Portable blenders. Not really something I expected to become such a big category over the past few years, yet here we are. Ninja, which to date is best known for air fryers, has made a completely wireless blender that you can use for shakes, smoothies and juices. And you don’t have to plug it in.
Crazy, I know. We’ve come a long way since the Nutribullet was the #1 must-have item on every wellness influencer’s list of “things you must own”.
Now we have the Ninja Blast. There are some similar products on the market, but none are as attractive and well-designed as this one. Plus. you have several different colour options in case you want style it. Because styling is just as big in technology now as putting out of a product that actually works.
Fortunately, Ninja Blast works. And it works incredibly well. In fact, I’d say it’s the single best kitchen appliance I’ve gone hands-on with this year.
I do, however, find it quite strange that the device only ships with a USB-C cable and not the brick. Most households should have a brick by now, but very rarely will you find sockets in a kitchen (especially for those renting old houses) that has a USB socket. I do think Ninja should have included a brick.
Essentially, it’s a USB-C-powered blender that holds a charge in its base and has a simple power button with a programmable 30-second blending function.
Press the power button on. The ‘start/pause’ button will have a solid purple light (meaning it’s good to go) and you simply press it. The result is a blend that’s also fairly quiet compared to my nutribullet.
The results? Great. When it works.
See, there’s a trick in layering the ingredients properly and also not going to past the max line. There’s a max liquid line so you know to put in your milk/juice/water first, then you put in your fruit and – for me, at least – protein and cocoa powders. Then the frozen ingredients or ice and you’re good to go.
The only thing to keep in mind is what the different colours mean. A solid yellow means the device is running low on battery, whereas a blinking orange means that the blade is stuck and the blender won’t turn on as a safety mechanism. I feel like yellow and orange are too similar so I’ve had a few occasions where I’ve gone to charge, but the issue wasn’t the battery, it was that the peanut butter I scooped into the milk had been too thick and was blocking the blades.
Therefore, the blades are fairly weak. They can cut through ice, but only if the ice is thin-cut and not at the bottom to begin with.
And while that’s disappointing, what really makes the Ninja Blast work so well is the design. Simply press a button and the top flips open with a hole you can drink out of it. Yes, this is a bottle as well so you can blend your ingredients on the go and drink them straight away.
It’s simple, it’s genius, it’s something I see myself using every day.
And that’s the real test of a kitchen appliance. Or any personal tech device. If you see yourself getting the most use out of it, and it isn’t expensive, it’s an absolute winner. And this, this is a winner.
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Best Part: Doubles as a drink bottle
Worst Part: Blades get blocked easily
$80 from ninjakitchen.com.au.
