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Ninja BL480D Nutri vs Hamilton Beach 51101AV Side-by-Side Comparison

Ninja BL480D Nutri vs. Hamilton Beach 51101AV. Our comparison reveals the pros and cons of each of these two personal blenders.

Updated
Ninja BL480D Nutri vs Hamilton Beach 51101AV: An Unequal Battle

Specifications

Price at publication
$56.94$20.48
Dimensions
H14.2 x W6.4 inchesH12 x W3.8 inches
Weight
5.4 pounds1.7 pounds
Number of speeds
41
Pulse/Turbo option
YesNo
Dishwasher-safe wand
YesYes
Accessories
2 to-go lids, and an extra 18-ounce blending cupA to-go lid
Max noise
103 dB98 dB

Design

Blades
Build Quality
Blending Cup
Overall Design Scoring

The Ninja Nutri is a very capable blender, so it scores well in most of our evaluations. The trouble is that it is very expensive and far bulkier and more complex than any personal blender should be. If you are short on cooking space, don’t want to fuss with settings, and expect to get your money’s worth, then those are issues.

The overall design of the Hamilton Beach is simple, but the blending cup with a fixed blade assembly inside seems to be impractical if used as a to-go cup. The materials are only average, making the blender itself look fairly jerkwater and not catchy. This, however, is expected for the price.

Usability

Hands-Free Operation
Assembly
Cleanability
Overall Usability Scoring

The Ninja Nutri is kind of impressive in that it looks fussy and technical, but is easy to figure out in practice. Once you get used to it, cleaning and assembling are simple as well.

Despite its intuitive design, the Hamilton Beach is somewhat uncomfortable to use. The blending jar attaches securely to the main body, but the assembly process is a bit of a hassle. Not only that, but it’s also more of a pain to clean than other blenders since the blade assembly isn’t removable.

Performance

Protein Shake
Frozen Fruit Smoothie
Fibrous Greens
Crushed Ice Cubes
Overall Performance Scoring

While the Ninja Nutri is advertised as a personal blender, it actually features a powerful motor worthy of a full-sized blender. As such, in our hands-on testing, it was more efficient than most rivals. Still, its outcomes were not always the best. Ultimately, we don’t think you need to fork over so much cash for a personal blender when there are cheaper, smaller, and better options like the NutriBullet and the Ninja QB3001SS Fit.

We tested the Hamilton Beach against a range of culinary blenders, but this machine was surprisingly the only one that didn’t pass even a single test. With its weak motor and small blending blade, it failed to blend the foods completely, resulting in grainy, rough mixtures.

Overall Scores

Performance
Design
Usability
Overall Scoring

Pros & Cons

  • A powerful motor allows for heavy-duty blending 
  • Stainless steel extractor blades are exceptionally tough
  • Hands-free operation offers greater convenience 
  • Sturdy motor base ensures stable performance 
  • Blending cups are included with to-go lids
  • Inexpensive and easy to use with one-touch blending. 
  • Blending cup features measuring lines. 
  • Compact design makes it perfect for use in small spaces. 
  • It is adequate for light blending performance.
  • It’s heavy and quite bulky
  • The control panel is gimmicky 
  • The feets’ suction is so strong making it challenging to remove the base
  • The premium price tag might be a high barrier for many people
  • The low-powered motor limits its capabilities. 
  • Poorly-built quality impairs the machine’s overall performance and durability. 
  • It works inconsistently 
  • The blades are too short, which affects the blending time and final results.

Conclusion

From delivering to the health-conscious community on the path to a well-balanced life, to creating pre-and post-workout shakes for sports enthusiasts, the high-powered motor of the Ninja BL480D Nutri will make all the difference.

And the high power isn't the only element that makes this blender a better option. There are other luxury features including the intelligent programs aimed at giving you a quick way to get healthy beverages into your routine.

The Hamilton Beach 51101AV however, feels really inferior, from the flimsy blending cup, to the dull four-pronged blade assembly. In addition, we often found it a misery to use and clean this blender.

Behind the Comparison

Headshot of Tina Pham
Tina PhamReviewer

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.

Headshot of Tuyet Pham
Tuyet PhamProfessional Chef

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.

Headshot of Lap Vo
Lap VoTest Lead

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.

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