nutribullet and Magic Bullet are blender brands specializing in bullet or personal blenders. While they're marketed as separate brands, both are owned by the same parent company, Capital Brands. They're mainly intended for smoothies, protein shakes, and other blended beverages. Magic Bullet's claim to fame is releasing the first bullet-style blender in 2003, and nutribullet was released later as a more powerful version. Regarding personal blenders, Magic Bullets are usually cheaper but similarly designed overall, so if you're considering a nutribullet personal blender but want something cheaper, check out Magic Bullet.
Most blenders from these brands don't stand out as multi-purpose blenders, but they generally perform very well when processing fibrous ingredients, which is important for smooth fruit smoothies and well-blended sauces and soups. Most come with cup rings or to-go lids, so you can drink directly from the jar or take your smoothie on the go.
Updates
- 11/26/2024 nutribullet SmartSense Blender Combo reviewed
- 08/16/2024 nutribullet Flip reviewed
- 05/02/2024 nutribullet Triple Prep System reviewed
- 11/02/2023 nutribullet Ultra reviewed
- 04/21/2023 nutribullet Pro 1000 updated
Compared To Other Brands
-
Smooth smoothies.
Most nutribullet and Magic Bullet blenders are fantastic for processing smoothie ingredients like leafy greens and fruits. For example, you can blend a blueberry smoothie with virtually no unprocessed bits left over.
-
Great for single-serves.
Most models come with blending jars that double as cups. Cup rings are usually included, which are plastic rings that screw onto the jars and make them more pleasant to drink from. Some models come with to-go lids, meaning you can bring your smoothie on the go. -
Easy to use.
Their bullet design means you don't need to worry about modes and blending programs. Most models operate by docking the jar on the motor base with the blades attached, then pushing it down to pulse or twisting it into place for a longer blend. Similar personal blenders from other brands, like the Ninja Fit, require you to push down on the jar constantly to blend, which is a less convenient design.
-
No ice crushing.
With a few exceptions, nutribullet and Magic Bullet blenders can't crush ice unless there's liquid in the jar. It isn't a big deal for smoothies since you can blend ice cubes with other ingredients. Still, it limits the blenders' versatility compared to other personal blenders.
-
Blade assembly not dishwasher-safe.
It's a small detail, but if you want to clean your blender in the dishwasher, you might find it annoying that nutribullet and Magic Bullet blenders usually have dishwasher-safe jars and lids but come with blade assemblies that have to be hand-washed.
nutribullet vs Ninja
Ninja makes personal blenders in the same price range as nutribullet. The brand dominates our best personal blenders list, partly because Ninja blenders don't have the same downsides: they can crush ice and come with dishwasher-safe blades. The best Ninja blenders are also sturdier than the best nutribullet models. However, most Ninja models have very sharp blades that require careful handling. If you're deciding between a Ninja and a nutribullet, check out our full brand comparison for more information.
nutribullet vs Vitamix
Some nutribullet and Magic Bullet models rival more expensive Vitamix models when processing fibrous ingredients, meaning they can produce an equally silky smoothie with fruit or leafy greens. However, Vitamix blenders are generally significantly better-built and more versatile than nutribullet models, so if you're looking for a multi-purpose machine, you might want to look at the best Vitamix blenders.
nutribullet and Magic Bullet primarily make personal blenders intended for drinks like smoothies. They have a straightforward design and a simple dock-and-push control scheme and are generally well-suited for processing fruits and veggies into a smooth puree. However, most can't crush ice and aren't particularly well-built or premium-feeling blenders.
Best nutribullet Blenders
-
Best NutriBullet Blender
Multi-Purpose6.0Smoothies (Single Serving)8.1Smoothies (Multiple Servings)7.2Ice Crushing2.1Soups3.9Professional Use5.7The best nutribullet that we've tested is the nutribullet Pro 900. This blender is usually around the same price or cheaper than similar models like the nutribullet Pro 1000 and nutribullet Pro+. Those other models have more powerful motors, but the 900 has a better overall performance, so there's little reason to spend more. The 900 makes a nearly perfectly smooth puree with fibrous ingredients like kale or apple skins, so it can make silky smoothies with almost any recipe. It comes with lids, cup rings, and another set of cup rings with handles, so you can comfortably drink from the 32oz jars at home or on the go. The blender is operated by pushing down on the jar, but it locks into place, so you don't need to push on it constantly to blend.
It's a great choice for making smaller batches of nut butter or hummus since it's very easy to use and produces a smooth, spreadable result. However, it's not meant for crushing ice without liquid in its jar, which is typical for nutribullet and Magic Bullet blenders. The jar and lids are dishwasher-safe, but the blade assembly has to be cleaned by hand, which is also to be expected from the brand.
-
Best Magic Bullet Blender
Multi-Purpose5.6Smoothies (Single Serving)7.4Smoothies (Multiple Servings)5.9Ice Crushing1.0Soups2.8Professional Use4.8Since most nutribullet-brand blenders are around the same price or more expensive than the nutribullet Pro 900, consider a Magic Bullet blender if you want something cheaper. While it's not as well-built as the previous pick, it's still a good, affordable option if you're looking for a basic personal blender. It comes with 13oz and 15oz jars that you can use for smoothies and other single-serve drinks. This blender includes storage lids, cup rings for both bigger jars, and just one resealable lid for the 15-ounce jar.
It doesn't quite match the perfectly smooth blend you get with the 900, but it makes very well-blended puree with stubborn fibrous ingredients like fruit and leafy greens. It's also decently easy to use for making dips, spreads, and nut butter, although the nutribullet takes less time to process that type of recipe. This blender has a somewhat plasticky build quality, and as usual for nutribullet and Magic Bullet blenders, it's not meant for crushing ice without liquid in the jar. You also have to wash the blade assembly by hand.
-
Best Large-Capacity NutriBullet Blender
Multi-Purpose7.1Smoothies (Single Serving)8.3Smoothies (Multiple Servings)8.2Ice Crushing3.4Soups9.4Professional Use6.8If you usually make multiple servings and need a large-capacity blender, the best nutribullet blender is the nutribullet Blender Combo. This full-size blender shares some of the downsides of the brand's personal blenders: no crushing ice without liquid in the jar and no hot blending, so it's best suited for recipes like smoothies. However, if you make a lot of smoothies, protein shakes, and other drinks, its 64oz main jar allows you to serve a crowd with one batch. Using the main jar, it does an outstanding job of blending fibrous ingredients at full capacity. It only takes a few minutes of blending to make a basically perfectly smooth blend with leafy greens and fruit.
The blender also comes with a pair of 24oz personal jars, and you can use it to blend silky single-serve smoothies. Although it's not meant for crushing ice without liquid in the jar, you can add a few cubes as part of a smoothie or protein shake recipe. Unfortunately, it's not easy to use for recipes like nut butter or hummus. Thicker recipes require a lot of blending and frequent stopping and stirring. That said, if you want a blender for smoothies and other liquid recipes, it's a great option. It's very easy to clean by hand, and most components (except the blade assembly for the personal jars) are dishwasher-safe.
-
Most Versatile NutriBullet Blender
Multi-Purpose7.2Smoothies (Single Serving)8.9Smoothies (Multiple Servings)7.8Ice Crushing6.8Soups3.9Professional Use6.6If you're looking for a more versatile blender, consider the nutribullet Rx. It has a small capacity for a full-size blender at just 32oz for its main jar, but it can help with a wider variety of recipes compared with the nutribullet Blender Combo and the personal blenders recommended here. You can use it to heat ingredients as they blend, so it can help make a quick batch of something like tomato soup. You can use the 32-ounce main jar to crush ice (without liquid in the jar!) for cocktails or drinks like slushies. It can also easily blend thicker mixtures, like smoothie bowls or hummus.
In addition to the 32oz pitcher you can use to heat ingredients, it comes with one 40oz and one 24oz personal jar for cold recipes like smoothies and protein shakes. All the jars have handles but don't come with resealable lids, which is disappointing if you want to take your blends out of the house. Also, while it can heat ingredients for quick soups, the manufacturer says to avoid using the blender to process already-hot ingredients directly from a pot or pan.
The Rx is somewhat expensive for what it is, though. If you want a cheaper blender, the Magic Bullet Combo Blender is a small full-size blender. While it's not as versatile as it can't crush ice without liquid in the jar, it can blend hot ingredients in its 48oz main jar. It also includes a personal jar for smoothies. It's not very well-built, but it's very inexpensive for a full-size blender and a good cheap option for smoothies and soups.
Lineup
Magic Bullet
Magic Bullet sells three models of personal blenders: the original Magic Bullet MBR-1101, the smaller Magic Bullet Mini, and the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express, which is a combo food processor/blender. The Kitchen Express variant we tested is sold with a blending jar, but sometimes, it only comes with food processing accessories.
NutriBullet
nutribullet sells a range of personal blenders. Models like the nutribullet Pro+ and nutribullet 900 are bigger, more powerful versions of Magic Bullet's personal blenders. Unlike Magic Bullet, nutribullet offers a selection of full-size blenders with different features, like hot blending. They don't have a personal blender/food processor combo. However, they make a few 'Speciality' blenders, including the nutribullet GO, a battery-powered personal blender, and the nutribullet Immersion Blender, a hand blender meant for hot blending directly in a pot or pan.
Each brand also sells various other kitchen appliances, including an air fryer from Magic Bullet and a juicer from nutribullet.
Recent Updates
-
Sep 27, 2024: We've added the Magic Bullet Blender Combo as an alternative to the NutriBullet Rx since it can also hot blend and is cheaper.
-
Jun 12, 2024: We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock.
-
Mar 15, 2024: We've removed the Magic Bullet Mini because it's often the same price as the Magic Bullet Blender, which is a better option overall. We've also added the NutriBullet Blender Combo as a large-capacity option.
-
Jan 08, 2024: Removed the Magic Bullet Kitchen Express because it's now nearly the same price as the NutriBullet 900. Added the Magic Bullet Mini as the 'Best Budget' pick.
-
Oct 11, 2023: Added a link to our article comparing Ninja and NutriBullet. Made minor updates to the text.
Conclusion
nutribullet and Magic Bullet make a variety of personal and full-size blenders that are very well-suited for making smoothies and other recipes with fibrous ingredients.