Ninja Mega Kitchen System: Full Review
Angela | December 10, 2012I recently spent a week in a vacation home in Bend Oregon. The timing was nothing short of serendipitous, as I used the week to put the Ninja Mega Kitchen System through the TKT ringer. The familiar whir of the blender filled the home, and we ate very, very well for the week. (Okay, I think we ate well – 2Chili may have a different view).
You guys have been very patient as I have put this system through its paces, so without further adieu, let’s get right to it!
Unboxing
As with any new kitchen appliance, the first hurdle to overcome is getting the product unboxed and figuring out how to use it. The Ninja Mega Kitchen System comes with a lot of pieces and parts, but it unboxed fairly easily. When all was said and done, here is what was in the box:
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The version I bought didn’t come with the processor attachments that allow for grating/shredding, but there is an option to buy these attachments if you are so inclined for about $59. I will likely buy them separately in the future and report back.
I will be honest and state that I am terrible about reading manuals. This is ironic since I have written more than a few user guides in my career! But, I did review the Quick Start Guide and skimmed the Inspiration Guide, which is a mini recipe book with 28 recipes. None of the recipes terribly interested me, but you may find them of some value.
Configurations
With all these pieces and parts, there are quite a few configurations for this system.
1. Single Serve Blending Configuration
You’ll notice that on the base there is now a button called “Single Serve,” which is used when you use the single serve cup. Unlike the other three speed options, this one defaults to a pulse, and you have to hold it down to continuously blend. (Unlike the Ninja Pulse, you hold down the button, not the single serve cup to blend.)
Note: The single serve lids are not closeable – there is a permanent open hole for drinking. This doesn’t bother me, but, you should know they don’t seal tightly (i.e., don’t mix a smoothie and put it in your gym bag for later…unless you want a gym bag full of smoothie).
2. Food Processor Configuration (Large, 64 oz. bowl)
An improvement over the Ninja Kitchen System, this food processor bowl is more of a traditional round shape (no square corners!), which eliminates the gripe that food can get caught in the corners.
3. Food Processor Mini Prep Bowl Configuration
If you look closely, you’ll see that the mini prep bowl seats itself inside the larger, 64 ounce food processor bowl. I understand why they did this, but this can lead to issues if you don’t seat it properly.
When using the mini prep bowl, always make sure you can see the full amount of metal from the spindle, or the lid won’t go on. I learned this the hard way. One way to ensure you don’t have to dump out whatever you were about to blend to reseat the bowl is to test the lid before adding whatever you’re blending. I have pictures of what it should look like here.
4. 72 ounce Blender Jar Configuration
This is the “old standby” configuration – just straight up big-time blending. There really are no design changes to this blender jar over the original Ninja Professional Blender, save for the attachment mechanism to the base. The base design had to allow for the single serve cup, so it is slightly different than previous Ninja Professional models.
Getting Down to Blending Business – How Does it Work?
The short answer to the most common question, “How does it blend?” is:
Very, very well.
With 1500 watts, this thing has amazing power that makes quick work of just about anything you want to pulverize. But, it’s not a one-trick pony by any means. While it is happy to grind whatever you want into a merciless pulp, it also has a gentler touch, should you need such a thing.
I did quite a few tests with the system, and wrote individual posts covering the various aspects I tried out. My aim was to use each element of the system to give you a glimpse into its capabilities, though I am sure I will keep coming up with new angles in the future. These individual aspect posts are in lieu of getting to the “nuts and bolts” in this all-up review, so if you missed them, I would recommend also reading the following posts:
- Whole food juicing (72 ounce jar)
- Cookie dough (64 ounce bowl and dough hook)
- Nut butter (Mini prep bowl)
- Rice milk (72 ounce jar)
- Oat Flour (72 ounce jar vs. 64 ounce bowl vs. single serve cup – a showdown!)
After using this system, I feel the folks at Ninja have made some marked improvements, and it all starts with the base. The feet are now suction cups, and with the flip of a small lever, you can lock the base down to your counter. This is huge in terms of not having what you are blending walk off on you.
A second major improvement is the addition of the single serve blending cup. This is the feature most people really, really wanted (based on all the questions I receive about it), and it delivers. It really is great to have for that morning smoothie or when you just want to blend a little something and not dirty up the larger jars.
The bad news is that you can’t just buy a single serve cup/blade and use it with your existing Ninja KS or Professional Blender. The attachment mechanism of the jar to the base had to change to accommodate the single serve cup. This also means blender jars from previous Ninja systems are not interchangeable with the Ninja Mega Kitchen System.
You can see that it now has a series of notches and a deep circular recess to accept the cup.
Single serve blending is done via the “Single Serve” button on the base, and it defaults to a pulse. You can steady state blend with the single serving cups, you just have to hold the button down to do so. The other jars do not require constant “button pressing” for steady state blending. You can “set it and forget it,” so to speak. Or, in other words, with the other jars/bowls, you can make nut butter and walk away for a minute while it blends, and thanks to the suction cups on the base, the blender will be where you left it!
A final, but important, major improvement I alluded to earlier is in the food processor bowl. They have made this bowl round, instead of just a squattier version of the 72 ounce blender jar. This is important because it allows the food to not get stuck in the corners while blending and truly speeds up the process. They also included a “mini prep bowl” this go round, which allows you to make effective smaller batches of nut butters or other items you’d normally “food process.”
If I had one critique for the Ninja folks, it’d be that they left the 72 ounce jar square in shape. It’s still an awesome blending experience, but you can get things caught in the corners, and this makes you have to stop and scrape down the jar. This is not the end of the world, but I wonder if they have ever thought of making the 72 ounce jar round.
Comparison – Ninja Professional 1100, Ninja Kitchen System 1100, Ninja Pulse, and Ninja Mega Kitchen System
I have created a PDF you can download if you’re into this sort of stuff. It compares the four products from the Ninja Kitchen folks across a few different parameters. Here is a preview of what’s on the chart – it’s all pretty and everything. You can also click the image to access the PDF.
Don’t see something on the chart that you want to know? Let me know and I’ll add it.
The Elephant in the Room: The Vitamix Comparison
One really can’t talk about high end blenders without at least mentioning the Vitamix.
I have never used a Vitamix, so I truly cannot comment on how the Ninja Mega Kitchen System stacks up against the gold-standard blender. Someday, maybe I’ll have the good fortune to receive a Vitamix to do a head-to-head showdown, but I don’t intend to purchase one. I simply cannot justify spending almost $500 on a single blender, even as much as I love to blend!
Pros and Cons
Ninja Mega Kitchen System Pros
- Variety of blending options, from the blender jar for large jobs to the single serve cups for small jobs, and plenty of food processing options, even without the special “food processing” attachments
- Power. This system has enough power to handle anything you want to blend, but can also be gentle enough for recipes that require more finesse and less brute force
- Unique multi-blade blending in the jar results in fast, consistent blending every time
- Suction cup feet allow you to lock the base down to the counter and eliminates the need to hover over the blender or hold down the base while blending to make sure it doesn’t move
- 72 ounce blender jar has a pour spout for easy pouring of contents without removing the blades
- Diverse and effective, professional-quality blending at an affordable cost compared to Vitamix or Blendtec
- Super easy to clean and dishwasher safe (be careful where you put the blades though, they are very sharp!)
Ninja Mega Kitchen System Cons
- The biggest gripe I think people looking for a “Vitamix alternative” will have is that you can’t make hot soup in the actual blender. You can make soup in a pot and blend it while it is hot in the blender (e.g., my butternut squash soup), but the blender itself will not make soup hot
- I would prefer than the blender jars not be plastic, but, at least they are high-quality, BPA-free plastic. You still need to be careful though, as the blades are very sharp and can easily scratch the plastic
- Requires a decent amount of cabinet space to store; If you are shy on space, the Ninja Pulse may be better for you
- Folks who are interested in “true juicing” and who are considering this mainly for juicing, will likely not be happy with it. While it can definitely do “whole food” juicing now, it will never be a juice extractor. It’s a blender that multi-purposes.
Which System Should You Buy?
Okay, so, lots of pictures and charts are fun and all, but, if you’ve read this far, I’m assuming you really are interested in buying a new Ninja blender, and maybe still don’t know which one is for you.
My bottom line opinion, that’d I’d tell a friend or stranger: If you are in the market for a Ninja, and have the cash (and the storage space) to get the Mega, get the Mega.
It’s sort of like when you’re at the car rental counter and they offer to upgrade you into a “better” car for a nominal fee. The larger car is often more comfortable and worth the cost. Same here.
After using it, I am convinced the Mega Kitchen System is worth the slightly higher cost compared to the other systems. The only exception would be if you’re shopping for a Pulse. The price point on the Pulse is much lower, and if you only need to blend small jobs, you are more than likely going to be very happy with it. (I love mine and use it daily). But, if you want the full boat big-boy blender, the Mega is now where it’s at.
Troubleshooting
Historically speaking, when I write a review, I get follow up questions from folks that own said reviewed item and are having issues. I thought I’d do a little upfront information sharing here to help with the troubleshooting aspect that may arise.
- Blender won’t start. This is a common one with any Ninja product because of one very important detail: Aligning the lid and jar arrows. If your blender won’t start, be sure you have the arrow on the lid aligned with the arrow on the base (above the handle). 99% of the time, this is the issue. If they are aligned, make sure the lid is securely locked – that is the issue the other 1% of the time!
- Can’t get the lid off. If you use your dishwasher to wash your blender jars, and put the lid on while it is still wet, you will probably have a hard time getting the lid off later when you want to use it. Pull hard to remove it (sometimes very hard), but, to prevent this from happening, let the jar and lid air dry for a couple hours after you take it out of the dishwasher.
- Can’t get the lid on when using the mini-prep bowl. Most likely, the mini prep bowl isn’t properly seated. It’s best to always test the fit before adding ingredients by making sure the lid will close. However, if you have already put ingredients in, pour them (carefully) into another container. Jiggle the mini prep bowl until you see the full portion of the metal spindle, test the lid, and then re-add your ingredients.
- Lost, broken, or otherwise need replacement parts. This is an easy one! You can order pretty much all the pieces and parts (including a new base) directly from Ninja.
In Closing
There is an Irish proverb that goes like this:
“Do one thing and do it well.”
Clearly, the folks at Ninja Kitchen didn’t follow this principle, because the Ninja Mega Kitchen system does a lot of things, and it does a lot of things well.
I am very happy with it so far and am looking forward to lots of creating in the near future. For ideas of what you can make with the Ninja Mega Kitchen System (or any Ninja blender), check out my recipe page, which has almost 50 recipes I have created for the Ninja Professional blender and will work in the Mega.
Thanks for reading, and happy blending!
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In the interest of full disclosure, I have no affiliation with the Ninja Kitchen folks, and I paid full price to purchase this system to review. Over the course of doing the review, I have worked this system and run it through the dishwasher a lot. So, it’s definitely seen significant use. However, since it is a new system and is new to me as well, I will continue to use it and update this review accordingly.
If you have uncovered an aspect that I have missed, please share in the comments for everyone to read. And, as always, if you found value in this review and decide to purchase the Ninja Mega Kitchen System, using the Amazon link will help support the site. It doesn’t cost you anything, but puts a few pennies back in the pot to support future reviews.
Great job on reviewing the system. This was the type of review I looked for (and didn’t find) prior to purchasing one. I got one any way and I LOVE it. You really explain things clearly and I think there will be others you help with this review.
Thanks for the nice note, Cyndee! It does take some work to do a review like this, so hopefully others will find it helpful!
Thank you so much for this review. I just purchased this system, although I didn’t get the mini prep bowl, because I got mine at Target. Anyway, I look forward to coming to your site over and over again.
Will you be posting recipes for this system as it does seem to be a bit different from the previous iterations of the Ninja Kitchen System.
Thanks again,
Janis
Hi Janis,
Interesting that yours didn’t come with the mini prep bowl – I didn’t realize there was a different “Target” model. I will have to check it out when I go there next.
You can use any of my Ninja Recipes in the Mega pretty much seamlessly. I will probably go back through them and add slightly modified instructions for items that would be better suited for the food processor bowl (all of the nut butters), but this will take some time. I just counted and I have over 50 recipes right now! But, for the most part, the instructions should work for your Mega. The only other difference is you may need to blend for less time in some cases, due to the higher power.
Have fun!
Angela
I called Ninja about the mini prep bowl and the customer service rep told me it’s because I purchased it at Target. If I had waited a couple of days, and convinced DH, then I could have gotten it from BBB and used a 20% off coupon and the price would have been less than the Target price. However, if I so choose, I can purchase the mini prep bowl for the low, low price of $35.99. (sarcasm inserted).
So here is my next question. Is the mini prep bowl worth spending the extra money? I can’t return the unit to Target as I marked on the outside of one of the single serve containers.
Well shoot, Janis, that is too bad. I bought mine from BB&B with the coupon. I think it stinks that there is a separate “Target” model. Most people will expect to get all the parts, not a special “Target” offering. I will be sure to update the text of this review so other people know this.
I wouldn’t spend $35 on the mini prep bowl. You can do everything you need to do in the larger food processor bowl.
I was wondering the same thing, thanks for clearing that up and saving me $35. I’m ordering directly from the website and the prep bowl isn’t included. You have to pay $80 (!!!) extra to get the little bowl, a cookbook, and 2 extra single serve cups (2 of the cups are already included with the system).
I decided to order directly because they have the food processing add-on which is important to me, that way I can get rid of a couple of current appliances.
The total price including the food processing option (processing bowl w/chute, 4 slicing/shredding/cutting discs and plastic storage box) is $168 with free shipping & 5 year warranty. I am hearing from others that they are on back order so it may be while before I get it.
Thank you for the wonderful review! It really helped me decide.
I always enjoy reading your reviews! It looks amazing but right now I’m doing my travel nursing and REALLY miss my Ninja, however, I’ve got my nutribullet to keep me happy…
Perhaps when I’m done traveling around the US, I’ll get the Mega Ninja. Keep up the awesome posts.
Thanks for your input Angela. I will save my money and not get the mini prep bowl.
Much appreciated.
i was wondering if i can make cookie dough with the ninja blender. i dont have all the attachments? please let me know thank you
Hi Erica,
I am assuming you have the 72 onunce pitcher and standard blade. You absolutely can make cookie dough. Just cream the wet ingredients first, then add dry ingrendients and either pulse to combine or blend on one until combined. The attachments are nice but not necessary.
Angela
12-21-12
Hi… I ordered mine from the infomercial and didn’t get the mini bowl OR A RECIPE BOOK.
Looking forward to getting creative..
Enjoyed your review… Let me know if you get more recipes.
Thanks
Marsha
Hi Marsha,
Hmm, that’s strange. I haven’t seen the infomercial, so I’m not sure if maybe mine was the oddity with the mini-prep bowl, since another commenter mentioned she didn’t get one either. I ordered mine from Bed Bath and Beyond early on (I had a 20% off coupon).
With regards to the recipe book, you’re truly not missing that much with what was included in mine. It was called an “inspiration guide.” And it has recipes but I think it is more intended to give you ideas of what you can do. However, do you remember if the commercial promised one? If it did, you may want to call Ninja Customer Service and see if they will send you one. It can’t hurt to try.
I will keep posting my Ninja Recipes on this site, you can count on it!
Angela
Hello,
This is a Great review!
I did purchase mine from Kohls. I got the mini bowl and 3 Single serve setups using a 30% off coupon with my account about 3 months ago..
I love my Ninja and my family uses it an average of 2 times a day and it is still going strong. Ninja customer service is great as well if you do need it, just saying.
I have recently seen a demonstration of the VItamix and it is Awsome! I am big in juicing and the Vitamix will actually leave a nice creamy juice with NO pulp. However with the Vitamix you need the wet pitcher that it comes with, and a dry pitche to do anything dry like flower. It is also three times the cost of the Ninja (Maybe some time in my lifetime).
Thank you TestKitchenTuesday for sharing all your Great work and recipes.
Thanks for your note, Evon! Sounds like your configuration matches mine, except you got an extra single serve cup and it sounds like you got a great deal. I am guessing each retailer must have an option to get a slightly different configuration based on the price point they want to sell at.
There is no question the Vitamix is awesome, but I am with you – maybe sometime in my lifetime. If you do this green juice, it comes out very creamy and drinkable out of the Ninja – surprisingly so:
1/2 cup pineapple
Handful kale or spinach
5-6 mint leaves
Small chunk of fresh ginger
1/2 a lemon, squeezed
4 ice cubes
Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for the review!! Do you know if you can purchase the whipping blade separately from the Ninja company? It doesn’t come with the Mega Kitchen only the 1100 Kitchen System.
Hi Tracy,
In fact, you can. Get it here: http://www.ninjakitchen.com/cgi-bin/livew/site.w?location=b2c/retail-shop-list.w&cartaction=update&in_139KKU=1&src=F158&payplan=none&frames=no&target=main&sponsor=000007
Angela
Hi Angela, I just contacted customer support and they told me that the parts and accessories included in different units are not interchangable. For example, I wanted to purchase a whipping paddle and dough paddle for my Mega kitchen system and they said it would not work…but it appears that it would. Have you tried to use different accessories from different systems in your ninja?
Hi Trish,
Unfortunately, aside from the lids for the single serve cups, the parts are not interchangeable. I have talked a bit about this in the past and I think it is a major fail. They change just enough in the design to make them not interchangeable. Clearly this is on purpose, and it is my one big gripe with the manufacturer. I once accidentally used a Pulse single serve blade base with a cup from my Ninja Mega, and, it didn’t work, and sort of messed up the mechanism of the blade base.
It does seem like the whipping blade and dough paddle should work, but, personally, I wouldn’t risk it. Sorry I don’t have better news…
Angela
Thank you so much for publishing these great reviews. I ordered my Ninja Mega system last week, and was wondering just what I was getting myself into. After reading your explanations and reviews, I feel so much more confident that I’ll be able to handle this machine when it arrives. I’m so glad I found your site and now I’m really looking forward to using my Ninja.
Thanks again,
Hilary
Hi Hilary,
Glad to be of help!
Happy blending!
Angela
I am considering this system. I have been a long time user of the vitamix but this looks like it can do so much more.. I watched it on QVC.. I juice a lot but also do some “healthy” raw desserts that include smashing up dates, nuts and such. My biggest concern with this is how long it will last.. How long is their warranty?? That is one good thing about Vitamix.. 5 year warranty..
Hi Linda,
I looked into the warranty for you – according to their website, it’s 5 years.
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/products/ninja-mega-kitchen-system-bl770/ppc/ogviii/ogviiiintppc.shtml?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Offer8FreeBookNoFSHBL7701594Pay&utm_term=ninja%20mega%20kitchen%20systems&utm_content={campaign}
If you have a Vitamix already, you can probably do everything this system can do, and more (like make hot soup). But, it is super versatile and the single serve blending cup is a really nice addition to its blending and food processing capabilities.
Angela
Thank you Angela.. Earlier I was looking at it online and it said 1 yr. warranty.. Hummm?? I think the advantage over the vitamix is the smaller round container for doing dough and such.. The vitamix throw everything up and away.. Always have to be poking it back down.. Its because the blade is at the very bottom..
That’s an interesting point, Linda. I have noticed the Vitamix has that stick so you can push stuff back down. You don’t have to do that with the Ninja. If you are big into nut butters, blended raw foods, etc. the Ninja can handle that very proficiently. I did a video using it to make cashew butter – it took about 80 seconds, if I remember.
One other note is that I had a big food processor bowl and a smaller, mini processor bowl with mine. Some folks didn’t get this, so it seems the package varies depending on where you buy it. The one from Amazon or Bed Bath and Beyond seem to have both food processor bowls, but I don’t see it on the one from Ninja directly, which is odd and confusing! I think they do this to be able to offer different price points…
Angela
Nor can I see where you can add the Prep package (the blades etc for shredding and slicing) as I think I would like that as well..
You know, I agree with you – I would like them too. The only place I have found them is here, in their Parts page: http://www.ninjakitchen.com/mega-kitchen-system/parts.html
I think if you order it direct from TV from the infomercial, they may have everything packaged up together, but I haven’t seen it in a while, so I can’t remember. Luckily it’s on a lot, so you may stumble on it today!
The salad shooter with all the blades is a separate priced package…I purchased it.. Works really well.. I’ve only used the shredder blade so far.
Marsha
I’m really loving your blog! I was originally in the market for a food processor and came across the Ninja Mega Kitchen System. I don’t see a lot of posts about the food processor feature which is what I’m really curious about…
Have you purchased the additional blades and tested them out? I’m curious how thick/thin they slice, grate, etc. Also, I’m curious if you can put whole fruits or vegetables in the food processor attachment.
Hi Karen,
Thanks for your note!
You are right that I haven’t done a lot with the food processor bowl, but I will. We are in the middle of a big remodel, so my kitchen is fairly limited, and I do most things with the standard jar right now.
I didn’t purchase the add’l blades yet, but it is indeed on my list. Reader Marsha has bought this and reported that it works really well!
Hi… Yes I do have it.. Am happy so far… I’ve only shredded and sliced so far.. But I’m glad I have it..
Hope this helps
Marsha
Hi Marsha!
Thanks for replying. Out of curiosity, is the slicer adjustable? If not, how thick/thin are the slices and what were you preparing?
I only see one size. Was cutting potatoes ..they were the right size.. There is a shredder on the other side of the slicer.. All in one blade..short cut French fry,grating,crinkle cut and shredder…4 blades in all…
Haven’t had it long enough to do much
Marsha
Thanks for the reply Angela and good luck with the remodel!
Making biscuits with the ninja right now… Yum
Marsha
Thank you, Marsha, for being my go-to expert on the shredding/grating accessories!
Anytime Angela.. Glad I could help!
Marsha
Dear Marsha, Have read through everything on this site, but since you make biscuits, once mixed do you still have to knead them, all my bread and biscuits require kneading. I am 74 and my hands are getting bad, but if I still have to knead, then can continue to use my 24yr old Oster and save me a ton of cash. Thank you
Hi there,
I’m so glad I found your review of the ninja! I just purchase one this past wel end and patiently waiting for its arrival. I have a question about soup. My sister has a vitamix and can make soup.y understanding is that the high speed if the blender heats up the ingredients. I had read some where that the watts and the horsepower of the ninja and the vitamix are really close. If so why can’t soup be made in the ninja? Is there an option for heat on the vitamix?
Thanks
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
You are totally right – the horsepower is almost identical between the Ninja Mega and the Vitamix – they are both about 2 HP. But, there is some magic that the Vitamix has that lets it make soup, and I don’t know what that is! I have asked several people that have them, and nobody seems to know why the Vitamix can make soup – it is completely an engineering thing, though. I looked at the Ninja FAQ page, and they say it cannot make soup.
Personally, I don’t find it to be much trouble to make soup on the stove and then blend in the Ninja. But, then again, I’m not a daily soup maker and the cost is just so much less for the mega that I am really happy with it (and, it has so many other capabilities, too).
Hope that helps (and sorry!)
Angela
Thanks Angela! I am not disappointed at all. I don’t see it a problem to mix it up then heat it up! It was just a brain thing!
trying to figure it out. And I totally agree with all the extras for half the price makes it a very smart choice. And I don’t have to be an engineer to figure that out. 
Thanks again and I will be visiting often to try out your recipes!
Theresa
I have made soup in my vitamix when I first got it.. I really think the reason it can heat soup or anything else you might put in it for that long is due to the speed it rotates.. It takes about 8 minutes to heat it up to pretty warm but not really hot. Personally I can heat it on the stove that fast and would rather.. I don’t think running it that hard and fast steady like that is all that good for it. Still thinking about doing the ninja because it does so many other things…
Linda, thank you so much for the info! I think most of the people I have asked about this regarding the Vitamix haven’t actually used theirs to make soups, so I haven’t been able to get a great answer. 8 minutes of steady state blending does seem like a lot to me. I had no idea it took that long. I appreciate your help — and I know everyone else does too!
Thank you for your very comprehensive review, it certainly made my decision to purchase the NinjaMega. I’m 67 yrs. old and have been cooking since I was 13 and am considered a very good cook, I also catered for a number of years. Point being, I know my way around a kitchen, however, I made a very expensive mistake and got “sucked into” purchasing the Montel Williams version of the Vitamix. Yes, his makes hot soup, terribly, frozen desserts, terribly, doesn’t turn ice into snow consistency without melting it, because it takes so long. And, insult to injury, you have to have the patience of a saint to get the lid on after the 1st or 2nd use, and the strength of a Sumo wrestler the get the lid off after blending or whatever else! I’m going to bite the bullet, so to speak, dump the “Montel” (before it kills me) and purchase the Ninja. So glad to have found your site-
Doral
Doral, I think you made the right decision. I was skeptical before getting my Ninja, and like you, over the years, I’ve bought plenty of useless gadgets. I’m really happy with my Ninja. It’s done everything I’ve wanted it to do. I was also worried that it would be too complicated and I wouldn’t be able to figure it out–but no problem there. My only “complaints “are that the plastic parts take a long time to dry, lots of crevices that are hard to reach. And you need to be really careful when washing the blades–they are wicked sharp! Otherwise, I love it!
Hi Doral,
Thank you for your note! I think you will enjoy the Ninja. In fact, I got a note from my aunt the other day who had received a Ninja (not the Mega) for Christmas. She is also a whiz in the kitchen, and she loved it so much, she took it back and traded it in for the Mega instead of just the Pro Blender. I used mine 5 times yesterday alone! (2 juices, a batch of hummus, some macaroons, and some almond butter.)
Hillary is right, the blades are wicked sharp, as I think we have all found out. The main thing is to be careful when washing them (or placing in the dishwasher), and removing from the jar so your jar doesn’t get all scratched up. Happy blending!
What a wonderful site! So thankful you took the time to research and put this together to help all of us deciding which system to purchase. The options available are somewhat daunting, it reminds me of walking into a department store for a top and having to wade through a multitude of racks upon racks…then departments. I usually race to the exit door in order to stop the anxiety. I was almost at that point after two days of internet research when I found your site.
Again, thank you so much Angela. The Mega system is it, I’m sure we will be happy.
Aloha!
Thank you, Cherrielane! Glad you have found value in my review. I completely agree – there are so many Ninja options now that I have to look them up sometimes to answer questions that come in. Enjoy your Mega, and thanks for dropping by!
Justed wanted to update and tell you that I LOVE my Ninja Mega!
I make my own almond milk every couple days and it is so simple that I look forward to doing so.
I soak my almonds for several hours or overnight, then I pop them out of their skins and place them in the large blender jar. I add about 2 cups of water to start with and blend on #3 for a several minutes. I don’t time it, but I found the longer the better. Once the pouring spout looks like it’s not crushed chunks, but just thick ‘cream’, i add the rest of the water and blend it on either 1 or 2 for a couple more minutes. I have sweetened and flavored it with organic vanilla and medjool dates and also with apricots. I am now just doing it with the almonds and water. I don’t strain it at all, that’s why the longer you blend the better.
I also have made a cake mix in it, wow is it quick! I used the food processor bowl for that one.
I tried to make rice milk.. it was yucky, lol.
I think anyone who gets this machine will be very pleased
Hi Janis,
Awesome! I am impressed you have found a way to make almond milk without straining it. I’ll have to try your method.
When you made the rice milk, did you use cooked rice? That is an important part of it. I have found the Ninja makes great rice milk and that has been my go-to at home milk for a while. I like to make it with sweet brown rice, that way it comes out creamy and with a hint of sweetness.
Thanks for your note!
Angela
Oops, I replied below, and didn’t notice this ‘reply’ spot until after I replied, lol
Hi Janis,how much almonds do you use for the almond milk? I just purchased the ninja mega and would like to make some almond milk.
Thank you
I use about a heaping cup of almonds.
Sorry that came across as abrupt and possibly rude. I had my 18 mo. old granddaughter on my lap while I responded! I use about a heaping cup of raw almonds, which I soak overnight in the fridge and then I drain and rinse well. I usually also use about 4-5 cups of fresh water.
Hope that helps.
Janis
Ha, Janis, it was not rude at all!!! Thanks for chiming in so promptly! And, you are right to prioritize your granddaughter on your lap.
Hi Thelma,
I am with Janis on this one. A good rule of thumb is one cup of almonds to four cups of water. Here’s a little tutorial: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/01/31/got-almond-milk/
Enjoy!
Thanks, Angela, for doing the trial and review of the Ninja mega. It made up my mind to get the mega system since there had long been need of a new food processor. Then the need developed for a more powerful blender.
It is plain to see there are no blueberry skins visible in a Ninja-mega single serve smoothie ……POWER is right! The first thing I made after the unpacking was pesto in the 64 oz. processor bowl. There seemed to be too much stopping and bowl scraping, which isn’t easy with those very sharp, tall blades……..there is a tiny piece of red silicone spatula in that batch of pesto; will use the mini insert next time. So far the single serve smoothies are great! I am using frozen as well as fresh fruit thereby avoiding any need for ice cubes which take up ‘food room’ in the single serve jar. And putting the yogurt, or whatever liquid, in last……top nearest blade in the single serve…..has worked the best for my smoothies.
Someone on this forum (I think it was here) mentioned cooking veggies before blending them. I did roast and peel a couple fresh beets, and put 1/4 to 1/3 beet (cut up) into each smoothie……… really sweet; no additional sweetener needed. This could work for carrots and sweet potatoes as well, and maybe avoid the pulp-no pulp/juicing-water-straining dilemma with some veggies. That will be next…..even though I do have a dedicated centrifugal juicer that separates the pulp in carrot, apple, beet juice. I would rather keep the pulp.
A ‘hot soup/vitamix’ option could be an immersion blender for about $20…….nothing has to leave the stove.
I just discovered there is a free recipes Ninja app for iPhone and iPad.
The cost of the Ninja-mega system was so much less than purchasing a food processor AND a blender. I am glad I waited!
Hi Berna,
I am glad you found it helpful! I totally agree with you that frozen fruit is better than ice for smoothies. That is my preference anyway.
Good point about the immersion blender and soup! Haven’t heard of this app – will have to check it out!
Angela
Hi Angela,
Yes I did try making the rice milk with cooked rice. I made it twice, the first time it turned out okay, the second time, it separated in the blending process, with nasty foam at the top and ricey water at the bottom. I even added a spoonful of melted virgin coconut oil to try to get it to mix, and it just wouldn’t. Now it is quite possible that it was the rice. I made a large pot of rice and kept it in the fridge for several days. Maybe that was the problem.
As for the almond milk without straining, it’s not perfectly smooth, but smooth enough that my 1 yr old granddaughter can drink it through her sippy cup. I use it mainly as the fluid portion of my Shakeology smoothie every day. (Shakeology is, well it’s considered the healthiest meal of the day and if you are interested in more info, they have a website, just add the www. and the .com before and after)
Hi Janis,
Interesting – that does not sound good! Maybe give it another try some day with a sticky rice and see if that makes a difference.
I bought extra almonds at the store last night to make almond milk instead of rice milk this week, so I’m going to give it a try. I don’t mind pulpy, and I like the idea of getting the nutrients from the pulp! It is so much better to make your own than buy store bought with all the preservatives.
I have heard of Shakeology through my Beach Body “coach.” I’m very sensitive to flax though, and since that’s an ingredient, I have never been able to try it…
Beachbody very recently tweaked the original chocolate formula. It’s delicious, and maybe they took the flax out. Something to possibly look into.
The rice I used was sticky rice, lol. I guess I’ll just stick to nut milk. My next plan is to try to make hazelnut milk
I agree with you about the pulp, I don’t notice very much at all, but I figure the nutrients in it are worth the possibility of noticing it.
Boy, this mega-ninja single serve smoothie process is fun. I did roast a well scrubbed sweet potato, med.-size carrot, and a beet…..all unpeeled; peeled them when cooled a bit. The roasted sweet potato has consistency similar to a banana. So, with half the carrot, 1/4 to 1/3 of the beet, and about 1/4c. size portion of the sweet potato, a handful of frozen berries, some protein powder, 2 oz. aloe vera juice, some vanilla, a few tablespoons of seeds + almond butter, yogurt to the max. fill line on the single serve jar, all was ready for the blade. All of this jar full took not more than 30 seconds, with pulses at the beginning. There were, however, berry seeds in the smoothie; no pulp, just seeds. No sweetener was needed; the roasted beet, carrot, and sweet potato were very sweet.
Berna
2-4-13
Berna! That’s a meal… Sounds interesting!
I made sorbet in my ninja for the first time! Talk about easy and delicious .. 2 cups frozen fruit, a little bit of Walden’s strawberry no calorie syrup.. It was perfect.
Marsha
Berna, that is awesome! I too love blending roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash into smoothies. They make very creamy concoctions indeed. Thank you for sharing!
Marsha, I am working on giving that area a try……sorbet, granita, ice cream. May stall until the fresh fruit season arrives. There are strawberries and blackberries close by. The wintertime excuse is, there is no room in this small freezer. Green Tea ice cream is a ‘work toward’ project.
Berna
Angela, never thought of the butternut squash! Thanks; there is some of that in freezer…..plenty of liquid in that batch.
Berna
Awesome, lucky you have some on hand already! I like butternut + strawberry. Delish.
I was wondering if it will grind wheat, other grains and dried beans (not necessarily together :o)). That is the real reason I want the other blender.
Thank you for reviewing it for the nut butters.
Hi Pauline,
It absolutely can. Here is a blog I wrote a while back about making garbanzo bean flour from dried beans. http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/05/28/can-a-ninja-blender-make-garbanzo-bean-flour/
The deal with grinding grains is that you can take it all the way to flour, or course grind. If you take it all the way to flour, you will have some waste, as you’ll have to sift out the little bit of coarser bits it can’t seem to “finish off. If you get the Mega KS with the single serve cups, they can take it all the way to smooth flour with very little waste. This is to do with the blade design – in the bigger jars, the blade goes through the middle, but in the single serve, it’s more of a traditional blade at the bottom.
I hope that helps!
Angela
Thanks for replying Angela. I appreciate your efforts. (and so should Ninja!)
I am so glad I found this post and comments! I am about to order the mega system. Do you grind the garbanzo bean flour in the food processor or the blender? And do you think the prep system attachment (food processor chopping, shredding, etc) is worth an extra $30?
Hi Roni,
I grind the garbanzo beans in the large 72 ounce pitcher. The blades are a little more aggressive – you’ll see what I mean when you get yours!
As far as the prep attachments, I don’t have them, but from what everyone has told me, they are worth it if you can get them when you’re initially buying. I bought mine at BB&B, so, I didn’t get the attachments at the time. But, if I did it over again, yes, I’d buy them!
Hope that helps,
Angela
Hmmmm, would not have considered garbanzo bean grinding; thanks for that one. If those beans are such a success, imagine what the mega single serve will do for hulled barley and quinoa. Must make note to wear ear protection, and do small batches. I will take a guess that the heat generated will be less in small batches.
I HAVE been telling of the mega’s probable talent for making sand out of gravel; will switch the tale to making flour out of garbanzo beans…….truth rather than fantasy in advertising.
Berna
Berna, you know what’s interesting is the Ninja doesn’t really heat up when grinding beans or rice. That’s definitely one of its advantages over the Vitamix, in my opinion.
You are right – it probably WOULD make sand out of gravel. But, garbanzo beans into flour is definitely a tastier way to go!!
Boy, Angela, that is so good to know….the Ninja ‘”doesn’t really heat up when grinding beans or rice”. While I have the Kitchenaid grain attachment, it does heat up the wheat, and does nothing in the way of grinding quinoa or amaranth whole grains.
Berna
Interesting about the Kitchen Aid. For the Ninja, it probably has to do with how the blade goes through the middle instead of being at the bottom. That is just my guess, anyway…
Thank you for your reviews of the Ninja. I received the Mega System for Christmas this year.
I ordered it through an offer that came across my email in mid-November. By ordering from the company directly I got a 5 year VIP warranty and the coveted cookbook. They offer great prices and some wonderful extras during the holiday season. I have learned to make almond milk, pizza sauce, and pizza dough as well as numerous smoothies. Keep up the good work. I purchased your recipe booklet for Kindle through Amazon and it is terrific.
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for your nice note! Glad you are enjoying your Ninja and it sounds like you got a nice deal on it, too!
why does the comercial say it is 2hp and 2400watts? but their website and what you have said says 1500watts?
Hi Glenn,
I can’t recall what the infomercial says, but the one I have is definitely 1500 watts. This is one of those things you may want to ask them directly. I have found them very helpful via the Chat feature on their website: http://www.ninjakitchen.com/
If you get to the bottom of this, please let us know!
Thank you for the reply.
Watt and horsepower are two ways of stating power. Go to google search window and type “watts to horse power. So 1500 watts is slightly more than 2 horse power. Kim the 2400 is simply your typo of the RPM of the blade. The actual RPM is more like 24000. By the way 1500 watts is precisely why I bought the Ninja Kitchen System. I’m a power freak and you simply cant plug in much more than 1500 watts with out blowing a circuit breaker or fuse. LOL
Glen, I was curious about that also, the HP vs watts so googled the conversion. 2 HP is equal to 1590 watts (about) so when they say more watts, they are misleading. NO problem though as an electrician responded that our 15 watt electrical outlets are configured to handle about 1500 watts maximum anyhow. So, even though we are not getting the wattage that Ninja says, it does not matter!
To everyone else on here, thanks for ALL of your comments. I’m pretty well convinced to buy a Ninja Mega Kitchen System (just wish it was nearer Christmas for a better offer from Ninja). I do sometimes get the 20% off at Bed Bath & Beyond and their current price is $219 w/all but the 3 cup mini bowl.
Incidentally, I’ve owned the most powerful Vitamix for many years and even though I enjoy juicing w/it, it’s a little bit of a pain to clean, guess I like easy!! Yes, it is the speed which heats the soups but I didn’t care for the taste. I’ve also have a (can’t think of the name presently) juicer which extracts the juice and tosses out the pulp. Talk about cleaning, wow!
So, I’m hoping that a Ninja will be the answer to my needs and ‘laziness’.
Great comments…….the difference between purchasing online/tv versus in a store…….store has one year warranty…..purchasing online/ tv infomercial has 5year warranty as of 02/17/13.? You must compare each store offering versus online or tv because they may have different bowls and parts. BBB and online tv purchase are the same but dfferent warranties and the final cost with tax shipping etc etc is less than $20. Difference but the 5 yr warranty is a big deal. I am considering the mega from the tv infomercial save $20.00 and get the 5 yr warranty but have to wait a few days for delivery….but will spend that time reviewing your recipes. Thank you for your info and testing.
Thank you Dan for the great info!
I have not seen enough said about the following issue on this site: being an old geezer that loves to cook, I want to make a point for folks like me who have maybe lost some dexterity or strength in their hands. WATCHOUT! THE BLADES ARE SUPER, SUPER SHARP ON NINJAS…BE VERY CAREFUL! l learned with one accident to use my rubber kitchen gloves to keep blood out of the blenders and dishwasher. Wisdom from an old Woman Marine, Semper Fi!
Hi Angela, I need your advise because I really dont know what to do right now. I have the ninja kichen 1100 and i truely love it. But i have watched the new infomercial on the mega 1500 and I am in love with the new options it has. I really like the single serve cups because i like juicing and protein drinks, and i like the round design of the bowl, plus the more horse power.
For those reasons only, is it worth trying to sell the one i have and purchase the mega? I was in hopes that they had the travel cups that fit the 1100, but they dont… and in my search i found your fabulous sight. I also had to purchase your cook book from Amazon because you have a lot of great ideas. THANKS AGAIN ANGELA!!
Hi Connie,
Wow, that is a good question. The single serve cups are fantastic – I agree that they are the biggest selling factor of the Mega over previous versions. I can’t tell you what to do per se, but I can tell you that I use the single serve cups daily for smoothies. The single serve cups make such a smooth drink, and really pulverize greens like spinach. And, sometimes you just don’t want to clean the big jar! Ninja changed the base design a bit to allow for the single serve cups, so yes, it is a bummer that they don’t retrofit to older models — that topic is very common around these parts.
If you can get a 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon, you can get a pretty decent deal on the Mega (though it only has a 1 year warranty instead of 5 from buying directly through Ninja).
If you decide to trade up for the Mega, I think you will love it. It just comes down to budget in my opinion – whether or not you have the budget to make the swap! If you can sell your other one, that is a good starting point for trading up…
Thank you very much i think i am going to see if one of my family members would like to buy it from me. If so, then i will move to the mega (lets keep our fingers crossed). Thanks again Angela, I appreciate your help.
I saw earlier you gave someone a link to the whip blade… I will this blade work with the mega blender?
Hi Tristan, I wasn’t sure of the answer here, so I asked a Ninja support rep. Unfortunately, the whipping blade for the 72 ounce Ninja Professional Blender does not work with the Ninja Mega KS.
However, the 64 ounce food processing bowl with the Mega has a plastic “whipping” blade, so that is probably why something like that isn’t included for the Mega.
Hope that helps,
Angela
You mean the dough hook blade? Because I am not seeing any whip attachment anywhere
Hi Tristan,
There is a whipping attachment for the Ninja Pro 1100 – you can see it on this page:
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/Ninja-NJ602-Kitchen-System-1100.shtml?tabID=partsCont
There is not a whipping attachment for the Ninja Mega…
Have you had trouble with the lid not closing with the processor bowl (the big one not small bowl) or the single serve cups getting stuck on it??????
Hi Donna,
Hmm, those are not problems I havehad. If you have inserted the small bowl into the large bowl, and it’s not properly seated, that’s where I’ve had lid issues. But, not when it’s just the processor bowl by itself. I also haven’t had issues with the single serve cups. If you turn the cup, it won’t come out?
I would recommend you contact Ninja directly about this – they are pretty helpful and will probably know the answer. Their “chat” support is great and responsive, in fact, I just talked to them this morning about something and the “Chatter” was on the line in about 20 seconds:
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/mega-kitchen-system/index.html
No lid problems here, but I too have to struggle to unscrew the single-serve. It’s frustrating because the blender and the bowl come off so easily. I’d be interested in hearing what CS might say.
Thank you for the great Mega Ninja review. It sounds really good. I have been considering it after seeing the infomercial. I think you have kicked me over the edge!
I could use a good food processor and am hoping this will do it all. Do you feel that the Mega Ninja can do what a traditional food processor, such as Cuisinart, can do? I do realize one needs to purchase the grating/shredding attachment….with that, can it do pretty much everything else a food processor will do?
How does it work for making bread or pie dough? Is the food processor bowl large enough for a 4 cup flour bread recipe?
Will it whip cream?
If so, I would think one could clear out several other appliances and just use this one.
Thanks so much!
Hi Sue,
You can definitely use the food processor just like a Cuisinart, but you will need the grating/shredding attachment for most food processor applications. It is probably even more powerful than even “good” food processors, and definitely beats the pants off of my run-of-the mill food processor.
The food processor bowl is 64 ounces, so there is enough room for 4 cups of flour.I haven’t made bread or pie dough with it yet because we are doing remodel right now and don’t have an oven. However, I’m confident it can mix dough well with the plastic “hook” attachment, as I have made dough in the past with the 72 ounce jar and metal blades in the standard Ninja Pro Blender.
I haven’t tried whipping cream (I am sensitive to dairy), but I feel confident that the plastic “hook” could also do this. What you might want to do is hop on the chat line with the Ninja customer support folks and ask them about the whipping cream. http://www.ninjakitchen.com/mega-kitchen-system/parts.html
Hope that helps!
Angela
Thanks Angela! I did that…I called them and asked those questions as you suggested. They say yes to the bread and to the whipped cream. By the way, If you don’t do milk, you can also whip coconut milk as well just like whipped cream.
Thanks to all of your good legwork, I just bought the Mega system with the grating/shredding attachments and discovered a couple of things that might be helpful to someone else. First all, you are better off to go to there site. They offer the shredder/slicer attachments as an add-on for $59.95. Like you, I was going to buy it later but discovered there is better deal if you buy them together, and a coupon available as well. If you type register4 in the coupon slot as you check out, it pulls up a nice discount.
So here’s the deal. The Mega sells for $159.80 + $59.95 for the attachment which comes to $219.75 + $20 shipping and which should equal $239.75. But…they give you $20.00 off for the combo. When you add in the coupon — which is $29.96, the whole deal comes to $189.79 (total) bringing the attachments to just an additional $34.01. In the end, the coupon pays the shipping and about $10 more. It seemed to me that is likely the best deal to get those. I couldn’t find any other site, except their official ninjakitchen.com site that carries them. Otherwise, if you don’t want to pitch in the extra $34.01, and just go for the mega blender itself without the attachments, by adding the coupon (which is $23.97 for the blender only), the total comes to $155.78. Much less than the Bed Bath & Beyond price of $219.99 + tax. Also you get a 5 year warranty and a 60 day money back guarantee from them. What you DON’T get is the 24 oz mini prep bowl. They do sell it as an extra if you want to pay for it as another add on that includes 2 more single serve cups and the cookbook for a total of an additional $79.95. So….if you want the small prep bowl included, it sounds like you need to go to BB&B. The CS agent that I talked to said that small bowl is for small amounts which can still be done in the big bowl, — or I would think a single serve cup might work as well??? At the end of the day, if this thing works for me I think I can let my Oster blender go and likely won’t need my huge KitchenAid mixer (which is soooooooo heavy)!! And since I need a decent food processor, I can likely let my itty bitty poor soul one go as well. So thank you VERY MUCH.
Oh my gosh, Sue, thank you for all your research! I think folks will really appreciate it.
One thing to add of course, is that if you use a BB&B 20% coupon (which are easy to come by – just sign up for their newsletter), the BB&B price goes down to $175 + tax (that is how I bought it). So, if people want the mini prep bowl and the extra single serve cups, but not the grating attachments, that is still a viable way to go.
As far as the small bowl, I like it because the way the Ninja works best is with volume. The jars and pitchers are big, so you need to be blending a lot to make it perform its best. If you just want to food process a small batch of something, say cashew butter, the small bowl works out great. The single serve cup wouldn’t do as well because the blades are at the bottom instead of through the middle. However, if you didn’t get it, I don’t think it is worth spending $79 extra for it (even if it is packaged with a few other things).
I would agree with you, and the end of the day, you are going to be able to get rid of all those appliances, especially the food processor. You will be amazed at how much better of a food processor the Ninja is than most standard processors.
Enjoy!
Ah ha! I’ve wondered how to get BB&B’s discount. Great tip. Thanks!
Good info on the small bowl as well. I can see the advantage to that. You are quite right though, I don’t want to spend another $79! Oh well.
So here’s the latest: PEOPLE BEWARE:
I got a call this morning from a guy who claimed to be from SharkClean, which he said was a division of Ninja…and may be, I don’t know. Anyway, he said my order didn’t go through yesterday and when that happens it automatically clicks over to his dept. Said his name was Dean Burks from Omaha. He wanted to give me $10 off (for my trouble) and re-take the order. I told him that I knew he was going to want a cc and since he called me, I wasn’t going to give it to him. He gave me an 800 number to call back so I would feel more comfortable. He sounded very convincing and even asked if I got all my questions answered, etc. In the meantime, I called Ninja. They DID have my order and said the only time they would call a customer is if they didn’t leave an email address and would never call and ask for a cc number. How he got my phone number and that I was interested in a Ninja is beyond me! I don’t think he had my name though, as I feel sure he would have used it as a further “hook” to make me think he was on the level. The bottom line is, if I had given him all my info again, along with my CC number I could have had a big mess. The CS agent at Ninja said I dodged a bullet on that one. He took all the info that “Dean Burks”, if that is even his name, gave me and sent it on to Ninja superiors for an investigation. Sorta like those bogus calls that say they are from your bank, etc. My guardian angel was definitely on duty!!!
How long does it take to recieve this once you order it.
Hi Dean,
It depends on where you order it from. I got mine from Bed, Bath & Beyond online and it came in about a week. I have heard of people waiting 6 weeks to get it straight from the Ninja folks…
I posted here on Jan 12 because I had been considering this. Been keeping up with the posts and finally ordered it with the prep package. Have had it 2 days and so far have juiced several times with it.. With the single serve and the pitcher. Am happy so far. It’s quite different than my vitamix with all the locking in and out. I hope it holds up as well. Thanks for all the info.
Glad you have found the info here helpful, Linda! Keep us posted on how you end up liking it compared to your Vitamix…
On the comparison between standard, blade at bottom, food processor and the vertical VERY SHARP blades of Ninja……..I am still very much in ‘adjusting’ mode. Standard food processor bowl is easy to scrape down with a rubber type spatula………no blade in the way of scraping the inside of the bowl. Ninja food processor bowl……not so much; I am finding that a table knife of metal or hard plastic is thinner and easier to slip along the processor bowl side in that narrow space, without leaving chunks of spatula in the mix. This is in reference to making pesto. #1 time was in the 64 ounce bowl. #2 time was in the mini-prep bowl (much better). The same, standard volume of ingredients, which had come together easily for years in a standard food processor, works easier, for me, in the Ninja mini-prep bowl.
I understand, though never tried it, that Parmesan cheese can be ground from cubes in a standard food processor. I haven’t been brave enough to do this with Ninja, even though with the round bowl(s) now, it should be a breeze. Since the demise of my food processor plastic shred/grate ‘blade’, I have been grating Parmesan by hand……building strength, yes? So it seems time to put on ear protection and give it a Ninja go.
I really appreciate this detailed review. It is extremely thorough.
Love this review! I just bought the Ninja 1500 and so far LOVE it. My one question for you is, do you actually put yours in the dishwasher? And if so, how long have you been doing that and do you see any cons? I’m worried it’ll dull the blades, as most of us know we shouldn’t put our sharp knives in the dishwasher due to dulling, it seems as though the same would be true for the Ninja blades. Also, I feel like the black plastic handles and lids would start to fade over many hot water washes. So far, I’ve been washing it by hand, which doesn’t take all that long, but still isn’t as convenient as the dishwasher. Thanks for your input in advance!
Hi Melissa,
I don’t have a dishwasher right now due to a whole house remodel, but I can tell you that I’ve had my Ninja Professional Blender (predecessor to the 1500) for 2.5 years, and, I have put it through the dishwasher a ton. I use my Ninja at least once a day, so I’d say that one when through the dishwasher hundreds of times. I didn’t notice any dulling of the blades, and the plastic didn’t discolor. The main concern is placing the blades in a location that won’t surprise someone else — you don’t want accidents with the sharp blades. Otherwise, it goes through just fine.
For the Mega, I have been using the drop of dish soap in the jar, fill with water, and blend for 30-60 seconds method until I get a dishwasher, which hopefully will be before summer.
When I get one, I fully plan to use it to clean the Ninja.
Hope that helps,
Angela
If considering buying this from Ninja’s official site use “REGISTER4″ in th coupon section and I believe it gives you 15% off….which if you only buy the Ninja and no additional items, it helps to pay for the shipping costs.
Has anyone purchased “Bob Warden’s Favorite Ninja Recipes”? If so, is it worth purchasing? OR is it even needed since I did get your recipe book from Amazon Angela, and there are a few recipes on the Ninja site as well.
Angela, in the last picture of your review, [just below "What system should you buy?], where you have the Ninja and all it’s parts organized and lined up beautifully, it appears they are sitting on a glass shelf or organizer of some sort. Is that part of the Ninja Mega package? If not, what is it exactly and where can a person find one?
http://www.sharkclean.com/email/2013/coolwintersavings/bl770/n/?utm_source=Delivra&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=buynow&utm_campaign=coolwintersavings2013&mid=925632704&ml=26111375
20-25% off Sale on the blender and cooker plus free shipping
also, in the coupon section, type REGISTER4 for an additional 15% off
I saved about $40 buying the blender
Wow, that is a great deal, thanks for posting Jennifer!
For those that click through, just to let you know, the offer is for a Ninja Mega KS with the 72 oz pitcher, 64 oz food processor bowl, dough blade, and 2 single serve cups with a blade. It does not come with the mini food processor bowl/blade. This expires on March 10, 2013. This is a GREAT deal. And, having the mini-prep bowl is not make or break in my opinion. It can definitely come in handy if you want to make a smaller batch, but it is not something to hold off buying because it’s missing…
Hi Sue,
I hate to tell you, but I just put everything on a couple of end tables that I pushed together at the rental house we were staying in. I did the review on vacation, so, I have no idea where the tables came from, sorry!
Angela
Hi Sue,
I wish I would have found your site sooner. I have been studying up on the Ninja and comparing it to other smoothie/blender type appliances for about a month. It would have made it much easier to decide. I bought my tonight at BB & B and used my 20 % off coupon which was a great deal. I purchased the same one you have above. I used it and LOVED it but is there a trick for when Im using dry powder type ingredients so it doesnt just go to the edges and stick there. I use a powdered smoothie mix and a peanut butter powder. ( PB- 2 ) it helps with calories and I do weight watchers so it keeps down my points. But I noticed it went to sides and stuck there. All the ingredients used in this was 1 pkg of WW vanilla smoothie mix. 1 tablespoon of PB2 1 Banana and 1 cup of Ice. If you have any advice for me it would be great. Thanks and thanks for your blog.
Rachel
HI Rachel,
I am not sure if you were using the single serve cup or the pitcher, but I’m assuming you were using the single serve cup. I have found this same thing can happen when I use protein powder and put it in first without any liquid.
What I would recommend is adding 1/2 cup of coconut water or other liquid (even water) first, then adding all your other ingredients. This should help everything blend smoother.
Hope that helps!
Angela
Angela, Im so sorry, I was reading the reply and addressed my message to Sue instead of Angela. It of course is meant for Angela. Of course if any one else has a suggestion I will be grateful as well.
Thanks again Rachel
No worries, Rachel, I knew what you meant! Hopefully my answer helped!
Great review and website, Angela. I purchased my Ninja Mega Kitchen System in December. Overall, I am quite happy with it. I use it almost everyday. I had a few questions for you. In reading your review I noticed the following under the “cons”.
“can easily scratch the plastic”
So I take it your Ninja jars got scratched as well? While the scratches on mine are not deep or huge, (they’re primarily only visible if looked at closely or exposed to sunlight) they’re there and bothers me. Especially since I have only had my Ninja for a relevantly short amount of time.
Did you notice any other scratches or imperfections? I noticed the “Power” and “Pulse” button on mine have already become scratched.
My next question, have you tried any of the recipes that came in the booklet? Specially the Pizza Dough? I have used the Pizza Dough recipe a few times now but I always have to modify it. It definitely does not take 20 seconds and it does not come together in a ball. It always is clumpy and results in small pea shaped pieces. I find that I have to increase the water and oil to get it right.
Finally, are there any other recipes or items you have tried in the Ninja that you feel do not work as stated or shown according to the infomercial or website? Thank you.
Hi Jon,
Yes, I definitely think the plastic jar is a “con.” Not because it’s plastic, necessarily, but because the action of removing the blades can easily scratch it if you are not super careful. I am super careful and have still managed to scratch it! The buttons have not scratched or changed on me.
I haven’t tried any of the recipes in the booklet. I am a bit of an odd duck and eat what most people would consider on the over-the-top healthy side, especially in the last six months as I’ve been sorting out some food sensitivities. I looked through the recipes when I bought the Mega, but none of them appealed to me. We are in a full remodel right now, so I don’t currently have an oven. But, when I do have an oven, I use my bread machine to make pizza dough. This one is a home-run: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/03/15/beer-base-pizza-dough/.
As far as your last question, I haven’t come across anything odd at all with the Mega, and I use it 2X per day lately (lots of smoothies going on around our house).
Hope that helps and thanks for your note!
Angela
The mega system is on sale right now from the ninja website: $149.80. Use coupon code “register4″ to drop it down to $127.33.
It doesn’t come with the mini prep bowl, but there is an option to “upgrade” to a package that does when you order.
Alternatively, you can upgrade to a package that comes with the “prep system” (the one with all the blades that Marsha was talking about.” I ordered the mega system with the prep system upgrade and the total price was $168.09 w/ free shipping. I choose not to get the mini prep upgrade because it didn’t seem that useful.
Just use this link to order: http://dealnews.com/lw/artclick.html?2,675274,2661556
Thanks for the tip Casey and thank you Angela for the comprehensive and totally helpful review.
Quick question to Casey, I tried the link and DID get FREE shipping but was taxed $20, were you taxed too? Many thanks guys for all your inputs.
Hi Grace,
I know you put this question to Casey, but thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth…hope you don’t mind. I also ordered from the Ninja website, but no, I was not taxed. Perhaps you live in the state where their business is? That is usually when a person gets taxed for online purchases.
Thanks Sue & Stacy. Im in KS and I almost ordered before the promo on the Website where there was shipping but no tax. I only got to read the deal on this lovely site yesterday and tried the link anyway. It went thru even if it was supposed to expire Mar 10th, but yes, it is backordered so let’s see. I guess it’s technically “not” free shipping afterall since we got taxed. the penny pincher in me squirms, I already sold my cuisinart blender to afford this, i’ll see what other kitchen appliance i can sell maybe my electric mixer too
Thanks again ladies.
It’s interesting that both WA and KS charged tax. I live in MO and no tax. I think Ninja in CA??? Not sure, so that blows my theory. Isn’t the deal that if an online business has a store in your state, they have to charge tax, if not they don’t? (Like Penneys for instance.) We don’t have a Ninja store in MO that I was aware of anyway, just that you can buy them at Target, Bed Bath & beyond, etc., but no actual Ninja store. I don’t know if they even are any anywhere. The sales rep gave me the code register4 at the time which knocked off 15%. No tax was mentioned anyway. They told me their deals are always changing.
Also, a tip….I called about my order for another reason the day after I ordered it (in late Feb), and told it was backordered. The rep immediately volunteered a nice discount “for my inconvenience” even though I had not expected or asked for one. I believe a call to them regarding the tax and a question about the backorder status might be helpful — and it might not…. who knows! Worth a try, but not worth making waves over. Long story short, my order shipped anyway about 4 days after I ordered it. It must have been the tail end of their stock. I was prepared to wait for the backorder just to get the 5 yr. warranty, which is only available through them. Believe me it’s worth waiting for! Good luck to you.
Sue, Im curious, did you get your order from the Ninja website yet? it’s been over a month for me, I ordered it Mar 11th, and until today delivery date is still to be determined(TBD), they did say 4-6 wks, so I guess I should just wait out 2 more weeks. it’s incredibly frustrating and I didn’t think that it will take this long…i’m beginning to think that the $224 w/ both add on packages(& shipping) to it is not such a great deal afterall =(
I ordered yesterday, and was charged tax (I live in WA state)
Thank you Angela for the straight shooter review. I have one of the older Ninja pro600 ?? Since about 2 years now and like it a lot… I’v started making smoothies recently and find that it just doesn’t have quite enough power to fully blend all the pulp so I must add lots of water thus watering the recipe down a little. After your great review, i’m convinced that the mega is my choice. i’m not looking for something to make warm soup just smoothies and veggie/fruit emmersions… The last one I purchased directly form the Ninja website…
Again thank you very much the most usefull review..;)
Hi Angela,
I tried purchasing the Mega System on Ninja’s site, but I had to cancel because after one week of not getting the product, I checked and it was on back-order for 4 -6 weeks. I saw that even with the 20% BB coupon the cost would be about $20.00 more then I read your review and realized that it might be because of the extra mini mixing bowl.
Now unto me real reason for writing (lol) I am interested in starting a smoothie regiment and was looking at some extra, that people call super food like: Goji, Hemp seed, Chia seeds, Spirulina Powder, Maca Powder, Flax seeds etc. What do you think?
Also, I enjoy your review and it gave me confidence in making th purchase to begin my health journey.
I use the product called Shakeology which you can get from teambeachbody.com. This product has all the superfoods in it and more than likely would end up cheaper than buying those items individually. I make this in my Ninja Mega single serve blender cup.
Thanks for chiming in, Janis. Great point that this is an option for those looking to pack in a lot of nutrition into a smoothie. Just be sure to read the ingredients to make sure you’re not sensitive to any of the items, because there are a lot of ingredients in it. But, this is an easy solution for broad spectrum nutrition, no question.
Hi Racquel,
I am guessing they are on back order because of that big sale! Honestly, I do use the mini mixing bowl, so it won’t hurt you to have it. Sometimes, you don’t want to make a lot of something, and the Ninja does work better with more volume. So, having the mini bowl can be handy from time to time.
To answer your question about super foods, I do use some of those you listed, but not all. I think it is most important to eat real, whole, unprocessed food (lots of fruits and veggies, and organic meats if you are an omnivore), and then any super foods are truly just a supplement. I personally use chia seeds, maca powder, and my current protein powder has spirulina in it — but I usually only use these in smoothies after a hard workout. I am not a nutritionist, so take this with a grain of salt. You are making a very important first step by starting to incorporate smoothies into your diet, so I have to say congratulations for starting your health journey. If you choose to start adding super foods, that’s great, but they certainly are not a requirement! Start with the basics and see how you feel, then go from there.
Thanks for your note, and good luck!
Angela
Hello again.. Just wanted to send an update regarding getting the Ninja Mega Kitchen system and the prep system with it.. I have retired my Vitamix.. I am very, very happy with the system. I have never made any dough that came out this well.. Beautifully smooth and well mixed. I am afraid my vitamix never did it like that. I am also thrilled with the prep system.. I have been slicing and chopping all my veggies for our meals. Someone mentioned making smoothies and juices.. YEAH and good for you.. BTW I am a nutrition counselor (certified) and that is my main reason for having one of these systems.. I don’t get crazy with all the extra superfoods in one drink but then — I eat right to begin with.. I always add some hemp seed oil to my smoothies in the morning and only use almond or coconut milk along with my fruit.. Juices consist of a variety of veggies (mostly green) and if you always add a peice of apple and a little lemon the taste is much easier to handle.. (smile)…
Thanks for the update, Linda. I’m so glad it is working out for you. Thanks for your add-ons about the importance of eating right to begin with. It is so important and the foundation for good health. Cheers!
Hi Angela. I just got my Mega today from Fingerhut. Don’t know what’s in the box yet as I’m still working! I read these posts and I’m really happy you are out there helping people out by making better choices. I can’t wait to try our new Mega tonight, and I will be back to this site to get some recipe’s. Thank you very much!
Mike
Mesa, AZ.
Awesome, Mike, thanks for the nice note! I try to help, so I am glad you found value.
Happy blending!
Oh my goodness! I am so thankful I found you lol I just purchased the ninja mega kitchen system and did the full upgrades with the slicer/grater/etc and extra single serve cups and can’t wait to get it! Usually before I make big purchases I do a lot of googling for reviews but after seeing the infomercials and just a few YouTube videos I had to buy one. Shortly after making the purchase I thought to myself “I wonder if it really works!” And began my search for reviews! I’m so happy to know that you love it and it does what it claims! Thank you so much for doing a full review! (And for the recipes YUM!)
Hi Krystal,
Thank you for your note, and I’m glad you have found the site helpful!
First of all, thank you for this very informative review and blog site. I just had a quick question, (not sure if it’s already been discussed) but do you think you the single serve cup can be substituted for the mini mixing cup?
Hi Sabin,
I wouldn’t say they’re interchangeable, but if I was prioritizing, I would prioritize the single serve cup over the mini mixing bowl. (Assuming you’re determining where to buy yours). The blade designs are different, so they don’t really do the same thing. The mixing bowl is nice, but most people will use the single serve cup way more often.
Hope that helps!
Angela
Angela – this is an awesome review. I had been trying to justify the vitamix and watched the ninja mega infomercial and it look great and so much less expensive. I think your review sent me in the less expensive direction. I also know from using a shark vacuum that the people at euro pro really stand behind their products. My vacuum that I have had for two years wasn’t working right and they paid for me to ship it back and are sending me a brand bee one. I look forward to checking out your blog.
Hi Stephanie, glad you found the review helpful! Welcome!
Oh sorry I forgot. I don’t know if this was previously mentioned but people can always google coupons for products and with the euro pro products the ones on top usually work when you order from their website.
How does the Ninja Mega compare to the nutri bullet? I would like one for nutricious smoothies. I like the fact the Ninja has 1500 watts. Can it really turn ice into snow?
Hi Bruce, the Ninja Mega has more power than the Nutribullet (1500 watts vs. 600 in the Nutribullet).
It can indeed make snow: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2011/08/18/making-snow-with-the-ninja-blender/
I have never used a Nutribullet, so I can’t comment on how well it works. I know many people love them, though, and have heard from readers that it makes very smooth green drinks. It just sort of depends on what you want!
Hi Angela, have been shopping for a blender/mixer/ninja to prepare baby food. I have a 6 1/2 months old one. My concern is BPA free container and preparing small amounts. This system sounds like something we can all enjoye and try new receipes as he gets older. Which container would you recommend to make small portions. This will help me figure out where to purchase it. Thank you
Hi Mit,
Personally, I would recommend you get the model I have with the mini prep food processor bowl. Between the to-go cups and the mini prep bowl, you will be able to easily make smaller portions. If you buy through BB&B, just remember to sign up for their newsletter to get your 20% off coupon!
Angela
Angela, thank you for your prompt response. I have it… anxious to test it out later today. I called BB&B before making the trip to the store as I didn’t have the coupon. They said not to worry, they will refund the difference even after the purchase. Will keep you posted… thank you again.
I could let you in on a secret MLT…I got my Mega System at Kohl’s. It was normally $299 (way above informercial price), but on sale for $229, then they price matched another store to $199, then I used a 30% off certificate I had, so I got it for $139 total, and I received $20 in Kohl’s bucks for a future purchase. Just saying that might be another way to go than BB&B
I ordered mine from their site and used coupon code register4 which brought my total from $149.80 to $127.33! The only bad thing is I have to be patient and wait for it since all orders are back ordered on their site
the coupon code was supposed to expire 3-10-13 but it still worked for me!!
That’s an awesome deal too!! The only reason I went to Kohl’s is because if I am not happy, I can return it anytime for any reason, and there’s no shipping involved, just a quick trip back to the store. I cannot wait to start trying it out with these recipes I found here…just discovered Angela’s site last night while trying to search for the Mega Cookbook on the informercial…couldn’t find it, but this seems way better
Hi Mit;
For those who choose to buy at BBB I had a similar experience to Mit’s . I signed up and all but was not emailed the 20 % coupon. I went on to the store and told them I was an unsatisfied customer and the lady at the desk told me that I didn’t look unsatisfied. I guess I could not wipe the smile off my face. Non the lest she checked with her supervisor and comped me the 20 percent without the coupon. I buy tons of stuff there and Maybe it was just plane pity. Just a note about BBB
Hey Angela…quick question for you about the dough hook on the Mega System. I saw you made that batch of gluten free cookies…have you attempted other cookie dough or cake batter or brownie batter?
My question is, if you have, do you find the dough hook overmixes the dough or mix and they end result is tough or dry cookies, cake or brownies? That’s one thing I always found with the stand mixers is that you had to watch how long you mixed them as not to overmix. The older models came with that paddle attachment so I just wanted to know if you’ve compared the two “blades” and what your results were. Thanks, and OMG this site/blog of yours is freakin PHENOM!
Hi Paul,
You know, I haven’t tried any other dough or batter since I bought the Mega simply because I don’t have an oven (or a kitchen) right now due to our in-progress remodel. Someday soon, I hope to be baking with the best of them. However, I do think the dough hook in the Mega is much better than the paddle attachment (like what came with the Ninja Pulse) because it is more like a traditional food processor blade and requires less mixing time to get everything mixed. The paddle requires more volume to really mix things up. It really didn’t take much mixing at all to blend the cookie dough batter. Hope that helps, and let me know how it works out for you. And thanks for your note!
Angela
Angela,
I’m glad I found this very informative site. I just purchased the Professional Kitchen System 1200 from Khols. I don’t think this is the one I wanted. I have not used it yet. I think I wanted the Professional Kitchen System 1500. My husband wanted a food processor as well, (he likes to make slaw) and our other food processor broke. I wanted it for smoothies etc. I saw the infomercial and was hooked! I got this last Thursday and paid 180.00! I’ve read on here where other ppl has gotten this a lot cheaper. It comes with the 72oz pitcher & 40oz bowl. Looking at your pic of yours I really think that is what I wanted. My husband was upset at me because we were there for him and I came out with the blender and he says, “you have too many you don’t need this”. He’s fine, I think I might have hurt his feelings a little I can do that. Anyway, I don’t know what to do. I’m thinking of taking it back and ordering the 1500. Do you think with that I could use as a food processor. My husband thinks that his “famous slaw would be turned to slush”. He loves to grill for our neices and nephew during the summer and they love slaw. Your pic also has more buttons & there is dough, blend, crush, power, pulse (I love different buttons on a kitchen gadgets. Any comments is deeply appreciated!
Hi Ellen,
Based on what you’ve told me, I think you probably want the Ninja Mega KS with the food processing attachments, which you’ll have to buy directly from Ninja on their website. The 1200 has general food processing capabilities, but it sounds like your husband needs the grating/shredding attachments, which do not come for the 1200.
Hope that helps – good luck!
Angela
I have the Ninja Kitchen system pro 1100. I love it and use it every day. It doesn’t come with the single serving cups. But I was wondering if you know if they can be used with other systems such as mine. Mine system doesn’t gave the single serve button. I did see where you can buy the cups on ninja’s website. Thanks for any help anyone can give me. Great review.
Hi Cheri,
I’m sorry to say that the cups are not interchangeable (I verified this some time back with the Euro Pro folks). I think this is a huge mistake by the company, but it’s the case. I once accidentally used my Ninja Mega single serve cup on my Pulse, and it messed up the bottom a bit because they aren’t interchangeable.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!
Angela
Thanks for the information. I didn’t want to spend the $20 for 2 single serve cups if they wouldn’t work. I use my ninja most every day for protein drinks and the single serve would be ideal.
Cheri
I meant my system not mine system. Thanks
Thanks Angela! I am going to take it back to Khol’s & order it off line. I finally found the infomercial and recorded it on the DVR for my husband to watch. He’s hooked like me (can’t wait to make his famous slaw)! when I get it I will let you know how we like it. Thank you again for this blog it’s very informative!
Yay, Ellen, glad you got him on board!
I plan to buy one but my concern about the food processor parts included…is it enough…should I need to pay extra $60 for the Prep System to shred, slice, grate…which I normally use the food processor for basic chop, cut & slice…Please, advice…thank you very much.
Hi Tom,
If you want to slice or grate, you’ll probably want the extra food processor parts. What’s included are a standard “S” blade in both metal and plastic. So, you can’t really slice or grate with those. If you want to use this to completely replace your food processor, I’d recommend getting the extra parts.
Hope that helps!
Angela
Love your review, I am in the market for a new blender. Presently use a cuisenart(sp.) and love it mostly for its glass jar and good amount of power. But lately, since I have been making smoothies everyday and really getting on the whole foods wagon, my blender is winding down, very sad really. I think this will be the blender for me, salsa and dressing and smoothies, numerous concoctions, dough and well I could just blend everything and anything, the kitchen is my playground. My Question is, can I pour liquid in while blending? For example; olive oil for pesto, and chocholate syrup for milkshakes, melted cocnut oil for everything. I just couldnt tell from pictures if it has acsess thru the lid while in operation.
Thanks for the great review,
Johanna
Hi Johanna,
Thanks for your note!
There is a flip-top section of the lid for the 72 ounce jar, which you can open while blending and use to pour in liquid/oil. The 64 ounce container doesn’t have such an option.
Hope that helps!
Angela
I was in Wal-Mart the other day and the Ninja Blender and the Ninja Kitchen Set (not the Mega) were side by side in a display. I was able to intermix the blender containers and the bowl on either base. Since I have only the Blender 1100, I was wondering if the bowl for the kitchen set (not the mega kitchen set) would work on my base?
Hi Ann,
I believe this should work, but I would recommend reaching out directly to Ninja just to confirm. My concern is that all of the bases have slightly different attachment mechanism patterns for the part that actually turns the blades. However, I think it will work if you’re talking about Ninja KS 1100 and Ninja Professional Blender 1100. Here is the Ninja page — just do a “chat” — they are fast and helpful!
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/Ninja-NJ600-Professional-Blender.shtml
Thank you for the quick reply! Actually I have already contacted Ninja and the representative stated that only things that come in the same box are interchangeable. But what I observed in Wal-Mart gave me pause. And so, I am wondering if you or your readers have had any experience with the 1100 blender and the 1100 kitchen set. The bases look identical.
To deliberately design a product line not to be upgradable or interchangeable seems to be a marketing ploy to sell more products. But I was hoping to see some sort of interchangeability between models that were released about the same time.
Thanks for coming back and letting us know what you found out, Ann!
I agree with you that it is a major fail that the parts are not interchangeable and this is no doubt on purpose. I once put the single serve cup from my Mega onto the Pulse on accident, and it almost messed up the blade of the Mega cup because I didn’t realize this until it was too late…
One way you could test, if Wal-Mart has them out of the box, is to compare the patterns on the bottom of the jars and the mechanism that turns the blade in the bases. If they are identical, it should work.
Hi Angela,
Have you ever tried to make coconut butter in the Ninja? I made an attempt the other night in the food processor bowl, but I’m curious to know if it might work better in the blender attachment. From some of the research I’ve done, some make it in a Vitamix blender or a BlendTec blender. It turned out okay, but I’d like it to be a bit smoother so any advice you can give me, I’d appreciate
Hi Janis,
You know, I have made a bunch of stuff with coconut, but not coconut butter. But, I will give it a try next week and report back. One thing to note with either the blender or the larger food processor bowl is that volume is your friend for smoothness. I’m not sure the proportions you used, but if you made a small batch, that could be some of the culprit.
Stay tuned!
Angela
Thanks Angela,
I’m not sure of the exact proportion, but the coconut I used was unsweetened, organic shredded coconut, and I think it was a 16 oz bag. I did add a couple tablespoons of VCO to it to help the processing along, but next time I will use greater volume. I did end up with a nice jar full, but I can’t tell you how large the container is because I washed off the labels. Maybe it was 8 oz or 12 oz.
Looking forward to your feedback
Thanks,
Janis
Hi Janis,
Well, 16 ounces (or even 12) seems like plenty to me – so you should be fine there. I am going to the store today and will pick up some coconut and give it a try.
Hi Janis,
I did the test on this today. It didn’t work in the blender jar (too many corners), so after that failed attempt, I moved to the food processor bow. I had a similar result as you did. It tastes good, but it isn’t quite as smooth as store bought coconut butter, even after quite a long time processing.
So, end result – I think the round bowl food processor is the right one. I might try using the mini bowl as well next time — will keep you posted!
Angela
Hi Angela,
Thanks for the feedback. I have a few questions for you. Did you use shredded coconut or flakes? Did you add any oil to the coconut? Was your finished product runny when you finished, before it had a chance to harden? And did you let the processor run continually or did you stop it every couple of minutes?
I am surprised that the blender didn’t work based on people saying they used a Vitamix blender and it only took a couple minutes. Someone fudging on their review maybe?
I will definitely make more when I’m finished with what I have. I just scrape it out of the jar with a spoon and eat it. I might also try adding some cocoa powder and a touch of sweetener to make a chocolate dessert out of it
Will let you know if I do and how it turns out.
Janis
Hi Janis,
Yesterday, I bought a fresh young coconut, shredded coconut, and coconut flakes, because I didn’t research doing this ahead of time! I ended up using the shredded coconut based on this instructional from the Kitchn http://www.thekitchn.com/one-ingredient-recipe-coconut-butter-166405. I may try the coconut flakes as well, using the smaller mini-prep bowl.
I am going to write up my experience as a blog post for tomorrow, but my product was not runny at all in the end. It was very similar to coconut butter you’d buy, except a little “grittier.” But, it tastes good! I followed your lead and added 1 tbs of coconut oil to help it blend together. I stopped quite a lot and scraped it down.
I read different results about Vitamix. Some people say it worked fast, some people say it didn’t work at all and just gummed up their jar, so I don’t know what to think in that regard.
Your chocolate desert is a good idea – I just might borrow that one from you. Sort of like those old “no bake” cookies, except, just two ingredients…
Hi Angela,
Your coconut butter experiment sounds interesting. Did you use the mini- prep bowl in your 2nd, more successful attempt? I have not even touched the 72oz blender jar yet.
Some follow ups:
Pesto (standard recipe) is most successful in the mini-prep bowl. Yes, it all fits. Grinding/shredding the Parmesan first works best in the single serve cup…..instantly. I did half inch X one inch-ish chunks, small amounts at a time. I am finding that mini-bowl scraping is causing scratches; not enough room in there to fit a spatula….even a mini one.
Grinding hazelnuts and making homemade Nutella has worked well in the mini-prep bowl start to finish. I may use single serve cup first for the nut grinding next time, but mini-prep start to finish is fine.
My single serve set up is not fond of ‘strings’……banana, pineapple, orange, sweet potato, mango strings accumulate on the blade, and the machine sounds as if it is straining. Then doing pulse, pulse, pulse seems to sound like the strain is relieving. By that time of discovery and relief, the smoothie is done.
Berna
Hi Berna,
Thanks for the further info – great to know!= and I’m sure others will find this helpful. I hadn’t thought of grinding parmesan in the single serve – smart!
Angela
Just wanted to let you know the reason they kept the blender square instead of round…
It’s simple square corners catch food making it less likely for frozen items to just keep spinning around… Especially at high speed blending.
If you look at professional bar blenders you’ll notice they have a square shape at the base as well, although they usually do lose the squasquare news as you go up the blender…
My guess is that the ninja is square all the way up because it has blades all the way up the pitcher.. Keeping the food from just spinning around the pitcher while blending… You would have a hard time making snow with a round belender
Tristan, I had never thought of that, but you make a great point. Thank you for sharing with us!
I ordered from the Ninja website on 3/19 and used the register 4 coupon code and was charged tax. $178 for the mega blender and prep system. I just called today and they said it is still on backorder and should be shipped around May 1 – 5. Uggggh my daughter has been so excited to get this and try out the recipes (so am I). I don’t like paying for something and waiting for months to receive what you’ve already paid for. If anyone else doesn’t like to wait, you may want to go to a store, it might be worth the extra $20 bucks or so to be able to enjoy it as soon as you purchase it:)
I ordered mine 03-09. When I called they said it should ship this Sunday. Not sure how they are going to ship on Sunday, but here’s hoping. I also was charged tax. But it’s still a great deal. I’ve had more time to figure out all the different ways to use it. Here’s to hoping they come soon!
Aro, Im curious what state are you ordering from? i know some of us here ordered directly from the site and some were charged, some were not. Im from KS and I was. I paid $224(tax inclusive) for the Mega Kitchen system and the 2 upgades(food processor) & 2 additional single serve cups/cookbook. I just got my order May 3rd and I placed in the order March 11th. it doesnt seem a very good deal now. I was definitely not very happy w/ the very long wait at all. and I would advice anyone considering to buy one to get one of the many discount coupons out there and buy theirs from the store.
Hi Grace, I ordered from OHio and paid 168 total for the mega system and food prep with the slicers and holder. We just got it a few weeks ago and are really enjoying it! Getting ready to try and make some strawberry ice cream!
I received 2 different emails, one that stated the 178 price with tax and one at 168 (without tax).
Also, my ccard was not actually charged until they shipped the Ninja on 5/5. And I was charged the 168:) which is what the order screen said when I ordered.
Just finished the ice cream, yum! my daughter and I did the one from the infomercial. Strawberries, greek yogurt and chocolate chips
Hello, I was wondering if you could (or someone post the recipe for the icecream).
Thanks, Floyd.
Hi Floyd,
I have lots of ice cream recipes on my Ninja Blender recipe page. Not sure exactly what you are looking for, but there are several.
Hope that helps,
Angela
I’m so glad I found this site! I got my Ninja Mega Kitchen System last week, and was finally brave enough to unpack it. I’m definitely not a good cook (or really any kind of cook at all) but I love smoothies and have the ambition that I will start cooking sooner or later. I started out this afternoon to make a smoothie but realized I didn’t have any kind of milk or juice to use. So, I improvised and used a 5 oz container of plain Greek yogurt, a small container of frozen blueberries, a banana, and a few ice cubes. The result came out about half way between smoothie and milkshake consistency. I decided to stick it in the freezer for a little bit and ended up with a yummy (albeit a little tart) sherbert-like substance that was actually pretty good!
I’m looking forward to trying some of the recipes on your site!
Dona
Hi Dona,
Thanks for your note!
Enjoy your Mega – the beauty is, no cooking required.
Angela
Hello, trying to compare differences to the vitamix. A concern I have is with the cleaning. Seems the vitamix one can just mix and rinse, with no sharps to deal with as well as scratching. Could anyone elaborate on this.
Thanks, Floyd
As a long time owner of a vitamix and a new owner of the Ninja I can tell you that yes — clean up is very easy with the vitamix.. Just rinse out the container and that’s it.. But does it do what the Ninja does.. NOPE.. Vitamix is excellent for doing smoothies and juicing but terrible if you want to mix things in it. The Ninja is excellent for doing mixes for baking. I also got the kitchen prep system and love doing all the chopping and shredding with the Ninja.
Thank you for chiming in, Linda! You are my go-to Vitamix expert.
Floyd, you can also clean the Ninja int he same way as the Vitamix. Add a drop of detergent, fill with water, blend on 3 for about 30 seconds, and done. However, it goes through the dishwasher fine. Just put the lid on the top rack and be careful with the blades!
Hi Angela, what a wonderful service you are doing! I am trying to decide which Ninja to buy. I just need a really great blender, not the food processor and other gadgets. Do you think it is worthwhile to buy the whole system just to get the higher speed blender?
Hi Rae,
Well, I guess it depends on if you would like the single serve cups. I find the single serve cups handy and I use them often, and, they make smoother green smoothies than the 72 ounce jar due to the more traditional blade design. But, if you’re not looking for a to-go, or smaller portion blending option, the Ninja Professional Blender is more than ample. 1200 watts is still a lot of power, and it would be less than half the cost. Hope that helps!
Angela
Word to the wise, if you are thinking about a blender now and adding the bowl or serving size attachment later, then you should consider the mega kitchen system. Ask me how I know. I bought the blender and wanted to add the 40oz bowl later. Ninja customer service told me no way. Only items that come in the same box can be used together. Understandably, I am so bummed.
Hi Ann,
Yeah, that definitely is the bummer of Ninja – no interchangeability between each model. I think it’s a huge miss, but it’s probably on purpose.
Angela
Thank you Angela for such a comprehensive review of the Ninja Mega System. I was trying to decide which system to purchase and have decided after reading your review to go ahead a purchase the Mega system. I have recently started a new healthy eating plan for life that has a lot of blender recipes. I have been using my Oster blender but it is not really big enough. I will order my unit this weekend. Thank you again for helping me to decide!
Keep in mind, if you’re going to order directly from Ninja, the backorder status. I’m not sure how long it is if you order now, but I ordered mine on March 8 and it just arrived on Wednesday.
Mine was also back ordered for almost two months. I finally received it last Thursday and left to go out of town on Saturday for a week.
But we did make snow with it Thursday night. And I shredded potatoes and onions with the extra kitchen parts I ordered on Saturday morning for breakfast (once my youngest figured out how to snap the whole mechanism in place).
I do have to say the person (can’t remember his name) who engineered this must have been an engineering major drop out. The reason I say that (and I do mean it as a compliment) is because everything has to be precisely put together for it to work. Yes, it’s aggravating until it really clicks with both you and the machine, but I feel safe using all that power.
I purchased the cookbook with my package (so glad I did even though I haven’t had a lot of time to REALLY peruse it). The reason I know this machine is safe is because the cookbook gives directions on how to make garbanzo bean flour. I was told garbanzo beans (chick peas) are the hardest product to grind. I know some machines (some I’ve looked into – too many to name) will cancel your warranty if you attempt garbanzo beans. Granted, I think you’re going to need ear protection when one grind the beans.
Hi Pauline,
Indeed, the Mega can make garbanzo bean flour just fine, as can it’s sibling, the Ninja Professional Blender. Here is a post I wrote about this some time back – enjoy!
http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/05/28/can-a-ninja-blender-make-garbanzo-bean-flour/
Angela
Hi Karen,
Glad to help, and good for you for starting your healthy eating plan. A good blender is definitely the cornerstone of a healthy kitchen, no question! Thanks for your note, and I hope you enjoy!
Angela
The thing I love most about my Mega Ninja is how it crushes ice. I bought some Snowball Syrups online and make myself a snowball practically everyday. The ice is crushed like snow. The heat in New Orleans is brutal,so there’s nothing better than a nice snowball after cutting the grass. The Ninja Mega Kitchen System is worth every penny !!
Hi there,
Your site was very, very thorough and informative. The one thing that I did not see while reading through all of the comments was the noise factor. How noisy is the Mega Ninja blender? I have a Vita-Mixer and am now leaning toward purchasing this blender. I will give my son my Vita-Mixer so not to waste money. I have had it a year and it has been great! I do however, think the Ninja probably does a wee bit more and for the value one can’t go wrong.
Hi Kimberly,
Ah yes, the noise factor. I will say, I have used a Ninja side-by side with a Vitamix, and the Ninja is a fair bit louder. It doesn’t bother me, but some folks have complained that it is too loud for their tastes. I find it comparable to a “normal” blender, if that helps…
Here is a post I wrote that compared the two machines for making green drinks: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2013/02/18/ninja-vs-vitamix-green-drink-showdown/
Hope that helps, and I do agree – for the price, you cannot go wrong!
Angela
I am considering purchasing the ninja mega KS. I am most interested in juicing because I have avoided vegetables my entire life and it has caught up to me. I have to increase my vegetable intake dramatically. I thought juicing would be my best option. Will the ninja juice vegetables that I can just drink? It seems that I get mixed opinions on that. I know it is not Vita or Blendtec quality, whose costs are prohibitive, but I really do not want to chew my juice.
Also, have you had a chance to use the food prep attachments for things such as slicing vegetables and grating cheese?
I appreciated your website because it seems to be the most informative about this product.
Hi Jon,
If you want pulp-free juice (and don’t want to strain), a juicer is your best bet. However, if you want to make smoothies and the occasional juice, the Ninja is your best bet. There are two ways to make juice in the Ninja:
1) Blend with water and strain (I have several posts about this)
2) Don’t add water, but add ice, and blend, no straining required, but you get more of a thicker consistency that you’ll have to slightly chew
The Ninja doesn’t extract the pulp, so, if you don’t want pulp, you have to manually extract it.
I don’t have the food prep attachments, but several readers have commented that they love them.
Here are some articles I have written that might help.
-Ninja vs. Vitamix green drink showdown: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2013/02/18/ninja-vs-vitamix-green-drink-showdown/
-Juicing in the Ninja: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/12/26/welcome-and-a-note-on-juicing-in-the-ninja-blender/
-Whole Food Juicing in the Ninja Mega: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/12/04/first-look-at-ninja-megawhole-fruit-juicing-works/
Hope that helps!
Angela
Thank you for the review and all the comments. You sold me…I was almost there anyway! I wanted to order 3 sets. One for me and each of my daughters. The website is currently offering $179.80 and that includes the blades and storage for them. $80 shipping EACH. I contacted the company to see if there was a price break for shipping if I ordered three…none. Not sure if getting the blades are worth it. May just go to BBB with my coupons
$80 shipping each? That is insane!3X and you have enough for an entire 4th system. The box is not that heavy to warrant those costs, so clearly they are making shipping a profit center. I would totally send you to BB&B with the coupons if you can get by without the food processing blades (which I don’t have by the way.) I know people that have the blades love them, but I can understand the fiscal aspect of not having them!
I just got mine two days ago and I love it! I have had more fresh food in two days than I did in two months. You are talking to a fast food/processes food queen with a desire to eat healthy but didn’t know how to work it into my llife.
For breakfast I had a handful of spinach, 1/2 big carrot, 1/4 water melon, 1/2 avocado, blueberries and protein powder! I love the Mega system, it is awesome and I love all your ideas and recipes, I’ll be trying them out as time goes on. Thank you!
Tama, congratulations on your healthy food journey – I applaud you! Little steps lead to big changes and you are well on your way. I love that you’re already making green smoothies.
Thanks for stopping by and for your nice note!
Im trying to choose between purchasing the ninja pro blender and the mega kitchen system, is the pro blender capable of doing everything that is included in the mega kit, eg. mixing, processing, blending & juicing ??? Or is it necassary to have all the attatchments?
Hi Lani,
The Pro could technically do all of those things, however, if you are going to do a lot of food processing, I would point you to the Mega. The pro is just the 72 ounce blender jar and metal blade. So, it is great for a lot of things, but if you want to make a lot of dough or do a lot of food processing, you’ll probably want the more food processing type jar and attachments.
Angela
Thank you so much for your reply, i have been trying to buy the same kit online although the official ninja website does not ship australia,.. would anyone know a trusted site where i can buy it from?
Hi Lani,
I did a quick search, and it looks like Amazon will ship this item to Australia. Here you go!
http://amzn.to/199AeQ7
Angela
thank you with kind regards, I was also wondering if it is good for mixing cake mixes?
and before I order, would you know if the power cord supply would be the same fitting as the powerpoints in Australia , ? as I know they can be different. it would be a shame if I couldn’t even plug in my new system in this country lol.
Oh my gosh, Lani, that is a fantastic question. I have no idea! I bet there is some sort of plug converter you could get, but I really don’t know. I would recommend doing a chat with the Ninja people directly and asking them: http://www.ninjakitchen.com/mega-kitchen-system/index.html. They are very responsive on live chat.
Though, to answer your question about cake batter, the food processing attachments do a great job with batters.
Thanks again Angela, unfortunately I cant seem to access the online chat on my mobile, If you dont mind and you get the chance, maybe an uploaded photo of your adapter could help me.?
Hi Lani, shoot! I’m sorry you were running into that issue. My plug is a standard US plug, so I’m sure it won’t work in Australia. However, it seems like this simple adapter would solve the issue! http://amzn.to/166rcPS I am certainly no plug expert though — it just seems like it could be the missing link for you.
Have you seen this Youtube vid on Ninja Mega Kitchen System 1500 vs. Vitamix (750), SHOWDOWN!
I watched it up to the part about hot soup. I believe the man doing the “showdown” was biased from the get go. I would have blended the veggies a little longer and they would have come out just as smooth and drinkable as the vitamix version.
I use the dough button when I want to blend at a slow speed, the blend is more like medium and the crush is like high. I use all three when I make my nut milk and each one functions exactly the way I like them to.
So I have to hold the button down for the single serve cups, big deal It’s like pulse anyway.
I LOVE my Ninja and I don’t care about this comparison. The Ninja is perfect for me, no matter what someone who’s a Vitamix Fan says!
I hope you are not talking about my post. I just was googling and found that you tube about vita vs ninja. It is not my vid. I just found it and decided to share. Is there anything wrong with me sharing that? It is just one more view of what one person thinks of them. I rather get all sides of the debate.
I have not yet bought either one. Am 64 single male so I do not cook much.
At present am using an Oster stick blender, bought at Target for 22 bucks.
It does the job for me.
Also bought a small green ninja blender at the local flea market for 5 bucks.
Those are the ones I am using but might/am interested in going with bigger/more powerful units
BTW, I take offense to being called marketing/spam, if you are talking about me.
I was just sharing a vid I found, but then again you can do the same test/comparision
Hi Ray,
Please accept my apologies. I get hundreds of spam comments a day, and some slip through the spam filter. These spam comments usually try to get people to go to a link, and I inaccurately made a quick judgment about your post by reading it on my phone. It was not meant to be offensive to you personally. I have brought it back…
Angela
First of all you might be right about him being biased but I have found out (in my 65years on this earth) that most people are somewhat biased.
Even you are biased.
Thanks for the heads up on blending a bit longer.
Also on the different”speed” settings.
On holding the button down, That is not a deal breaker for me.
That is why I like read/see different points of view.
I never make my decision from only one opinion.
I am not a gurly girl nor a gurly man. I am a manly man.
I use things rough. My magic bullet broke. Where? On those rubber parts/gears.
That is why I like to hear what others think.
Being an old broke man, I can not afford to spend hundreds on a device that will not last.
Both are expensive as far as I am concerned.
Question is: Which is the better deal FOR ME
How can you LOVE a product? Famous last words as my ex
was divorcing me>>> You can not love something that can not love you back.
You seem defensive instead of accepting reality but most well read my post lower, It is from someone elses opinion and explains your reaction.
Below is another persons opinion on this debate
Remember this is just another’s view, from so many.
Seems a bit less biased than the first one.
Found here>
file:///C:/Users/Administrator/Downloads/How%20Does%20Ninja%20Compare%20To%20Vitamix%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Best%20Blender%20For%20Most%20Folk%E2%80%99s%20Needs%20_%20One%20Plate%20One%20Bowl.htm
How Does Ninja Compare To Vitamix – The Best Blender For Most Folk’s Needs
How does the Ninja compare to Vitamix?
The problem with most “As Seen On TV” products is that they are usually junky and not worth the money. Not all the time. Sometimes you get a great product at a great price, but in my experience the TV Infomercials that most of these products are hawked from over hype what are mostly sub par products.
If you think about it, a TV infomercial is an expensive way to advertise and when the prices of the product are low then you’ve got to wonder where the money is being made to pay for TV commercials and such. Usually the money is made by using low quality manufacturing with low quality materials.
Now let me be upfront with you here and offer a caveat. I don’t own either the Ninja blender or the Vitamix blender.
However, I don’t think that matters to a large degree and here’s why. I’m going to show you how I’d go about assessing which blender is better, the Ninja vs. Vitamix. This is an objective review of these 2 blenders and I will show you how to shop smarter and figure out which of the blenders are better for your particular needs.
One other benefit of me not owning either machine is that I have less inclination towards both “confirmation bias” and “self-serving bias“. When you’ve invested money and time into buying a product most folks tend to want to confirm their decision and so they will downplay the disadvantages of the item or product in question.
Not owning either of the Ninja or Vitamix blenders I am not looking to legitimize my purchase because I haven’t made one yet.
Because there are several versions of the Vitamix blenders as well as the Ninja blenders, the first thing you need to do is limit your review to just 2 of the blenders.
I have chose to compare the Ninja blender NJ600 XL versus the Vitamix 5200. Why did I choose these 2? Simply because each one seems to be the best selling of each manufacturer. You can visit Vitamix and Ninja from those 2 links.
Let’s take a look first at the Ninja NJ600 XL:
List price: $129
Pitcher size: 72 ounce
Motor: 1000 Watts or 1.34 hp
Warranty: 2 years
Easy dishwasher cleaning: Yes
And here’s the Vitamix 5200:
List price: $599
Pitcher size: 64 ounce
Motor: 1380 Watts or 2 hp (peak output)
Warranty: 7 years
Easy self cleaning cleaning: Yes
So looking at them side by side at this point, it looks like the Ninja is the better deal. Based just on cost it is. However, doing the math, if it only lasts 2 years and then craps out you will have to buy 3 and a half to get the full 7 year use that 1 Vita-mix will offer with its 7 year warranty.
Doing the math (3.5 Ninjas x $129 price of one Ninja = $451.50) we see that the Ninja is still about $150 cheaper over 7 years. And honestly, most products don’t just die at the expiry of their warranty, so this is a very crude measure of which blender is better. And also, for that extra $150 that the Vitamix costs, you’re getting an extra 300 to 400 Watts of power and possibly less hassle with having to buy a new machine as you might with the Ninja if it breaks after 2 years.
Anyway, I use the cost of ownership or the cost of ownership per year as just a very rough guideline. So based on list price and warranty only, the Ninja professional blender costs $64.50 per year (list price of $129 divided by the warranty which is 2 years).
The Vitamix 5200 based on the above rough guide of cost of ownership per year is $85.60. But you get more power but less pitcher volume.
All things being equal, the Vitamix blender costs about 32% more per year than the Ninja pro blender. That’s a fair bit but not a deal breaker for me. I’ll know look at customer reviews. Unless you’re a early adopter then one of the benefits of waiting it out is to take a look at the customer reviews and the overall feel or tone of the reviews of each product.
So I’ll take some time looking at Amazon’s customer reviews on the Ninja blender as well as the Vitamix blender.
Before I start reading them, and I don’t read all, I like to take a look at how many customer reviews there are. I want a minimum of ten, but for an expensive item like these blenders I like to see at least a couple of dozen (say 25) or more. And the Ninja blender has 99 customer reviews and the Vitamix blender has 70 reviews so we’re good to go in trusting these reviews in informing our opinion.
I also do a quick and dirty math equation on the positive reviews as a percentage of the overall reviews.
So the Ninja blender has 99 overall reviews and I count positive reviews as being 3 stars or more. The Ninja has 71 3 and above star reviews. So as a percentage, 71 out of 99 is right around 71% positive. That’s easy math to do
The Vitamix has 70 reviews overall (close enough in number to the Ninja’s 99 that I feel comfortable comparing them). Of those 70, 62 of them are 3 and above start. So the Vitamix has 89% positive reviews.
As an aside, you can easily find the percentage that one number is of the other by dividing the small number 62 in the above case by the bigger number which is 70.
As a rule of thumb, I like to see at least 70% positive reviews before I will consider buying anything. And if a product has 80% or more positive reviews my hesitation to buy is very small.
So both the Ninja and the Vitamix have 70+% reviews so they are both products that I would consider a worthy buy. But we need to figure out which of the 2 is better. I will also go on to read the most helpful reviews, and not all of the reviews. I will read the top 3 to 5 most helpful reviews that are positive and the top 3 to 5 most helpful reviews that are negative.
What I’m looking for is to get a taste of the flavor of the reviews. What I mean by this is that sometimes folks will gang up on a product or company and give really mean and nasty reviews that aren’t very helpful or objective. So I want to ensure that the reviews are a reliable and unbiased opinion in general. And with both the Vitamix and Ninja they are.
Comparing these 2 blenders, the Vitamix versus the Ninja is a great example. Both of them would make for good blenders, the difficulty here is the price difference, or rather the upfront cost. $600 for the Vitamix vs. $130 for the Ninja is substantial.
$600 would easily chase away a lot of consumers. So how would I choose amongst these 2 blenders? It’s not easy but this is what I would recommend if you are looking at how the Vitamix and Ninja blenders compare.
Conclusion
If you are a true raw food foodie and/or you blend and juice your food at least daily then you should save up and buy the Vitamix. The Vitamix blends ingredients more smoothly and if a big part of your diet is made up of blended fruits and veggies, you need the best machine possible.
If however, you only blend fruits and veggies or make smoothies on an irregular basis which I would classify as 2 or less times per week then I would recommend you buy the Ninja. Save your money and spend some of it on healthier foods and supplements like protein powders and omega oils that you can add to your occasional smoothies.
Well Ray, considering this is a page on the Ninja Mega Kitchen System and I spoke about my experience with said system, your assessment of me being defensive is bewildering. The bias of the Vitamix vs. Ninja showdown was blatant IMO and it was not an honest comparison of the machines.
I can’t help if you don’t appreciate that.
Hi Angela,
After owing the Ninja Mega Blender with the optional food processor for a little while now, I can tell you without reservation that it is the best machine I have ever owned. The quality is there. It’s easy to clean. It does what they say it will do. The BPA free containers are such nice quality. I LOVE IT! The 1500 watts of power will do about anything you ask of it.
I can chop 4 medium onions in the food processor in 2, yes two, seconds! They come out perfectly uniform with no smelling up the kitchen or making the eyes water! I do quarter the onion (or cut it in 6th depending on the size), — which takes just a minute — before putting it in the 64 oz bowl, then shazam…you are done!
I can shred a brick of cheese in 8 seconds….comes out just like store bought! Man…I had been working Waaaay too hard!
I really appreciate the food prep spout, as it discharges into a container (bowl) of your choice, which means you aren’t constantly stopping and taking it apart to empty the processor bowl when it gets full as you do on ordinary food processors.
The dough hook makes bread beautifully — just as they show on TV. You can whips up batters in a flash. What an easy way to make a cake.
Of course, I love the single serve cups which allow a person to whip up a smoothie in a flash. The quality of the small “bullet” type smoothie makers don’t hold a candle to the Ninja.
Can you tell that I’m sold on the thing!!! That, is thanks to your review in the first place. It really pushed me off the fence. Like others, I never know it the TV stuff is really going to be good or junk. I’ll tell you this one is a winner.
If you don’t have the food processor attachments by now, I certainly recommend it. And thanks again Angela for taking the time to review the Mega System in the first place.
Sue
Well crud….for some reason my post wound up under another comment. I didn’t intend for that! It sorta burst into the middle of your discussion with Ray….sorry! Sue
Hi Sue,
No worries at all, and thank you for checking back in – I’m so glad to hear my review was helpful for you. What’s funny is, when I bought my first Ninja Blender and before I started reviewing them, I had never see the infomercial. I just wandered into a Target and bought it because I needed a blender!
My kitchen is still very much temporary as we’ve been building out other parts of our house, but I do intend to buy the food processor attachments someday when our remodel is done and I have a place to store them, so it’s good to hear real world feedback that they are worth it!
Cheers,
Angela
I remembered I had bought a vita mix long time ago.
About 20-30 years ago.
Now remember it just quit working one day
So I go into garage, its full of treasures, and found the old vitamix
Model 479044, maxi-4000
It would not work so I took it apart. Not much to it just a motor, a bunch of wires, and that reset thingy.
Air cleaned it out and wow-la, it is working now.
Now if I can just remember where I left that pitcher thingy.
Forgot to mention that I paid 30 bucks at a local flea market years ago.
Why did I forget I had bought one?
It is not a fancy one, just button for 3 speeds, and a level thingy for forward, stop and reverse.
Also a reset push button.
OMG, does that make me biased?
Hi Angela,
Bought a Ninja Professional 1000 watt blender yesterday at BBB ($99.00 before my 20% coupon) due to a consumer report. It was rated very high but I read the consumer reviews and they were terrible! I decided to return it and started reading blender reviews.
Saw on QVC the Ninja Mega Kitchen Pulse is on sale and has 234 five star reviews. Wow!
Then I saw the infomercial on YouTube about the 1500 watt Ninja Mega-your model, I believe.
If I read correctly, you own both models. Can you please help me decide which one you think is best?
Last blender did great for about 7 years. But I stopped crushing the ice first for my smoothies and think that did it in-a Cuisinart. So basically I need it for smoothies but would love for us to get more veggies in our diet. Just hubby and me at home.
Your review was terrific so any help most appreciated. Pulse or original?
Thanks!
Hi Jeri,
If you are just making smoothies, and maybe the occasional food-processing task, the Pulse will treat you just fine. Though it has less power than the Ninja Mega, it still has more power than a standard blender, and you still get the single serve cups with the Pulse (which I think are critical for smoothie lovers). Here is my Pulse review: http://testkitchentuesday.com/2012/01/03/product-review-ninja-pulse-blending-system/
I like the simplicity and easy of use of the Pulse, and I use it interchangeably with my Mega. However, I do enjoy the larger 72 ounce jar of the Mega when I’m making green smoothies because I can cram a lot of stuff in there! Most people don’t need multiple blenders, but I have bought most of the Ninja line as part of reviewing them. If you click here you can see a side-by-side comparison I did of the different models (though, this was done in December so some pricing things may have changed): http://testkitchentuesday.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Ninja_Blender_Comparison.pdf
You’ll likely be happy with whichever one you choose, so, it just comes down to how much you’ll use it. For just smoothies, I’d probably recommend the Pulse.
Hope that helps,
Angela
I am so glad I found your site. I have been seeing the infomercial on the Ninja Mega Kitchen System, but have also been looking at the Blendtec model. I believe I have made up my mind to go with the Ninja. Although I was impressed with the Blendtec making soup, I like the Ninja, because it can do so much more; especially slice, grate, etc. with the other attachment. I am not sure though why it has been mentioned about pulp, because the infomercial shows no pulp or pieces being left.
Hi Laurinda,
It is possible to make juice without pulp, but, it takes some work. Here is my summary of the two different ways you can make juice with a Ninja. http://testkitchentuesday.com/2013/06/18/a-juicing-refresher/
Keep in mind, it is a blender, not a juicer. It is a great machine that can do A LOT, but, the infomercial sets unreasonable expectations around juicing, in my opinion.
Angela
Here are the most honest reviews, on Amazon, that I’ve seen on this product: http://amzn.to/1boA4FF – You will definitely make good decision after reading these. Glad I did.
I have the salad shooter for the ninja but I can not find it on the web page I need to know how to do the crinckle fry blade I have been wanting French frys thank you john
Hi John,
Sorry, I don’t have this attachment so I can’t advise. The best thing to do would be go to Ninja’s website and do the “Live Chat” feature. I have always found their support reps to be fast and helpful!
Angela
Thanks for the review. I already bought the whole ninja system from BBandB. We loved it for the first 4 months. We were making shakes every other day for that entire time ad noticed that the consistency was changing drastically. (These are the glowing green shakes…NO ice) The blade was completely dull. We traded it out because BBandB is so great with that. Today we have great shakes again. But will this happen again? The replacement blade is over $25.00 with shipping. Has anyone else run into this?
Mary
I’ve had my NMKS since Christmas 2012 and use it daily for smoothies which involves crushing ice and my blades are as sharp as day one. I’m sorry you’ve had that experience Mary. Here’s hoping it was just a fluke.
Hi Mary,
Wow, that is strange! Like Janis, I have had my Mega KS since last holiday season. I use it daily (sometimes multiple times a day), and haven’t had a single issue. You were definitely in the warranty period when the blade dulled, so I’m sure Ninja would have sent you a new blade as well. They are pretty decent about that stuff. Hopefully it was just a fluke…
Angela
I love my Ninja Mega system, bought on an infomercial last month. But, funny….I came on here because after using it yesterday, I took it out of the dishwasher and thought the handle to the blender attachment was cracked. So I came on here and saw your pics, and there it was…same looking “cracks” in the handle. Kind of a strange looking design to me, but I’m glad its isn’t cracks!
Glad I could help, Marilyn! (And I know exactly what you are talking about!)
You say it has been thru the dishwasher many ties. How is the plastic holding up. I am scared to put it in as my dishwasher.
Hi Shay,
As Janis noted, it will hold up just fine in the dishwasher. However, it is really important that you put the lids on the top rack only or they could melt. The jars can go on either rack.
Angela
I put mine in the dishwasher all the time and it holds up just fine. I haven’t noticed any difference in it since I bought it. Once I take it out, I do NOT put the lids on the jars or bowls, I just set them on top at a diagonal. Except for water spots, mine is as good as new!
Hope that helps Shay.
I was researching to see if any of the Ninja System parts were interchangeable. Can you exchange the blade of an old system with a blade of a newer system? Or can you use base of an upgraded system to power an older version of the blender. Example: I want to use the square base of the Mega Kitchen System to speed the power of my Master Prep Pro blender container. I also lost my blade to my Master Prep Pro and want to know if there is any difference (besides height) in the blade’s structure.
Hi Brittany,
Sadly, no, they are not interchangeable. I have asked the Ninja folks this in the past and they replied with a resounding “no.” It’s a shame, but that’s how they’ve designed them.
Angela
I purchased the mega kitchen system back a few months ago and am pleased with it. I even ordered the slicer/shredder attachment.
BUT I just saw a commercial yesterday for the Ninja Ultima Kitchen System. So here it is http://www.ninjakitchen.com/ninja-ultima-blender/ Have you seen/trieid this one?
This seems to be more like a Vitamix, being able to control the speed with a dial. If I had known this was in the works, I would have waited!!! Anyone interested in a slightly used Mega Kitchen System???
Hi Karla,
I had not heard of the Ninja Ultima. I agree, it looks more like a Vitamix. The Ninja folks certainly have been on overdrive with all the different models. I have been super happy with the Mega, but clearly they are trying to go after the Vitamix market even harder now.
The good news is you should be able to sell your Mega system on Craigslist or similar if you decide to.
Thank you for the alert – I will research this one more. Don’t know if I’ll do a review (a person only needs so many blenders!), but it is good to know it is out there!
Angela
Hello,
I just have to say thank you for this review! Your original review plus the questions and answers at the bottom have been so helpful. I have been researching this system and the new Ultima. The final deciding factor for me was whether or not the Mega System would grind wheat. The Ultima advertises this ability, but it only comes with a 2 year warranty as a opposed to the 5 year VIP warranty of the Mega when ordered directly from Ninja.
Thank you again for this review. Have a nice day
Hi Mandie,
So glad you found the review helpful, and I agree, everyone’s input and comments add to the value.
I just heard about the Ultima in the last week, but don’t know yet if I will buy and review it. A girl can only need so many blenders.
I have been super happy with the Mega KS and use it daily (sometimes twice a day). Happy blending!
Angela
Hello!
Thank you for this incredible review.
I will definitely buy this blender, but I was trying to find slicing and shredding attachments to it and was not successful.
Do you have any information about where they are sold?
I would greatly appreciate the answer.
Hi Victoria,
Glad you found the review helpful. You can get the slicing and shredding attachments here: http://www.ninjakitchen.com/mega-kitchen-system/parts.html
It’s called the “Prep System” and is $59.99.
Hope that helps,
Angela
Hi Victoria, I just went through the process of researching this and making a final decision! You can find the Mega Kitchen + the attachments you need here:
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/products/ninja-mega-kitchen-system-bl770/drtv/ogxviii/?utm_source=www.buyninjamega.com&utm_medium=Infomercial&utm_campaign=Offer185995wShooterandMolds
The total with shipping is $239.70 plus in the checkout section they give you the option of purchasing a lifetime warranty for an extra $29!
Hi, Mandie!
Thank you, I already found this site. I called the company and they gave me this link saying that I can buy The Ninja® Mega Kitchen System + The Healthy Living Guide + 5-year VIP warranty + Bonus Gift The Ninja® Professional Prep System all together for just $179.80 + S/H.
I went there and chose the offer JUST 1 PAYMENT OF $179.80 + s/h and hit BUY NOW.
HA-hA! Not a chance! They fooled me as well as their own representative who understood same! Their price was:
SUBTOTAL: $239.75
TAXES: $0.00
SHIPPING: $71.85
TOTAL: $311.60
Moreover, their Mega does not have The 3-cup processor bowl, Make it Fresh-Make it Delicious Cookbook and (2) 16 oz. Single Serve Cups With Lids if Prep System is included.
You can try it for yourself putting package in the basket.
$72 for shipping?
Ridiculous!
Hi Victoria,
When I bought my Mega, I used a 20% off coupon for Bed, Bath & Beyond, and got free shipping from their website. It may be most economical to go that route, and decide if you want the prep system. Honestly, I don’t have it and don’t miss it, but, many people have commented that they really like the prep system with the slicing and grating capabilities. I use a simple mandolin for slicing and grating, but if you make a lot of grated things, you may prefer the prep system.
Angela
I’m sorry to hear that. Did you try the link I gave? I did not purchase this offer, but when I followed it all the way through the total was $179.80+$59.90 for shipping giving me a total of $239.70. The cookbook is an extra $29.
I ended up paying $199 + free shipping, but I did not get the prep system. Don’t forget when you’re comparing prices that if you purchase this from a retail store it will only have a one year warranty as opposed to a five year and you have to pay sales tax.
I hope you get the best deal
Ordered my mega kitchen system today after watching the infomercial!! So excited to get it and start using it…this website info has been so helpful; thank you Angela for that! My total was supposed to be $179.80 plus $29.95 shipping. However, when speaking to the representative they told me that the main system would be sent out first and then the food prep system, which is the bonus item, would be sent 4-6 weeks later at an additional $29.95 shipping charge. Which brought my total to $239.70. I’m wondering if anyone else who has ordered the system through the infomercial has been charged the additional shipping charge.
Thanks again for all the great info! Really made me feel confident in my purchase!
Shannon
Shannon here again with a question I meant to ask with my first posting: i read on another website that it’s not a good idea to put hot liquids into the ninja (someone had tried making bulletproof coffee in it and had wrecked some seals…). but on this site I’m reading of people making hot soup and them purifying it in the ninja. Can someone clear this up for me?
Thanks,
Shannon
Hi Shannon,
I have made tons and tons of blended hot soup with the Ninja Professional and Ninja Mega (the Ninja can’t make it hot – you have to make it on the stove first). I haven’t had a problem with hot soup messing up the seals. However, you do want to be careful and not put the lids on the bottom rack of the dishwasher – they will melt. They are fine on the top rack though.
Hope that helps!
Angela
Thanks so much for your review and recipes for the Ninja products! Awesome!
I’ve had a Ninja Pro blender for a while and love it. But when I saw the Mega Kitchen system, I spent days justifying the purchase.
I finagled a good deal price-wise that fit the bill and ultimately paid $194 for the MKS and the salad prep attachment. Saved about $45 vs ordering the special on the Ninja site.
I’ve christened my new MKS with smoothies, orange sherbet, peanut butter, and yes… a little blood, too – those blades are sharp! I am giving my Ninja Pro and my food processor to my daughter.
My only disappointment is that I don’t have the small bowl insert and don’t see it for sale on the Ninja website, nor can I find it online anywhere else. Any ideas on where I can buy one?
Hi Nicole,
Glad you found the review and recipes helpful. You indeed got a good deal on the MKS with the salad prep!
The mini processor bowl seems to only come with models sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond (and perhaps Target), but isn’t available separately.
I have no idea why they did this as it doesn’t make much sense. The good news is you’ll be just fine with the larger food processor bowl. The small one is nice to have, but, I don’t find it to be critical. If I was weighing accessories, I’d say the salad prep is more valuable than the mini processor bowl.
Happy blending!
Angela
Thanks for the response, Angela. I agree… the smaller food processor insert is a wish list item. Keeping my eye out for it to be available on its own. So far I’ve been ok with the big bowl.
Was just about to check if my order had shipped,it’s been over the initial four weeks. Stopped on your site and have been mesmerized ever since. Getting it for Christmas, so will return after that, assuming it arrives by then. Keep up the great work guys. Used the website and very costly, also used the payment increments which may account for the delay.Think they want more payment up front before shipping.
Can I use the food processor to grate potatoes and onions, like a traditional food processor. Did not see any grating mechanism.
Hi Margaret,
You can, only if you buy the separate attachments for grating. Unfortunately you can only get these directly from Ninja:
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/mega-kitchen-system/parts.html
It’s called the “Ninja® Mega Professional Prep System”
Hope that helps,
Angela
Hello interested in buying one of these for my wife. I am looking at the Mega Kitchen system on their web site that comes with the Professional Prep System and a bunch of other thing. It now has a $60 shipping I wonder if that covers everything and hope they have a good deal on Cyber Monday. I talked with a rep and said it will arrive in 7-10 business days, cross your fingers.
Ordered two Ninja Mega Kitchen Systems and one additional mini-3 cup processor bowl and two additional single serve glasses ($39.99 for processor & two glasses) for Christmas 2013. I also reviewed BBB, Kohl’s and Amazon pricing and component mix.
I wound up ordering direct from the Ninja manufacture (as seen on TV ad). Cost for their special package was $179.80 for each unit (plus $39.99 for mini processor/two glasses). Note that the link below takes you to an offer providing free s/h on the package. Ninja added $7.95 for the s/h on the mini prep add-on! Watch out for an almost identical Ninja-direct package which does not list free S/H. By the way, Ninja also charged Ohio sales tax though Ohio does not (as of 12/31/13) require online vendors to collect tax if their organization has no direct presence in the state.
Ninja Free Shipping/Handling site:
http://www.ninjakitchen.com/products/ninja-mega-kitchen-system-bl770/cpc/ogxviiitst-tr1/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Offer18BL770SALADICECREAM-FSH%20&utm_term=ninja%20blender&utm_content=search-text
Special base offer includes:
- Ninja Mega Kitchen Base System
- VIP 5 year warranty
- Bonus Professional Prep system (Prep unit, four slicing disks & disk storage box)
- Bonus Frozen Treat kit (Freezer tray, push pop and ice pop molds, sticks)
- The Healthy Living Guide
I did not get a substantial Mega KS cookbook as some have indicated they received with their Mega KS unit. I’ll try the Ninja chat line to see if one is available (at no cost).
Haven’t found videos and/or instructions on how to use the Professional Prep unit. Anyone have any ideas?
Thank you! This is the most informative and detailed review I have found online on this product. We make traditional salsa often, so I am wondering if anyone has tried that, and what were the results?
Hi Christina,
You now, I haven’t made salsa (but I have made lots of guac!). If you send me your recipe, I’d be happy to make it for you and do a post.
Angela
Wow, thank you! I don’t really have a recipe, actually… I just eye it… just a couple of tomatoes, some onion onion and green pepper, a little bit of a hot pepper, some fresh cilantro. I’m asking because my current cheap no-name food processor turns the tomatoes to mush, while still leaving some large chunks of the pepper/onion. My blender which I use almost exclusively for smoothies burned out, so I’m thinking of replacing them both with this… if it can handle cutting up, rather than crushing tomatoes. Thanks again!
Hi Christina,
I will give it a shot! I think the blade design of the Mega will give you a better result on the salsa, but stay tuned for a post with the results. I don’t have these ingredients on hand right now, so I’ll get them next week at the store and see what happens!
Angela
Hi Christina,
I just made salsa and will have a write up on Tuesday with pictures and the recipe I used. It was a great success – check out my TKT Facebook page for a preview pic.
More soon!
Angela
I had an Oster system for 35 years that did everything. And over the years each piece has broken down over time.
I just received my Ninja Mega Kitche System. I’m hoping somebody can tell me that I can make mashed potatoes????
Hi Carol,
You sure can. Here’s how (you can of course use your recipe, but this will give you an idea): http://testkitchentuesday.com/2013/11/26/creamy-non-dairy-mashed-potatoes-and-an-easy-way-to-store-leftovers/
Angela
Thank you so much for the detailed review! I have bookmarked this site so I can come back and see all of your recipes and tests! I wasn’t so sure about my purchase of this specific Ninja compared to the other kitchen system with the ultima base, but feeling much more confident in my purchase now after reading through this page. I did get a wicked cut on my finger the first time I used it. Lesson learned–use a rubber spatula or some other utensil besides your hand to push down a stubborn ingredient!
I had the Magic Bullet and was getting used to it taking me 10 or more minutes just to have a green smoothie, so the ninja has really helped with that. I don’t really like the single serve cups in comparison to the Magic Bullet Cups, I think the Ninja cups are more narrow and I’ve noticed things don’t move around as easily, but it does make it much faster, so I’m sure I’ll get the right ratio of ingredients/liquid figured out with a few more tries. It will seep out if you try to fill it past the fill line, which I didn’t ever have issues with my Magic Bullet. Again, I’ve just got to figure out the right ratio.
Do you know what the differences are between the Ninja Ultima Kitchen System and the Ninja Mega Kitchen system? I notice the base is different too. What is the difference with the two bases? I’m also wondering why the differences in warranty? One year on the mega and two on the ultima (if you purchase from Target)? Ninja definitely could work on streamlining some of these issues on their website!
I paid $199 at Target and received a $25 Target Gift card (deal ends today) with the Mega System. Anyway, thanks again for your great site!
Hi Aubrey,
Glad you found the site helpful! One thing I do with green smoothies is add the liquid and greens first, blend, and then add all other ingredients. This saves space and makes everything blend a little better. And yes, the blade for the 72 ounce pitcher is super sharp – we all have learned that particular lesson!
As far as the differences between the Mega and the Ultima, I can’t really say in an educated manner. I haven’t tried out an Ultima (yet), mostly because the Mega is still going strong even with 2X daily use. I can’t justify buying another blender right now.
On first glance, it seems like the Ultima is trying to compete more directly with Vitamix, as it has such a variable speed array, instead of just 1-2-3. Honestly, I have never wished for more speed options, so I’m not totally sure if it makes that big of a difference.
You got a good deal on your system – great job!
Angela
Hi Angela,
Thanks for such a quick reply! Looking through your site, I don’t know how you keep up with all the comments and questions we all have for you!
The liquids in first with the greens is a great tip that was extremely helpful when I only had the Magic Bullet. I am about to finish my first 30 day-1 Green Smoothie a day challenge with the site http://www.simplegreensmoothies.com. (They love their Vitamix and Blendtec blenders, but that’s just way out of my budget).
I appreciate you taking the time to provide feedback. I will definitely keep this Mega Kitchen System. Glad to know you don’t feel like you need more speed. I won’t feel like I’m missing out! haha!
Can’t wait to tick off all of your recipes on my list!
Thanks again!!!
Hi Aubrey,
It’s definitely a labor of love.
Congrats on your green smoothie challenge! I have never heard of that site — I will definitely check them out. I make a green smoothie just about every morning, but I’m very random in what I put it – basically, whatever is around is fair game.
If you want to make your smoothies in the large pitcher instead of single serve, adding ice really does help break up the greens better. I love the single serve for breakfasts, though, because of the convenience factor and one less thing to wash since the blender is also the cup, and it does a very good job of pulverizing things like spinach.
Funnily, I know lots of people with Vitamixes, and they are very awesome. But, they can’t do some things the Ninja can do (mostly around food processing), and of course they can do things they Ninja can’t do (hot soup, and really, really smooth green smoothies). It’s a trade off, but I don’t feel it’s a bad trade off. Just depends on your budget and priorities on what you want to do.
Good luck and have fun!
Angela
Love the review but have one question I have read some reviews that say the customer service is not good or the warrenty. I did add the lifetime warrenty, just wanting to know if you have any idea how each service is.
Thank you
Ron
Hi Ron,
I really can’t speak to warranty issues at all, sorry. I’ve used my Mega KS daily (sometimes multiple times daily) since I wrote this review, and have yet to have an issue. When I have had questions for Ninja (usually to help readers answer questions), I just get on their web chat and they have always been very helpful. But, then again, I have never tried to claim anything warranty-wise…
Maybe someone else has feedback for you here!
Angela
Thanks for the great posting! I just bought this last night as I am getting into making nut butters, nut milk and nut flours. As well as other things. We are starting to eat more whole food and moving away from gluten as well. I have a question, can this make flour from berries, will it work similar to a grain mill? I don’t plan to make my own wheat flour but there are other flours that I would like to make. Currently I am making almond flour and coconut flour from the left over pulp after making the milk. I like it to be ground fine, more so than my food processor, so I purchased a coffee grinder. However if this will do the same or close to then I would return the coffee grinder.
Hi Shari,
Yes, absolutely, you can use the single serve cup to get a find grind on items like wheat berries. I did a post on grinding coffee beans with the single serve cup – which I know isn’t the same – you could maybe look at that to see the different textures between the standard jar blade and single serve.
http://testkitchentuesday.com/2013/07/23/how-to-grind-whole-coffee-beans-in-a-ninja-blender/
Give it a try, and I think you will find that you can take back the coffee grinder and just use your single serve cup for fine grinds…
Hope that helps,
Angela
Oh thank you so much for the fast reply! I still have to butter my hubby up before bring it in from the back of the van
But being able to take the grinder back will help. LOL
HA!