Blenders | Reviews

Nutri Ninja Auto IQ (BL480, BL481 and BL482)

Nutri Ninja Auto IQ BL482I recently reviewed the Nutri Ninja Pro, and the Nutribullet. Today I will be reviewing the Nutri Ninja Auto IQ which is an upgrade from the Nutri Ninja Pro.

I am also excited, because until now I have only reviewed blenders under $100. This will be my first blender over $100. But in reality there is no much difference in price between the two.

Nutri Ninja Pro was the actual competition of the Nutribullet.  WIth the Nutri NInja Pro you have to press the cup for it to blend. If you do not press the cup. the blending stops.

 

With the Nutri Ninja Auto IQ, you do not need to press the cup. You can make use of the AUTO IQ system which is an automatic system. Just by pressing one button the Ninja will do all the work for you. Press the desired AUTO IQ function, and the blender will pulse, blend and stop for a couple of seconds. Then it will start the process again. The total process lasts 60 seconds or less.

So you actually can press the button and continue doing other things in the kitchen. When the blender finishes processing, it will stop automatically.

 

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ is also a bit more powerful. It come with a 1000w motor instead of a 900w motor.

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ also comes with 3 cup sizes, and the largest is 32 oz. 

Read the Rest of the Review Below:

Nutribullet

The Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ  is a personal blender, IT is exactly the same as the Nutri Ninja, but it comes with 3 cups, that you can use to blend, and then take with you wherever you go. It is quite powerful and it comes with an AUTO IQ system that will do the work for you.

The Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ is hands free, as opposed to the Nutri Ninja Pro which you needed to hold. SO the BL480 series is similar to the Nutribullet., but more powerful.

The rest of the features of the  Nutri Ninja Auto IQ are similar to the Nutri Ninja Pro.

I must say that Ninja has come out with a couple of blenders with the Auto IQ technology. The Nutri Ninja is a personal  blender. The other ones are a counter top blender.

Nutri Ninja Auto IQ is not a juicer, but a nutrient extractor. It just blends all the contents, including the fiber.  It actually does a good job blending the fruits and vegetables. You cannot feel the pulp of the fruit, and even people have commented that you cannot feel the blackberry seeds.

Just a warning , that parts and accessories are not interchangeable with other Ninja models, but you can use the cups with the Nutri Ninja Pro. 

There are two versions of the Nutri Ninja Auto IQ

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ BL481
The Nutri Ninja  Auto IQ BL482.

 

The difference between the  two is an extra recipe book .

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ  comes with

  • 1000 Watt motor base
  • 18 oz. Nutri Ninja® Cup
  • 24 oz. Nutri Ninja® Cup
  • 32 oz. Nutri Ninja® Cup
  • 3 Sip & Seal™ Lids
  • Pro Extractor Blades™
  • Rachel Beller Healthy Living & Recipe Book (Eat to Lose, Eat to Win)

If you need more recipes, there are plenty of free recipes online.

 

In a hurry? Find Nutri Ninja Auto IQ here

 Versatility / Functionality

  TheNutri Ninja Auto IQ  is simple to operate. There are some buttons you can press to get the blender to work for you. Otherwise, you can also press the pulse button and it will work like the normal blender. But you will need to continue pressing the pulse button for it to work. So instead of pressing on the cup, you just press the pulse button.

Otherwise, you can just press the Blend or Ultra Blend buttons for the blender to blend without you having to do any work. When you press the blend buttons the blender will blend by itself. IT will pulse, blend for a while and then it will stop few seconds before starting again. 

 

Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ Review BBL482
Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ BL482

Nutri Ninja Pro Review

As mentioned above the Nutri Ninja is not a juicer, but they call it a vitamins and nutrient extractor. In simple words it pulverizes the fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds and combines it into a smooth drink. The longer you pulse the smoother and finer the drink.

The McDougall program does not recommend smoothies, but sometimes it is the only way to get your kids to eat vegetables and fruits. You can also use the blender to prepare sauces, dips , chopping, vegetables, blending and crushing ice or frozen fruits and vegetables.

The manufacturer claims the Nutri Ninja is good for :
smoothies
– Green smoothies
– Shakes
– Frozen drinks
Crushing ice-
– Soups – Prepare soup with cold water. Then transfer soup to a pot or microwave safe container to make it hot. Or prepare soup first, let it cool down and then blend. Do not pour hot liquids to the Nutri Ninja
Chopping
– Mixing
– Dressings and sauces
– Dips
– desserts, blending frozen fruit into ice creams.
– Blender will grind but the result cannot be compared against the result of a dedicated grinder.

This blender will not do nut butters

From the manual this is what the manufacturer says

Welcome to the Ninja® AUTO-iQ™ Experience! The Nutri Ninja® with AUTO-iQ™ features pre-programmed
settings that take the guesswork out of drink and meal making. These programs are timed to deliver
consistent, delicious results that finish on their own so all you have to do is press a button and enjoy!

Like all personal blenders, the Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ is very convenient. It is easy to use and clean. Buttons are simple to use. You can use the cup as a drinking cup or pour the mix into another drinking cup.

Same as with the Pro version, the The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ  needs liquid to function.  The cups also have a max line which indicates that you should fill the ingredients up to the maximum line. If you fill more than the max line then the cup may leak.

There were some complaints of people saying that the unit leaks.  Perhaps they overfilled the cup.  Some reviews also mentioned that the sip and seal lid does also leak. This could be a problem You need to ensure that you always carry it in a vertical position or that you pour the contents into your own container.

Nut butters in general are prepared with dry ingredients, the Nutri Ninja cannot handle it, unless you add some honey. But if you prefer just pure nut butter (no other ingredient) , then this blender will not serve that purpose.

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ Jar

The Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ  comes with three BPA free plastic cups.

In the standard version you get

  • 1x short cups size: 18 oz (0.53 liters) – used mainly for grinding, chopping and preparing food. This one is too small for smoothies.
  • 1 x long cup size: 24 oz (0.70 liters) – used for smoothies, salsas, dips, mixing.
  • 1 x extra long cup size 32 oz (0.94 liters) used for smoothies, salsas, dips, mixing.

 

The cups come with Sip & seal lids. The lids can be used to take your drink away.
Cups fit in a regular car cup holder.So you can prepare your drink, go out the door, and take the drink with you.
The cups are NOT microwave safe. All cups and lids are dishwasher safe on the top rack of the dishwasher.

You can always buy extra lids and extra cups. Check the accessories section.

Cups are interchangeable with the Nutri Ninja Pro.

The cups have a maximum line. You should never fill up the cup above this maximum line. The jars comes with the measurement lines.

The Nutri Ninja cups have little tabs at the top of the cup/mug that lock into the motor base. If those tabs break, you will need to replace the cup.

 Motor Power

The motor is very powerful, it has 1000 watts.

The motor is a bit noisy but not noisier than a normal blender.

The unit comes with polarized plugs. This means that one blade in the plug is wider than the other one. If it does not fit in your plug turn it around and try again. It will only fit one way. If it does not fit at all, you need to contact an electrician to adapt your plug

Blender Controls

The Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ comes with 4 buttons and a timer.

Nutri Ninja Auto IQ Review
Nutri NInja AUTO IQ

A START/STOP button: When you press this button the blender will start running and will only stop when you press button again. The timer counts up by seconds up to 60 seconds.

A PULSE button: When you press this it will pulse. Do short presses for short pulses.  The timer will count up by seconds as long as the button is pressed down.
AUTO IQ BLEND button: This will pulse and  blend creating smooth and consistent results. Just press the button and automatically will pulse, blend and then stop for some seconds and start again. The timer counts down from 60 seconds.
AUTO-iQ ULTRA BLEND, it acts the same as the AUTO IQ BLEND button but it is for frozen, fibrous or hard ingredients. The time also counts down from 60  seconds.

The Nutri NInja AUTO IQ is hands free.

 

 

Blades

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ  comes with the same set of blades as the Nutri Ninja Pro.  It does not come with a flat blade.

The blade has four prongs on it. Two of them face upwards, and two downwards.

Nutri Ninja Blades
Nutri Ninja Blades

It is a powerful, thick blade, engineered to break down fruit and vegetables.

There are not any rubber or plastic gaskets to seal the blades. If your unit leaks then you need to check that you have screwed the blades correctly and that you have not overfilled the cup.

The blades are made of a high-quality stainless steel and they are rust-proof.

Ease of Cleaning

Cleaning  the Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ  is very easy.

Same as with the Nutri Ninja Pro, all cups , lids and blades are dishwasher safe. Place them on the top rack of the dishwasher.

If you clean your Nutri Ninja as soon as possible then cleaning is a breeze. .
The easiest and recommended way of cleaning it is to fill up the cup with luke warm water, add a drop of dishwashing liquid and a drop of white vinegar. Twist the blades on the cup and then pulse it for 30 seconds. It will quickly get clean.

Do not submerge the motor base in water. Just wipe it with a dump cloth after every use.

Overall this blender is  very easy to clean. .
https://youtu.be/RZP_Bf9x6Rs

Attachments

For some accessories and attachments click here.

There are three version of the  Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ. Here is a table indicating the differences. Table taken from the manufacturer website.

 BL480BL481Bl482
Wattage1000w1000w1000w
18 oz cupyesyesyes
24 oz cupyesyesyes
32 oz cupnoyesyes
Pro extractor bladesyesyesyes
Sip and Seall lids233
Inspiration guideyesyesyes
Rachel Beller 3 day Jump Start Plan yesyesyes
Rachel Beller's book
Eat to Lose, Eat to Win
nonoyes

 

The Nutri Ninja Auto IQ – Dimensions and storage

The dimensions for this blender are not specified in the manual, but according to reviewers the base measures 6×6 inches. . It is small enough to fit on your counter. 

The base comes with suction cups on the bottom to keep the blender secure whilst running. Even though it comes with suction cups, the blender jumps a bit when running.

Power is 110 volts but by getting a converter you could use it with 240 volts
The power cord is pretty short, just 2 feet (60.96 cm)

Features:

The unit is to be used with 120 volts
The product carries a one year warranty.

Nutri Ninja AUTO IQ Review

Accessories

Replacement parts are easily available through the Nutri Ninja website. You can easily get cups in 12oz, 18 oz, 24 oz  or 32 oz. Extra lids and extra blades are also available at the manufacturer site.

if you want to use your cup as a shaker, you can purchase a shaker lid, a silicone grip sleeve and the Nutri Ninja guide to Nutritional Goodness.

Superfood Smoothies: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Nutrient-dense RecipesSuperfood Smoothies: 100 Delicious, Energizing & Nutrient-dense RecipesSmoothies for Weight Loss: 37 Delicious Smoothies That Crush Cravings, Fight Fat, And Keep You Thin (Smoothie Recipes - Green Smoothies - Fat Loss - Smoothie Recipes - Diet)Smoothies for Weight Loss: 37 Delicious Smoothies That Crush Cravings, Fight Fat, And Keep You Thin (Smoothie Recipes – Green Smoothies – Fat Loss – Smoothie Recipes – Diet)Vegan Joy Box Set (4 in 1) : Over 150 One-Dish Vegan Meals, Healthy Dips, Smoothies and Quick Vegan Recipes (Vegan Lifestyle)Vegan Joy Box Set (4 in 1) : Over 150 One-Dish Vegan Meals, Healthy Dips, Smoothies and Quick Vegan Recipes (Vegan Lifestyle)

Pros

  • Easy to assemble
  • Hands Free
  • Portable compact and convenient.
  • Easy to use.
  • Powerful. Great blending power
  • Great job breaking down pulp, seeds and nuts.
  • Good blending performance, super fast and  smooth results.
  • It is small enough to leave on your counter top
  • Very easy to clean.
  • Dishwasher safe (not the power base).
  • Durable BPA free containers
  • You can blend and serve in same container.
  • It can be used as a personal blender.
  • Can prepare customized drink for each person.
  • Can be used to prepare soups and dips.
  • Does a great job of breaking the cellular wall for increased nutrition.
  • Great job at crushing ice
  • Parts and accessories are readily available.
  • Can prepare customized drink for each person.
  • Great for grinding coffee, spices, grains and seeds.
  • Can be used to prepare soups and dips.
  • Parts and accessories are readily available
  • The cups fit in standard cup holders.

 

Cons

  •  The ridges of the cup can catch some of the ingredients.
  •  The cup can be hard to close
  •  The cup can leak (though this might be due to overfilling the cup)
  •  The Sip & seal leads need to be redesigned. They can leak.
  •  It may heat nuts and seeds when blending them.
  •  It needs liquid to blend.
  •  It cannot really prepare nut butters with it.
  • Noisy
  • It jumps around across the counter top. Be careful when walking away.
  •  It needs space to store parts and accessories.
  •  Single serving machine, not for large family.
  •  You cannot put the whole fruit or vegetable in the cup. You need to prepare fruit cutting it in small pieces and feeding it in certain order.
  • If you intend to use it as a juicer, the juice is watered down, since you need to add water to process it.
  •  Plastic containers can easily break.
  •  If the plastic nubs that are used to lock the container break off, then the container becomes useless.

Nutri Ninja Consumer Ratings

This product is very popular with a rating of .4, 87% of the ratings were 4 and 5 stars. This indicates that people are really happy with it.

Of course, there is always the people that do not like the product or do not see the benefits of it.

Nutri Ninja  Price

This is not the cheapest of the blenders, but compared against high end blenders is quite affordable. It seems like the price has come down since the release of this product.

There will always be cheaper blenders than this one, but it all depends on what you want to get out of a blender.

You also need to consider the durability of this item. It looks a strong unit, but it is relatively new, so I cannot say much about durability. But due to the low price the risk is minimum.

My overall opinion

I really liked this product. It seems to do a great job of blending. I would certainly go for this type of blender if I could not afford a high end blender. It is powerful and convenient to use for dips, salsas, sauces and grinding. It is also great for smoothies.

If you travel a lot and want to take the blender with you, this would be an ideal companion. Remember always to consider what you want to use your blender for. That will tell you if this is the right blender for you.

If I already had a powerful blender I would not consider this one, unless I was looking for something quick to use, when I feel lazy to get the big blender out.

Overall I like this blender, and I would definitely consider getting one for myself. The price difference between this blender and the Nutra Ninja Pro is not huge, so I would rather get this one.
This will be a great blender if:
You currently do not have a good blender and do not want to pay a high price for one.
• If you are not a perfectionist.
• If you drink smoothies often.
• If you prepare lots of dips and sauces.
• If you travel often and like to have daily smoothies.

There are many people that are very satisfied with this unit. As said this unit is relatively new, and we do not know the durability of it. But Ninja has some very high quality products, so I am trusting this one is one of them.

 

 

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32 Comments

  1. Thank you for such a detailed review, I really do appreciate the time and effort you have taken to provide such an in-depth appraisal.

  2. I now have a Ninja Ultima Blender that was given to me 3 years ago – what would be the advantage of having the Nutri Ninja Extractor?

    1. Hello Doris

      Sorry for my delayed reply. The Ninja Ultima is a powerful bender. I don’t think you need the Nutri Ninja Extractor. The Ultimate Blender acts as a extractor as well.
      The only thing I am not sure if you can do with the Ultima blender is grinding nuts. SOme Ninja ULtimate Blender models come with personal cups as well. I am not sure if you have them. The Nutri Ninja extractor is convenient and small. It is easy to use and does not take much space. But I am sure the Ultimate Blender is also easy to use. It depends on what you want to do with the blender. I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have more questions. Thanks for visiting my site. Andrea

  3. Really like the Ninja IQ, the only problem is: I’m a senior and hard to get the lids tight enough to prevent leaking. And loosen after blending.

  4. Hi,
    I haven’t bought the Nutri Ninja Auto IQ yet. But I was wondering if you could tell me the difference between the BL480, BL481 and BL482? Thanks.

    1. Hi Jem

      Thanks for visiting my site. The manufacturer gives different codes for different retail shops. They have different way of packaging the product depending on the retailer.
      I would go with BL482 which is the more complete. It comes with 3 cups and 3 lids and it also comes with an inspiration guide and Rachel Beller’s book
      Eat to Lose, Eat to Win.

      TThe BL480 model comes only with 2 cups and 2 lids. Yes it seems strange as it is more expensive in Amazon.
      BL481 comes with 3 cups and 3 lids. but it does NOT come with the Rachel Beller’s book.

      BL482 is the more complete. The cups sizes are 18, 24 and 32 oz.
      I hope this helps, otherwise let me know.

      Andrea

  5. I too am a senior, but a senior with RA. My only concern is getting the lids on and off as Lynda has said previously. Is this truly a problem? If they are that hard, I would not be able to use it. Would the regular Ninja Pro 900 have the same problem as well? Thanks so much.

    1. Sorry for delayed reply. I was actually away. The Nutri Ninja Pro 900 uses the same lid for the cups. So it would be the same. Plus the Nutri Ninja Pro 900 you need to hold the jar down to blend. So if you were going to choose between the two, I would go with the Auto IQ. It would be a good idea to go to Walmart if you can, and have a try to see if you can manage to put the lid on or not. Let me know if you have another concern. Thank you. Andrea

  6. I just bought the Ninja Professional 1200, BL 700. How do I store the cord? Should I trade up? I like the strong suction of the lid; do not have to be concerned about leakage.

  7. Can I use the Nutri Ninja auto IQ 32oz cup in the Nutri Ninja Pro? I want to buy it but I’m not sure if they can be used.

    1. I see that you wrote that the cups are exchangable between thes two, so that means that the jar accesory also will be compatible right?

      1. Yes, you can use blades and lids also with the NUtri NInja AUto IQ or Nutri NInja Pro. Thanks for visiting my site.

  8. My Ninja 1000 Watt Auto IQ BL482-70 will not work. Is there a reset button to get it started. Very dissappointed in unit as I have only had it a couple of months.
    My Oster blender is 45 years old and still working.

    1. Sorry for delayed reply. I did not see your message earlier. Have you tried to troubleshoot it? Here is a link to some questions hat may help. http://www.ninjakitchen.com/nutri-ninja-auto-iq/BL482-faqs. I am not aware of a reset button but if it overheated you can reset it by unplugging for 30 minutes like indicted in the manual.
      If it does not work I would suggest you contact where you bought it from or the manufacturer as the unit shoudl still be in warranty if you bought it only a couple of months ago.
      I hope this helps and thank you for visiting y site.

  9. I have severe arthritis and find that I cannot open and close the lids very well, if at all. They are too big around. Additionally rotating the cups to lock them in place so that you can turn the machine on, is too difficult for me. I agree that the Auto-IQ is easier to use since you don’t have to hold the cup down but you still have to twist it to lock down the cup into position so that the power button can be used. I wish they made a cup with a handle so that it would be easier for the people with arthritis. I have actually made a suggestion to the company for this very reason. I am returning mine tomorrow. I am going to see if the blender is easier form me to use.

    1. Hello, sorry for delayed reply. Thank you for visiting my site. I do understand your situation. Probably a blender would be easier to use for you. I hope you could return your blender. Thanks for visiting my site

  10. Hi I am attracted to the large food processing bowl that is offered with the auto iq 1500….do you think it would be a good replacement to a normal food processor or just a gimmicky imitation? Also I would like something that could do nut butters…any ideas? We would be using the ninja mainly for green smoothies but also wanted something with food processor good enough to help prep salads and make nut butters Thanks, jamie

    1. Hi Jamie

      Sorry for the delayed reply. I have not reviewed the auto IQ 1500 yet, but from what I read, the food processor can be quite good to prepare dough and some peopel have used it for nut butters like peanut butters.
      A consumer said when doing almond butter she had to add coconut oil and it went smoothly after that. That depends on you. I do not consume any oil, so that would not be an option for me.
      It looks like it is quite a decent food processor but you cannot expect the same performance as a $500 food processor. When doing nut butters you may have to let the motor rest for a while.
      It will be good to prepare salads. My only concern is the nut butters. YOu will need to be patient. If you can afford it you can always get the Blendtec or Vitamix. IF that is not an option then this will be a great option at a great price.
      I hope I answer your questions. I do really appreciate your questions as it helps me to improve my reviews.

      Thank you
      Andrea

  11. Where can I get/buy a gasket seal for the Nutri Ninji Pro 900w – Model BL450 I can’t seem to get any information from the customer care no on the booklet – any help would be appreciated hae only purchased on the 3rd of February 2016. Patricia Mackaway

    1. Sorry for delayed reply? Have you tried the live chat of Ninja. I usually get someone replying to me. Today is weekend, but will try to contact them during the week. But if teh gasket has broken, and you only bought it in February, I will contact the seller and ask for a replacement. If I hear anything from Ninja , I will let you know. Where did you buy it from?

        1. Sorry, Mary. I am not sure where to find them. I will do some more reserach. Sorry for delayed reply.

        2. Sorry for the delayed reply. I spoke to Ninja in teh chat. The chat is available 24 hours a day and they told me you need to contact them whilst you have the unit with you as they need more information to see if they can replace the cover or perhaps the unit. He told me “if it is the gasket for the Single Serve Blade cover, we do not have it as a replaceable part. The whole cover would need to be replaced.”
          I hope this helps you.

      1. Hi Patricia

        Sorry for the delayed reply. I spoke to Ninja in teh chat. The chat is available 24 hours a day and they told me you need to contact them whilst you have the unit with you as they need more information to see if they can replace the cover or perhaps the unit. He told me “if it is the gasket for the Single Serve Blade cover, we do not have it as a replaceable part. The whole cover would need to be replaced.”
        I hope this helps you.

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