Nutribullets have been at the heart of my kitchen for a long time. The slick design, speedy blending, and convenient features are displayed no better than on the original, their Series 600 model.
Since the Series 600 is Nutribullet's iconic blender, I was keen to get it tested against the other best blenders on the market. As soon as I could get one, I took it to our test kitchen to put it through our range of tests. I made smoothies using berries and spinach; smooth hummus; and attempted to crush ice.
Over the course of my tests, I was reminded why Nutribullets are so great for some people and not so great for others. There's no denying it, the Series 600 makes a killer smoothie. The dips it makes are great, too. However, if you need to crush ice or use hot ingredients, you need to consider Ninja or Vitamix for better results.
Specifications
Unboxing
The Nutribullet is easy to unbox and get set up. It comes in essentially two parts: the motor and the 24 oz blending cup. Nutribullet also provides a sealable lid, so if you need to take your smoothie on the go, or save some for later, you can. They also give you a smaller, 18 oz short cup with a handle, and a sheet with some helpful recipes to get you started. Overall, it’s a great way to start.
Who would it suit?
Nutribullets suit smoothie enthusiasts and dedicated dip makers. They're quick to set up, can blend through frozen fruits, fibrous veg, and skins easily. Plus, they come with a useful lid, so if you're someone who prefers a batch blend, you can save some for later.
However, if you’ll be using ice in cocktails or for snow cones, you'll need a different blender. Bullet blenders really struggle to crush and shave ice. It’s also no good for making soups, unless you’re happy roasting vegetables to let them cool, to blend them, to then heat them up again. If you put hot food in your Nutribullet you risk a range of hazards and disasters, from nasty explosions to cracked blending cups.
What is it like to use?
I love the simplicity of Nutribullet’s design. It’s a matter of filling the blending cup, screwing the base on — tightly to avoid spills — and then pressing and twisting it into place. Nutribullets have just a single speed, but, if you don’t lock it into place, you can press and depress the bullet to act as a ‘pulse’.
Test 1: smoothie
I put frozen fruit, spinach, and oat milk into the blending cup, locked it down and let the Nutribullet get to work. It was quick and efficient at making a smooth drink. The spinach had been blended into nothing and, although there were a few seeds visible, I couldn’t feel these when I drank them. I got our other expert tester, Emilia, to double check this and she agreed. It was perfect.
I have one of these at home and, from long-term usage, I’ve noticed that you get a much better blend if you stack your ingredients according to how heavy they are. I always put my leafy greens in last (closest to the blades) and soft fruit, such as banana in first. If you do it the other way around, you’ll see your final drink has a rougher, less thoroughly blended texture.
Test 2: hummus
It’s great if your blender can tackle dips as well as drinks, so I tested the Nutribullet out on hummus. Breaking down chickpeas into a smooth paste can take some skill, so it’s always a good indicator of how thorough a blender is.
I put a can of chickpeas, tablespoon of tahini, squeeze of lemon juice, teaspoon of cumin, and some salt into the blending cup. The nature of the bullet’s shape meant that I had to stop the Nutribullet and shake or mix it a little to make sure every part of the hummus was blended, but, within a couple of minutes, I had some good hummus. It was the smoothest hummus I’ve made with a bullet blender, even though I did have to interfere a little.
Test 3: crushing ice
I really wanted the Nutribullet to be an excellent ice crusher. It would complete the blender test trifecta perfectly. However, as with most other bullet blenders, the Nutribullet missed the mark. I added some water to help it crush the ice cubes and ended up with a little bit of slush at the bottom, but nothing worth using. The picture above makes it look much more successful than it was. Below the first layer of slush are ice cubes, nothing that you could use for smoothies, for example.
Don’t be put off as this can still blend up frozen fruit, but when it comes to solid ice, you’ll need a different model.
Cleaning, storage, and maintenance
Cleaning the Nutribullet cup is easy. It’s dishwasher safe, so you can throw it in and forget about it. I would recommend taking some time over cleaning the base and rubber seal though, because these are easy places for food and remnants to get trapped. Try not to expose the blending cups to high temperatures too, because they will crack or permanently discolor. I speak from sad experience, although the replacement cups are easily available.
When you’re finished with the Nutribullet, it’s subtle enough to keep on display. Fully assembled, it’s quite tall, but not so much that it couldn’t sit under wall cabinets. If you choose to keep it in a cupboard, just make sure you don’t misplace the rubber seal.
How does it rate online?
Nutribullet’s reputation is founded on a vast array of excellent reviews. It has 4.7 stars out of over 2,000 reviews on Amazon. I found plenty of people who had used theirs for well over five years, which is an impressive lifespan considering the price of these blenders.
The main issue people had was that it tires when trying to blend ice (and pomegranate according to one reviewer). I found a few who wanted a bigger capacity, but I would issue a word of warning here: bigger capacity isn’t necessarily a good thing. Bullet blenders struggle to get through lots of ingredients stacked up high, so if you pack a tall blending cup to the top, you’ll get sub-par results.
How does it compare?
There are two comparisons to make: between the Series 600 and other Nutribullets and between the 600 Series and alternative bullet blenders.
At home, I have the 900 Series. The biggest difference between Nutribullet’s 600 and 900 Series is power. I often blend ginger, stems, and leafy greens, so my smoothie needs justify a more powerful model. However, if you make mostly fruity smoothies, you won’t need the extra 300 Watts of power. If you're interested, we've covered Nutribullet vs Nutribullet Pro goign into to depth about the differences in performance, including the Series 900’s more diverse range of color options and larger 32 oz capacity.
Ninja and Magic Bullet also make some good bullet blenders. Magic Bullets tend to feel like less premium, less durable versions of Nutribullets. Ninja’s Nutri-Blender Plus is a strong opponent for the Series 600. It makes a good smoothie, has another 100 watts of power, and is better at crushing ice. It also comes with three 20 oz blending jars and two to go lids, so is more versatile. Reviewers say that it doesn’t feel as well-built as the Ninja. That’s reflected in the price; the 600 Series is normally around $70 from Nutribullet.
On a final note with comparisons, if you’ll be blending soups, there are some excellent options on the market. Vitamix are best known for their heating blenders, but if you want to be savvy, here’s some insider advice. I use the Ninja Foodi Heat-iQ. It’s a game-changing blender with sauté, smooth soup, chunky soup, ice cream, jelly, and more functions. Plus, it’s a lot cheaper too.
Should you buy it?
If all you're making is smoothies, this is a brilliant blender. It's elegant and extremely easy to use. It’s definitely better than basic, but not ultra-refined; it can’t blend at different speeds and struggles with thicker mixes and dips. This criticism might put you off, but I test blenders for a living, and I still love my Nutribullet.
How we test
At Homes & Gardens we like to know everything there is to know about a blender before we recommend it to you. Our team of expert testers took the Nutribullet to our dedicated test kitchen where we put it though our series of standardized tests. We make a smoothie, hummus, and try to crush ice. If there are extra features, we'll test them too.
Our team make notes on other parts of the blender experience, so you know what it's like to unbox, clean, and store too. We leave nothing unchecked, so you know everything you need to before jumping in to a purchase. If you'd like to know more, you can visit our dedicated page for how we test blenders.
