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Ninja Nutri Pro Compact (BN401) vs NutriBullet Pro 900W Personal Blender Side-by-Side Comparison




Our Verdict
- Performance (60%)9.4/10
- Design (25%)9.6/10
- Usability (15%)9.7/10
- Performance (60%)9.8/10
- Design (25%)9.7/10
- Usability (15%)9.7/10
Both the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro and the NutriBullet Pro are stand-out personal blenders, each with their unique strengths that make them great options for different preferences. In our testing, both blenders demonstrated outstanding performance in blending protein shakes, frozen fruit smoothies, leafy greens, and producing finely crushed ice with a snow-like texture, surpassing their competitors by a considerable margin.
In terms of build quality, both boast solid constructions and top-grade materials, including upscale blades, to ensure durability and heavy-duty blending capabilities. However, the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro comes equipped with the two Auto-iQ presets, adding further convenience and enhancing the user experience, which the NutriBullet Pro lacks.
Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Personal Blender Performance
- Protein Shake (40%)8.8/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)10/10
- Fibrous Greens (20%)9.5/10
- Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)10/10
- Protein Shake (40%)10/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)10/10
- Fibrous Greens (20%)9.0/10
- Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)10/10
Protein Shake



- Blending Time: 1 min
- Result: Slightly Smooth
If your idea of a protein shake includes raw nuts or dried fruits, fear not! The Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro won’t let you down.
In this test, it took only 1 minute to turn all the oatmeal into liquid form, which was far faster than average. A quick blending time means you’ll always have a quick snack or protein shake at hand whenever you want. Note that quite a bit of the almonds and dried blueberries remained solid, making the final drink relatively lumpy. But overall, it was still much smoother than shakes produced by rivals such as the Magic Bullet.
Most importantly, our chefs agree that you’ll get a more savory sipping experience if you let everything mix together a bit longer. Soaking the nuts prior to blending gives you a less chunky texture as well.


- Blending Time: 40 seconds
- Result: Silky Smooth
The NutriBullet Pro is amazingly capable when it comes to preparing protein shakes. In this test, it was the fastest contender, mixing a silky-smooth workout drink in only 40 seconds. It blended well enough that we didn't need to shake the cup to promote contact between the food and blades. The blade spined extremely fast and together with the mighty motor, it allowed the blender to draw everything toward the blades and tear apart each at the same time without any struggle. You might notice there even wasn’t a time that food clinged to the sides of the cup.
There were also blenders that delivered the same result, such as the Ninja Fit, but they all demanded extra shaking or stirring to dislodge chunks trapped on or around the blades during the blending process. Efficiency aside, it’s apparent that your NutriBullet Pro will also outperform its rivals in terms of use ease.
Frozen Fruit Smoothie



- Blending Time: 1 min
- Result: Silky Smooth
- Suction:
For certain treats like icy smoothies, blending time is a significant factor. Frozen ingredients thaw quickly at room temperature, so if you don’t blend fast enough, your beverage will be thinner than expected. Fortunately, the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro is good enough to generate whichever texture you prefer.
Contrary to the protein shake test, all the ingredients came together quickly in this smoothie. We intentionally created a tough test containing all frozen ingredients, but we still received a perfect smoothness in only one minute.
On a more pragmatic note, the Ninja BN401 operates very smoothly even on heavy-duty blends. While most other personal blenders, such as the Ninja Fit, clogged themselves up with accumulated ingredients under the blades, this unit ensures all the fruits can circulate freely. Sometimes, we noticed a couple chunks clinging to the cup’s sides, but they quickly dislodged themselves without our interference.
All things considered, it’s apparent that the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro is a perfect way to turn your favorite healthy fruits into refreshing breakfast and post-workout smoothies, especially for a busy morning.



- Blending Time: 50 seconds
- Result: Silky Smooth
- Suction:
The NutriBullet completed our smoothie in less than a minute, and its results were unparalleled. Our smoothie came out exceptionally velvety. Although there were still tiny flecks of raspberry skin and strawberry seeds, this is a common occurrence when it comes to processing such ingredients.
It’s worth noting here that no other personal blender we tested could produce such an ideal texture in the same time frame; some couldn’t even break down strawberries after a full minute. Again, this blender never demanded that we shake the cup or stir the contents, and we really couldn't be happier.
Aside from the high-speed rotation and powerful motor, we supposed the blade assembly is a factor creating this outstanding performance. Personal blenders typically feature a blade assembly with two or four prongs, but the NutriBullet is an exception. Made of first-grade stainless steel, its blade is a clear step above those of the competition, including even the pricey Ninja Nutri Pro. It isn’t super sharp, but looks thicker than most and has up to six prongs. More prongs allows for more food contact at the time so the final drink will come out faster and finer.
Fibrous Greens



- Blending Time: 20 seconds
- Result: Very Fine/Fine/Coarse/Very Coarse
The speed and power of the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro makes it a useful personal blender when you want to incorporate more leafy greens into your daily meals.
In this test, we aimed to create a smooth blend of celery, kale, and spinach. In just 20 seconds, this little Ninja delivered exactly that.
Of all the machines we’ve experienced, the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro was among the elite few that could fully shred the leafy veggies so quickly, thus retaining all of their nutritious fiber and antioxidants. Very little pulp remained behind in the mesh strainer. That’s compared to some of its rivals that needed double the time and others that were too weak to grind the ingredients finely.
The mixture would’ve had a finer consistency if we had blended it longer, but even so, there’s no way to make this blend completely free of pulp. If you prefer your drink to be perfectly smooth, you’ll need to strain it through a filtration bag to remove all the pulp.



- Blending Time: 20 seconds
- Result: Fine
Liquifying high-fiber whole food like leafy veggies is always a challenging task for personal blenders, but the NutriBullet’s performance really made it stand out from the rest.
It could break all the ingredients down into their finest state in only 20 seconds. We drained the completed drink through a mesh strainer and noticed it left behind very few leafy chunks. It could produce an even better result if we blended longer.
Actually, we didn’t expect such good results so quickly. Most of the machines we tested turned out very coarse blends on this test, such as the Magic Bullet.
Crushed Ice Cubes


- Ice Fineness: Very Fine
- Unblended Ice: 0% of 6 oz
The blade spins very fast and is sturdily designed. This, combined with a mighty 1000-watt motor, allows the Ninja BN401 to tear apart the ice without a struggle. Believe it or not, six ounces of ice cubes came out with a snow-like consistency in just 14 seconds! Even the toughest ingredients like whole ice cubes won’t pose a problem for this blender. It will be easier than ever to entertain your guests with any icy-cold drinks!



- Ice Fineness: Very Fine
- Unblended Ice: 3% of 6 oz
The NutriBullet Pro is not only capable of crushing ice cubes, it excels at it! We tested a myriad of personal blenders, and so far haven't found a single machine that can crush ice as fluffy as this one.
It finished the test in about 40 seconds. A couple of ice chunks still remained solid, but it didn’t look like the blades would be able to grab them. Nevertheless, this NutriBullet performed wonderfully and is very deserving of the top score.
Ninja Nutri Pro Personal Blender Design
- Blades (20%)9.5/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Blending Cup (20%)10/10
- Blades (20%)10/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Blending Cup (20%)10/10
In the Box

- Motor base
- Blade assembly
- Two 24-oz blending cups
- Two spout lids
- Recipe book & user guide

- Motor base
- Extractor blade
- Two blending cups
- Two to-go lids
- Two cup rings
- Two handled cup rings
- Recipe book & user guide
Dimensions

- Height:14.2" (36.1 cm)
- Width:6.4" (16.3 cm)
- Weight:5.4 pounds
- Shaft Length:
The 24-oz blending cup is similar in size to those of other personal blenders, but the motor base is roughly the same size as a typical full-sized blender’s. This means this Ninja is larger and heavier than average, but that’s the trade-off for power and sturdy construction. We don’t feel it is overly cumbersome.

- Height:14.7" (37.3 cm)
- Width:5.4" (13.7 cm)
- Weight:4.6 oz (130 g)
- Shaft Length:
This blender comes at an ideal size — small, portable, and easily storable. Although it’s bigger than some single-serving blenders such as the Ninja Fit, it won’t take up too much space on your counter or in your cabinet.
Build Quality

Many things visually distinguish the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro from its rivals and one of them is the overall build quality.
For the motor base, the hard-touch plastics on the exterior combined with high-gloss finish and thoughtfully-designed trim look and feel good. With first-rate build quality, it also offers a pleasing aesthetic that many competitors lack.
The blade assembly is part of the blender’s greatness as well. It comes across as one of the most well rounded, so we don’t anticipate it wearing out anytime soon.

This blender has a flawless finish. Its build quality is better than most rivals. It is also more pleasing to the eye and neither the motor base nor the blending cups scratch easily. For the most part, after a careful inspection, we all agreed the NutriBullet Pro was a better product than it looked at first glance.
Blades

- Material:Stainless Steel
- Type:Cross
- Guard Material:
- Blade Count:4 blades
- Removable:Yes
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The blade is refined in ways you wouldn’t expect a budget-friendly brand to offer. With four expertly designed prongs made of hardened stainless steel, the attention to detail is spot-on. It isn’t razor sharp but instead looks thicker and more robust than most; it definitely won’t be damaged or succumb to wear and tear under daily use.



- Material:Stainless Steel
- Type:Cross
- Guard Material:
- Blade Count:6 blades
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:No
The blade is made of high-quality stainless steel and has 6 prongs. Solidly built, it is even more heavy-duty than it seems on paper. Still, the manufacturer recommends that it not be used for dry grinding or as a regular ice crusher since this may impair its efficiency and limit its lifespan.
Nutri Ninja Pro Blender Motor Base



- Rated Voltage:120 V
- Rated Power:1000 W
- Working Time:N/A
- Protection:Yes
- Weight:4.5 lbs (2.0 kg)
- Cord Length:2.6 f
- Extra Feature:Rubber grips on the bottom, cooling fan.
The motor is a very practical design. It peaks at around 1000 watts which is sufficient to create almost any blended meal. The whole device is mostly made of hard plastic, but it doesn’t feel cut-rate or flimsy. There is an eye-catching control panel in the front featuring a timer and four buttons corresponding to four different speed levels. We also particularly like the rubber grips on the bottom that keep things steady while in use and a cooling fan in the back to limit overheating.




- Rated Voltage:110 - 120 V
- Rated Power:900 Watt
- Working Time:≤ 1 minute
- Protection:No
- Weight:3.7 lbs (1.7 kg)
- Cord Length:2.5 ft (0.8 m)
- Extra Feature:Silicon feet
Peaking around 900 watts, the motor is powerful enough to handle just about any blending project. However, be aware that it cannot run longer than 1 minute at a stretch. If more time is needed, you should allow the motor to cool down for 20-30 seconds before continuing with the next 1-minute interval. This will help protect your machine from being permanently damaged.
There are four silicone feet on the bottom of the base to keep it steady during operation. So far, ours hasn’t tried to bounce around on the counter even while tackling intensive tasks like crushing ice cubes.
The rubber gasket built around the top is also very helpful. It’s meant to hold the cup tightly to the base, reducing the risk of leakage. On the other hand, we’re quite disappointed about the power cord. It is so short that it often got pulled from the outlet while we were using it.
Blending Cup

- Material:Plastic
- Capacity:NaN fl oz (NaN ml)
- Weight:1 lb
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Measurement:Yes
- Suitable For:Small and Medium batches
- Accessories:Spout Lids
Our Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro came with two 24-oz blending cups. Both have the same excellent build quality and are designed to fit perfectly to the blade assembly. So far, we’ve experienced no leaks while blending. There are also two to-go lids with flip-top spouts included. They similarly screw on tightly and seal well, so we got no leakage even when we shook or turned the cups upside-down.

- Material:Plastic
- Capacity:32.0 fl oz (946.4 ml)
- Weight:0.8 oz (23 g)
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Measurement:No
- Suitable For:Small and medium batches
- Accessories:2 to-go lids, 2 cup rings, 2 handled rings
There are two identical blending cups with lids included. They both have a capacity of 32 oz and can be used interchangeably with the extractor blade. The to-go lids feature flip-top spouts and screw on tightly to seal well; we got no leakage even when we turned the cups upside-down. As a nice bonus, this blender also comes with removable lip rings, which make the cups easier to sip from directly.
Speed and Controls of the Ninja Auto iQ Blender

- Control Type:Twist
- Min Speed:N/A
- Max Speed:N/A
- Presets:Yes
- Noise Level:101 (db)
- Digital Display:Yes
- Pulse Mode:Yes
You’ll love this Ninja unless you prefer your blenders to be barebones machines. There aren't a lot of control buttons, but the four it has are enough to make this model feel more like a full-sized blender. After all, personal blenders typically have one speed and no control panel. The Ninja’s digital display showing blending time or a countdown is a significant departure.
Of the four control buttons, two are for the Auto-iQ preset programs, with Crush and Smoothie labels. Once either of them is selected, your blender will start to blend and automatically stop when the program estimates the contents should have reached optimal consistency. Simply put, you don’t have to make your own predictions; the blender is programmed to do that for you instead.
The remaining controls are Start/Stop and Pulse buttons. If you want continuous blending, press the Start/Stop button. To avoid chopping ingredients too finely, the Pulse function gives you greater control; use short presses for short pulses and long presses for long ones.
This Ninja BN401’s personality reminds us of the Ninja BL480D Nutri, another product in the Ninja personal blender lineup that costs about $40 more. The two are broadly similar in capability, efficiency, and purpose, but we like the Ninja BN40 better. The Ninja BL480D Nutri doesn’t outperform its cheaper cousin to the degree that it’s worth the extra money.

- Control Type:Twist and Push
- Min Speed:N/a
- Max Speed:N/a
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:97 dB
- Digital Display:No
- Pulse Mode:No
This blender has one speed and doesn’t need a control panel. Just attach the blending cup to the blade, place it onto the motor base, push it down to start the motor, and twist it to lock it in place. This makes this NutriBullet a great choice for people who like simplicity and don’t care about advanced settings. You can also simulate pulse mode by pressing and releasing the cup in short intervals.
Ninja Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender Usability Review
- Hands-Free Operation (60%)10/10
- Assembly (20%)9.5/10
- Cleanability (20%)9.0/10
- Hands-Free Operation (60%)10/10
- Assembly (20%)9.5/10
- Cleanability (20%)9.0/10
Hands-Free Operation
The Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro offers outstanding comfort since it doesn’t demand that you hold the cup in place throughout the blending process the way so many others do. The existence of a locking mechanism means you can take your hands off your blender while it’s operating.
That is not the only thing that dominates the blender’s ease of use, though. This Ninja turns out great results with no drama. It rarely, if ever, needs extra shaking or stirring to even out the blend. That's probably a result of the powerful motor and well-rounded blade assembly.
The underside of the motor base has two silicone feet and three anti-slip plates to provide stability. Our blender stands and works steadily on any surface, so we didn’t need to hold it throughout the blending process—even at high speeds, it never tried to jump around the way some others did.
We awarded this blender maximum points for this category. It takes little effort on your part to get the job done.
While several personal blenders demand that we hold the cup in place throughout the operation in order to engage the motor, the NutriBullet Pro is more fun to use since you can take your hands off it once the cup is locked in place.
And as mentioned earlier, it never needed extra shaking or stirring to dislodge chunks trapped under the blades; it created an even blend entirely on its own.
Assembly
We’d award the Ninja BN401 a maximum score in this section if it demanded less force when locking and removing the cup from the motor base. Overall, though, assembling this blender is a breeze.
First, you’ll need to seal the cup with the blade assembly, then turn it upside down and install it on the motor base by aligning the tabs on the cup with the slots on the base. The programs will illuminate and your blender will be ready for use once you lock the cup properly to the base. To do so, rotate it clockwise until you feel them click together.
To remove the cup, turn it counterclockwise and lift it up. Note that you have to pull with quite a bit of force compared to other blenders we tested, so it may be tough to remove or lock when your hands are wet or oily.
Assembly is the easiest part of using the NutriBullet Pro. Just screw the blade section onto your blending cup, turn it upside-down, and push it down onto the motor base to start blending. Twist clockwise to lock it in if you wish. To remove it, just twist counterclockwise and lift.
Cleanability
The cups, lids, and blade assembly are safe to put in the dishwasher, but we recommend hand-washing them. It’s very easy to do and will help preserve all the parts’ original quality.
Because no leakage occurred in the course of operation, it didn’t take much time or effort to wipe the motor base clean. The blade assembly, on the other hand, has many nooks, grooves, and crannies so it required much more care. For the blending cup, we thoroughly cleaned it under the tap with a soapy sponge. The cup’s wide opening gave us no difficulty getting our hands inside, so all the tailings rinsed off easily.
Cleaning this blender is easy. Simply place the pieces (except for the motor base and extractor blade) on the top rack of the dishwasher or hand wash with soapy water and rinse well.
Regarding the motor base, you can use a non-abrasive sponge or dish cloth dampened with soapy water. Wipe down exposed surfaces until clean. You may occasionally need a small brush to remove sticky debris from the white actuator tabs.
The extractor blade, on the other hand, is a little tricker to clean. We found it’s almost impossible to reach the blade’s underside unless you use a straw-cleaning brush.