The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is a full-size blender. It has a similar design and blending performance to the Ninja Professional Plus Blender DUO with Auto-iQ, as it comes with a 72-ounce main jar and one or two 24-ounce personal jars (depending on the model). However, unlike that model, it comes with a separate food processing bowl with its own blade assembly so that you can chop and slice ingredients. It's sturdy too, but doesn't have a lot of speed settings and can't hot blend.
Our Verdict
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is okay for multi-purpose use. It's fantastic for crushing ice and comes with personal jars that make it an excellent option for single-serve smoothies. However, in its main jar, it struggles to make a completely smooth blend with fibrous ingredients. It's not very easy to use to process thicker mixtures like nut butter and can't hot blend. You can use its food processing attachment for chopping and slicing. Although it's not easy to clean by hand, all of its parts except the motor base are dishwasher-safe.
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Well-built.
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Comes with personal jars.
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Food processor attachment.
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Can't hot blend.
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Not easy to clean by hand.
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Makes a grainy blend with big batches of fibrous ingredients.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is excellent for single-serving smoothies. Using the personal jars, it makes a smooth blend with fibrous fruit and leafy greens. It processes ingredients somewhat slower than some blenders, but it's an easy process with the automatic blending program. There are to-go lids included for the personal jars, and the jars, lids, and blades are all dishwasher-safe.
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Well-built.
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Comes with personal jars.
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Makes well-blended single-serve smoothies.
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Not easy to clean by hand.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is very good for multiple servings of smoothies. Its 72-ounce main jar can fit big batches, but if your recipe includes stubborn fibrous ingredients like leafy greens or fruit like blueberries, it makes a grainy puree even if you blend for several minutes. However, it's fantastic for crushing ice, so it can handle frozen fruit or ice cubes. It's not easy to clean by hand, but the jar, lid, and blades are dishwasher-safe.
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Well-built.
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Easily crushes ice cubes.
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Not easy to clean by hand.
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Makes a grainy blend with big batches of fibrous ingredients.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is fantastic for crushing ice. This well-built blender can make snow-like ice in less than a minute, which is ideal for enjoying frozen drinks on a hot day.
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Well-built.
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Easily crushes ice cubes.
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Not easy to clean by hand.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ can't hot blend, so it's not ideal for making soups. It also struggles to make a smooth blend with fibrous ingredients like leafy green or broccoli. That said, some vegetables, like carrots, are softer and easier to blend. The main jar has a big capacity, so it can fit a big batch if you let any hot ingredients cool down first.
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Well-built.
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Can't hot blend.
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Not easy to clean by hand.
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Makes a grainy blend with big batches of fibrous ingredients.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is decent for professional use. It's sturdy and not a bad option if you need a blender for crushing ice. However, it's not very versatile since it can't hot blend. It struggles to smoothly blend big batches of fibrous ingredients in recipes like soups and smoothies and isn't easy to use for dips and spreads like nut butter. It's not easy to clean and doesn't have a 2-part lid, so you can't add ingredients or stir without stopping the machine.
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Well-built.
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Comes with personal jars.
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Food processor attachment.
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Can't hot blend.
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Not easy to clean by hand.
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Makes a grainy blend with big batches of fibrous ingredients.
- 6.9 Multi-Purpose
- 8.6 Smoothies (Single Serving)
- 7.9 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
- 9.7 Ice Crushing
- 4.8 Soups
- 7.4 Professional Use
- Updated Sep 24, 2024: We've updated the results to more accurately reflect the blender's performance. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Small Batches) processing changed from 8.5 to 7.5 because of the blending time and the need to shake the jar. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity) texture changed from 6.0 to 7.0.
- Updated Feb 14, 2024: Added information about another model (BN805), which comes with bigger 32oz personal jars to differences between sizes and variants.
- Updated Feb 17, 2023: Updated text to match Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Dec 02, 2022: Added a note that the Ninja Chef Blender is better for processing big batches of fibrous ingredients.
- Updated Aug 25, 2022: The score for 'Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)' changed from 4.7 to 6 because a longer blending time results in a better texture. The 'Texture' score changed from 4 to 6 and the 'Processing' score from 7.5 to 6 because of the extra time required.
- Updated Aug 08, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 28, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Sep 21, 2020: Early access published.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System comes with a food processing bowl and blades and at least one personal jar in addition to its 72oz main jar. The unit we tested (model 801) comes with two 24oz personal jars. You can sometimes find it for sale with just one personal jar (model 800), and our results are also valid for that model.
There's also a variant (805) that comes in a different color (black instead of silver) and comes with a pair of 32oz personal jars. We expect our results to be valid for that variant as long as you're using the main jar, but the bigger personal jars could perform differently.
If you encounter another variant, let us know in the forums, and we'll update the review.
Compared To Other Blenders
The Ninja BN801 Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is a full-size blender with a lot of additional attachments, including a food processor and at least one personal jar for single-serves. It's good for personal smoothies and crushing ice, but unfortunately, it isn't ideal for pureeing fibrous fruits and vegetables in its main jar. If you don't need the food processor, the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ is very similar but doesn't come with extra jars or accessories. On the other hand, if you are looking for a combo blender/processor, the Ninja Mega Kitchen System comes with similar accessories and has a better blending performance.
If you're still looking for a blender, check out the best Ninja blenders, the best smoothie blenders, and the best blenders.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is better than the Ninja Deluxe Kitchen System. The Professional has a much better build quality and comes with a pair of personal jars instead of just one. The Deluxe has a bigger capacity in its main jar and food processor, but otherwise, they are very similar blenders.
You might prefer either the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ or the Ninja Professional Plus Blender DUO with Auto-iQ, depending on what accessories and features you want. In addition to a 72-ounce pitcher, the Kitchen System comes with a food processing attachment for chopping, slicing, and grating, along with a pair of personal jars with to-go lids. The DUO has the same pitcher but only includes one personal jar and lid.
The Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher System is better than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ for most purposes. The Foodi makes a smoother blend with fibrous ingredients, like kale, in its main jar. It comes with a 'Smoothie Bowl Maker' that makes it much easier for thick mixes like nut butter. There's also an extra blade for forming dough. On the other hand, the Kitchen System comes with a separate food processing bowl. It's also quieter.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is better for multi-purpose use than the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ. While the blenders are similar, the Kitchen System has more attachments, including a food processor and personal jars. It also produces much better-blended smoothies in its 24-ounce personal jars. It has a few more preset modes and a digital blending time indicator, unlike the Auto-iQ.
The NutriBullet Blender Combo is better for smoothies than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ. It makes a much smoother blend with fibrous ingredients like fruit or leafy greens, meaning it can produce better-blended smoothies. However, it's not versatile since it can't crush ice and struggles to make nut butter. The Ninja performs well for making nut butter and snow-like crushed ice and also comes with a food processor, so it's a bit more versatile.
The Ninja Mega Kitchen System is better than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ. They come with similar accessories and perform similarly overall. However, the Mega Kitchen System does a better job of processing fibrous ingredients in its main jar, which is important if you're blending a big batch of fruit smoothies or pureed vegetable soup.
The Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-iQ BL642 and the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ perform very similarly but come with different jars. The Duo comes with a 72-ounce main jar with two or three personal jars, while the Kitchen System comes with a similar main jar, two personal jars, and a separate bowl and blade for food processing.
The Vitamix 5200 is better for most purposes than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ. It has a much better build quality and delivers a more versatile performance. It's also much easier to clean by hand. On the other hand, the Ninja comes with extra accessories, including a food processor bowl and personal jars for smoothies.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ and the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 have different strengths. The Auto-iQ has more extra features, including personal jars and a food processing bowl. You can use the smaller jars to make significantly better single-serve smoothies. It has a few preset modes and a timer showing the time left during the blending cycle. The 1000 has a simpler design and it's a bit quieter when it's running.
The Vitamix A3500 is better than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ. The Vitamix has a better build quality and does a better job of processing fibrous ingredients. You can use it to hot blend, and it's easier to clean by hand. However, the Ninja has more accessories, including smaller blending jars for single-serve smoothies and a food processing bowl.
The Ninja DUO and the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ have different strengths. The DUO is better for smoothies since it makes a smoother blend with fibrous ingredients in its personal jars and main pitcher. On the other hand, the Kitchen System is much quieter and comes with a food processor.
The KitchenAid K150 and the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ have different strengths. The KitchenAid can hot blend and makes a smoother blend with fibrous ingredients, so it's better for pureed soups or multiple servings of smoothies. The Ninja comes with a pair of personal jars for making single-serve smoothies to-go. It also includes a food processing container, a chopping blade, and a dough blade, so you may prefer it if you want a blender to help out with food processing chores.
The Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender and the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ have different features, and you may prefer either, depending on what you're looking for. The Foodi can hot blend and heat ingredients. It makes a smoother blend with big batches of fibrous ingredients, making it better for big batches of smoothies or broccoli soup. Meanwhile, the Ninja has a pair of personal jars and is better suited for single-serve smoothies. It also includes food processing accessories like a dough blade and a chopping blade.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is better for most purposes than the Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher SS201. The Kitchen System can blend better smoothies, partly thanks to its personal jars. It also comes with a food processor bowl for chopping and slicing vegetables, and it's quieter when running.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is better than the NutriBullet Smart Touch Blender Combo for most purposes. The Ninja can crush ice and makes much better, smoother nut butter. On the other hand, the NutriBullet is much better for processing big batches of fibrous ingredients in its main jar. It can hot blend, so it's more suitable for making soups and sauces.
The Vitamix Explorian E310 is better than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ for most purposes. The Vitamix has a much better build quality and can blend hot ingredients for soups and sauces. It's much better for processing big batches of fibrous ingredients and making nut butter. On the other hand, the Ninja is quieter and has automatic blending programs. It comes with personal jars for single-serve smoothies, although the Vitamix is still better at processing small batches of fibrous ingredients.
You might prefer either the Calphalon ActiveSense or the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ. The Calphalon is much better at processing bigger batches of fibrous ingredients for recipes like smoothies. Its blade design makes it easier to clean by hand. On the other hand, the Ninja is better for tough blends like making nut butter. It's much quieter when it's running, and it comes with a food-processing bowl for chopping and slicing.
The KitchenAid K400 is better for most purposes than the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ. The KitchenAid does a better job of pureeing fibrous ingredients like kale and broccoli. It can also hot blend. On the other hand, the Ninja comes with a food processing bowl plus a pair of personal jars for single-serve smoothies, meaning you may prefer it for its accessories.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ is better than the Ninja Smart Screen for most purposes. The Kitchen System can make silkier smoothies with fibrous ingredients and is quieter when running. It also comes with extra accessories you might want, including personal jars for smoothies and a food processing bowl.
Test Results
It's a big, bulky blender. It's best stored on your kitchen counter or in a large cupboard, but you can also remove the main jar for easier storage.
The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-iQ has a great build quality. The base is made of plastic, which isn't as thick as we see on more premium models but still feels solid and durable. On the bottom of the blender, there are four suction cups to help keep it in place while blending. The main jar is made of plastic, which also feels solid.
The main jar has a big 72-ounce capacity. There's also a 24-ounce personal jar included and a 64-ounce food processing bowl.
The jars and lids are made of plastic and are all dishwasher-safe.
The main blade assembly is made up of six blades that you can easily remove for cleaning in the top rack of your dishwasher. The blades are very sharp, and you need to be careful not to cut yourself when handling them. This blade assembly is only meant to be used with the 72-ounce main jar since the food processor bowl and 24-ounce additional jars have their own blade assemblies. The other blade assemblies are also dishwasher-safe.
To secure the lid on the jar, you have to align the triangle symbol on the lid with the same symbol on the main jar's handle. Then, press down on the handle until the lid clicks into place. It's not a two-part lid, so you can't add ingredients to the mix while you're blending without stopping the blender and removing the lid entirely. However, there's a spout with a cover that helps avoid spills when you're pouring from the pitcher.
There are also to-go lids included for the personal jars, as well as a separate lid for the food processor.
The power cord is long enough to reach most outlets. When not in use, you can wrap the cord around a stowaway unit located on the back of the blender.
- 72 oz blender pitcher with lid
- Motor base
- Stacked blade assembly
- Chopping blade assembly
- Dough blade assembly
- Pro extractor blade assembly
- Processor bowl with lid
- 2x 24 oz Single-serve cup with spout lid
- Manuals
It does a fantastic job of processing fibrous ingredients in its 24-ounce personal jars. It makes a very smooth blend with ingredients like kale or fruit. Some blenders can do it a bit faster, and you have to shake the jar for the best results, but overall, it's an easy process.
It's okay at processing big batches of fibrous ingredients. If you fill the jar to its full capacity, it makes a grainy puree with ingredients like kale. It also takes nearly 10 minutes of blending to get the best possible texture. If you want to make multiple batches of smoothies or process a full recipe as soup, the Ninja Chef Blender can achieve a smoother texture.
The Ninja BN801 is outstanding for crushing ice. It makes snow-like ice in about half a minute.
It's great for making nut butter. You need to stop every minute or so to remove the lid and use a spatula or spoon to scrape the walls of the jar. Besides that inconvenience, it's quite an easy process if you ramp up from low to high speed. After about five minutes of blending, it makes fantastic, smooth nut butter.
It's not particularly loud for a full-size blender, and some models are noticeably louder, like the Ninja Chef Blender. Still, it's loud enough to be annoying if you stand next to it for more than a minute or two.
It has a narrow range of speed settings, so you don't have a lot of options for adjusting the blending speed to suit your recipe.
The blender has several preset modes: 'Smoothie', 'Ice Crush', 'Chop', 'Dough', 'Pulse', 'Low', 'Medium', and 'High'. The timer tells you how much time is left when using each of the modes. You can use the 'Extract' mode with each of the 24 oz jars for a single-serve.
It's not easy to clean by hand, mainly because of the very sharp blades. The assembly is removable, but you need to be careful not to cut yourself and use a brush with a handle to clean the blades. Like other similarly-designed Ninja blenders, there's also a hole at the bottom of the blade assembly column where it fits with the jar that can trap food and isn't easy to reach.
