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Hamilton Beach 51101AV vs Ninja QB3001SS Fit Side-by-Side Comparison

Tina Pham
Tina Pham
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 17, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 17, 2023
The Hamilton Beach Personal Blender standing on a table with its user’s manual and paper carton box by its sides.
The Ninja Fit personal blender 700-Watt personal blender standing on a gray table with its additional accessories by its side, including an extra blending cup, two to-go lids, a user’s manual, and a paper carton box.
Blenders type
personal
personal

Our Verdict

2.9
Overall Score
  • Performance (60%)
    1.4/10
  • Design (25%)
    5.0/10
  • Usability (15%)
    5.7/10
9.4
Overall Score
  • Performance (60%)
    9.6/10
  • Design (25%)
    9.5/10
  • Usability (15%)
    8.5/10

The Hamilton Beach 51101AV is no match for the Ninja QB3001SS Fit, especially as it didn’t pass a single one of our tests. Its low-powered motor (175 watts)  struggled  to break down the ingredients, leaving behind a smattering of unprocessed chunks. Not to mention its longer-than-average blending time. Nonetheless, if you just require a blender for simple blending of soft ingredients, the Hamilton Beach 51101AV is quite acceptable for the price. 

The Ninja QB3001SS Fit however, is by far one of our best-to-buy blenders. In comparison to the Hamilton Beach 51101AV, it passed all the tests faster and easier. It even provided us with snow-like crushed ice in a matter of seconds.

The structure quality of the two personal blenders is incomparable too. While the Hamilton Beach 51101AV is cheaply made with flimsy materials, the Ninja QB3001SS Fit comes out top in both  design and overall quality.

Very Lackluster

Hamilton Beach 51101AV Personal Blender Performance

Ninja Fit Personal Blender Performance: A Big Dog in the Segment
1.4
Performance Scores
  • Protein Shake (40%)3.4/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)0/10
  • Fibrous Greens (20%)0/10
  • Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)0/10
9.6
Performance Scores
  • Protein Shake (40%)9.6/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)10/10
  • Fibrous Greens (20%)9.5/10
  • Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)9.0/10
3.4

Protein Shake

9.6
  • Blending Time: 3 mins 45 seconds
  • Result: Coarse

In this test, the Hamilton Beach took 3 mins 45 secs to yield a portion of protein shake, which is far longer than average. The mixture came out slightly coarse due to a smattering of unblended dried blueberries, but since all the oatmeal and almonds were entirely liquified, it wasn’t too lumpy or unpleasant to drink. For the most part, we agreed many fitness enthusiasts would consider this texture to be acceptable. 

Blending time was a little bit of a compromise, though. Personal blenders are designed to produce quick-blended results so the blending time of nearly four minutes was clearly too long in this regard. Even if you’re willing to blend a bit longer for an acceptable result, running this blender in excess of three minutes will cause its motor to overheat, thus impairing its longevity.

Moreover, to activate the blender, you’ll need to press the Power button continuously until the desired texture is achieved. This means the prolonged processing time will also make your hands tired or even numb.

  • Blending Time: 50 seconds
  • Result: Silky Smooth

No matter what ingredients you have on hand for your protein shakes, the Ninja QB3001SS Fit will quickly turn them into a chunk-free mix. Its impeccable performance in this test is evidence of that. Consisting of the toughest-to-blend ingredients, our recipe presents a high level of difficulty, but it still didn’t give this blender any trouble. 

Our Ninja took only 50 seconds to churn out the desired result. The oatmeal was completely broken down while almonds and berries were blended to their finest state. After straining the drink through a strainer, we found a smattering of partially blended chunks, but we don’t think it's enough to turn off many folks. Given such a result, this machine is a worthy competitor to the NutriBullet Pro — our best personal blender at the time of writing.

0.0

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

10
  • Blending Time: 2 mins
  • Result: Chunky
  • Suction:

We began the test by tossing all ingredients into the blending cup, then blending them until they came out smooth or until we hit the time limit (2 minutes). As such, we found this Hamilton Beach to be just mediocrely capable of preparing frozen fruit smoothies. 

The final result appeared visually smooth, but when we used a spoon to stir it back and forth, we noticed a few fruit chunks still remained intact. Considering that such residual solids might be a good compromise for the cheap price, you might think this blender’s performance wasn’t half bad. 

The real problem here, however, was that throughout the whole 2-minute blending procedure, it struggled considerably to break down the ingredients while its counterparts, in contrast, got the job done quicker and more easily (for instance, the Oster and the Ninja Fit). Not to mention its longer-than-average blending time.

Speaking of the blending time, we can’t say for sure if longer processing would have resulted in a silkier smoothie but we can assert that this would have failed to achieve the

thick, ice-cream-like texture we were after. This is because frozen fruits thaw quickly at room temperature, causing the overall consistency to be diluted if a blender isn’t able to blend fast enough.

  • Blending Time: 1 minute
  • Result: Silky Smooth
  • Suction:

When it comes to preparing smoothies, this blender’s efficiency is something that we’ve all dreamed about, but never thought possible on a budget. In our test, it allowed for a quick preparation of frozen foods with very little effort thanks to its heavy-duty motor and sturdy blades. The compromise was that we had to pause now and then to shake chunks free from the blades.  

The smoothie was ready to drink within 1 minute of blending, which was far faster than average. In fact, it was fully twice as fast as some other models like the Magic Bullet, the Hamilton Beach, and the Oster. You may think it doesn’t matter much to wait a bit longer, but actually, the difference in blending time between blenders did create a substantial discrepancy in the drink’s texture and temperature.

As a general rule of thumb, frozen foods thaw quickly at room temperature, especially when you start grinding them up. The faster your blender does its job, the thicker and less diluted your smoothie will be. 

Simply put, not only did the Ninja Fit blend smoothly, but its rapid operation also provided us with the thick, ice-cream-like consistency that we prefer in frozen fruit smoothies. If you’re craving icy-cold drinks on hot days, this blender definitely has the chops for it.

0.0

Fibrous Greens

9.5
  • Blending Time: 20 seconds
  • Result: Very Coarse

After blending all the leafy greens with water in 20 seconds — our time limit for this test, we drained the liquid through a mesh strainer and disappointedly ended up 

with a considerable amount of pulp. Not only that, but we also noticed the pulp was very coarse. This suggested that the extraction ability of this blender is too weak to help you get the most nutrients and flavor out of your veggies. 

Actually, the mixture would’ve had a finer consistency if we had blended it for longer, but this didn’t matter nor wasn’t worth the labor since we have already found several other models that can produce perfect high-fiber extractions, namely, the NutriBullet.

  • Blending Time: 20 seconds
  • Result: Very fine

The Ninja Fit is quite capable of incorporating leafy vegetables and other fiber-filled foods into your drink. Of all the blenders we tested, this was one of the few that could break down almost all of kale, spinach, and celery in only 20 seconds. The greens were blended finely and had consistent-sized grounds. Not only that, but it left us with only a little pulp that was too big to pass through a strainer — better results than even the pricier Nutri Ninja Auto-IQ.

0.0

Crushed Ice Cubes

9.0
  • Ice Fineness: Chunky
  • Unblended Ice: 75% of 6 oz

The Hamilton Beach wasn’t able to power through ice cubes, causing the final outcome to come out almost pristine, but this is typical for this type of personal blender. If you want fluffy, snow-like crushed ice or desire to incorporate ice into your smoothies, we recommend considering a higher-powered blender, such as the NutriBullet.

  • Ice Fineness: Very Fine
  • Unblended Ice: 20% of 6 oz

In this task, this blender struggled quite a bit, and couldn’t quite power through all the ice cubes. A small amount of ice remained solid — accounting for 20% of the total — when it was all said and done. And again, we had to stop and shake the blending jar to promote the contact between the ice and blades. 

Of all the blenders with small blending cups, however, the Ninja Fit was the only one that actually could perform that well. It even crushed ice as fluffily as its larger counterpart, the NutriBullet Pro. With the Ninja Fit, you may no longer have to deal with whole ice cubes in your drink.

Just Average

Hamilton Beach 51101AV Smoothie Blender Design

Ninja QB3001SS Mini Personal Blender Design: Sporty with A Premium Feel
5.0
design Scores
  • Blades (20%)5.0/10
  • Build Quality (60%)5.0/10
  • Blending Cup (20%)5.0/10
9.5
design Scores
  • Blades (20%)9.0/10
  • Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
  • Blending Cup (20%)10/10

In the Box

  • Motor Base 
  • Blending Cup
  • Motor base 
  • Extractor blade
  • Two blending cups 
  • Two to-go lids
  • Recipe book & User guide

Hamilton Beach Mini Personal Blender Dimensions

Ninja QB3001SS Small Blender Dimensions
  • Height:
    12.0" (30.5 cm)
  • Width:
    3.8" (9.7 cm)
  • Weight:
    1.7 oz (48 g)
  • Shaft Length:

The Hamilton Beach is a relatively low-capacity personal blender. It’s therefore small and compact enough to fit anywhere. At 1.72 pounds, it is lighter than average, allowing for easier transportation. The light weight, however, also means your blender lacks the necessary sturdiness to help it stand firm during intensive tasks.

  • Height:
    13.0" (33.0 cm)
  • Width:
    4.5" (11.4 cm)
  • Weight:
    3.1 oz (88 g)
  • Shaft Length:

This blender isn’t as solid as the NutriBullet or the Nutri Ninja, but we appreciate its lighter weight and more compact dimensions. It is roughly the same size as a champagne bottle, so it should fit well into your cabinet. It also won’t occupy too much counter space and you can easily carry it around when you’re on the move.

5.0

Build Quality

9.5

The Hamilton Beach is of flimsy construction with a substantial amount of plastic components whose quality seems to be inadequate for high durability. We tested it over the course of a month, and after such a period of use, we shockingly found its quality doesn’t hold up well over time. 

The blending cup became cloudy with use, losing the shiny appearance we originally liked. Plus, we noticed multiple little scratches somehow appearing on its inner surface despite the fact that we never used a scouring pad or scrubbed it vigorously when cleaning. 

The motor’s build quality is a little bit better but doesn’t look as sturdy as other blenders we’ve tested and lacks the firmness to ensure optimal stability.

Our Ninja Fit looks fancier than we’d expect for the price. The part quality resembles that of much more expensive units. The main body’s exterior is eye-pleasing with a glossy finish capable of holding up against dings or scratches. The interior is mostly made of plastic, but it looks robust, reflecting the blender’s high-tech design. Much the same can be said for the blending cup and extractor blade, too. These parts aren’t new ideas, but they should be the benchmark for durability and refinement in this price range.

5.0

Blades

9.0
  • Material:
    Stainless Steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The Hamilton Beach has a stainless steel blade assembly, which is too short and not particularly sharp, unlike other personal blenders. We wondered if this awkward design was able to ensure a good contact between blades and ingredients to produce quick, even blending and as it turned out, this blender is definitely not as life-changing as it would seem to be on paper.

  • Material:
    Stainless Steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The blade is constructed of hardened stainless steel. It features four prongs so you will get faster blending times and finer results compared than those that have only two. 

The base and blade assembly screws tightly onto the blending cup to prevent leaks while in use. It is designed for processing liquids, including juice, frozen mixtures, sauces, and hummus. It cannot be used to blend hot liquids or for grinding operations.

Hamilton Beach Small Smoothie Blender Motor Base

Ninja Fit 700 Watts Personal Blender Motor Base
  • Rated Voltage:
    120
  • Rated Power:
    175
  • Working Time:
    N/A
  • Protection:
    No
  • Weight:
    1.2 lbs (0.5 kg)
  • Cord Length:
    2.1 ft (0.6 m)
  • Extra Feature:
    Ventilation holes

The motor peaks around 175 watts, which is relatively low so it’s best to avoid using this blender for dry ingredients like coffee beans. Typically, each personal blender has a maximum continuous runtime varying from 1 to 4 minutes. This is to prevent the motor from overloading, resulting in permanently damaged components. However, there is no clear information about this blender in that regard. Despite that, since our Hamilton got hot after the smoothie test of 4-minute blending, we recommend not running it longer than 1 minute per interval.

  • Rated Voltage:
    110 - 120 V
  • Rated Power:
    700 Watts
  • Working Time:
    ≤ 1 minute
  • Protection:
    Yes
  • Weight:
    2.5 lbs (1.2 kg)
  • Cord Length:
    2.8 ft (0.9 m)
  • Extra Feature:
    Rubber grips on the bottom, cooling fan.

The Ninja Fit is powered by a 700-watt motor which is more than enough to blend most simple ingredients. That motor is even strong enough to turn your blender into a standalone ice crusher, though we don’t recommend doing so too often since it might limit the blender’s lifespan. 

The elegant yet sturdy exterior is a key selling point over its rivals, but the carefully constructed interior is what truly grabs our attention. In particular, despite being made of ABS plastic, the black actuator tabs are unlikely to break even when you press the cup down into them vigorously. The rubber and plastic liners inside the power base feel pretty durable too. 

There are also rubber grips on the bottom that keep things steady while in use and a cooling fan in the back to limit overheating. Still, though, it’s best not to run it for more than a minute at a stretch.

5.0

Blending Cup

10
  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    14 Oz
  • Weight:
    0.4 oz (11 g)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Measurement:
    Yes
  • Suitable For:
    Small batches
  • Accessories:
    No

The set only includes a 14-oz blending cup with lid. More often than not, the lid is easy to screw on but demands a great force for unscrewing. In our tests, it didn’t seal tightly to the cup, causing the ingredients to leak out and spill onto the countertop.   

The lid also has a slide-top spout, allowing you to sip straight from the cup easily and mess-free. However, we don’t think this add-on is necessary, given the awkwardly-designed blending cup. As mentioned above, unlike most other personal blenders, the Hamilton comes with a

fixed blade assembly rather than a removal one. This makes us feel unsafe; we tremble thinking these parts could come apart when we are drinking.

  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    16.0 fl oz (473.2 ml)
  • Weight:
    0.6 oz (17 g)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Measurement:
    No
  • Suitable For:
    Small batches
  • Accessories:
    2 to-go lids

This set includes two blending cups with lids. Each has a 16-oz capacity and can be fitted to the blade assembly. The lids seal tightly to the cups, locking all the ingredients inside even when you turn them upside down. As a nice bonus, each lid has a flip-top spout.

Speed and Controls of the Hamilton Beach 51101AV Personal Blender

Speed and Controls of the nNinja QB3001SS Personal Blender
  • Control Type:
    Button
  • Min Speed:
    N/A
  • Max Speed:
    N/A
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    98 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

The Hamilton Beach allows you to get its single-speed through a simple button, which demands just a slight pressing pressure to activate. It doesn’t have a particular setting for the pulse function, but you can simulate pulse mode by pressing and releasing its button in short intervals.

  • Control Type:
    Push
  • Min Speed:
  • Max Speed:
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    98 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

Because the Ninja Fit doesn’t have any switches or buttons, you only get a single speed. The motor is activated by simply pressing the cup down into the base. Your blender will then run until you take your hand off it. You can also simulate pulse mode by pressing and releasing the cup in short intervals.

Too Much Problems

Hamilton Beach Mini Personal Blender Usability Review

Ninja Fit Personal Blender Usability Review: Satisfying Blending Experience
5.7
usability Scores
  • Hands-Free Operation (60%)4.6/10
  • Assembly (20%)6.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)8.5/10
8.5
usability Scores
  • Hands-Free Operation (60%)7.8/10
  • Assembly (20%)10/10
  • Cleanability (20%)9.0/10
4.6

Hands-Free Operation

7.8

Disappointingly enough, this Hamilton doesn’t provide the ease and convenience of hands-free blending. It, instead, delivers a frustrating way to puree and pulverize food. Beyond the need to continuously hold its button during the operation, this blender also demands you to pay attention to the blending process at all times so you can detect and intervene timely if food gets clogged in the blade and stops it from turning.

This blender doesn’t allow for hands-free operation; you’ll need to hold the cup in place throughout the operation to activate the motor, but this is true with most personal blenders. On the upside, it doesn’t demand too much extra shaking or stirring to dislodge chunks trapped on or around the blades. For the most part, each batch only needs a little shake to achieve a smooth consistency.

6.0

Assembly

10

To set up this blender, you’ll need to place the jar on the base, aligning the unlock icon with the line on the base, then turn it counterclockwise. Removing the jar is a lot easier; just turn it clockwise and lift it up. The trade-off is that it takes time to get the hang of it.

This blender is a cinch to set up. To blend, you’ll need to seal the blade tightly to the cup, then turn the cup upside down and place it on the motor base by aligning its tabs with the motor’s slots. Once your cup is correctly positioned, push it all the way down so it can begin blending. Removing the cup is even easier, simply lift it up from the motor base. You won’t need much practice to operate the machine smoothly — we figured it all out before even opening the user manual.

8.5

Cleanability

9.0

You can put the jar in a dishwasher, but we recommend hand washing so as to reduce the risk of discoloration. That being said, hand cleaning is a relatively frustrating process. Since the blending cup is quite narrow, we had a hard time getting our hands inside, especially under the blade’s backside. Letting the blender clean itself, on the other hand, is less stressful. We simply added soapy water into the jar, then let the blender run for 30 to 60 seconds. After dumping out the solution and rinsing the jar thoroughly, we found there wasn’t any remaining gunk.

All the parts are dishwasher safe except for the motor base, but note that they must be separated from each other before being placed in the dishwasher.

To clean them manually, simply pour warm water into the cup, add a bit of soap, and run the blender for 30 to 60 seconds. After dumping out the cleaning solution and rinsing the pitcher thoroughly, your blender will be ready for a new batch of smoothies. 

If you  don’t want to do it that way, we recommend using a dishwashing utensil dampened with soapy water to scrub out any stains. Getting under the blades can be tricky; be careful not to slice your fingers!