A fresh smoothie at camp beats another muesli bar. On a few trips to the Blue Mountains and Capertee we packed fresh fruit from home in Sydney and blended it at camp with the Ninja Blast, a rechargeable portable blender that doubles as a travel cup.
We already use the NutriBullet Flip, so this review also tells you how the two compare.
What’s in the box
A cordless blender with a motor base, a six-blade stainless steel assembly and a 470 ml BPA-free jar. The lid has a one-handed easy-open sip spout and an integrated carry handle. It charges by USB-C, and a short charging cable comes in the box.
What we like
- Great blending, 6 stainless blades
- Blender and travel cup in one
- One-handed sip lid, carry handle
- Around 12 blends per charge
- Quick self-clean with soap and water
- Top-rack dishwasher-safe parts
What we don’t
- Thick mixes need extra liquid
- Base stays on, slightly bulky
- Short charging cable
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | Ninja |
| Capacity | 470 ml jar410 ml max fill |
| Material | BPA-free plastic jar |
| Weight | 765 g |
| Lid | Leak-proofOne-handed sip lidCarry handle |
| Blades | 6-blade stainless steel assembly |
| Blending cycle | 30 seconds |
| Blends per charge | Around 12 |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Cleaning | Self-cleaning modeTop-rack dishwasher safe |
How it works
It’s easy to use. Put the fruit in the jar, close the lid, and when the button glows solid purple, one press runs a 30-second blend. A sticker on the side explains the other light colours, such as flashing white when the jar and base aren’t lined up and solid yellow for low battery.
Once it’s blended, you flip open the sip lid with one hand and drink straight from it. The motor base stays on the jar while you drink, so you’re holding the whole unit, which makes it slightly bulky as a cup. The integrated carry handle makes up for some of that.
Blending
The six-blade stainless steel assembly and punchy motor give it great blending performance. We cut up an apple and a plum on the camp table, dropped them in the jar, and the Ninja Blast turned them into a proper smoothie.
Thicker recipes like pesto or dense protein mixes are a different story. They often need extra liquid to keep the blades from getting stuck. It’s not for hot liquids either.
Battery and charging
A single charge gives us around 12 blending cycles, which covers a weekend away. It charges by USB-C, so we topped it up from the USB port in the car between camps. A green light flashes while it charges and stays solid green when it’s full. The charging cable in the box is short, so a longer USB-C cable of your own is handy.
Cleaning and packing
It’s pretty easy to clean. The quick self-cleaning mode is handy at camp: blend a drop of soap with some water, then rinse. At home the parts can go on the top rack of the dishwasher.
The carry handle is handy in the car too. We hung it from the hooks in the back. It feels solid, though less so than the NutriBullet Flip.
Compared with the NutriBullet Flipvs NutriBullet Flip
We paid about $100 for each, and both blend really well. The NutriBullet Flip feels more solid, its insulated cup keeps a smoothie cold in the fridge overnight, and its motor lid comes off so you drink from a lighter cup. The Ninja Blast is lighter overall, has a one-handed sip lid and a carry handle, and its parts are dishwasher safe.
This review Ninja Blast |  NutriBullet Flip | |
|---|---|---|
| Insulated | No | Yes |
| Drink without the motor | No | Yes |
| Cup | 470 ml plastic | 590 ml stainless steel |
| Blends per charge | Around 12 | Up to 12 |
| Build | Solid | More solid |
| Weight | 765 g | 925 g |
| Price paid | About $100 | $100 |
| Our score | 8.6 | 8.7 |
Conclusion: Ninja Blast Portable BlenderConclusion
The Ninja Blast has great blending performance, doubles as a travel cup with a one-handed sip lid and carry handle, gives around 12 blends per charge and is pretty easy to clean. Thick mixes need extra liquid, it’s not for hot liquids, the motor base stays on while you drink and the charging cable is short. For about $100, it’s a great portable blender for car campers, 4WD tourers and van-lifers who like a fresh smoothie at camp.
A punchy portable blender with six stainless steel blades, a one-handed sip lid and around 12 blends per charge.
Thick mixes need extra liquid, the motor base stays on while you drink and the charging cable is short. It’s a great way to have fresh smoothies at camp.
- Car campers
- 4WD tourers
- Van-lifers
Yes. I paid about $100, and for that you get a blender that blends really well, doubles as a travel cup and is pretty easy to clean.
