Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set vs. Icucina Portable Bullet Side-by-Side Comparison
A comparison of the Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set and Icucina Portable Bullet, including a breakdown of their features, build quality, and performance.
Specifications
Design
The overall design of the BELLA is functional, but not particularly eye-catching so we’re not fans of neither its styling nor quality. Nevertheless, considering its affordability, along with a suit of practical accessories, we agree this blender is still a good value for money.
We aren’t much impressed with this blender’s quality, but overall, built materials are fine for a machine at this price and we really like the simplicity the iCucina provides. Nevertheless, the mid-range segment is a tough market to compete in, simply because there’s so many products to choose from, and therefore it’d be better if iCucina emphasized on eye-catching style. Some improvements on the blade assembly would help increase its appeal as well.
Usability
The BELLA remains one of the most user-friendly personal blenders on the market due to its simple operation, straightforward assembly, and hassle-free cleaning process. The lack of pulse function may make it tricky to create chunky textures, but we believe it won’t take much time to find the way
Locking the cup with the blade attached in the motor base may be disruptive and requires a bit of practice. Otherwise, the iCucina doesn’t disappoint too much when it comes to ease of use. Cleaning it is also not much of an issue especially when the cups, lids, and blade assembly are all dishwasher-safe.
Performance
The BELLA is finely capable of preparing protein shakes and frozen fruit smoothies, but comes up short in liquifying leafy greens and pulverizing ice cues. For those that can make such compromises, this blender is the easy choice considering its price and the long list of extra accessories. Otherwise, we suggest considering the KOIOS Pro, which is similarly priced but offers more advanced capabilities.
We were more than a little surprised at the results yielded by this iCucina since they didn’t come out as good as we expected. The 300-watt motor and fast spinning blades weren’t enough to help it overcome our challenges.
In the protein shake test, it was among the worst, leaving a mass of partially unblended food chunks. It also failed to power through whole ice cubes or create a smooth mixture of fibrous greens. And as weak as it was in processing frozen fruits, we assure this blender is only suited to blend softer ingredients.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- Adequate build quality allows for reliable performance.
- The motor is less likely to overheat like some of its rivals.
- It’s pretty good at processing frozen fruits and raw nuts.
- Its ease of use provides a satisfying blending experience.
- It’s good for simple plant-based blends.
- Built quality is mediocre but fine for the price.
- Simple design allows for straightforward use, cleaning, and storage.
- It stands stably, rather than jumping around, while working.
- It may not add any aesthetic interest to your kitchen due to its inspired design.
- The ability to liquify fibrous greens is compromised by the low price.
- The resting period between blending intervals is longer than average, taking up to 3 minutes.
- The lack of versatility.
- Short power cord.
Conclusion
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.
Behind the Comparison
Tina Pham is a staff writer and reviewer, with five years of experience in the industry. As a passionate amateur home cook, she loves to discover practical cooking solutions, and has made it her mission to bring her findings to every kitchen. Her ultimate goal is making cooking more of a pleasure for all.
Tuyet Pham is an award-winning Saigonese chef passionate about delicious and healthful foods. At HealthyKitchen101, she develops recipes and collaborates with our Research, Testing, and Review lab to evaluate the performance of cooking appliances. Her assessments add a strong authoritative voice to our product scoring process.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
