Ninja Blender 1000 with Auto-iQ Costco Review – Is It Worth Buying?

Home appliances are generally cheaper at Costco than on Amazon or at local hardware stores. I knew this when my old blender stopped functioning, so I went to my local Costco store to find a replacement. I decided on the Ninja Professional Blender 1000W because I had heard people sing Ninja’s praises from the rooftops, and it was the only Ninja model available there. While it wasn’t an instant buy, I must admit it was an impulse buy.

The Costco store in your area may have more models available, but they’re not much different. They may come with more fancy features and accessories, but the blender design is the same.

On Costco’s website, two Ninja blenders are available: the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 with Auto-iQ and the Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System with XL Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor. The former features the Intelligent Auto-iQ technology with a preset smoothie program while the latter has seven Preset Auto-iQ Programs and an array of blades/blade assemblies and containers, making it more than just a blender. Indeed, the latter should be more aptly termed as a complete food processor.

Back to the Ninja Professional Blender 1000… the best thing about this particular model is that it’s simply a blender with no bells and whistles (which one rarely needs.) It has five buttons, namely Power, Pulse, Low, Medium, and High.

I think all the settings are self-explanatory except the pulse feature… which is a setting that allows you to blend ingredients in short bursts. This is especially helpful for chopping or mincing ingredients. The blender runs at its highest speed for as long as you hold down the button, stopping as soon as you release it. This allows you to blend ingredients to the desired consistency without over-blending them.

Here are some highlights:

• 1000-watt power – enough for blending tasks at home.
• 72-oz pitcher – overall good… but the actual liquid holding capacity of the pitcher is 64 ounces, which I’ll explain why later.
• Total Crushing Technology – derives its name from a stacked blade attachment. Helpful in some blending tasks.
• EASY CLEANUP – BPA-free, dishwasher-safe plastic pitcher.
• Lid with pour spout.
• Recipe guide with over 50 recipes you can make using the blender.

Features

The modular, stacked blade assembly sets the Ninja Pro Blender apart from the other blenders. The multiple-blade system allows it to blend from the top, middle, and bottom of the blender instead of blending from the bottom like most blenders out there.

The blades are sharp… I mean really sharp and sturdy. They’re also removable, translating to easy cleanup.

Due to a top-to-bottom blade system, the lid handle latches onto the pitcher handle when in use, and then you can press the release button to unlock it and lift the lid. There’s also a pour spout on the top, which is very convenient.

Overall performance

The Ninja Pro blender is designed to crush large ice cubes and frozen fruits, and it does so without issues. It replicates your favorite frozen drinks with excellent texture… no grit… no sand… just smooth ice. Whether it be smoothies, slushies, or frappes, the blender gets it all right.

The motor is powerful… the blades are of excellent quality… and the pitcher, though made of plastic, is strong.

Cleanup

Overall, the Ninja Pro Blender is easy to clean… all parts are removable, and it’s dishwasher safe.

An easy hack for a quick cleanup is to add lukewarm water and a dash of dishwashing soap to the pitcher. Then, using the pulse feature, blend the mixture at full speed for a brief period. This dislodges even the most stubborn food particles, after which you can effortlessly rinse the pitcher in clean, fresh water.

However, there’s something about the pitcher handle that bothers me to no end. The issue is… the handle has a black plastic cover screwed to it, creating a hollow space that traps water when cleaning. There’s no easy way to clean the water from the hollow space. One could unscrew the black cover to clean it separately, but who’s gonna do that every time they wash it?

Issues

The Ninja Pro 1000 has the same container design as most of their models, and man, it sucks. The long blade attachment takes up a lot of room, making it harder to blend large chunks of things, like ice cubes and whole fruit. Not only does it force you to blend your ingredients in segments, you often have to cut them to size before blending.

This brings me to another issue… that is you have to take the whole blade assembly out if the ingredients get compacted at the bottom… and it’s not going back in until you have removed the large chunks of ingredients. It (again) forces you to add liquids first and frozen ingredients later.

Last, it’s a professional blender, and so is the motor, not the jug. It’s a bit sensitive to the shocks that hard ingredients give it. I sensed it as soon I opened this package. Then, I ran to Costco’s website to see if I should regret this impulsive website. It was confirmed there…many users complained that their jug cracked. I have mixed thoughts at this point. Yet, I’m happy that Costco’s refund policy will cover the mishap, though I’ll be cautious not to overload the pitcher.

Pros

• Powerful motor
• Versatile features
• Easy to use
• Easy to clean
• Affordable

Cons

• Awkward container design
• The motor is so powerful that it can crack the plastic pitcher if used with hard food ingredients like ice.
• Difficulty blending large chunks of ingredients

Conclusion

The Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is a powerful and versatile blender that is perfect for a variety of tasks. It is easy to use and clean, and it comes with a variety of features that make it a great value for the price. However, there are a few drawbacks, such as the awkward container design and the difficulty of blending large chunks of ingredients. Overall, the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is a great choice for anyone looking for a powerful, easy-to-use blender on a good price–that you get at Costco.