Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.

Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set vs. Magic Bullet 250W Side-by-Side Comparison

Tina Pham
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 22, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 21, 2023
The BELLA personal blender standing on a table with its additional accessories, including two blending cups with lids, user’s manual, and paper carton box, by its sides.
The Magic Bullet 250W Personal Blender and its additional accessories by its side, including a to-go lid, two additional blending cups, a party mug, two lip rings, two resealable lids, a paper carton box, and a user & recipe book guide.
Blenders type
personal
personal

Our Verdict

6.7
Overall Score
  • Performance (60%)
    5.7/10
  • Design (25%)
    7.8/10
  • Usability (15%)
    8.7/10
4.6
Overall Score
  • Performance (60%)
    2.8/10
  • Design (25%)
    7.5/10
  • Usability (15%)
    6.9/10

Comparing the Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set and the Magic Bullet 250W, the Bella stood out as the more versatile blender in terms of performance and design. Based on the test results, it seems better at making smoothies with frozen fruits and other soft ingredients. It has an adequate motor that can handle raw almonds and dried berries for smooth protein shakes as well. However, it’s worth noting that this blender sometimes falls short in processing high-fiber foods as it tends to leave behind chunks of unprocessed greens.

In contrast, the Magic Bullet struggled to blend a variety of ingredients. It does liquify leafy vegetables more quickly than the Bella, but that’s about it. Overall, the Bella offers a more versatile and efficient blending performance, making it the better choice between the two.

Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set Performance

Magic Bullet 250W Personal Blender Performance: Below-Average
5.7
Performance Scores
  • Protein Shake (40%)7.5/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)9.0/10
  • Fibrous Greens (20%)0/10
  • Crushed Ice (10%)0/10
2.8
Performance Scores
  • Protein Shake (40%)3.9/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)0/10
  • Fibrous Greens (20%)6.0/10
  • Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)0/10
7.5

Protein Shake

3.9
  • 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: 2 mins 10 seconds
  • Result: Very Coarse

In this test, the two minutes and ten seconds we spent with the Magic Bullet produced an undrinkable result. While all the oatmeal was broken down pretty well, most of the blueberries and almonds came out completely intact. As a result, the drink was too chunky to sip on. It also lacked the fruity flavor that our recipe prides itself on. If you want to use this blender for a protein shake, we recommend just using soft ingredients.

9.0

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

0.0
  • 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: 2 minutes
  • Result: Chunky
  • Suction:

By our 2-minute cutoff point, the Magic Bullet hadn't fully processed all the ingredients so we considered it to have failed the test and awarded it no points. To be fair, though, the final result was not too bad. While this blender still left behind strawberry chunks, it blended through other ingredients pretty evenly. The smoothie came out smooth; our straw didn't get clogged with hard bits after we removed the two partially blended chunks. It was just quite thin since the blending process was so long that the frozen fruit had time to thaw thus diluting the overall consistency.

0.0

Fibrous Greens

6.0
  • 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: Coarse

If you’re looking for a personal blender that can handle leafy vegetables along with other fiber-filled foods, the Magic Bullet is up to the challenge but will not wow you. 

In this test, its mission was to break down kale, spinach, and celery in 20 seconds. Perhaps, you will get a better result if you blend for longer than we did, but this time frame is adequate for us to evaluate this blender’s efficiency. To check the result, we drained the completed drink through a mesh strainer. As such, we noticed a vast number of leafy chunks remained unblended. The pulp also looked coarse and non-uniform. Still, this outcome is more impressive than those produced by its counterparts, namely the Hamilton Beach and the KOIOS Pro.

0.0

Crushed Ice

Crushed Ice Cubes
  • 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: Chunky
  • Unblended Ice: 83% of 6 oz

Our Magic Bullet couldn’t blend through 6 oz ice cubes thoroughly not only because of its weak motor power but also because its blending cup is too small to handle such an amount of ice. For the most part, the ice got stuck in the blade and prevented it from turning. Even when we undocked the cup and shook it, this still couldn’t help much. If you want something that can be up to this sort of blend, consider the NutriBullet, Ninja Fit, and Ninja Nutri Pro.

Bella 14-oz Rocket Blender Design

Magic Bullet 11-Piece Set Personal Blender Design: There’s Room for Improvements
7.8
design Scores
  • Blade (20%)6.5/10
  • Build Quality (60%)7.5/10
  • Blending Cup (20%)10/10
7.5
design Scores
  • Blades (20%)6.5/10
  • Build Quality (60%)7.0/10
  • Blending Cup (20%)10/10

In the Box of the Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set

In the Box of the Magic Bullet 250W Personal Blender
  • Motor base 
  • Two blade assemblies
  • Three blending cups
  • Two storage lids 
  • Two lip rings
  • Two shaker lids 
  • Recipe book & user guide
  • Motor base 
  • Extractor blade
  • Two blending cups 
  • One to-go lid
  • One party mug
  • Two lip rings 
  • Two resealable lids 
  • Recipe guide

Dimensions

  • Height:
    11.8" (30.0 cm)
  • Width:
    4.5" (11.4 cm)
  • Weight:
    2.3 oz (65 g)
  • Shaft Length:

  • Height:
    12.0" (30.5 cm)
  • Width:
    4.5" (11.4 cm)
  • Weight:
    2.0 oz (57 g)
  • Shaft Length:

The Magic Bullet is half the size of traditional countertop blenders so it should fit easily into your cabinet. This compact structure also avoids overwhelming your counter space. That being said, the plastic construction means the blender itself is so lightweight that it wobbles while blending.

7.5

Build Quality

7.0

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.

All the parts are mostly made of plastic, making the blender look flimsy both inside and outside. Apart from lacking the sturdiness we’re after, the Magic Bullet also has a low resistance to wear and tear. It feels like it could be easily scratched or even broken if accidentally dropped. The blade made of standard stainless steel may well grab your attention but unfortunately, it’s less solid than its competitors at the same price point—the KOIOS, to name but one. So again, the low cost shouldn’t be an excuse for this blender’s shortcomings.

6.5

Blade

Blades
  • 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 Blade
  • Guard Material:
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The stainless steel blade has 4 prongs. It comes relatively sharp but looks a bit fragile so we would suggest that you shouldn’t use it for blending hard ingredients without liquid. Otherwise, it may dull or even get permanently damaged.

Bella Rocket Blender Motor Base

Magic Bullet Small Personal 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
  • Rated Power:
    250
  • Working Time:
    ≤ 1 minute
  • Protection:
    Yes
  • Weight:
    1.6 oz (45 g)
  • Cord Length:
    2.2" (5.6 cm)
  • Extra Feature:
    Silicon feet

The motor peaks around 250 watts. It is too weak to be used for ice crushing or dry blending. To make icy drinks, we recommend only using chilled ingredients. Like other personal blenders, it cannot run for longer than 1 minute to avoid damage caused by overheating, though there is an internal thermal breaker that shuts off the unit when it overheats. 

The base has four silicone feet to help keep the whole blender in place while operating. However, we don’t think such add-ons are really helpful; our machine walked around on the counter in every test anyway.

10

Blending Cup

10
  • 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:
    12-,16-, and 22-oz
  • Weight:
    0.18-, 0.33-, and 0.25-pound
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Measurement:
    No
  • Suitable For:
    Small and medium batches
  • Accessories:
    2 lid rings, 3 lids

The set consists of three blending cups. They work interchangeably with the extractor blade and two different types of lids. There are also two removable lip rings included so you may find it easier to sip your drink straight from the cup.

The drawback is that the lids do not seal tightly to the cup. In the smoothie test, we paused several times to give the cup a shake and eventually ended up with a mess.

Speed and Controls of the Bella 12-Piece Rocket Blender

Speed and Controls of the Magic Bullet Mini Personal 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:
    Push
  • Min Speed:
  • Max Speed:
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    97 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

The Magic Bullet is a single-speed blender working without any physical buttons. To use, you simply place the blending cup and press it down onto the motor base. You can also simulate pulse mode by pressing and releasing the cup in short intervals.

Bella Rocket Blender 12-Piece Set Usability Review

Magic Bullet 250W Personal Blender Usability Review: A Little Disappointing
8.7
usability Scores
  • Hands-Free Operation (60%)8.6/10
  • Assembly (20%)9.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)8.5/10
6.9
usability Scores
  • Hands-Free Operation (60%)5.8/10
  • Assembly (20%)10/10
  • Cleanability (20%)7.2/10
8.6

Hands-Free Operation

5.8

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.

The Magic Bullet will blend for as long as you press the cup down onto the power base. To stop blending, simply release pressure on the cup, but with the Lock On Mode, your machine can also offer hands-free blending. However, we recommend not letting it out of your sight: Sometimes, solid ingredients like hard nuts and root veggies can stop the blade from turning so you will need to detect this obstruction and intervene as soon as possible. In the smoothie test, we had to shake to unblock the cross blade up to 6 times.

9.0

Assembly

10

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.

There's a very shallow learning curve to getting accustomed to the assembly process. To blend, you simply line up the tabs on the sealed cup with the tabs on the power base, then press it down until the desired consistency is achieved. 

You can also press down and turn the cup clockwise until the tabs lock under the lip of the power base for hands-free operation. To turn it off, just twist the cup back counter-clockwise and release the cup.

8.5

Cleanability

7.2

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.

Cleaning all the pieces is a snap, especially when the cups and lids are top-rack dishwasher safe, but that didn’t save us much cleanup time. Because of leakage, the motor base got dirty after nearly every blend, though we could easily wipe away the gunk with a damp cloth. Not only that, but the blade’s backsides also gave us a hard time for a thorough hand cleaning so we recommend using a straw-cleaning brush.