If you are a big fan of homemade smoothies or juices, there is one major kitchen appliance that is probably the most important to you. You guessed it! It is a blender.
There are so many blenders on the market though, how can you possibly choose the best one with all of the options that are out there. Out of all of the companies that you have probably heard of, there are two in particular that stand in prominence amongst the rest.
Vitamix and Ninja have been competing head to head to make the best blenders for years now. After years of honing their product development, assessing the needs of their customers, and creating some of the best and most reliable blenders on the market, Vitamix and Ninja both have arsenals of blenders that you can choose from.
Whether you have never bought a blender before and have no idea what you are looking for, or maybe you just had a blender motor burn out, and you are now looking for a reliable one to replace it, we have you covered. From full-sized blenders that you can use to make juices or smoothies for the whole family or personal blenders that you can use for yourself and maybe take on the go, we are going to review the top 5 full-size blenders, top 5 personal blenders in the Vitamix vs. Ninja face off.
If you’re more interested in Vitamix vs Blendtec, we have a whole write-up dedicated to those two heavy weights of the blender world.
We are going to load you up with overviews of each of these companies top blenders including
- Price Ranges
- Warranties
- Ease Of Use
- Easy to Clean
- Blend Quality
- Power
- Overall Rating
If you are stuck in choosing the right blender in a faceoff of Vitamix vs. Ninja, hopefully, this will help.
Full-Size Blenders
Table of Contents
Full-size blenders are great for you and the whole family. They allow you to batch prepare massive quantities of smoothies, juices, and more with the ability to cut hours of kitchen time down into mere minutes.
1) Vitamix Cert Reconditioned Standard
The Vitamix Certified Refurbished standard blender is the first stop on our blender overview. This is a large, high priced, and high powered blend that can blend or carve up just about anything that you throw into it. This is a nice and big 64-ounce blender that you can use to make mass quantities of smoothies and meals.
a) Price
This is one of the higher priced blenders that we are going to look at today. Keep in mind, this is a factory refurbished model, so you are still going to be saving some good money. You can expect to find this blender between the $300-$400 price range.
b) Warranty
This product comes with a 5-year full warranty and a 30-day money back guarantee. Covers all parts labor and two-way shipping costs.
c) Ease of Use
Simple user interface and really easy to control and use.
d) Ease of Cleaning
The great thing about cleaning this blender is that no blade disassembly is required. All you have to do is add a drop of dish soap and water, run the machine on high for 30 seconds, dry, and the machine is ready for its next use.
e) Quality of Blending
Blends just about anything very easily.
f) Power
This model has a 2-peak horsepower motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
Overall, this blender may be a little pricier, but it definitely has a lot to offer. We would give this blender an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Powerful motor
- Warranty
- Factory refurbished for a cheaper price
- Easy to use
- Super easy to clean
CON’S
- Kind of expensive, in general
- Factory refurbished, which is a minus for some people. But Vitamix does have a great reputation for their refurbished products.
2) Ninja BL492
This is a 40-ounce full sized blender from Ninja.
a) Price
This blender model is significantly cheaper than the Vitamix that we just looked at. You will be able to find it in the $100-$200 price range.
b) Warranty
Lifetime warranty sold separately.
c) Ease of Use
Super easy to use and program. It features a nice Auto-IQ blender function to blend smoothies, juices, or anything else to the consistency that you desire.
d) Ease of Cleaning
The parts are dishwasher safe, but it does take a while to disassemble.
e) Quality of Blending
Premium blending, and a blade and motor that can easily chop nuts and shred frozen fruits and veggies.
f) Power
This blender has a 1200 watt, 1.4 horsepower motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
Overall, this blender is a great find for the price. There is definitely a huge difference in quality between this Ninja and the $20-$40 full-size blender that you would find in the appliance section at Wal-Mart. We’d rate this blender a 4 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Powerful motor
- Really easy to use and program
- Can blend to all levels of consistency and is great for making everything from thin juices to thick smoothies
CON’S
- Not as big as the first Vitamix blender that we looked at
- Less power than the large vitamix blender
3) Ninja BL642
The Ninja BL642 is a pretty significant step up from the BL492 that we just took a look at. This features a 64 ounce container and several new, different blending options.
a) Price
This blender is typically priced in the $150-$250 price range.
b) Warranty
This product features a one year limited warranty, and we believe that you can still purchase the lifetime warranty separately for this product.
c) Ease of Use
More features gives this model a little bit of a learning curve, but other than that, it seems like the Auto-IQ function can do most of the work for you.
d) Ease of Cleaning
Simply add dish soap and hot water to your blender and run on high for a few seconds to clean.
e) Quality of Blending
Blending that provides for blending to a variety of custom textures.
f) Power
It features a powerful 1500 watt motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
This is a powerful blender with a massive container and sharp blades, and all at a reasonable price. We would give this blender by Ninja a 4.6 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Powerful 1500 watt motor
- Large container for blending
- Easy to clean
- Easy to program
- Blades that can blend just about anything
CON’S
- A little bit of a learning curve for programming
4) Ninja BL610
The Ninja BL610 is the next blender that we are going to be looking at from Ninja. It features a massive 72-ounce blender container and comes at a noticeably cheaper price than the Ninja Blenders that we just looked at.
a) Price
You should be able to find this blender in the $50-$100 price range.
b) Warranty
One year warranty.
c) Ease of Use
This is a basic blender that is really easy to use. It has a low, medium, high, and pulse setting.
d) Ease of Cleaning
It has a blade that is really easy to remove and clean.
e) Quality of Blending
Pretty high-quality blending. Has no trouble chopping through ice and frozen produce.
f) Power
This blender features a powerful 1,000-watt motor, which puts out about 1.25 horsepower.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
Overall, this is a really reliable blender that comes at a very reasonable price. We would give this blender by Ninja a 3.3 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Includes a one year warranty
- Affordable
- High powered, for a low price
CON’S
- Plastic blender container, not glass
- Doesn’t have as many features as the pricier models.
5) Ninja BL660
The next Ninja blender that we are looking at is the BL660. This blender is kind of the bigger brother of the BL610, that we just looked at in terms of power, and also features a 72-ounce blender container.
a) Price
You can expect to find this blender in the $75-$150 price range.
b) Warranty
This blender includes a one year warranty.
c) Ease of Use
This blender is really easy to use, with power settings that are labeled 1-3, pulse, with a single serve option available.
d) Ease of Cleaning
Easy to wash and clean.
e) Quality of Blending
Good quality blending that is great for smoothies.
f) Power
This model features a powerful 1,100-watt motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
This is yet another reliable and tough blender from Ninja. For the power and ease of use that this blender provides we are going to give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Simple functions for different levels of blending
- Large container for making multiple servings
CON’S
- It doesn’t have a ton of added features
- You could probably be just as happy with the BL610, and you could save a little money too
Winner of the Full-Size Blenders
So out of all of the full-size blenders, we had to come up with one winner overall. Due to the big price differences between Vitamix and Ninja blenders, we had to break this down to two winners.
Best Priced Full-Size Winner: If you are looking for getting the best most versatile blender without breaking the bank, we really liked the Ninja BL642 with Auto-IQ.
Best Value Full Sized Blender: If you are looking for the blender with the most value, the Vitamix is the clear winner. The durability of the components, build quality, rock-solid warranty, made in America manufacturing, make for it to easily be the blender with the most value over the long haul.
Personal Blenders
Now just in case you are a single serve kind of person and only need the capabilities or a smaller blender, or for making one smoothie at a time, let’s take a look at some of the best personal size blenders in the Vitamix vs. Ninja showdown.
1) NutriNinja BL455
The NutriNinja BL455 is the first blender that we are going to look at on our tour of personal size blenders.
a) Price
You should be able to find this blender in the $70-$100 price range.
b) Warranty
One year factory warranty.
c) Ease of Use
This is a really easy to use personal size blender.
d) Ease of Cleaning
Easy to rinse out with soap and water, and totally dishwasher safe.
e) Quality of Blending
The quality of blending is pretty good, but this product seems to have a little bit of trouble grinding up small things like seeds.
f) Power
This blender has a powerful 1,000 watt motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
This is a really nice little portable, personal blender that you can take just about anywhere, and it seems perfect for smoothies on the go. Overall, we would give this blender a 3.4 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Totally dishwasher safe and BPA free
- Powerful motor
CON’S
- There is a rubber piece around the blades that doesn’t come off, so you can’t really deep clean parts of the blender like you need to
2) NutriNinja BL456
The NutriNinja BL456 is another great personal size blender that comes with two containers that are 24 ounces and 18 ounces.
a) Price
This particular blender is slightly cheaper than the BL455. You should be able to find this blender for $50-$75.
b) Warranty
Standard one year warranty.
c) Ease of Use
This single serve blender is really easy to use and operate. All you have to do is press to pulse.
d) Ease of Cleaning
Super easy to clean the blades, or use the blender with soap and water to rinse them off.
e) Quality of Blending
This Ninja blender, like the others, features Ninja’s patented blade design, so that it has no trouble blending or slicing ice or frozen produce.
f) Power
This is a powerful 900 watt, single serving blender.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
Overall, this is a really reliable and affordable option from Ninja. We would give this particular model a 3 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Easy to operate, with a one touch design
- Powerful motor
- Blades that are easy to clean
- More affordable than other single serve blenders
- Comes with multiple container sizes.
CON’S
- Can leak if you overfill it while blending
- The covers that come with the blender don’t actually appear to be leak proof
3) NutriNinja BL482
The NutriNInja BL482 is a step up from the last Ninja model that we covered and features Ninja’s Auto IQ technology.
a) Price
You will be able to find this blender in the $80-$100 range.
b) Warranty
This comes with Ninja’s standard one year warranty.
c) Ease of Use
This has more options than your typical one-touch Ninja blenders, and it is still really easy to use. It features Auto IQ buttons for blending and ultra-blending, along with a start/stop button, and a pulse button.
d) Ease of Cleaning
This model is really easy to clean and the blades, bottom, and containers are all blender safe.
e) Quality of Blending
This is a high-quality blender that can grind up everything from ice cubes to mixed nuts.
f) Power
It has a powerful 1,000-watt motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
This is a really dependable and compact blender from Ninja. We would give this model a 4.2 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Compact design
- Powerful motor
- Auto IQ technology
CON’S
- This blender is really loud
- The base may move on you while you are blending, so make sure to hold it steady
4) NutriNinja BL486
This is the most advanced model of single serve blenders that we are going to take a look at. This NutriNinja BL486 has a lot of features that will make it stand out amongst the crowd.
a) Price
You can expect to find this blender in the $100-$150 price range.
b) Warranty
Comes with your standard one year warranty.
c) Ease of Use
Really easy to operate and use.
d) Ease of Cleaning
BPA free and totally dishwasher safe.
e) Quality of Blending
Has no trouble grinding up ice cubes and hard nuts.
f) Power
This model features a 1,000 watt motor.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
With the added bump of the nutrient extraction technology and Auto IQ technology, this high tech blender merits a good rating. We would give it a solid 4.4 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Easy to use
- High tech with fun and functional features
- Includes 24 ounce cups that keep your drink cold for up to 4 hours
CON’S
- Pricier than other Ninja models
- Really loud
5) Vitamix S30
Finally, we arrive at our last and highest price blender of the single-serve models. Let’s take a look at the Vitamix S30.
a) Price
This is the highest price range of personal blenders. You can expect to find this one for between $300-$400.
b) Warranty
Includes a 5-year warranty and a 30-day guarantee.
c) Ease of Use
Super easy to use. You have a pulse model and varying levels of power from 1-10 that you can use.
d) Ease of Cleaning
The containers and base of this blender are both top rack dishwasher safe.
e) Quality of Blending
It is a high-quality blender that won’t have any problem blending your foods or smoothies.
f) Power
Lower powered than other models that we have looked at, clocking in at 790 watts.
g) Overall Opinion and Rating
Overall, this is a good blender, but we believe it is overpriced for what you are getting. We would give this blender a 4.2 out of 5 stars.
PRO’S
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Comes with a 20 ounce and a 40-ounce container
- Great warranty
CON’S
- Expensive, for what you are getting
- You have to take it apart to fully clean it
Winner of Personal Blenders
So who came out on top for the personal blenders? We are going to have to crown the winner the NutriNinja BL486. The low price and the features that it provides makes this blender hard to beat.
About The Manufacturers
1) Ninja
Ninja is a company that cares about their customers first and foremost. Their mission is in creating kitchen appliances and cooking products that serve anyone with a busy lifestyle, who just doesn’t have the time to cook and prepare foods.
2) Vitamix
Vitamix’s goal is to improve other people’s lives through healthier choices. They do that by providing blenders that make healthy food options tastier and more accessible.
Why Choose from These Brands?
Vitamix and Ninja are two of the most reputable names in lending. If you want to get a blender that will make your life easier and last for years in the kitchen, you cannot go wrong with either of these brands.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Blender
The most important things that you can consider when choosing a blender are:
– What is your budget?
– How often will you be using your blender?
– What will you be blending?
– How many people will you usually be serving? Just yourself? Or 2+ others?
Take these factors into account when shopping for the right blender.
Overall Winner
So we know what you are thinking: who is the winner overall in this blender competition?
Honestly, the one that we liked best was the Ninja BL642 because it is so accessible to so many people due to its price point. It is loaded with great features, additional containers and single serve blender containers, and covers all of the bases that you need in a quality blender. If this is your first blender for your journey on a healthier lifestyle, this is a great choice.
For those with a larger budget, the Vitamix is the clear winner. It’s not for everyone due to it’s price point, but it provides so much value. A Vitamix blender is the kind of item that lasts and lasts, and is one of those kitchen items you’d pass on to your children. There is story after story about people that have had their Vitamix for 10+ years.
It’s not very often that you have 2 products compared with such a wide difference in prices. Which is a testament to the features that the Ninja provides to the average consumer.
