Few things beat an ice-cold smoothie with all your favorite ingredients, whether mangos, yogurt or even kale. While you can shell out big bucks for a custom smoothie at a restaurant or smoothie stand, it’s more cost-effective and sometimes more fun to blend your own at home.
Any blender can pulverize ingredients, but it takes a capable model to achieve the ideal consistency. The NutriBullet Blender Combo, powered by a 1,200-watt motor, promises to create fully blended smoothies as well as soups, nut butters, sauces and more. The blender comes with a pair of single-serve cups so users can enjoy blended delights on the go.
We wanted to see whether the NutriBullet Blender Combo delivers on its promise of blending tasty and nutritious meals, so we decided to test it for a year. Here’s what we found.
We tested the NutriBullet Combo Blender for over a year with someone who makes nutrient-dense smoothies daily. They typically use a wide variety of fresh and frozen fruits, as well as vegetables like kale, spinach and avocado. The tester also occasionally purees food to make dishes like applesauce and hummus.
Before using the NutriBullet Combo Blender, they used an older Cuisinart blender. They’ve also tried other blenders, ranging from affordable personal blenders to professional-grade Vitamix blenders.
Marketed as a powerful precision blender, the NutriBullet Combo Blender promises next-level nutrient extraction and smoothly blended consistencies. It’s described as a beginner-friendly model that has the power of a premium blender while still being a mid-range option.
What sets the NutriBullet Blender Combo apart from comparable blenders is that it offers seamless transitions between a 64-ounce pitcher, 24-ounce handled cup and 32-ounce bottle. The cup and bottle, which come with flip-top to-go lids, conveniently snap into the base just like the pitcher. As a result, users forego the hassle of cleaning both a pitcher and to-go cup for single servings, which is often the case for regular blender systems.
The NutriBullet Blender Combo is easy to set up, and users only need to wash the blade and BPA-free containers before use. The blender has a user-friendly design with six buttons, and for those who need a little help with basic blending, there’s a quick-start guide with simple recipes.
We tested the NutriBullet with fresh and frozen foods to assess its blending efficiency. Softer foods such as bananas and avocados were blended within seconds. We were impressed by how quickly the blender broke down fibrous foods such as kale, spinach and celery. It handled frozen fruit and nuts effortlessly. However, we noticed blending took a bit longer and operation was notably louder with frozen foods.
The blender is equipped with a multidirectional blade and 1,200-watt motor that pulverizes everything from leafy greens to nuts. It offers precision control with three speed settings as well as dedicated extract and pulse functions.
The NutriBullet Blender Combo functions as a personal and deluxe blender. It comes with three interchangeable containers to create either single or multiple servings, all of which are top-rack dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
The NutriBullet Blender Combo is durably made with a stable base that won’t dance across countertops, including during tougher blending tasks. The containers are BPA-free plastic, and the blade is high-grade stainless steel.
Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender
The Vitamix 750 blender is a restaurant-quality model equipped with 10 speed settings and five preprogrammed functions. Besides blending the usual suspects like smoothies and sauces, the Vitamix 750 is capable of blending frozen desserts and beverages as well as hot soups.
Sold by Amazon
Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System Blender/Food Processor
Ninja’s all-in-one kitchen system is a superb choice for those who want to pare down their appliances without compromising on versatility. It comes with a 72-ounce pitcher and 8-cup food processor bowl, as well as two 16-ounce to-go cups. Best of all, most components are dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Amazon
Hamilton Beach 58148A Power Elite Blender
This Hamilton Beach blender is an affordable introductory model equipped with 12 preprogrammed functions, ranging from milkshakes to crushed ice. It comes with a 40-ounce pitcher with an easy-pour spout lid, and all components are dishwasher-safe.
Sold by Amazon
Oster My Blend Blender with Travel Sport Bottle
The single-serve Oster blender whips up smoothies and protein shakes in a minute or less. The unique design features a 20-ounce sports bottle that snaps into the base for quick and easy blending. It has a small footprint, making it handy for offices and dorms.
Sold by Amazon
The NutriBullet Combo Blender retails for around $149.99.
You can purchase the NutriBullet Combo Blender at Amazon, Kohl’s and Macy’s.
We were impressed with how capable the NutriBullet Blender Combo is. It’s powerful and efficient, outperforming other blenders we’ve tried short of restaurant-grade blenders like the Vitamix. We also appreciated the blender’s modern design.
The NutriBullet is user-friendly and offers more control over blending than we expected. It was easy to achieve the right consistencies for our favorite meals, including soups, smoothies and pureed dishes. No matter what we made, all ingredients were well-blended and incorporated.
The NutriBullet Blender Combo handles dense ingredients better than several comparable blenders we’ve used. The motor doesn’t strain or shudder with ice, frozen fruit, root vegetables or nuts. Instead, the extractor blade slices and pulverizes them with ease.
Although the NutriBullet Blender Combo has a convenient design in many ways, it’s not the easiest to keep clean. It’s not unusual for the pitcher or cups to retain residue, even after thoroughly washing, and the blender’s crevices accumulate dirt and grease.
Some users felt the NutriBullet Blender Combo was inconsistent in blending, and occasionally, it left behind large or fibrous chunks. This was particularly noticeable in blended meals with thinner consistencies, such as smoothies and soups.
While the NutriBullet Blender Combo is durably made, there are isolated reports that it deteriorates over time. A few users stated the blades eventually malfunctioned, and others said the blender operates more loudly after several months of regular use.
Based on our experience with the NutriBullet Blender Combo, we feel it excels at creating delicious, nutrient-dense meals. It’s a powerful appliance that gives users full control over blending and extraction, making it easy to customize recipes and consistencies.
The NutriBullet Blender Combo is a smart investment for individuals seeking a versatile, user-friendly blender that can whip up a wide variety of fruit- and veggie-based meals. Given its space-saving, two-in-one design, the blender is also suitable for small spaces, including dorms, apartments and RVs.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
