Ninja Ultima Blender – A Smarter Blender Decision?

The Ninja Ultima blender is probably the most popular model available from the Ninja company at the moment. The naming system can be a bit confusing but the models I’ll cover are: BL800, BL810, BL830, and the BL830CB. There are a few slight variations between them in terms of features and accessories, which I’ll point out during this article.

ultima picture
Not everyone is going to want the same things after all. An ideal blender for one user may be completely different than what you’re looking for. There is an Ultima kitchen system you might be interested as well but I’ll create a separate post for that since it’s unique enough.

The Ninja brand is relatively new compared to alternatives and can be found at many retailers across the country. It’s marketed as a lower cost alternative to high-end brands such as Vitamix and Blendtec. Some people praise it while others look down on it. I’ll start with the overall performance of the machine as usual.

Power

Every Ultima blender comes equipped with a 2.5-horsepower motor rated at 1,500 watts. This is comparable to other high-end brands available, so needless to say there’s plenty of power to handle blending any tough ingredient you throw at it. I’ll include a video below so you can see the machine in an actual demonstration.

It powers through everything with ease thanks in part to the large motor inside. You can prepare a pretty wide range of recipes with this blender and it does a surprisingly good job at blending everything into a smooth consistency.

This machine differs from other high-end brands though, in that the heat is not transferred into your container. So you cannot make hot soups like you can with a Vitamix for instance. If you start with a cold mixture, it will stay cold. You would have to heat everything up on the stove beforehand and then blend it together. It’s great when making frozen smoothies and ice cream at least. The other high-end blenders can heat up those recipes if you leave them on too long.

Functionality

I think the first thing you’ll notice about these blenders is obviously the unique blade design in the 72-ounce container. It’s really unlike anything else on the market. They actually rotate independently from each other too. The top blades rotate at 5,000 RPM and the bottom blades rotate at 24,000 RPM.

The idea is that the top blades can help blend everything more thoroughly than a typical blender with blades only located at the bottom. This works pretty well in practice so it isn’t simply just a gimmick. I’ll also quickly mention that the containers are all BPA-free.

ultima blender

The BL800 is the most basic model available. It doesn’t come with any accessories and only has three speed settings ranging from low, medium, and high. Thankfully there is at least a dedicated pulse button included. The cost reflects the lack of features as it has a retail price of only $200. That’s about half as much as a competitor’s blender.

The BL810, BL830, and BL830CB all have a full 10-variable speed dial and a pulse switch. This gives you much more fine-tuned control over your recipes. Aside from that they perform the exact same as the 800, since they use the same motor. The differences instead lie in what’s included with each model. The 810 has two 16-ounce single serve cups, perfect when making personal drinks or cocktails. The 830 does one better and comes with three 16-ounce single serve cups. The 830CB has the same with the addition of a 150+ page cookbook.

Summary

  • 2.5-horsepower motor (1,500 watt)
  • 72-ounce container
  • Full 10 variable speed options
  • BL800 – low, medium, and high speed options
  • Containers are BPA-free
  • Dual stage blending design
  • Dimensions: 10.9″L x 17.3″W x 17.7″H
  • BL800 – 8″L x 11″W x 18.5″H

Conclusion

The Ninja Ultima blender is a good alternative, especially for the price, to other models from competing brands. It performs pretty closely while costing about half as much. Overall I’m impressed with the machine and would recommend you consider one if you’re in the market for a new blender. Try making a pros and cons list for yourself though to narrow down what you’re specifically looking for.

nutri ninja cupI’d definitely suggest you go with the 810 or 830/CB models though. The single serve containers are great to have either for yourself or for a party. It’s not only faster to prepare multiple things but also seems to concentrate the power more efficiently than in the 72-ounce container. If you plan on making a lot of smoothies they’re indispensable in my opinion.

One drawback is that the 800 model only comes with a 1-year limited warranty, while the other models include 2 years. They do offer an extended warranty but that’s an additional cost of course. You also have to pay to ship your machine in when dealing with warranty repairs. It’s unfortunate the Ninja company doesn’t pay the shipping themselves like other brands do, but hopefully, you won’t have to deal with any warranty claims during the life of your product.

Final Thoughts

If you’re reading this you’re probably already somewhat interested in this blender. It does perform well and the price is right but the decision is yours to make. I think plenty of people would be happy with how everything works overall. Hopefully, you can narrow down what you’re looking for and get a blender you’re happy with. Make sure to read through our Vitamix vs Ninja article for comparisons of many different models.

Current Ninja Ultima Blender Deals

Click the button to view more information about this product on Amazon! The current bundle also says it includes two 16oz single serve containers. Getting additional 16oz cups are usually an extra cost! The product goes out of stock randomly and new models have been introduced making this one slightly dated. Consider some of the others below as alternatives.

Buy Ninja Ultima Blender Plus Offer

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