Vitamix vs. Ninja
No, I didn't go buy a Ninja! I'm still quite in love with my Vitamix and I'm pretty sure I'll never buy another blender.
But my parents DID own a Ninja, which gave me the opportunity to see how it holds up.
I say "did", because my parents' Ninja had problems, and they now own the same Vitamix I do. 😉
Anyway, I took the opportunity to take a few comparison photos that might be helpful for those of you hemming and hawing over a blender purchase.
My parents use their blender like I do: mostly for smoothies that involve yogurt and frozen fruit.
The Ninja did a pretty good job of handling that task, but it's not quite as good at pureeing greens as the Vitamix.
However, my parents' chief complaint is this: that the blade mechanism on the Ninja is made of thin metal covered in soft plastic.
And this is true of the base AND the cup/pitcher, though it's especially problematic with the single serve cup.
What happens over time is that the soft plastic wears away/breaks off, and then you're left with a non-functional gear tooth.
(a seriously dumb design)
My dad was able to find a replacement on eBay, which is the one in the photo (their original one had a bunch of missing gear teeth.)
But as with my old blender, he'd have to keep on buying replacement blender cups because it's only a matter of time until the new one starts coming apart as well.
Soo, my siblings and I gave them a Vitamix 5200 for a Christmas gift, and my parents sent the Ninja off to craigslist land. 😉
They like the Vitamix better than the Ninja for several reasons.
Obviously, they're happy that the gear parts aren't falling apart (the Vitamix base part is metal and so is the gear on the pitcher).
But they also have found the performance to be superior (and quieter!), which is interesting, as the Ninja has a lot more blades than a Vitamix.
Ninja blades:
Vitamix blades:
Because the Vitamix has fewer blades, they've found it to be much easier to clean, which is a nice bonus.
They also like the lid design of the Vitamix. The Ninja lid has more parts to clean and has to be locked on in a particular way for the blender to turn on.
Oh, and I was worried the Vitamix would take up more kitchen space than the Ninja...but as it turns out, they're almost exactly the same size.
Anyway, my parents are very happy with their Vitamix, and I don't think they miss their Ninja at all. 😉
In a nutshell, the only advantage the Ninja has is the cheaper price.
The Ninja costs just a bit under $100 and a refurbished Vitamix like mine costs $329.
There's a $229 price difference there, which is not insignificant.
So.
If you're a pretty occasional blender user and if you don't usually pulverize greens, the Ninja would probably work out fine for you, and you could use your extra $229 for something else!
But if you're a person who makes green smoothies multiple times a week, it might be worth it to spring for the Vitamix instead.
It'll probably last you a lifetime and if you add in the better performance, easier cleaning, and simpler lid design, then that just might tip you over into the Vitamix-buying club.
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I always like to see how products pan out in real life for real people, so I hope this was helpful to you if you're in the market for a blender!
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P.S. Neither Vitamix nor Ninja have any idea I exist, and all the blenders mentioned here have been purchased by us.
P.P.S. Vitamixes are expensive, yes. But they fit in nicely with my "Could this be an heirloom?" philosophy of shopping. Expensive up front, frugal in the end.
The difference in number of blades brings up an interesting point my husband shared with me shortly after getting a Vitamix. The reason the smoothies from a Vitamix are so much smoother than the ninja or other blenders is cavitation. The blades chop only at the beginning of the blending. Once the speed is high, as I understand it, cavitation is responsible for breaking down the cell walls to create the silky texture. Here's a video to explain it https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/the-physics-of-blending-cutting-food-down-to-size
I linked to an interesting video, but it's not on cavitation. Here's the correct one: https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/the-physics-of-blending-cavitation
They are so right about cavitation being powerful. Cavitation is how sonic cleaners work. And it looks so benign, but if you lose your mind for a minute and go to grab something out, you find out quick just how forceful cavitation really is.
That's so fascinating. I've never heard of that word before!
I really want to start drinking smoothies for breakfast, but I just haven't bit the bullet. Maybe I'll start with the cheaper Ninja, if I like the smoothies, then I'll upgrade. Sounds like a plan to me 🙂
I have the Ninja system with 1 large pitcher and 2 smaller 2 cup containers, Large blade with 2 small blades. I bought mine at Sam's about 10 years ago. The bullet or head fits right on the top. I paid about $45 for the entire system. I use it everyday and it is like new. I like that is has been easy to clean and use. I have no need for a huge blender when this system works so great.
I don't own a Vitamix but I saw a demonstration at Costco a few years ago. I was impressed that pieces of fruit that are usually discarded could be added to the smoothie such as the green tops of strawberries. ( if I remember correctly, even the cantaloupe peel, but this was a few years ago and I might be wrong )
Two points I'd like to throw in:
1) Amazon lists refurbished Ninja blenders for $50-65 (so you can compare apples to apples, pricewise); and
2) the Ninja is highly rated by both Consumer Reports and Cook's Illustrated.
That said, I agree with FG's assessment: the Vitamix is the expensive, top-of-the-line blender on the market. If you use it a lot and/or use it for hard jobs (i.e. frozen things), it's worth looking into. If you don't, the Ninja is probably a good option for you.
Another good option is the Breville, which is also highly rated by CR and CI. It's more solid than the Ninja and a bit more expensive, but not as expensive as the Vitamix. I use mine 1-2 times per week, rarely for frozen-solid foods, and it's lasted me about 3 years already without a single problem or annoyance.
Oh, I didn't even think to look for refurbed Ninjas. Thanks!
I just looked at the Cook's reviews of the Breville and here's a note they added after experiencing some problems with several of their Brevilles: "Given that our blenders experience unusually heavy use, we still recommend this machine. That said, if you subject your blender to heavy-duty use, you should consider investing in the Vitamix, a powerful commercial-style blender with a seven-year warranty."
Apparently, I'm on the same wavelength with CI. Heh.
I'm not seeing where they reviews Ninjas, though, except for their review of personal size blenders. Am I missing something?
IIRC, that's the review I remember also. I was surprised that the Ninjas were rated well because the jars feel flimsy to me. That's what pushed me toward the Breville over the Ninja.
I dream about a Vitamix someday...
In the meantime I got a Ninja for Christmas, but it's one of their Master Prep line, so it's not the same as the one your parents had. The motor sits on top of the container instead of the other way around. So far we absolutely love it. Our previous blender was a Hamilton Beach, and it would not blend unless there was a lot of liquid in the container. The food would just sit there, and you had to keep stopping and pushing everything down. We have not had that problem at all with the new blender. It has really good reviews on Amazon and the rest of the internet, but as with anything, time will tell!
https://www.amazon.com/SharkNinja-QB1000-Ninja-Master-Prep/dp/B003QB575S
Over a year ago I decided that when this cheap-o blender dies I will get a Vitamix. I expected that blender demise within a few months. Almost 18 months later it is still chugging along and producing the world's okayest smoothies. I am far too opposed to waste of money or resources to just pitch it and it is missing the center piece of the lid, so I can't even give it away. Meh. I probably "need" to freeze some bananas and try to make ice cream in it every other day and then pathetic nut butter on the off days until it dies. That would likely take three days.
Thanks for the laugh this morning, chris!
BTW, sometimes you can find the weirdest things on Craigslist or Freecycle. I once was given the "rocker" for an old-fashioned pressure cookier after asking on Freecycle. That little gift allowed me to use, then donate, the pressure cooker instead of throwing it out.
Funny! I have the same philosophy, and I have sometimes wished for something to break in the worst way. I finally bought a bigger KitchenAid despite the fact that the old one worked. I figured our family of 9 just needed a bigger one, and because of the small size I was forgoing making things from scratch because it wasn't easy/quick enough. And I justified the purchase by figuring I could give the smaller one to one of my kids when they need one just like my grandmother gave it to me. And we used credit card points to buy the new one 🙂
This made me laugh.
Die, cheap blender, die!
Sure, laugh at my pain, everyone! I am drinking yet another of the world's okayest smoothies right this minute. It has small chunks of BANANA, for goodness sake.
Oh man. A blender that can't puree banana should be ashamed to be called a blender.
We took the plunge and purchased a vitamin a few years ago. We love it!!! My sister recently got a ninja and raves about it. I was beginning to wonder if we possibly made a mistake!! Your post confirms we made the right choice-thank you! Any inch of guilt I had about the vitamin is squashed!
I think Ninjas do work really well. It's just that they can have some longevity problems if you subject them to heavy use.
Totally know what you mean, though! I felt the same way when my parents' Ninja broke. If their level of usage caused issues, I'm positive my level would too.
We've kicked around getting a vitamix. I want something that fits under my upper cabinets though. Does anyone know if there is a big difference between the taller version and the shorter performance-wise?
I've read a LOT of reviews about the Vitamix, and I've heard a lot of complaints about the shorter, wider base not working as well, especailly for small amounts of food.
I just store my base and pitcher separately so that they'll fit in my cabinet.
We've had both since our original Vitamix had the taller pitcher but the knob on the front broke after a few years and, thanks to Costco's awesome return policy, we were able to return it and the one they now sell has the wider pitcher. It still doesn't fit under our cabinets since the ones in our current house are pretty close to the counter top (1950's house). I don't really notice a difference between the functionality of either pitcher. I don't like the lid and tamper that come with the wider one, they seem cheaply made to me. I do LOVE the new base though since it has an on and off button, light that tells you when it's in on mode, and a pulse function.
I currently have a food processor and a blender. The food processor is broken (the gasket holding the blade mechanism together deteriorated) and the blender does only an okay job.
I desperately want to get rid of both of those items and instead get a Vitamix, but the only thing that's stopping me is whether or not the Vitamix would be good for making nut butters. I mean, I know a Vitamix can make nut butter, but will it wear out faster if I'm making nut butters consistently? That's pretty much all I used my food processor for, and I'm pretty sure that's what killed it...I would hate to invest in a 300 or 400 dollar machine and then ruin it, you know?
Basically, I need one machine that makes nut butters, salsa, and smoothies and lasts forever.
I think the Vitamix would be fine with nut butters. I make "smoothies" (basically a hunk of frozen fruit with a dab of yogurt) in mine, and we have had ours for several years with minimal issues (and the one time it stopped was probably because I put almost NO liquid in with the frozen fruit). I've also made really thick pestos and regular butter in it.
I make nut butters with my Ninja and it's great. All those blades at different heights work really well, when I tried nut butter in my old workhorse Hamilton Beach which has a single blade assembly at the bottom like the Vitamix (but admittedly without the power of the Vitamix) after some initial breaking down of the almonds it just spun round and round with a clump of nut butter underneath the blades. Those blades at different heights do a great job on almond butter, and it takes about 5 minutes to get smooth, delicious almond butter. Plus, I think the clean up advantage to the Vitamix single blade assembly is lost in the fact that you have to use that pusher tool and clean that, too.
In fact, that's how I bought the Ninja. I was at Costco looking for almond butter which had gone up to nearly $15 for an 11 oz jar. Raw sliced almonds were $9.99 for a 2 lb bag, and Ninja Kitchen Pros (including a food processor bowl and individual smoothie blender cups) was on sale for $115. It was kind of spur of the moment but I figured I could buy a Ninja and eventually recoup the expense by what I save in making my own almond butter.
We are not heavy users. My daughter makes smoothies in the individual cups (which have their own blade assembly) a few times a week, I use the food processing bowl to chop and mix things, and make a batch of almond butter every month or so. I've been very pleased with the Ninja and never could have afforded even the refurbished price for a Vitamix. I get that Ninja may not be as long-lived as the Vitamix (my $30 Hamilton Beach was about 25 years old when it gave up the ghost), but I've had it three years or so already and it certainly is paying for itself in almond butter alone. It's still in perfect condition.
That's good to know. Thanks Janknitz (and Bethany too)!
My stick blender has all but died, and I am saving up money to buy a VitaMix. So in the meantime, I really did need something so I bought a super duper cheapo blender at Walmart for $19. It does about as well as one can expect but at least I have something to use while I save up for the VitaMix!
I hate my Ninja, but not because of any of the reasons you mentioned - I have one of the models where the motor sits on top. It is so annoying to lift that thing off if you want to add things as you go along, or push the food down with a spoon or whatever. However, it does a pretty good job of crushing ice (which is why I replaced my old blender with it), and it comes with different blades and bowls so you can use it as a food processor. So it will do until it breaks, at which time, I doubt I will make a big investment in something like a Vitamix since I just don't use it that often. Also, the thing I use it most for is pureeing cooked soups which can be handled by any old blender!
I use my old Cuisinart blender, and my husband uses it in spurts, making morning smoothies with a little frozen fruit and no greens for several weeks, then stopping for a few weeks. It's probably 10 years old, but it gets so little hard use, I doubt I'll have to replace it for a good while. Since I don't use a blender that much, I'll probably go with a mid-range model again.
My husband cleans the blender by running soapy water in it and rinsing well. We don't have an issue with getting the blades clean.
Off topic a bit, but we have a little $20 Ninja food processor that we got for my husband to process his hot peppers, for making hot sauce. Well, it's so easy and convenient, I use it more than he does. So far, it's worked well.
I spent a LOT of time researching big blenders vs. stick blenders vs. food processors when I was building my wedding registry. I ended up joyfully receiving both a KitchenAid stick blender and a KitchenAid food processor. I definitely use the blender more often, and I love that I can take it apart and store it in a drawer. The food processor gets used about once a year when I have a hankering for homemade hummus, and it lives in its box on the floor of my pantry. It certainly has its uses but if I had to go with one appliance of that type, it'd be the immersion blender. I don't know how long it will last me, but it still makes decent smoothies with few chunks on a regular basis for almost four years now. I'd probably get another one when this one dies only because of the storage factor!
We had a similar experience with the Ninja. We have since purchased a Oster Versa because we make smoothies almost daily, and ground up fruit and vegetables in it, and it has held up for 2 years so far, so there's an alternative if anyone is looking for another that won't break the bank like the Vitamix may.
I have a KitchenAid blender that works really well. I've had some issues with the jar starting to leak, so I contacted KitchenAid and they are sending me a replacement jar (for free). It's always worth reaching out to the company.
I've had a Ninja for about 10 years and haven't had any problems with it yet. It handles frozen fruit and ice fine. It doesn't puree greens completely into liquid for smoothies but the teeny tiny pieces don't bother us. No complaints on cleaning it either.
Thank you for doing this! We've had a Ninja blender for a few years and ... it's not that great, actually. It doesn't uniformly blend things and it doesn't have much power. I'm seriously considering a Vitamix, and this just drives that home for me. 🙂
I love my Ninja! I have the Ultima though, which I think is a lot more comparable to the Vitamix. It has metal drive gears, not plastic. I have the one with the food processor bowl and all that and I use it on a daily basis. Never had a problem and I have had it for years. I had the little Master Prep system for food processing for many years and it works well for what it is (a mini food processor).
http://m.ninjakitchen.com/products/0/all/16/ninja-ultima-kitchen-system/
I was so very fortunate to luck into a used Vitamix from an acquaintance recently so I jumped on that deal. It has definitely helped me increase my intake of greens. You all may already know this, but a few tips:
1) For any blender, once you are done rinse it, then add a touch of dish soap and hot water, then blend soapy water to clean. Rinse and you're done.
2) Most blenders are LOUD. As a former student of speech pathology and audiology, I would encourage you to protect your hearing. Once the inner ear hair cells die, then do not regrow, and loud sounds make them die. Hearing isn't "corrected" in the same way that vision is; hearing aids help but they're not ideal. So I keep a pair of foam earplugs right near the blender, and also use them for hair drying (a known contributor to hearing loss) and other loud sounds. I keep some in my handbag and car for when movies/concerts are too loud, etc. I'd like to be 85 and have great hearing!
Happy Blending!
For the first four years out of college I had a hand mixer but no blender (I didn't cook much). My hubs bought me a refurb Vitamix shortly after we married. I LOVE it! We use it to make soup, bean dip, hummus, smoothies every once in a while and other stuff. He got one with the bread flour attachment (maybe that's what y'all mean by the wider canister?) but honestly I haven't used that yet because I have a grain mill.
I bought the Ninja Master Prep about 3 years ago and have been happy with it for making smoothies. I believe I paid about $40. At the time I figured that if/when it wore out I would buy a VitaMix. It is good to know you can buy a refurbished model at a lower price.
We bought a Vitamix several years ago (refurbished, like FG), and I LOVE it. Not only do I make smoothies (really, really thick ones that are more like ice cream), but also use it for sauces, dips, pancake and waffle batter, quiche, gelatin, and even stuff like cake batter or pumpkin pie filling. I've also used it to make butter with cream from my goat's milk!
About a year after we got the Vitamix, I decided to order the dry container as well. With that I can pulverize graham crackers or Oreos, powder dried herbs from my garden, make oat flour, cornmeal and other gluten-free flours. I even made a substitute coffee from some foraged wild ingredients.
Six months ago I actually read the book that came with it, and learned how to dice onions, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage for coleslaw. WOW, what a life-changer! Then, instead of shredding soap for homemade laundry detergent, I just threw a few chunks into the Vitamix and chopped it the same way I do onions. Worked like a charm, and so much faster than shredding, even with the Kitchen Aid attachment.
I have to brag... I got my Vita Mix at Goodwill for $13!! I bought a tamper for $12 online, so $25 total for my Vita Mix
Oh my gosh, I am so jealous!
That's amazing.
Online HIGH FIVE! That's amazing, I love it!
I love my Vitamix, but after four years the turning mechanism on the bottom is breaking similar to the Ninja above. I'm pretty bummed to have to spend $150 for a new canister since those aren't covered under the warranty.
Oh wow, really? That's awful. And I can't believe it's not covered under the warranty.
Edit: I just looked at Vitamix's warranty, and it sounds like your container should be covered. Here's what it says: Vita-Mix warrants to the owner that if this Machine (a "Machine" consists of a motor blender base and any containers purchased together) fails within 7 years from the date of purchase due to a defect in material or workmanship or as a result of normal wear and tear from ordinary household use, Vita-Mix will, within 30 days of receipt of the returned product, repair the failed Machine or component part of the Machine free of charge.
Definitely contact Vitamix! Their customer service is amazing in my experience. Had a problem, called them, they asked a few questions about it, said I wore out the container bearings(?) and they sent me a new one!
If the Ninja blade is covered with soft plastic what happens when you chop ice cubes? We have a Vita Mix and use it daily. So far no problems - at least 10 years. Costco sells them now and they sell them for less than I paid 10 years ago!
I see you have a deep love for Vitamix so I'll be nice, ahah, but seriously nobody needs a 300$ blender to make smoothies! My husbands make a smoothie every single day (blend of frozen fruits, nuts and greens) with a regular Black&Decker 40$ blender and it works just find, gives a smooth texture. And a blender like this (40$) can last us about 2-3 years before dying. So that's for about 900 smoothies, give or take (5 days a week). I don't know how long a Vityamix can last, but at 40$ a pop to replace our blender we probably still come under.
I dunno...maybe I had the wrong $40 blender, but mine was definitely not up to the task of handling my smoothies. Plus, the teeth on the bottom gear mechanism kept breaking, so I kept having to buy replacements.
Also, part of the reason I like to buy things that last is this: one blender that lasts for 30 years produces a lot less trash than ten $40 blenders that you have to throw away every few years.
Under this scenario, I'd actually be paying a bit less if I bought 10 inexpensive blenders.
For me, it's not just about the money, but about the environmental impact of the things that I buy.
And I know part of what I'm paying for with the Vitamix is the fact that it's made in the U.S., and that's something I'm happy to support. 🙂
I am impressed, though, that your inexpensive blender performs as well as it does!
Checkout Shred Emulsifier. Its only $60 on Wal-Mart.com but is as powerful and has metal gears like Vitamix. I have had no problems with it and there is nothing that Vitamix can do that this can't. In fact the jar is sturdier than Vitamix since its made of the same Tritan Colpolyester material and is twice as thick.
I was JUST having this conversation with my daughter! Her Ninja containers are all cracking after a little more than a year. She couldn't afford to spend more at the time, but now she's saving up for a Vitamix.
I have a Ninja (registered for it and received as a wedding gift almost 5 years ago) and have been a bit disappointed in it. First off, I picked it thinking that it could serve as both a food processor and a blender. Nope. I mean, it CAN process dry things, but not without lots and lots of scraping down. Pretty annoying. I've since been given a Cuisinart food processor and find it so much more effective. Back to the Ninja. It definitely does a good job of making smoothies and blending other liquid things, but this just isn't a task I do all that often. I only make smoothies during the summer, and if I need to puree a soup, I generally just use my immersion blender because it's less fussy and easier to wash. But my main complaint about the Ninja is the plastic. I haven't had the same problem your parents did, but there seem to be tiny gaps around all the plastic joints, especially in the handle. Little bits of water have gotten in there and it's a bit mildew-y, and there's no way to clean it. Also the rubber stuff around the lid is disintegrating, even though I only ever hand wash it (I don't even own a dishwasher). I haven't heard this complaint from other Ninja owners, so maybe it's just my model (I think I have one of the early ones). Regardless, the experience has really put me off of blenders with plastic containers. I don't do enough blending at this point to justify purchasing a new one, but when I do, I think I want one with a glass container.
I found this article finally sell me to the vitamix because i have the ninja set up and damn, it is terrible, it does not make anything super smooth. It also over heats and spits smoke into whatever you are making.
Terrible, mine is going into 'gumtree' land which is Australia's craigslist. Vitamix come to mummy!
Oh i should also note this was our 3rd ninja they continue to break and we had to return and exchange them.
A friend gave me a vita mix because she got a new model… I actually hate it because I don’t make smoothies... I make thick purées and pesto and I can’t get out the last quarter cup out ..What a waste! since the blade bottom doesn’t come off like a normal Blender...Just sayin’! I’m actually thinking about buying that gizmo wrench they use on the you tube video to take off and replace an old blade but that seems like that would be a lot of trouble.
Hi Ms. Frugal lady, I want to thank you for your review on the Vita Mix, along with your comparison of like product. I have been undecided for awhile, & when the time is right I will be purchasing a vita mix.
Thx again,
Chris
So glad you found my post to be helpful!
Thank you for aid in helping me to decide.. I just have one question does the Vitamix chop nuts and ginger?
I LOVE USING BOTH
I have definitely pureed ginger in the Vitamix before, in a smoothie.
You can definitely chop nuts in the Vitamix.
I LOVE my Vitamix but am disappointed that it has only lasted 7 years.
Don't ever buy the Personal Cup & Adapter for your Vitamix. We have had one for a year and despite having written and spoken to Vitamix Customer Service people, we have not received satisfaction. We, like you use our machine for smoothies, but also for making soups and mixing ingredients.
But cleaning the large mixing container is a bit of a chore. Hoping to save time, I shelled out the $129 for the Personal Cup & Adapter. I did it based on the positive experience I had with the Ninja personal cub that has it's own base. I used one for a year while living with one of our sons and his family during COVID. I consume Step One Food's Anytime Sprinkles in smoothies every day because it's lowered my cholesterol significantly.
With the Vitamix the ground flax seeds in the smoothie work their way down under the rubber gasket. Then the gasket does not seal well and after a few rinses it leaks and makes a mess when turned on. Because of the design with the 5 inch deep well that the cup sits in, it is difficult to remove the rubber gasket and difficult to get the threads lined up to screw it on to the base.
Vitamix needs to chalk up this poor design to experience, discontinue selling it and offer something better.
since Vitamix would not let us return the cup and adapter for refund, we are about to buy a Magic Bullet or go back to using the full size container.