Which Ninja Blender is Best for Smoothie Bowls? Definitely This One!

Smoothies are a popular drink that allows you to enjoy a healthy drink on the go. It’s also a great way for people who don’t consume enough fruits and vegetable to mix to blend as many as they can into one cup to get all the nutrients their body needs.

Smoothies are made using a blender, and for the most part, any blender would do. Although, if you’re going to blend in frozen fruits/veggies, you’ll want a high power blender that can handle the task.

In this post, we’re going to look at the Ninja Foodi SS101 Smoothie Bowl Maker, what it does, what other things you can do with it and if it’s the right choice for you.

What Is Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker?

Before we get into this Ninja Foodi Blender, which is also known as the ‘Power Nutri Duo’ let’s talk about what a Smoothie Bowl is.

Photo Credit: CrowdedKitchen.com

Smoothie bowl, contains the same ingredients a smoothie would have, the bigger difference between them is texture. A smoothie bowl is much thicker, and it’s consumed with a spoon, it is a lot like eating an ice cream bowl, as opposed to a smoothie that is drinkable.

That said, let’s have a look at the Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker

Sale
Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker & Nutrient Extractor* 1200 WP, 6 Functions Smoothies, Extractions*, Spreads, smartTORQUE, 14-oz. , (2) To-Go Cups & Lids, Silver
  • THICK SMOOTHIE BOWLS: 14-oz. Smoothie Bowl Maker with built-in tamper blends and powers through frozen foods with less liquid for perfectly thick smoothie bowls, nut butters, and blender ice cream.
  • SMOOTH NUTRIENT EXTRACTIONS: 24-oz. Nutrient Extraction Cup with better breakdown for smoother extractions, smoothies, and frozen drinks (vs. BL480). (Extract a drink containing vitamins and nutrients from fruits and vegetables.)
  • SMARTTORQUE TECHNOLOGY: Powerful 1200-peak-watt power-dense motor that powers through heavy loads without stalling or the need to stir or shake.
  • 6 VERSATILE FUNCTIONS: 6 programs for one-touch blend, pulse, smoothies, extractions, bowls, and spreads.
  • AUTO-IQ TECHNOLOGY: take the guesswork out of drink making with intelligent programs that combine unique timed pulsing, blending, and pausing patterns that do the work for you.

Before we look at the attachments of this blender, let’s talk about the base, which is the heart of any blender. The Ninja Foodi SS101 has a 1200-peak watts motor base that is able to power through any ingredients, tough or frozen, and turn them into a thick spoonable smoothie bowl. It features ‘Smart Torque’ technology, which is designed to work a heavy load of ingredients without the need to shake or stir half way through blending.

There are four programs on the Ninja Foodi SS101, two ‘spoonable’ and two ‘drinkable’ selections. Spoonable options are Bowl and Spread, and the drinkable options are Extract or Smoothie. There’s also Pulse option.

What can you make with each of these options?

  • Spoonables include smoothie bowls, nut butters, or frozen treats like ice creams or sorbets.
  • Drinkables include smoothies, frozen drinks, or extractions (Which are juice-like recipes).

Now let’s talk about the included attachments:

14oz smoothie bowl maker: This will look like any cup at first glance. But if you look closely, you’ll see that it has special paddles on the inside, or a built-in tamper that will blend through ingredients like frozen foods without the need for a lot of liquid or the need to pause and shake the bowl. This leads to the perfect smoothie bowl consistency. It also works nicely for nut butters and ice creams.

You’ll also get two 24oz cups with the extractor blade which are used for anything drinkable. Smoothies, frozen drinks, protein shakes and more. These cups can also be used for chopping smaller ingredients like salsa, for example.

The Ninja Foodi S101 does not contain a full pitcher.

How Is It Different Than Other Ninja Blenders?

So, how is this Ninja Foodi smoothie bowl maker different than any other blender out there? Including Ninja’s own blenders?

Truth is, you can make a smoothie bowl, smoothie drink or frozen drinks or treats using any type of blender, but preferably a powerful one with 1000-watts power or more. But why go for something like the Ninja Foodi smoothie maker?

What makes this blender especially good for smoothie bowls is the bowl attachment which has the built-in tamper. When making a smoothie bowl, you are going to use less liquid, which is part of why the texture of smoothie bowls is so thick. With most blenders, whether you are blending in a pitcher or a cup, using less liquid means that ingredients will get stuck and you’ll have to pause, shake or stir then continue blending until you get the desired textures.

Using Ninja Foodi’s bowl attachment with the built-in tamper eliminates the need to shake or stir, so you’ll get a smoothie bowl, nut butter or whatever thick-textured food you are making without the need to stop mid-blending.

This is the biggest advantage of this Ninja blender over others. So if you plan on making things like smoothie bowls, nut butters, hummus, ice creams, or even baby foods, this bowl attachment will be of great benefit to you.

However, if these recipes are not a priority to you, then you’ll probably be okay with any other high power blender.

Does The Ninja Smoothie Bowl Attachment Work with Other Ninja Blenders?

If you already have a Ninja Blender, especially if it’s one of the single-serve blenders, you might be wondering if you would be able to fit the bowl attachment to it? The cups look a lot similar, but unfortunately, the smoothie bowl attachment will only work with a Ninja Foodi blender. This includes Ninja Foodi Bowl Maker or Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher System.

Where to Find Replacement Parts – Additional Parts for Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker?

Additional cups or accessories can be purchased either on Amazon or directly from Ninja.

You can buy additional bowl makers in a larger size (18 oz), or you can buy bowls (14oz, 18oz) with storage lids. Storage lids are sold on their own, too. As well as many parts that you might need replaced.

Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker vs. Power Blender (SS101 vs. SS351) – What’s the Difference?

Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker & Nutrient Extractor* 1200 WP, 6 Functions Smoothies, Extractions*, Spreads, smartTORQUE, 14-oz. , (2) To-Go Cups & Lids, Silver
Ninja SS351 Foodi Power Pitcher System, Smoothie Bowl Maker, 4in1 Blender + Food Processor, Single Serve Blender 1400WP smartTORQUE 6 Auto-iQ Presets (Renewed)
Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker & Nutrient Extractor* 1200 WP, 6 Functions Smoothies, Extractions*, Spreads, smartTORQUE, 14-oz. , (2) To-Go Cups & Lids, Silver
Ninja SS351 Foodi Power Pitcher System, Smoothie Bowl Maker, 4in1 Blender + Food Processor, Single Serve Blender 1400WP smartTORQUE 6 Auto-iQ Presets (Renewed)
Programs
4
6
Included Accessories
14 oz Bowl + Two 24 oz Cups
72 oz pitcher, 14oz bowl, one 24oz cup
Blades
Nutrient Extractor Blade
Ice Crushing blade, Dough Blade, Nutrient Extractor Blade
Power
1200-Watts
1400-Watts
Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker & Nutrient Extractor* 1200 WP, 6 Functions Smoothies, Extractions*, Spreads, smartTORQUE, 14-oz. , (2) To-Go Cups & Lids, Silver
Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker & Nutrient Extractor* 1200 WP, 6 Functions Smoothies, Extractions*, Spreads, smartTORQUE, 14-oz. , (2) To-Go Cups & Lids, Silver
Programs
4
Included Accessories
14 oz Bowl + Two 24 oz Cups
Blades
Nutrient Extractor Blade
Power
1200-Watts
Ninja SS351 Foodi Power Pitcher System, Smoothie Bowl Maker, 4in1 Blender + Food Processor, Single Serve Blender 1400WP smartTORQUE 6 Auto-iQ Presets (Renewed)
Ninja SS351 Foodi Power Pitcher System, Smoothie Bowl Maker, 4in1 Blender + Food Processor, Single Serve Blender 1400WP smartTORQUE 6 Auto-iQ Presets (Renewed)
Programs
6
Included Accessories
72 oz pitcher, 14oz bowl, one 24oz cup
Blades
Ice Crushing blade, Dough Blade, Nutrient Extractor Blade
Power
1400-Watts

One of the cons of the Smoothie Bowl Maker is that it does not include a full pitcher. If a full pitcher is something you require, then have a look at the Foodi Power Blender, which has all of the Smoothie Bowl Maker features and then some!

  • The Foodi Power Blender has 1400-watts power and it includes a full 72oz pitcher, 14oz smoothie bowl maker and 24oz cup.
  • The full pitcher has two attachments of its own, a crushing/blending blade and a dough blade which mimics the motion of kneading.
  • The base of the blender has 6 pre-set programs: extract, smoothie, bowl, spread, chop or dough. It also has variable speed knob for manual speed control. There’s also the Pulse option and a digital timer.

Obviously get a lot more out of the Foodi Power Blender: it makes smoothies, bowls, spreadables, drinks and even dough, in single serve or larger quantities. But it’s also almost double the price of the Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker. So you really have to know what you need here:

  • Will you be mostly making smoothie bowls in single serving? will it be cheaper to buy an additional larger bowl attachment or get a full pitcher instead?
  • Are you a baker? Will the kneading attachment make a difference to you?
  • Will you mostly be using the presets or do you need variable speed control?

Once you eliminate what you don’t really need, it will be easier for you to pick the right model. Also keep in mind that you can extend the work of your blender by buying additional parts.

Is the Ninja Foodi Blender (SS101 or SS351) Loud?

Yes, it is pretty loud, just like any high power blender. So be prepared that you might wake someone up from their sleep.

Ninja Foodi vs. Ninja Nutri with Auto iQ – What’s The Difference?

Ninja BL480D Nutri Personal Countertop Blender, Auto-iQ Technology, 1000-Watts, for Frozen Drinks, Smoothies, Sauces & More, with 18-oz. & 24-oz. To-Go Cups & Spout Lids, Black/Silver
  • MORE POWER: 1000-watt motor powers through the toughest ingredients and pulverizes ice to snow in seconds for creamy frozen drinks, smoothies, sauces, and more.
  • AUTO-IQ TECHNOLOGY: take the guesswork out of drink making with intelligent programs that combine unique timed pulsing, blending, and pausing patterns that do the work for you.
  • PROFESSIONAL BLADE PREFORMANCE: Pro Extractor Blades rotate at high speed to liquefy ingredients into smooth nutrient extractions, smoothies, and purees. Extract a drink containing vitamins and nutrients from fruits and vegetables
  • COMPACT & SIMPLE: So compact that it fits on any countertop, and has intuitive, easy-to-use controls.
  • EASY CLEAN UP: All parts are BPA free and dishwasher safe.

The Ninja Nutri is another personal blender with a powerful 1000-watts base, so plenty of power to break through most ingredients. It includes two cups, 18oz and 24oz. It’s one of Ninja’s older models, so there’s no bowl attachment.

It has two preset programs: blend or ultra blend. It’s perfect for smoothies, it can handle frozen fruits or tough ingredients, and it can liquify fruits, veggies or ice for juice-like consistency.

This is a great basic model if all you need is to make drinks or smoothies.

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