The Best Bullet Blenders Tested and Reviewed

Bullet blenders are personal-sized kitchen appliances, so named for their compact, cylindrical shapes and rounded tops. All bullet blenders have their similarities, but our rigorous testing has revealed that they don’t all live up to their acclaim. High ratings on e-commerce platforms don't always equate to superior performance, and some models fail to deliver despite their attractive price tags.

But never fear! We’ve done the groundwork to help you find the best bullet blender. The bullet blenders we highlight are exceptional all-rounders, so you’re sure to find one that suits your needs, complements your kitchen, and supports your lifestyle.

How We Test Our Bullet Blenders 

To assess bullet blender performance, we conduct a battery of standardized tests that reflect common usage scenarios. This ensures a level playing field for evaluating each blender's functionality. Here's an overview of our testing protocol: 

Protein shakes: This test involves blending a mixture of protein powder, dried blueberries, oatmeal, almonds, and milk until no graininess remains. We check the consistency intermittently (every 10-20 seconds) to gauge the blending progress, with a focus on a fully liquified oatmeal texture. The evaluation criteria for this test are the time taken to blend and the smoothness of the final shake.

Frozen fruits smoothies: Our assessment here targets the ability to produce a uniformly smooth smoothie using milk, honey, yogurt, and a selection of four frozen fruits. The goal is a perfectly smooth consistency within two minutes, with the process involving intermittent shaking of the cup every 20 seconds to ensure even mixing. The speed of blending and the quality of the end product are both crucial criteria in our scoring system. 

Fibrous greens and crushing ice cubes: These tasks focus on the blender's capacity to handle challenging ingredients, such as crushing ice and pureeing fibrous greens (e.g., spinach, kale, celery). It's a critical test that separates high-performing blenders from those less capable, ensuring that our recommendations are suitable for a wide range of kitchen uses.

Our design evaluation focuses on the blender’s overall robustness, aesthetic appeal, durability, and material quality. If the blender comes with extra cups, that also gives it an edge since they enhance its versatility and convenience.

In terms of usability, we favor models offering hands-free operation for their convenience. The ease of assembling and disassembling the blender, as well as its cleaning simplicity—particularly if parts are dishwasher-safe and safe to handle—are also key factors in our assessment.

For a detailed understanding of our testing methodology, refer to our comprehensive guide.

How Our Recommendations Are Made

Recommendations are based upon the testing results and their associated scores. We take into account the specialized strengths of a product, the situation it’s best suited for, and the personal circumstances where it will fit best. 

Reviews of the Best Bullet Blenders in 2024

After several months of putting our collection of bullet blenders through tests, we’re confident that our finalists are by far the best. Our extensive hands-on testing also teased out the pros and cons of each machine, so you can make the best choice for your own needs. 

1. Best Overall: NutriBullet Pro 900 W Personal Blender

$87.62

(Price at time of publish)

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If you're pressed for time, space, or just yearning for nutrient-rich concoctions, the NutriBullet Pro is your superhero. This pint-sized workhorse is designed to slip into the smallest corner of your kitchen, but its 900-watt motor can nearly match that of a full-sized blender. 

Across our tests, the NutriBullet Pro came out as a high-performing standout, clinching top scores in three out of four trials. It's not just quick; it's lightning-fast, delivering luxuriously smooth protein shakes within just 40 seconds. 

In under a minute, it also could turn all of our frosty ingredients into a superbly smooth smoothie; while tiny specks of raspberry skin and strawberry seeds remained, these did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the drink. In fact, some other blenders can yield comparable results, but they tend to require additional effort like shaking or stirring to put all the food in contact with their blades.

More impressively, even the most stubborn greens kneel to its blending might, becoming flawlessly smooth in 20 seconds. As for ice, it could turn a full 12-ounce load into powdery snow before you can count to forty—a magical feat that remains unrivaled. 

Design-wise,  the NutriBullet Pro impresses with a robust scratch-resistant body and a six high-quality prongs blade.It offers the convenience of hands-free operation, eliminating the need to apply constant pressure during use. And from the word go, the stability of the four silicone feet was immediately noticeable. We rarely found ourselves needing to steady the unit with our hands.

Read our full NutriBullet Pro 900 W Personal Blender in-depth review

2. Best Multi-Speed: Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Personal Blender

$84.93

(Price at time of publish)

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While comparable in price to the NutriBullet, the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro comes with a sleeker, more technologically advanced design. It also steals the spotlight with programmable blending presets that, unlike most, do live up to their promise. However, these advancements come with trade-offs—namely a heftier size and the lack of the typical sporty aesthetic of a bullet blender.

Our testing suggested that the Ninja BN401 doesn’t quite measure up to our top pick when blending raw nuts and dried fruits—resulting in a somewhat grainier consistency in its protein shakes within a one-minute blend. However, the shake was still smooth enough and easy to drink. 

With tasks like pulverizing frozen ingredients, leafy greens, or ice, the BN401 not only kept up with, but surpassed the competition. It consistently delivered flawless results, often within a minute or even less. Its ice-crushing performance was also second to none; where it could turn 6 oz of whole ice cubes into a snow-like consistency in an astonishing 14 seconds— —a benchmark that even the NutriBullet couldn’t reach.

Like the NutriBullet, throughout the blending process, it ensured excellent ingredient circulation and never got clogged up with food chunks. Not only this, but it is also very easy to use, with hands-free operation, easy assembly, and intuitive cleaning. Removing the cup required minimal force—it locks and detaches easily, even when you have wet or oily hands.

Read our full Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Personal Blender in-depth review

3. Best Affordable: Koios Pro 850W Bullet Personal Blender

$60.22

(Price at time of publish)

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The KOIOS 850W Bullet seems to be a cost-effective choice for those seeking a reliable appliance for simple, standard blending tasks without the hefty price tag of premium brands like NutriBullet and Ninja BN401. 

In our tests, The KOIOS handled frozen fruits pretty well, turning everything into a soft-serve consistency in as little as a minute and a half. Its blade has a rotation speed that is fairly quick for the class so it shouldn’t be surprising that this blender can make a good breakfast or post-workout protein shake within a brief span. 

When it came to processing fibrous greens, including spinach, kale, and celery, however, the blender failed to draw ingredients toward the blades itself. For a thorough blend, we had to cut the ingredients into smaller chunks, yet the mixture still came out grainy with visible kale bits.

The KOIOS Bullet is also not good at crushing ice cubes, but we expected as much from a mid-range personal blender. Just keep this fact in mind when considering whether to purchase this unit.

In terms of build quality, this blender is made from mostly medium-grade plastic, and the rather flimsy-looking motor base surprised us with its stability. While the blending cups and blade assembly could be more robust, these compromises seem justifiable given the blender's cost.

Read our full Koios Pro 850W Bullet Personal Blender in-depth review

Factors to Consider

When selecting a bullet blender, it's crucial to balance your needs with the features offered. Here's a concise guide to inform your purchase:

• Bullet blender’s Types: Corded models are typically more powerful , so they can handle more versatile blending projects with consistency. Meanwhile, cordless bullet blenders are valuable for their mobility. However, they may not match the power output of corded models. Plus, their battery life is limited and they take time to recharge. 
• Motor power: Low-power (100-400 watts) is adequate for simple smoothies, mid-power (400-700 watts) covers more ingredients, and high-power (over 700 watts) excels at tough tasks like ice crushing. Higher power generally equates to better performance.
• Blade: Blade efficiency in bullet blenders hinges on material, prong count, and design. More prongs allow for faster and smoother blends. Larger, curved blades create a vortex for superior ingredient incorporation. 
• Speed control: Single-speed units are less expensive and straightforward, while multi-speed units with presets don't necessarily outperform their simpler counterparts. This suggests added complexity may not warrant extra expense.
• Blending cup: The key feature is the cup’s opening: wider mouths of at least 3 inches ease ingredient addition, allowing for whole fruits and effortless mixing.

For a deeper dive into making the best bullet blender choice, explore our comprehensive buying guide.

Our Expertise 

Tina is a seasoned tester who’s been with us at HealthyKitchen101 since 2018. She brings with her a wealth of experience in different types of blenders including immersion, personal, and full-sized models. Her most recent testing initiative was a result of her collaboration with Chef Tuyet Pham and Test Lead Lap Vo. Together, they conducted in-depth research, developed a test process, and analyzed the recipes. 

Over the course of two years, Tina and her team have tested more than 35 blenders using a combination of laboratory-style testing and real-world usage scenarios. They wanted to evaluate the appliances not only in their new condition but also after months of regular use. Their methodical execution and attention to detail resulted in accurate and reliable testing results.