender. Because the blades go through the middle, instead of only being at the bottom, you won’t get the dust like you would with a standard blender. I did a little test here: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/12/08/making-oat-flour-with-the-ninja-mega-kitchen-systema-showdown/ where I made oat flour with the different jars in the Ninja Mega KS. If you look at the pics, you can see that the single serve cup makes a fine dust, but the standard jar and the food processing jar make a courser flour. If you have the single serve cup, that will give you want you want.

      Hope that helps!
      Angela

      Reply
  76. Shelly says:
    April 30, 2013 at 4:52 pm

    Thanks for the touble shooting tip! Saved me time after you mentioned checking that the lid was on correctly. My instructions should list that in the trouble shooting section. Thanks again!

    Reply
  77. Rino says:
    May 20, 2013 at 4:36 am

    I have been looking at the Ninja for a while and wondering if you can get a similar result from blending frozen fruit as this product – http://www.yonanas.com

    Has anyone blended frozen fruit to an icecream like texture?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      May 20, 2013 at 7:34 am

      Hi Rino,

      The Ninja can absolutely do this. Many of my recipes call for frozen bananas as the base, like this one:

      http://testkitchentuesday.com/2010/12/30/banana-cream-pie-blender-ice-cream/

      Hope that helps,
      Angela

      Reply
      • Rino says:
        May 20, 2013 at 8:01 am

        Excellent. Thanks. One less product to buy. Can’t wait to get my ninja.

        Thanks.

        Reply
  78. jiminy says:
    May 30, 2013 at 2:34 pm

    I don’t have a problem with the blender, it actually works well. I do have a problem with the cheap plastic pitcher that breaks or cracks every time you put a little stress on it. I’ve had it for a little over a month and one day, I used a spatula to get whatever I was blending out, I tapped the metal spatula handle against the top of the pitcher and a piece of the pitcher broke off. Couple of days later, I dropped the pitcher from about three feet by accident and plastic flew everywhere. Two pieces that mount to the base broke off. I called Ninja and they wanted an additional $37 to replace. My view is, stop making cheap Chinese crap and don’t try to make a profit center out of replacement parts. My next blender will be American made and NOT the Ninja!

    Reply
  79. Randy says:
    July 19, 2013 at 12:53 pm

    Ok I had the same problem with the power light on the Ninja blinking and it would not start til I aligned the arrows. Makes sense, but here’s a thought Ninja, try placing the arrows so that the English instructions on the lid are actually facing toward you. That’s most likely what confused more than a few folks. Otherwise…great blender if a bit loud. I don’t recommend blending with this monster in the middle of the night if you live in an apt. Your neighbors will lynch you.

    Reply
  80. Rene B. says:
    November 15, 2013 at 5:27 am

    I bought a ninja “as seen on tv” ..not the new one but a few years ago. I had read the reviews and quite a few said the lil white plastic washer breaks.I bought it anyway and it happened the 2nd time i used it.. it worked great but now it doesnt work at all. Where can I get a replacement washer? thanks!

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      November 15, 2013 at 12:13 pm

      Rene, you’ll want to contact Ninja customer support for this.http://www.ninjakitchen.com/ They are pretty good on the “chat” functionality of helping you with what you need…

      Reply
  81. Isabel says:
    December 19, 2013 at 4:24 am

    I bought the Ninja professional yesterday. This morning I made a smoothie and it was great but I couldn’t get the lid off to make it! I had to stuff everything down the spout! Now I’m sitting here, having had my smoothie, and can’t get the lid off!! There is nothing in the instruction manual to help, and although you say you have to pull REALLY hard to take it off, I don’t want to break it! The arrows on the lid are aligned. Do I have to twist it to ‘unalign’ them before pulling it off? Is the release button there to release the lid? Other than this problem, I love it….but if I can’t properly open it, I’ll have to take it back. Any suggestions out there?

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      December 19, 2013 at 8:07 am

      Hi Isabel,

      You need to press the release button. Then, half of the lid will pop up as a handle, and you pull it off that way. You shouldn’t have to pull THAT hard after making a smoothie — that is really only if you’ve put the lid on straight out of the dishwasher.

      Hope that helps!
      Angela

      Reply
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  84. wendy says:
    June 7, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    hello, I just bought the ninja blender professional.

    I bought the unit today and found it unsatisfactory..the unit itself is not defective,but it doesn’t break down the veggies and fruit to my satisafaction

    the cutting device will break everything down, but as I continues, the food continues to spin around in the container and has small pieces that will not pulverize properly

    it has a lumpy consistency.i have used other units and it breaks everything down to a smooth consistency

    I used the individual cup container with the standard bottom blade which did an excellent job.

    it will properly work better if the unit it changed to a bottom blade.it’s a beautiful unit, but I will be returning it..

    Reply
    • Angela says:
      June 10, 2014 at 4:57 pm

      Hi Wendy,

      You may prefer the new Ninja Ultima blender, which has a hybrid blade. It has a blade on the bottom and through the middle, and you can see my review here:
      http://testkitchentuesday.com/2014/05/19/product-review-ninja-ultima-blender-bl800-part-1-overview-and-green-smoothies-bonus-recipe/

      Angela

      Reply
      • TSB8C says:
        August 1, 2014 at 6:22 am

        The Ultima has the same problem.

        Reply
  85. TSB8C says:
    August 1, 2014 at 6:21 am

    Purchased the Ninja Ultimate and returned it the next day. Complete piece of junk. It is extremely loud, too tall to sit on the counter top (over 18″ high), and doesn’t do what it claims. Tried to make a smoothie with frozen fruit pieces and juice, but got nothing but unmixed chunks. It doesn’t puree or chop into a smooth consistency. Tried to make a milk shake with some milk and a scoop of ice cream. It never mixed the items. The “dual blade” system doesn’t do any vertical mixing – meaning items at the bottom stay at the bottom and items at the top stay at the top. They are not mixed or blended together. Complete waste of time and money.

    Reply
  86. gcasey says:
    June 4, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    i like the ninja and thought the locking lid was a good think until I could not get the lid off one day. then, when I pullled it off, guess what? it broke. so now that the lid is broken, you guessed it the blender won’t work. wish I’d saved the box and paperwork so i could get a replacement

    Reply
  87. Mimi says:
    June 12, 2015 at 12:21 pm

    I gotta tell you folks Ninja was the B E S T blender for smoothies, pina coladas (drink with ice), or just crushing my ice into snow {I have an iron deficiency and crave ice}. I’ve read most of the comments on this page regarding the Blender all I can say I CANNOT live w/o my Wonderful Ninja Blender. People don’t go by reviews because reading these reviews would’ve stopped me in my tracks from getting one. I can tell you my Ninja Mega Blender and Accessories to my 500 Mega was the best Monies ever spent in my whole adult life. Would do it w/o hesitating again If I had to!!! and if you’re wondering NO I do not work for ninja, nor know anyone in this company.

    Reply
  88. Butternut-N-Berry Smoothie Meal | allaboutmanners says:
    May 17, 2016 at 6:30 am

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  89. Marla says:
    August 5, 2016 at 10:42 am

    I have a Ninja® Professional Blender and Nutri Ninja® Cups (Black/Grey, BL740C) which I LOVE. However the cup blender stopped working 🙁 The lights come on but when I press the button nothing happens. I checcked to ensure it was on, locked and that nothing was in the base to prevent it from working. I do not fill past the max fill line. I received it for a gift almost a year ago. I cannot figure out what is wrong. 🙁 Please help!

    Reply

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