With so many options on the market, all of which claim to be the best blender for green smoothies, finding the perfect model can take some research. But when you come across models made by Ninja, you just know it’s a model that’s packing power and one that comes loaded with the exact types of features you need to make a great smoothie, your favorite dip, hummus, or even homemade baby food. The Ninja Foodi is their latest model and one that offers the type of versatility many cooks are looking for, especially those that love experimenting with new recipes.
Our Verdict: The Foodi is one of Ninja’s top selling models for a variety of reasons. First, it comes with twelve preset programs, making it very beginner friendly. Now you can choose from these twelve smart programs and expertly blend, puree, chop, or make your own ice cream. It’s that simple. The addition of a heating element will allow you to use the blender to saute or infuse your favorite foods and drinks. The blender itself doubles as a food processor so you can create homemade hummus, dips, salsa and more. The self-cleaning mode will also help to cut down the time you have to spend in the kitchen. Basically, this powerful blender has it all and it’s a great choice for beginners or anyone who wants to whip up their favorite smoothie in a matter of seconds.
Table of Contents
Overview and Features of Best Ninja Foodi Blender
Ninja is a great brand and one that’s known for its extensive line of high-powered blenders. This model in particular is creating quite the buzz thanks to the many presets it comes with, not to mention the powerful motor and the heating element. You’ll be hard-pressed to find another model in this price bracket that offers this type of versatility, but you also have to remember, more features and a powerful motor also equal a higher price tag. Of course, the serious smoothie drinker and home cook will quickly realize that this model is worth every penny.
Unlike other models produced by this manufacturer, the Foodi comes equipped with a heating element, which will allow you to create a hot dip or your favorite soup, right in the blender.
However, that’s not all. It also comes with some great extra features including twelve auto IQ preset programs that you can use to crate sauces, gravies, iced drinks, frozen drinks, soups, smoothies, milkshakes, and more.
Power
If power is your priority, then get ready to hit that buy now button. This model comes with a fourteen hundred peak watt motor offering higher speeds that you can use for tough root veggies and ice. There’s also an eight-hundred-watt heating element that’s designed to heat up infused drinks, hot dips, and soup.
Pitcher
This model comes with a large sixty-four-ounce pitcher that’s made out of glass. This will allow you to prepare food or smoothies for up to nine people at a time. The glass itself is thick and durable but should be washed by hand or by using the self-cleaning mode, to prevent scratches and chips. This high pitcher capacity is perfect for large families or for the cook who loves hosting brunch. Now, you’ll only have to make a single batch of smoothies.
Preset Programs
As I mentioned earlier, this model comes with some great preset programs that are designed for hot, cold, and infused foods.
Cold:
- Ice cream
- Frozen drinks
- Smoothies
Hot:
- Soup
- Sauces/dips
- Hearty soups
- Sauté
Infused:
- Cocktail
- Water
- Mixer
These presets will take the guesswork out of what settings to use to create your favorite dishes and drinks. Now, if you want to try out a new banana smoothie recipe, all you have to do is add the ingredients, put the lid on the pitcher, hit the smoothie button and watch as the blender works its magic.
Speed Settings
Surprisingly, this model only comes with a few speed options to choose from ranging from low to high. This may be a drawback for some users. However, the twelve preset programs do take away the need for more speed settings and make this model more beginner friendly. Instead of experimenting with a variety of speed options, all you have to do is push a button and let the blender handle the rest.
Automatic Cleaning
If you’re tired of scrubbing out the pitcher after you make a smoothie, then you’ll love the automatic cleaning feature. To use, you’ll fill up the pitcher with hot water and a few drops of dish soap. Next, you’ll hit the clean mode button and watch as the blender roars to life and works hard to remove any food stuck to the sides of the pitcher. After the mode has ended, all you have to do is rinse out the pitcher and allow it to air dry or you can dry it by hand. If you’ve used the blender to make a soup or hot dip, then you may find that you need to run the self-cleaning mode a couple of times to remove any dried-on food.
Heating Element
The heating element will work for a couple of different tasks: infusing and sautéing. You’re probably wonder exactly how you sauté using a blender. Well, you’re not alone. After a little investigating, I found that to sauté with the Foodi, the heating element works to lightly heat the contents of the pitcher in order to bring out the flavor before you add more ingredients to the pitcher. So, this function won’t exactly brown the contents of the pitcher, like traditional sautéing would, but it does bring out the rich flavor of the food, just like sautéing in a pan can.
When you use the infusing setting it works in the same manner. In the infuse mode, the pitcher will be heated in order to bring out the flavor of your favorite fruits in order to create the perfect cocktail or a fruit infused water.
Performance of Ninja Foodi Blender
Mornings are often the best time to have a healthy smoothie, but you won’t have to deal with the frustration of the motor stalling or the blades freezing since this is a model that’s specifically designed to handle green smoothies and all types of tough leafy greens and root veggies. This is one versatile blender. It can be used to make any type of cold drink including margaritas, milkshakes, and smoothies. The blender can be used to liquefy veggies and fruits for a fresh juice creation, or you can make ice cream using frozen fruit. Thanks to the addition of a heating element, you can now make your own fresh blended or hearty soup in a matter of minutes. The blender can be used much like a food processor to make baby food, nut milks, nut butters, sauces, hummus, and dips.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Best Ninja Foodi Blender
Pros of Best Ninja Foodi Blender
- Durable
- Twelve preset programs
- Self-cleaning
- High-powered
- Also works as a food processor
- Equipped with a heating element
Cons of Best Ninja Foodi Blender
- Only three speed settings to choose from
- Pitcher can be difficult to clean after using the heating element
Ninja Foodi Blender Versus NutriBullet ZNBF30400Z Blender
The competing model, the NutriBullet ZNBF30400Z blender also comes with three speed options and a pulse feature. It operates using a lower powered motor at just 1200-watts, up against this model’s 1400-watts. In terms of blending options, compared to the Foodi, the blender by NutriBullet is seriously lacking. It also doesn’t come with a heating element, so it’s nowhere near as versatile. In terms of features, the competing model only offers the basics, so it’s not quite as beginner-friendly and you’ll find yourself a little limited in terms of what you can create. While it does feature a powerful motor and a durable pitcher that’s the same capacity as this model, if you’re looking for a model that’s feature-packed, then you’re better off sticking with this high-powered blender from Ninja.
Conclusion and Rating of Best Ninja Blender
Our Rating:
As you can see, this model has a lot to offer. You’ll quickly find yourself relying on it to create a variety of dishes and drinks. Fortunately, it comes with the type of powerful motor that’s needed for heavy-duty use.
The Ninja Foodi is loaded with some great features including twelve presets and a heating element that allows you to saute and infuse foods or create a hot dip or soup. The blender doubles as a food processor, adding to its versatility, so you can create baby food, healthy nut butters, hummus, and more. The self-cleaning mode makes this model very low maintenance, while the powerful motor ensures that this blender will not overheat or stall on you during use. This model earned a high rating of four and a half out of five stars.