Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200 Review

Product Review: Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200

Price Range: $190-$215

Features:

• Smoothies, Bean Dips, and Bread Doughs are All Possible
• 1200 Watts of Blending Power
• Food Processor as Part of the Blender
• On the Go Blending Cups

 140 Character Summary:

The Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200 offers a whole swathe of blending choices, but is unable to do any one job perfectly. Overall 3/5 stars.

Pros: 

1. Jack of All Trades. With the Ninja Ultra Kitchen System, you are going to get a blender that covers just about every base in the blending market. Want a powerful blender with a large blending pitcher? Check. Want a food processor/blender combo? Check. Want a blender to make single serve smoothies? Check.
2. Powerful Blending. At 1200 Watts of Power and a 1.5 Horsepower motor, this machine is going to blend with vigor and speed. Fruits, beans, ice, and veggies will be finely chopped and liquidized if you so wish. Multiple blending speeds and a pulse setting to allow for as precise of a blend as you will need.
3. Price Point. Costing just shy of $200, the Ninja Ultra Kitchen System will not require a huge chunk of a paycheck to buy. While this would not make for a good starter blender, it would be a responsible choice if you are looking for a more powerful blender. While it lacks some of the features of the $400 Vitamix, it comes close in many fields.
4. Attractive Design. The Ninja 1200 Blender looks nice on a countertop. The blending base is well put together, and the black and gray colors are inconspicuous. The blending pitcher looks especially sharp with its square edges and right angles.
5. On the Go Smoothies. Most blenders above the $120 price point ditch the whole concept of single serve smoothies. Not the Ninja Ultra Kitchen System, it incorporates the traditional form of blending in large pitchers with the modern craze of single serve smoothies. Compared to the NutriBullet, the Ninja can hold its own. Smoothies come out the smoothest when making them in the single serve cups.
6. Cleanup is Simple Enough. Just remove the blending blades, rinse of the blades and the pitcher, and throw both into the dishwasher. You'll not encounter problems with little pieces of gunk catching beneath the blades since the blades are removable. All of the blending pitchers and blades wash easily in the dishwasher.

Cons: 

1. Blade Design. The tall blades in the 72 oz blending pitcher are not that great. They are sharp, and there are plenty of blades. However, the blades are not attached to the blender and can cause problems after finished with a blend. First of all, when pouring out drink contents with the lid off, the blades can easily fall out and cause a problem. Second, it is easy to accidentally prick yourself when handling these blades during the cleaning process.
2. Leafy Green Vegetables. If you want a perfect green smoothie made from kale or spinach, look elsewhere. The Ninja just can not get the job done, which is a real bummer. While it has all this power, it lacks sufficient vortex technology that the Vitamix employs to suck up all bits to the point of making everything into a complete liquid. You will end up having a smoothie with tiny bits of the green vegetables left over. Blending in single serve cups makes the problem less noticeable.
3. Food Processor. While it is nice to have this addition, it has a major design flaw. Most food processors have a feed chute to allow additions while chopping, the Ninja lacks this feed chute. If you already have a food processor, the Ninja will not offer anything better.
4. Noise and Stability. When you have a blender with a powerful motor, expect it to be noisy. For some reason, the Ninja Ultra seems especially noisy and unstable on the countertop. This is likely due to it not being 'heavy' enough to stabilize itself, instead relying on inferior suction cup technology for support.
5. Space Requirements. When you buy a blender that can do all these miracle tasks, it is going to take up a fair bit of space. Be ready to section off kitchen cabinet space for this machine, as it needs it. Both the 72 oz blending pitcher and food processor take up the most space.

Ninja Ultra 1200 vs. Nutri Ninja Blender

Price:

• More than $100 separates these blenders. For the Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200, you will be paying close to $200 for the complete package. The Nutri Ninja will cost you less than $80. For a $120 price difference, you really must weigh whether or not the Ninja Ultra justifies itself.

Design:

• One machine is compact, the other takes up a great deal of space. The Nutri Ninja will look the better blender on your kitchen countertop due to its sleek design. Both blenders are essentially the same when it comes to single serve design, so if that is your only interest, go with the Nutri Ninja as it looks nicer.

Functions:

• With the Ninja Nutri, you will only be able to make smoothies. The Ninja Ultra 1200 has so many more possibilities that it is almost no contest. Which makes the better smoothie? Both are about even, but the Ninja Ultra 1200 does have a bit more power behind it. When it comes to hummus, bread dough, chopped ice, or salsa, you will have to go with the Ninja Ultra.

Overall:

• If you are only interested in smoothies, save some money and go with the Nutri Ninja. If you want a Ninja Blender that can do all sorts of tasks in the kitchen, the Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200 well fits the bill. While the Ninja Ultra may be more powerful, the results of smoothies will come out near even. 

• Read My Full Review of the Nutri Ninja Blender

 

Value for Money? 

• The Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200 is a jack of all trades, but not quite a master of any of them. While it may be powerful and able to blend just about anything, it does no job perfectly. At a price point near $200, it does make for an attractive choice for someone looking to upgrade to a more traditional blender for a variety of tasks. Overall, the Ninja Ultra 1200 receives 3 out of 5 stars.

Where to Buy:

Amazon - Ninja Ultra Kitchen System 1200

Continue to Read Reviews at Amazon: 

"Very easy to use and operate." - B. Mosjd

"The Ninja is the best kitchen appliance I have ever bought!" - Jorden

"Quiet and has all the power we need to blend to enjoy smooth drinks." - Deborah Roslan