I have always liked Ninja products, so I was excited when I got to try out the Ninja Professional Blender 1000. I have owned several Ninja kitchen appliances in the past and they have all lived up to my expectations. Naturally, I expected the same from this blender.
While the blender performed how I thought it would, it had few drawbacks and left me fairly surprised with how easy it was to operate. If you are in the market for a new blender, don't want to spend a lot of money, but still want a quality product? The Ninja Professional Blender may be the right choice for you.
Table of Contents
What’s in the Box?
As always, the blender showed up at my doorstep before the actual delivery date. Usually, when I unbox a Ninja product, they are packaged very nicely. The same goes for this blender. Everything was well packaged tightly between several formed styrofoam pieces with cardboard separators. All of the parts were well protected in the box so there was no way the blender could have been damaged on route to my house, even if it was dropped.
Inside the box was the base of the blender and the pitcher that fits on top. The lid was also separately packaged within the box and looked much different than most other blender lids you would see. It had a handle on the top, a locking function that connected to the pitcher, and a large opening that was able to be closed or opened for use. The 72oz container itself is actually quite large when compared to other models and was vastly bigger than my regular old blender by almost double in volume.
Also in the box were two booklets. One of the booklets was an owner's guide that went over some of the basics such as safety precautions, warranties, and troubleshooting problems. But it also showed you how to operate the blender and use the different functions.
There are some charts in the manual that tell you how to use the blender with particular ingredients like ice, hard vegetable, and fruits. And it also covered some of the more basic care and maintenance required for the machine.
The other booklet is what they are calling an "Inspiration Guide". I have noticed that most Ninja products come with a version of this booklet which basically contains ideas and recipes to use in the blender. The guide is filled with many recipes for smoothies, drinks, and soups.
All of which have beautiful pictures and vibrant colors that really catch your eye as you flip through the pages. They really did a great job creating this small recipe booklet because I quickly wanted to make something from the booklet for my first test of the blender.
How Does It Look/Feel/Sit?
The Ninja Professional Blender is very well constructed with an easy-to-read control panel. The buttons that control the blender are clearly labeled which are not overly complicated. There are five buttons total with a power button, pulse, low, medium, and high-speed setting.
The base of the blender is very sturdy and has a good amount of weight to it, which is necessary to keep the machine stable when it is in use. The bottom of the base has four rubber feet that act like suction cups to keep it in place. They even work well on wet surfaces. Bottom line: this blender is not going anywhere once it starts operating.
The container of the blender is very large with a total volume capacity of nine cups. Two sides of the pitcher are clearly labeled with measurements in both the metric and imperial systems. One side is measured in cups and ounces while the other is measured in liters and milliliters. The pitcher also has a square shape that adds to the blender's overall balance and sleek look. The handle on the pitcher is very thick with an ergonomic shape that fits your hand nicely as well.
The lid of the blender is also very solid. Most older models of blenders tend to have flimsy rubber or plastic lids. This lid is made of thick and solid plastic that feels like it will last a very long time. There is also a handle on the lid that locks into place on the pitcher for safety and also acts as a carrier for the container.
The only way the lid will come off of the container is if you press the release button. There is also a small lid within the lid that can be opened and closed freely to release steam or pressure when operating the blender. This also allows you to add ingredients to the blender while in use. This works great for emulsifying salad dressings, making hummus, or just adding more fruit or ice to your smoothie as it blends.
The Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is still pretty standard in terms of size and height when compared to other blenders. But it just looks so much better than the classic look other countertop blenders have. The machine is black with a clear container which really makes it pop. It would look great in anyone's kitchen but would still be able to be stored away in a cabinet without taking up too much space.
How Easy is it to Set Up?
The blender was very easy to set up. Once I pulled it out of the box and removed all the wrapping and packaging materials, you just needed to put the blender pieces together. Set the base on the counter and plug it into a 110v outlet. Then place the blade spindle in the container and set it on the motor base. At this point, all you need to do is fill it with whatever you want to blend.
Figuring out how the container and lid fit together for the first time was a little tricky, but once this is set up it doesn't need to be done again. The container will only fit on the blender base one correct way. There are arrows located on the base, container, and lid that show you where to place the blender. If these arrows are not lined up and put together correctly, then the blender will not operate. It is one of the safety features of the blender.
Once the container fits snugly on the base and is filled with food, the locking lid needs to be placed on the container the same way by aligning the arrows. Once the locking lid is on the container, you need to push the lid handle down and it will lock into place. This keeps the lid connected during the blending process and cannot be removed unless the machine is turned off and you press the release button.
Test #1: Crushing Ice
To begin testing the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 I wanted to start with something simple, like how well it crushes ice.
The owner's manual says the Ninja blender is perfect for crushing ice for mixed drinks, cocktails, and even snow cones. It also says the blender is so powerful that it will literally turn the ice into snow. I was skeptical about this because in the past, the only way I was able to get snow from ice without a snow machine... was to use a meat grinder! I didn't think this blender would be able to deliver actual snow but I still wanted to see how well it crushes ice.
The directions in the booklet said to fill the container up to the top (72-ounce maximum capacity line) with any type of ice cubes. I used the ice from my ice machine in my freezer which makes a fairly common bullet-shaped ice cube. The booklet said to run the blender at medium speed for crushing ice so that's what I did.
To my surprise, after about 30 seconds, the blender was full of crushed ice which resembled snow. There were a few small chunks leftover though, so I pushed the ice back down in the blender and ran it again at high speed for 10 seconds. The ice had actually turned completely into snow! I was in shock by how well it worked and in hardly any time at all.
When you fill the blender up with ice to the maximum level, you can get about 6 12 ounce glasses of crushed ice. This blender would be perfect to deliver something delicious the entire family could enjoy. If you have kids at home then this blender would be perfect to make snow cones in the summer while the adults can have a nice frozen cocktail at the same time.
Test #2: Smoothie
Next, I decided to make a delicious smoothie in the Ninja Professional Blender 1000. I think one of the real tests of a blender is how well it performs when making smoothies. The blender comes with a small booklet of different types of recipes to try out in the blender.
Of those recipes, there are a total of eight different smoothies which consist of various fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables that all look delicious. I decided to go with one of the recipes in the booklet to see how well the blender could create the smoothie.
I know most blenders can make smoothies rather well, but I really wanted to see how smooth the drink would turn out. The consistency of a smoothie is pretty important, but some blenders are not always capable of blending all ingredients until completely smooth.
The recipe I chose is called the "Island Mood Boost". The recipe consisted of coconut water, fresh pineapple, frozen mango, frozen strawberries, and a fresh banana to thicken the smoothie. I added all the ingredients to the container, placed the lid on, and began to blend the smoothie.
The booklet said that you really only needed to run the blender at a low speed when making smoothies. Once I started blending the ingredients, it only took about 15 seconds for them to become pretty much all blended into smoothie form.
However, since the Ninja blender has a triple blade spindle and such a large capacity, it was not able to get the smoothie all the way smooth. It seemed to miss some small bits of food that were flung against the inner wall of the container during the blending process. So I opened the lid and pushed them down with a rubber spatula and continued to blend again.
After that, it did blend up most of them but still missed a few bits of food here and there. Even after I did it again, it still missed them. I think this is because of how large the inner capacity is that it can't really keep up with the volume needed to be blended.
I still poured the smoothie into a glass while trying to avoid any small chunks going in the glass. But the smoothie was delicious and was a great way to start the morning. This also could just be the ingredients I used. When I made a different smoothie consisting of kale, cucumber, celery, lemon, and apple, it didn't really seem to do this. Still, it doesn't mean it won't happen again. If you are looking for a kitchen appliance to make really smooth drinks like smoothies, the Ninja may not be for you.
Test #3: Vegetable Puree
The last and final test I decided to run with the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 was how well it was able to puree veggies. I would usually just use a food processor or a baby bullet blender to puree fruits and vegetables, but the Ninja blender is supposed to be great at performing this task.
Now, I don't really eat a lot of pureed foods at home or at all for that matter. But I have young kids and I do make all types of baby food at home, so I figured that was the right test for the Ninja's puree skills. I think that carrots look really great once they are pureed, so I decided to go with carrots. Making the carrot puree is not the hard part though, getting the kids to eat the carrots is the hard part!
I began by roughly chopping some regular carrots and placing them in a pot of hot water. Then set the pot on the stove and boiled the carrots for about 20 minutes until they were extremely soft and tender, almost mushy. Then I allowed them to cool down in the fridge. I also reserved some of the water I boiled them in to help in the blending process. Once the carrots had cooled down enough, I placed them in the blender with the reserved liquid and locked the lid in place.
I started the blender on a low speed just to see how it would do. But I quickly realized that it needed to be at a higher speed. I let the blender do its thing for about 45 seconds which I think was ample time to puree the carrots. When I opened the locking lid, the carrots were completely pulverized as expected.
There were no small bits of food in the puree like there were in the smoothies but that was probably because the food was hot and not cold. Hot food will always blend better than cold food for a smooth consistency.
Usually, I would let it cool down completely at this point and place the pure in baby food jars in the fridge. But for the sake of the public, I plated it up in a bowl to show you how well it turned out. If you have a baby at home or if you just like pureed foods, then the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is going to be right up your alley.
About the Pulse Feature
A pulse function usually comes standard on any type of blender or food processor and it is used for a few specific applications. The Ninja blender has a pulse feature and it works just like any other model. The pulse feature will allow you to control the length of the blending process without having to turn it on and off, which can be useful in some situations.
One of the times I find that the pulse function comes in handy is when I have a full container of dense or hard ingredients and I don't want to just start blending right away. I will use the pulse function to get the blending process started. I like to get some of the big chunks blended slightly, then once there is some flow to the inner container, I will turn on the continuous blend function.
Another good thing about having a pulse function is when you need to blend hot foods. If you are planning on making a hot soup or bisque then the pulse feature is a must-have. You see, when you blend hot ingredients, they tend to expand very quickly or even explode. The pressure from the heat created in the container can cause a hazard. To avoid this, it's best to begin by pulsing the ingredients for a bit, then blend further with another function. You also need to open the top hatch when blending hot ingredients to release the steam and pressure.
How Loud is It?
Most standard blenders are loud. But some blenders are louder than others. I'm not really talking about that amount of noise it makes at the start of the blend, rather, the noise it makes once the contents become smooth. Acknowledging that noise levels will change throughout a blend, I wanted to see how loud the Ninja Professional Blender was once the contents became smooth at both low and high speeds.
I filled the blender with a basic smoothie recipe of kale, lemon, cucumbers, celery, and a little bit of water. This is one of the lower-calorie smoothies and is really great if you are looking to perk up in the morning. I downloaded an app on my tablet that was able to measure the decibel levels of noise being made to determine how loud the blender actually was. I set my tablet directly next to the blender to gain the most accurate reading possible.
I began blending the ingredients to get to the point when everything was well blended and smooth. I turned on the decibel app and set the blender on low speed. The app gave me a decibel reading of 89. Then I figured the high speed would give me a higher reading, but to my surprise, it was still 89 decibels.
I switched back and forth several times between the speeds and kept resetting the decibel app to get the most accurate reading. A few times when I would change from low to high speed or high to low speed, the decibel levels would drop to 88 but quickly come right back to 89 at both speeds.
The blender really doesn't change much in terms of noise from high to low just from listening to it. There may be a slight hum when the speeds change but the actual level of noise it creates is generally the same. I was surprised by this at first but then began to think a little more about how noise is measured. It not really about the actual noises it makes but the volume it creates. In all reality, this is not that big of a deal because it was just about as loud as any other blender I have ever used.
How Easy Is It To Clean?
The blender was pretty easy to clean. The Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is completely dishwasher safe. But just like all plastic blenders, you need to rinse off the inner container directly after you use them otherwise the food will crust on the sides. I usually do this with most dishes, but in this case, it is necessary to make the cleaning process easier.
Even though I rinsed out the blender after using it, I could have just hand washed it at this point. But since this blender container is so large, I wanted to see if it would fit in the dishwasher. I also wanted to see how clean it would get after a full cycle with other dishes in the dishwasher.
The container is very large and does take up a lot of space in the dishwasher. So it seems pretty pointless to put it in the dishwasher when you could just wash it by hand. However, those blades are extremely sharp and the spindle removes from the blender.
Most regular blenders don't do that. I recommend placing the rotating spindle with the blades in the dishwasher every time no matter what, just for safety reasons. I would also place the lid in the dishwasher too because sometimes you are not able to get in all the nooks and crannies.
But the container did come out very clean and spotless once I ran it through the dishwasher. I will be putting the lid and spindle in the dishwasher in the future. But I will be washing the container by hand just to free up some space in my dishwasher for other dishes.
How Would I Improve the Ninja Pro 1000?
Even though the Ninja Pro 1000 seems like a solid blender when it comes out of the box, some people would say otherwise. After reading many different reviews from various sites, some customers complained about the overall construction of the blender. At first, most people really enjoyed using the blender because of its large capacity and how well it performed. But after several uses, some damages occurred while in use.
It always seemed to be the same complaint as well in terms of damages. After several uses or a couple of months of using the blender, it would crack or the seal would break. Since these damages were not covered under a warranty, the customers were just out of luck and were forced to replace it or find a different blender.
Now, this could be from misuse of the Ninja Pro 1000 or it could actually be that the machine is faulty in that aspect. From my standpoint, I didn't experience any of this at all. But I also used the machine properly and made sure to take care of the blender when I was done with it by cleaning and storing it properly.
I noticed one other thing that wasn't necessarily a problem for me but could be for some people. When you blend anything in the blender at a larger volume, the contents wouldn't seem to get blended completely. You would have to open the lid and push everything down with a spoon and blend again to get a nice smooth consistency.
This problem reigns true with just about any type of blender or food processor out there. As a chef, I have been dealing with this for years in many different blenders and food processors. It seems like it would be an obvious defect but really is not that big of a deal. The reason the Ninja Pro 1000 blender does this is because of its large capacity, how wide the actual container is, and the triple blade rotator.
When the blender is in use, it seems to push everything up to the top and then will spit some food to the sides of the container. If the container of the blender was a bit smaller, this wouldn't really happen.
You could call this a downside to the large container capacity, but once you get used to the blender, you'll know just how full to load it for different blending tasks, and under blending won't be an issue.
What’s the Warranty?
The Ninja Professional Blender comes with a 1-year limited warranty. This protects the blender from any damages or defects that may have occurred by the manufacturer or during the shipping process. It does not cover any damages that may have been caused by the consumer.
To redeem the warranty, the consumer must be the original purchaser of the product and must have the original receipt from the purchase. The warranty is good up to 1 year from the original purchase date.
Verdict
The Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is actually a really good blender and a pretty great deal when it comes to the actual cost. There are a few drawbacks to the kitchen appliance, but the overall performance of the blender really impressed me on each test, from crushed ice to smoothies, to purees.
With the large volume capacity, it makes it really great for larger families or even commercial kitchens that need to make a lot of drinks at once. The large volume of the pitcher also does not mean you have to fill it up either. It still works really great with just a small amount of food in the pitcher. If the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 was around when I was working in a commercial kitchen as a chef, then there is no doubt in my mind I would have placed several in the restaurant.
How does it Compare?
Ninja Professional 1000 Blender Vs Oster Pro 1200
 Ninja Professional 1000 Blender $89.95 |  Oster Pro 1200 $82.52 |
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| Watts: | 1100w | 1200 watts |
| Capacity: | 72 ounces or 9 cups | 6 cups |
| Jug: | Plastic | Glass |
| Speeds: | Low, Medium, High | Green Frozen Smoothies, Food Chop Salsa, Milkshakes, Low, Medium, and High. |
| Pulse: | Yes | Yes |
| Accessories Included: | None | A 24-ounce smoothie travel cup with a lid |
| Height: | 17 inches | 14.25 inches |
| Warranty: | 1-Year Limited Warranty | 10-year limited warranty |
| Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
The Oster Pro 1200 blender is pretty good but differs vastly when compared to the Ninja Professional Blender 1000. Right off the bat, the Oster Pro blender comes with a smaller pitcher than the Ninja but is made of glass. This could be a good thing because it means the pitcher is going to be stronger but will also weigh more. While the pitcher is smaller, so is the entire blender itself, which means it may free up some space when being stored.
Even though the Oster 1200 does have more speed settings, in all reality, they are still the same speeds as the Ninja. Where the Oster Pro beats the Ninja is with the 1200 watt motor, which is a bit more powerful. It also comes with a 24-ounce travel cup with a lid. Lastly, it has a 10-year limited warranty protection plan which is much longer than the Ninja appliance. year warranty. The Oster 1200 blender would be better for smaller families or for a single person to have in their home.
Ninja Professional 1000 Blender $89.95 |  Nutribullet Pro $177.26 |
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| Watts: | 1100w | 1200 watts |
| Capacity: | 72 ounces or 9 cups | 32 ounces |
| Jug: | Plastic | Plastic |
| Speeds: | Low, Medium, High | Blend |
| Pulse: | Yes | No |
| Accessories Included: | None | (2) 32-ounce containers, 2 rings, 2 handle rings, 2 travel cup lids, 1 pocket nutritionist booklet, 1 hardcover recipe book |
| Height: | 17 inches | 13 inches |
| Warranty: | 1-Year Limited Warranty | 1-year limited warranty |
| Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
The Nutribullet Pro is not a blender, so it is a little difficult to compare it to the Ninja Professional Blender. But they do share some similarities in terms of the tasks they both can perform. There are many ways that the Ninja Blender wins this battle over the Nutribullet because it is not a blender, but it can do a couple of things better.
The Nutribullet Pro is basically used for making smoothies and pureed foods. It is perfect to make a delicious smoothie in the morning or as a mid-day snack. It is also great for making your own homemade baby foods or soups and bisque. It cannot crush ice like the Ninja Blender, because the Nutribullet pro needs to have a liquid in the container to operate. However, this is not always true for blending food that contains a lot of water like tomatoes, cucumbers, and oranges. When those ingredients are placed in the container, the Nutribullet will pulverize them almost instantly leaving a smooth puree or thick delectable drink to enjoy.
The Nutribullet has a very powerful motor base and a much smaller volume capacity within the container when compared to the Ninja Blender. That is why it can make smoothies and thick drinks better than the Ninja Blender. It will also make them in about 30 seconds or less, as long as there is enough liquid in the container. It is also able to rip through fibrous fruits and vegetables, pulverize dense and hard veggies and even bust open and destroy seeds which can be harmful to the blades of the Ninja Blender and is not recommended.
However, the Nutribullet Pro only has one speed and is activated by pressing the top container down and locking it into place on the motor base. This is one of the safety features of the Nutribullet. But the given the small capacity of the container and the high powdered motor of the Nutribullet, it cannot be operated for more than one minute at a time. After running the Nutribullet for three consecutive, separate minutes, you have to wait 20 minutes for the motor to cool down before operating it again. This is to make sure the motor does not overheat and potentially break.
That could be a problem for the consumer if they are trying to make multiple drinks or a large quantity of food puree at once. But the Nutribullet is really constructed to be used for one or two people who are constantly on the go or just trying to live a healthy lifestyle. The accessories that come with the Nutribullet are for those purposes exactly. It comes with two large 32-ounce containers for blending foods in or storing. There are two comfort lip rings that can be attached to the cups for easy drinking and two comfort lip rings with handles for easy handling and control. In addition, there are two travel cups lids with a flip-top for when you are on the go, driving in the car, or for storing the drink in the fridge for later.
The Nutribullet Pro also comes with a beautiful hardcover recipe book that is filled with tons of ideas for smoothies, pureed foods, and soups. It is actually a pretty thick book that you would find in any book store so, surprisingly, they have included that in the box.
It also comes with a pocket nutritionist booklet that shows you how to construct the perfect smoothie in terms of nutrients content. It also contains tips and helpful hints on fruits, vegetables, and boosts that talk about the benefits and selection process of each ingredient. It is a very comprehensive little guide to help you on your journey with the Nutribullet Pro.
Although the Nutribullet doesn't have the volume capacity, task versatility, or multiple speed functions as the Ninja Blender does, it does have many other things that make it a viable contender. It definitely has more accessories included, and plenty of information on recipes, tips, and guides than the Ninja Blender.
You can also download a free app that comes with the Nutribullet which is filled with even more recipes and tips. You can also post pictures and recipes of your own on the app and even follow people to see what they use their Nutribullet for. The Nutribullet may not be a blender, but it is still a great option if you are looking for a more specific kitchen appliance to make smoothies and healthy food options.
Vs Hamilton Beach Power Elite Blender
Ninja Professional 1000 Blender $89.95 |  Hamilton Beach Power Elite Blender |
|
| Watts: | 1100w | 700 watts |
| Capacity: | 72 ounces or 9 cups | 40-ounce pitcher and 10 cups food processor |
| Jug: | Plastic | Glass |
| Speeds: | Low, Medium, High | Mix, Puree, Chop and Grind |
| Pulse: | Yes | Yes |
| Accessories Included: | None | A 10-cup food processor with a bowl scraper and vegetable chopper |
| Height: | 17 inches | 14.69 inches |
| Warranty: | 1-Year Limited Warranty | 3-year limited warranty |
| Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
This dynamic duo package deal comes with the Hamilton Beach Power Elite Blender and the Hamilton Beach Food Processor. While the Ninja blender is capable of doing everything that both of these two appliances can do put together, the Hamilton Beach splits up the work with two separate containers.
Either way, the blender is not near as powerful as the Ninja with only a 700-watt motor base. The pitcher is also much smaller but is also made of glass so it may be better in some ways. The speeds on the blender are pretty standard. Even though the blades are just like old-school blenders at the bottom, they are removable for easy cleaning. The lid also has an opening for pouring ingredients into the blender but is made of a flimsy rubber instead of a harder more durable plastic like on the Ninja. The glass pitcher, removable blades, and lid are all dishwasher safe as well.
The package deal also includes a food processor with a 10-cup capacity. The food processor comes with a bowl scraper that is able to scrape the inner container of the processor for easy cleanup and retrieving the processed food. It also comes with a reversible blade that can either chop vegetables or shred foods like cheese and carrots. The large feeding chute makes it possible to feed larger foods through the processor to be cut. All the pieces of the food processor are also dishwasher safe as well.
This may be a great deal at first glance, but having two separate machines that one will do could be a problem. It will also take up extra space and create extra dishes in the end. If you care more about food processing and you're looking for a good budget deal, this could be the package for you.
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