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Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set vs. Icucina Portable Bullet Side-by-Side Comparison




Our Verdict
- Performance (60%)5.7/10
- Design (25%)7.8/10
- Usability (15%)8.7/10
- Performance (60%)4.7/10
- Design (25%)7.7/10
- Usability (15%)9.3/10
The Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set and Icucina Portable Bullet have a lot in common in regard to features, build quality, and performance, but there are some key differences between them that could determine which blender fits you best.
The iCucina is good for preparing protein shakes with fresh plant-based foods, but it struggles to blend raw nuts and dried fruits. When we tested its ability to make protein shakes, the batch it churned out was somewhat gritty; the Bella, on the other hand, blended an acceptable batch, although there were some partially intact berries and almonds found after straining.
The iCucina also did not have the necessary strength to handle frozen fruits, which resulted in a diluted smoothie, while the Bella didn’t have much difficulty in grinding such ingredients. However, neither machine delivered a smooth blend of fibrous greens. They both fall short in the task of crushing ice cubes as well.
In conclusion, if you have to choose between these blenders, we recommend going with the BELLA Rocket, considering its slightly better efficiency and a generous set of accessories.
Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set Performance
- Protein Shake (40%)7.5/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)9.0/10
- Fibrous Greens (20%)0/10
- Crushed Ice (10%)0/10
- Protein Shake (40%)6.0/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)5.0/10
- Fibrous Greens (20%)4.0/10
- Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)0/10
Protein Shake
- Blending Time: 1 mins 30 seconds
- Result: Smooth
In this test, the BELLA blender produced a nearly perfect protein shake in one minute and thirty seconds. There was a small smattering of partially intact berries and almonds found after straining, but the oatmeal was mostly blended well so this didn’t detract much from the overall quality of the drink. With a little bit of tweaking by letting it blend longer or soak the nuts prior to use, we would even get a chunk-free consistency. You’ll find lots of personal blenders in this class, but rarely of them might provide as smooth and quick results. Some took up to four minutes to liquify oatmeal entirely, while others' blades were too weak to churn through such solid fruits (for example, the Magic Bullet, the La Reveuse, and the Icucina).
- Blending Time: 1 mins 50 seconds
- Result: Very Coarse
The iCucina may be a good choice for you to prepare any protein shakes that use fresh plant-based food, but if you want to level up your workout drinks with raw nuts and dried fruits, we recommend going with other models, such as the Ninja Fit, Nutri BN401, or the NutriBullet. This blender is inefficient enough to liquify and combine such ingredients fully.
For this test, our protein shake is designed to include oatmeal, almonds, protein powder, and dried blueberries. Throughout the blending process, we noticed that this blender didn’t have much hard time grinding the ingredients; it worked quite smoothly, indeed. All the oatmeal was turned into liquid form in approximately two minutes, which seemed not to be so fast yet acceptable enough. The final drink, unfortunately, couldn’t get the most flavor out of almonds and berries, since about a third of the fruits were still solid.
Frozen Fruit Smoothie
- Blending Time: 1 min 10 seconds
- Result: Silky Smooth
- Suction:
The BELLA is a classic example of why a cheaper blender isn't always worse because its smoothie-making capability proved to be even on par with those of higher-powered models, namely the Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ. This can be attributed to several factors, including blade design, motor strength, and blending speed.
The sturdy blade spined relatively fast. Working with a 240-watt motor, it took only one minute and ten seconds to blend and mix all the ingredients together. A very quick blending time for this class of blender, this speed is crucial when it comes to blending frozen ingredients as it helps to preserve the ice-cream-like texture that people look for in frozen fruit smoothies.
For the smoothie’s consistency, while there were still small bits of raspberry skin and strawberry seeds present, this is to be expected when blending ingredients of this nature. Overall, these small bits didn’t impair the smoothie’s quality at all.
- Blending Time: 1 min 50 seconds
- Result: Smooth
- Suction:
Berries are the favorite superfoods of many people but their skins and seeds are typically a little bit hard to be liquified entirely. That’s why our recipe for this test calls for four berry varieties; we want it to be a practical way to test for the smoothie-making capacity of our personal blenders, including this iCucina, and fortunately, it does.
Preparing frozen fruit smoothies with the iCucina asked us to compromise on texture. This was because while this blender could break down all the fruits in one minute and fifty seconds, after such a duration, the smoothie it delivered did lose its thick, icy consistency we prefer.
Simply put, for an ice-cold treat to come out perfectly, your blender should blend as fast as possible so the frozen ingredients don’t have time to thaw and therefore dilute the overall consistency. But as we learned from our tests, this blender isn’t capable enough in this regard. We recommend using crushed ice instead of freezing your ingredients in advance if you prefer a smoother icy blend.
Fibrous Greens
- Blending Time: 20 seconds
- Result: Failed
Upon conducting a 20-second blending cycle, we found the BELLA couldn’t perform up to its usual standards being somewhat suboptimal in processing high-fiber foods, including kale, celery, and spinach. Strain analysis of the mixture revealed a substantial volume of greens remaining partially unblended which led to a grainy texture and an inadequate extraction of the green’s nutrients, in the end.
On the contrary, some other blenders, like the Ninja Fit and the Ninja BN401, produced a smoother outcome with a significantly smaller volume of visible flakes. As such, our conclusion is that your BELLA is not well equipped to handle high-fiber foods and may fall short of the desired performance criteria for such applications.
- Blending Time: 20 seconds
- Result: Very Coarse
We blended kale, spinach, and celery in the time benchmark of 20 seconds to see how well this iCucina would incorporate fibers to your meals. Eventually, we found this blender underperformed significantly against top competitors, again. There was a ton of fibrous pulp left behind when we strained the mixture through a mesh strainer. This suggested that our final drink didn’t get the greatest nutritional value.
Perhaps, you might think it isn’t necessary to blend that quickly, blending a little bit longer is concede as long as your desired consistency can be achieved. For the most part, we agreed this is entirely possible with the iCucina.
Crushed Ice
- Ice Fineness: Coarse
- Unblended Ice: 79% of 6 oz
The BELLA appeared to lack the necessary strength for such a tough application. As a result, all the ice cubes remained virtually intact despite its significant effort. To be fair, though, this is a common limitation among personal blenders. Should you desire crushed ice with a fluffy, snow-like consistency or intend to incorporate more ice into your smoothies, consider the NutriBullet or anything with at least a 700-watt motor.
- Ice Fineness: Coarse
- Unblended Ice: 73.5% of 6 oz
Typically, personal blenders aren’t designed with a focus on ice-crushing capability, and the iCucina is not an exception. The lack of strength prevented it from powering through the ice. We noticed that the blade couldn't even spin so most of the ice came out virtually untouched. Sometimes we undocked the cup and shook it on purpose to even out the blend, but this still couldn’t help much. If you particularly have a need for this sort of blend, you’d be better served by something that is packed with a higher-powered motor, such as the Ninja Nutri Pro.
Bella 14-oz Rocket Blender Design
- Blade (20%)6.5/10
- Build Quality (60%)7.5/10
- Blending Cup (20%)10/10
- Blades (20%)6.0/10
- Build Quality (60%)7.5/10
- Blending Cup (20%)10/10
In the Box of the Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set
- Motor base
- Two blade assemblies
- Three blending cups
- Two storage lids
- Two lip rings
- Two shaker lids
- Recipe book & user guide
- Motor Base
- Blade assembly
- Two blending Cup
- Two to-go lids
- User guide
Dimensions
- Height:11.8" (30.0 cm)
- Width:4.5" (11.4 cm)
- Weight:2.3 oz (65 g)
- Shaft Length:
- Height:13.6" (34.5 cm)
- Width:5.0" (12.7 cm)
- Weight:2.5 oz (71 g)
- Shaft Length:
The iCucina is about one-third smaller than a standard full-sized blender, like the Vitamix 5200 or the Ninja with Auto-iQ technology, so we suppose it’ll fit easily into any cabinet.
Build Quality
The motor’s build quality is on par with its price point, with a predominantly plastic housing reinforced by a thin metal layer on the outside. It doesn’t have any glaring flaws in finish, but we'd like things to be a bit sleeker, especially the outside. The same goes for the two blade assemblies. We're just less pleased with the blending cups since they both look less as quality, and feel more susceptible to damage.
The whole construction of the motor base is plastic except for a thin layer on the outer that is made of stainless steel. It’s supposed that the lack of sleekness of this layer somehow causes the blender to feel cheaper. That’s why although our iCucina is rather solidly put together, next to the Ninja Fit or the KOIOS, it just looks less of a bargain.
Blade
- Material:Stainless Steel
- Type:Sharp and Dull Blades
- Guard Material:
- Blade Count:4
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The set includes two blade assemblies: a cross blade and a flat blade. Both pieces have average quality and lack a refined appearance. The cross blade features four prongs, potentially resulting in faster and smoother blending of wet ingredients compared to two-pronged blades. The flat blade, also known as a dry blade, is specifically designed for grinding harder ingredients such as rice, coffee beans, and whole grains.
- Material:Stainless Steel
- Type:Sharp and Dull Blades
- Guard Material:
- Blade Count:4
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The blade has four prongs: two are sharps and the others are dull. In comparison with the rivals, it is less refined due to its small-scale and the lack of sharpness. Lackluster performances mainly result from this, we believe.
Bella Rocket Blender Motor Base
- Rated Voltage:120V
- Rated Power:240 Watt
- Working Time:≤ 1 minute
- Protection:No
- Weight:
- Cord Length:2.3 ft (0.7 m)
- Extra Feature:Silicone feet
The motor is relatively resistant to overheating compared to similar models, but only in case you avoid operating it continuously for more than one minute at a time. If additional blending time is required, you should allow the motor to cool for up to three minutes before starting the next 1-minute interval. Otherwise, a cooling fan alone won't be sufficient to prevent your blender from getting hot.
Four rubber feet are placed underneath the motor to further enhance stability and reduce movement during operation. It also assists in providing proper ventilation for the motor.
- Rated Voltage:120 V
- Rated Power:300 Watts
- Working Time:≤ 1 minute
- Protection:No
- Weight:2.0 lbs (0.9 kg)
- Cord Length:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Extra Feature:Silicon feet, a cooling fan
The base stands steadily on our counter thanks to the four silicone feet on its bottom. Like those of other personal blenders, the motor cannot run for longer than 1 minute to avoid damage caused by overheating, though there is an internal cooling fan designed to ensure proper ventilation and air circulation.
Blending Cup
- Material:Plastic
- Capacity:13.5 oz, 13.5 oz, and 6 oz
- Weight:
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Measurement:No
- Suitable For:Small batches
- Accessories:Two storage lid, two lip rings, two shaker Lid
This set includes three blending cups, two of which are 13.6 oz and one that is 6 oz. The two blending assemblies work interchangeably with all cups, making it very convenient to switch between different blending needs. The smaller cup is recommended for dry blends, as it comes with sieve lids that allow it to function as a shaker for ground spices and seasonings. There are also two storage lids and two removable lip rings included so you’ll find it easier to sip your drink straight from the tall cup.
- Material:Plastic
- Capacity:28.0 fl oz (828.1 ml)
- Weight:0.4 oz (11 g)
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Measurement:Yes
- Suitable For:Small and Medium batches
- Accessories:To-go lids
The set consists of two blending cups. They can work interchangeably with the blade assembly and two spout-flip lids that are extra included.
Speed and Controls of the Bella 12-Piece Rocket Blender
- Control Type:Twist
- Min Speed:N/A
- Max Speed:N/A
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:96 (db)
- Digital Display:No
- Pulse Mode:No
The BELLA is a single speed design and doesn’t have a pulse function. This may make it difficult to control the consistency of blends, but is convenient for those who prefer a straightforward blending experience.
- Control Type:Button
- Min Speed:N/A
- Max Speed:N/A
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:97 dB
- Digital Display:No
- Pulse Mode:No
The iCucina is a single-speed personal blender with one-touch operation. This means there is a pressing button in the front center that you’ll use to control the motor. More to the point, the button is very clicky so you don’t need much force to press.
Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set Usability Review
- Hands-Free Operation (60%)8.6/10
- Assembly (20%)9.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.5/10
- Hand-Free Operation (60%)10/10
- Assembly (20%)8.0/10
- Cleanability (20%)8.5/10
Hands-Free Operation
The BELLA personal blender boasts a convenient hands-free feature, which enables blending once the cup is locked in place, eliminating the need to continuously hold the cup and activate the motor. However, it may struggle with heavy-duty tasks as it can't draw ingredients towards the blade on its own. During the smoothie test, there were brief pauses every 20 seconds to shake the cup as the frozen fruits got stuck under the blade and caused jamming. This is a common issue among personal blenders and wouldn't pose a significant problem if one is willing to spend an extra minute or two in the kitchen. In fact, some other models tested required multiple shakes to achieve a smooth blend.
We like the smooth and non-intrusive operation of this blender. In particular, your iCucina will blend much more like a full-sized model since it doesn’t require you to press and hold the power button or the blending cup throughout the whole process like many rivals. Most impressively, food doesn’t too often get lodged under the blade and demands your intervention to resolve. Those suggest that you can possibly take your eyes off your blender to do other things while it is operating.
Assembly
The BELLA is designed for easy assembly, with clear and concise instructions included. To put all the components together, just screw the blade assembly to the blending cup, insert it into the motor, and then make a quick clockwise turn to lock it in place for blending starting. Some people might find it’s a little bit frustrating to secure the blade assembly to the cup, but most of them would get the hang of it after a few tries.
It is very easy to seal the cup with the blade assembly. Just align the grooves on the blade assembly with the appropriate grooves on the cup and then turn one of the two pieces clockwise until you feel they attach firmly together. Attaching the cup assembly to the motor base, on the other hand, takes quite some time to figure out how things work.
Cleanability
Except for the motor body, all the pieces are safe to put in the dishwasher, though we decided to clean them by hand and noticed that part of the cleaning process was performed with ease, as any remaining residues of the cups and lids are removed simply by wiping the surface with a damp soapy cloth.
The blades, on the other hand, required more attention due to their intricate design and close proximity to the assembly’s surface. As such, we had to use a straw-cleaning brush so that all remnants of food or other substances can be removed entirely.
Except for the motor base, you can put everything in the dishwasher. The blending cup has a wide opening so you won’t have any difficulty reaching inside if cleaning by hand. Regarding the blade assembly, you have to remove the silicone gasket first. because this part is attached extremely tight, we found it is quite frustrating to get the job done, however. On the bright side, there isn’t much difficulty in wiping the blades’s backsides, especially when you have a bottle brush.