iCucina Portable Bullet vs. Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Side-by-Side Comparison
iCucina Portable Bullet vs. Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro. The Ninja outperforms with consistent and robust blending, along with a sleeker and more quality design.
Specifications
Design
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.
The Ninja BN401 Ninja Pro looks sporty on our kitchen counter. Its appeal is a combination of elegant style and sturdiness. The quality of build materials is impressively high and there is a wealth of hi-tech features so the price seems justified. Some people may find the two Auto-iQ presets convenient, but we don’t think they make much of a difference.
Usability
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.
Visually, much of this Ninja’s appeal comes from its Auto-iQ technology. To create a level playing field, however, we didn’t use this advanced feature in our scored tests. Instead, we employed the manual setting that is common to most personal blenders. But regardless of the setting, this blender is perfectly pleasant to use. It allows for entirely hands-free operation and its control buttons are very responsive.
Performance
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.
The Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro doesn’t just look good. In our tests, it did a lot of things well, rarely compromising the way many single-serving blenders do. We made a quick protein shake from whole-food ingredients, a fibrous mixture with full nutrients, and a smoothie that couldn’t be silkier. But where our Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro really stood out was its ability to crush ice—you can fully pulverize 6 oz of whole ice cubes in only 14 seconds.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- 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.
- This blender is an all-arounder that works without a fuss.
- Nearly all of its capability is outstanding—it’s very well equipped to crush ice and make smoothies.
- The 1000-watt motor provides heavy-duty blending performance.
- Smart preset programs are designed to deliver excellent consistency.
- There are solid design details throughout the blender.
- The lack of versatility.
- Short power cord.
- The motor base is roughly the same size as a standard full-sized blender.
- It’s relatively noisy.
Conclusion
In our rigorous testing, the Ninja BN401 emerged as the clear winner over the iCucina Portable Bullet in every category. Its 900-watt motor proved to be significantly more powerful than the iCucina's 300-watt, enabling it to effortlessly blend tough ingredients like raw nuts, fibrous greens, and frozen fruit to perfection. In contrast, the iCucina struggled to follow, often leaving chunks and uneven textures in its rest. TheNinja even crushed ice to a snow-like consistency in no time—a feat that the iCucina was unable to achieve.
The differences between these two models are not limited to their motor power ratings alone. The iCucina Portable Blender, which is priced lower, employs low-quality plastics, which compromise the aesthetic and longevity of the product.
On the other hand, the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro features high-quality details that imitate the design and build quality of more expensive units. In addition to its robust build, the sleek and modern design adds a touch of sophistication to any kitchen. Moreover, the appliance's "Auto-iQ" technology provides pre-set blending programs and pulse options, enabling optimal blending results without any guesswork.
Overall, while the iCucina appeals to those on a tight budget, discerning buyers may find the Ninja with its heavy-duty capabilities a standout alternative.
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.
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.
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.
