Blenders are one of the most prized possessions in any kitchen or home. This is not just for the fitness enthusiasts who are keen to brew up their green concoctions but rather for all refinement applications from snow cones to yummy smoothies. There are many options on the market with each manufacturer claiming to be the ultimate solution to perfect blending. Choosing the right one for your home among these will ensure quality blends with just the perfect texture and integration levels.
The Ninja range of blenders is not at all new on the market. The brand has a wide variety to choose from with different power settings and unique features. Each model upgrade has brought about more and more impressive features aimed at giving users an efficient blending tool. Let’s just take a closer look at the Ninja BL456 blenders and how they can improve your smoothies and healthy mixes.
With over 2000 user reviews on amazon, it’s no surprise that this particular blender has become a favorite in households across the globe. The blender combines multiple unique features that far outpace any other competing blender on the market even among the Ninja range itself.
Basic Operation
The Ninja blender BL456 is pulse sensitive i.e., it blends when prompted by a depressing force from the operator. Once the operator releases the top, it instantly cuts out its rotation and effectively stops blending. The motor can produce up to 21K revolutions per minute on the blades which facilitate quick operations lasting only about a minute. Users should however allow the device to cool off for 3 – 5 minutes after each session to protect it from heat damage. This allows a more precise blend level customized to the preference of the operator. The blender ensures thorough nutrient and vitamin extraction from food through highly refined and uniformly broken blends that are easily palatable.
Power Setting
The main targeted use intended for the blender will determine the requisite power. Less vigorous uses such as salad dressings and whisking will of course demands a less powerful rotation while the more rigorous uses like seeds and ice crushing will require much higher power. Most users of these gadgets buy them with a particular purpose in mind; therefore, this choice might be easier to make. The lighter applications can be executed effectively with 500 watts of power or less. Upwards of 800 watts will be needed for heavier applications.
While choosing a blender based on its power setting is convenient, it’s not really as decisive as one may think. What happens if you do decide to crush some tough ingredients after all? Get another blender? It won’t end up being so practical after all. A little more consideration is necessary. Modern blenders like this BL456 range come with adjustable rotary speeds. This means that even a high power blender can be set to a lower rotary speed.
Cost Considerations
Before we even consider the operation or features of the blender, the price tag alone is a big determining factor. No one wants to spend a fortune on such a small kitchen gadget. The availability of several other competitors also makes the pricing more significant when making the selection. Of course, most of the competing devices are of lesser quality and come from the weaker or less common brands. The price should however not be considered as a stand-alone. Rather, contrast the power capabilities of the blender with its price tag.
In this regard, the Ninja BL456 comes off as an attractive cost-saving choice. It is very affordable considering its high power rating of 900 watts which makes it a heavy-duty device for tougher applications such as ice and seed crushing. The blender ranges between a retail price of $60 and $70 depending on buyer location and shipping distances. Other products of the same quality and power range are going for much more than this, which gives the Ninja an advantageous edge on the market.
Crushing Elements
Newer blender designs are opting for more complex blades or crushing elements. Funny enough, more blades do not necessarily mean better functionality. In fact, the blade arrangement and design is more critical in this regard. The Ninja BL456 comes with four blades intricately arranged to effectively mash up the contents of the jug. These are made of toughened stainless steel that ensures a long-lasting form without denting or deforming.
As stated before, it’s not really necessary to have more blends in the device. Crowding out the interior can easily result in clogging, which reduces the crushing effect of the blades. Minimum blades allow the contents to move around and descend onto the path of the rotating blades. The ninja blade mounting is solid and firm enough to ensure proper mixing and crushing at both high and low power settings.
Abilities
The versatility of your blender is key. Without this, you just might end up with several of them, each one with its own unique applications. The ninja is therefore unique for its multi-purpose abilities. You can use it for making fruit mixes, sauces and even for grinding hard and dry items like coffee beans.
Capacity
Your blender capacity determines the limiting factor when it comes to household applications. Most blender users are however restricted to smaller quantities; however, occasional applications can demand more blended quantitates. The size of the family or household is therefore to be considered when selecting an appropriate device. Similarly however, using an oversized container is not at all ideal and efficient. Better yet, a blender that can be alternated between different sized containers makes more practical sense.
The ninja blender offers its clients dual sized containers. These two are designated as small and standard, and they can take approximately 0.5 and 0.7 liters respectively. This ensures a more appropriate selection of container depending on the intended application. Increasing this capacity will affect the efficiency of the blender hence, this arrangement has been deemed to be the most optimum for domestic use. The containers also act as convenient beakers for measuring recipe ingredients. Overall, it measures a square 4-inch base dimension and a rise of nearly 15 inches.
Power Consumption
The modern drive to go green is no small matter. It’s always a good idea to consider the power being guzzled up by your device and if it’s all really worth it. The Ninja uses an optimized power motor that yields the highest rotary motion from the most minimal current. As minor as this may be, it actually has a cumulative positive effect on the environment and of course your power bill.
After Sales Services
Nothing can be more frustrating than failing to get customer support after purchasing a product. The Ninja manufacturer however is readily available to sort out any issues rising from the operation or functionality of their product. Tech support is readily available on their website through email and live chat platforms. Amazon also offers free tech support to customers of the whole Ninja range.
The manufacturer has a cool one year warranty for the motor in the event of complications as long as there hasn’t been any hardware tampering. Parts of the blender itself are also easily accessible and replaceable whether from retailers or the manufacturer himself.
Security, Safety and Maintenance
Never underestimate the need for safety and security when operating power gadgets. Many people have been injured or electrified unawares while using common devices and gadgets like irons and these blenders. The presence of a powered motor combined with delicate casings and rotating blades makes the hazards of the blender even more real.
The container of the Ninja blender is firmly affixed to its base for safe operations to avoid vibration dislodging. Sufficient sealing and covers ensure that no spillages are experienced which may ruin that pristinely clean workspace.
The plug top and wire connections for the blender are heavily insulated for surge protection and heat retention. This is pretty necessary considering the somewhat high current flow demanded by the device, especially at high power settings and operations.
You can clean up your blender components safely in the dishwasher. The whole assembly is easy to take apart and clean up individually for more thorough scouring. Just take care to rinse it thoroughly to avoid lingering food and soap bits that could spoil your next blend. The components are also BPA free hence quite suitable for family use without any health concerns.
Interesting Extras
Recipes – to prove that the blender is really up to any task, the Ninja BL456 blender comes with a set of seventy-five relevant recipes. These range from light snack ideas to tasty and innovative recipes for both regular and fitness-oriented diets. This set of instructions will also help the creative cooks to adapt their own ideas using the recipes as an operational guideline. It also gives practical demonstrations of the blender with more relatable applications laid out in the mini-book.
Portable containers – the detachable blending containers are convenient for a quick blend and go application. Having to shift containers is not only messy but also pretty cumbersome. One can simply whisk up the desired concoction and head out for the run or to work without much hustle.
Cons
The blender has been criticized a bit for its semi-automatic operation. This has however been pretty subjective as some users actually recommended the device for this because it gives more control and simplicity to the operator.
Verdict
The Ninja BL456 blender is definitely a good addition to any household. It is absolutely recommended, especially for the more compact spaces and tougher operations due to its robust nature and powerful drive. It however may not be ideal for more extensive operations such as commercial use or large household. All in all, it is a good value for money, especially considering the high quality of blend produced and its durability.
