Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker review

The Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker is a 2-in-1 blender that may do all the standard chilly mixing, plus it has an built-in heating ingredient which suggests it may be used to make soups from scratch too. Whereas the best soup maker and blender mixture home equipment are pretty widespread, not all of them could make true chunky soups like this one can, and a few even depend on the warmth generated by the fast-spinning blades to warmth the soup substances.

With its built-in heating ingredient and loads of auto programmes for each mixing and cooking, this Ninja is a superb multipurpose kitchen equipment. Whereas making an attempt it out I made scrumptious soups and sauces from scratch but it surely was simply as able to crushing entire ice cubes and it impressed me with its versatility. Preserve studying to search out out if this is likely one of the best blenders available on the market. 

Ideally suited Dwelling score: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Causes to purchase:

• Could make easy in addition to chunky soups
• Self-clean programme
• Cold and hot mixing
• Lid locks into place
• Sturdy glass jug
• Easy interface
• Preserve heat operate

Causes to keep away from:

• Heavy jug
• Deal with place favours right-handed individuals
• Jug can’t go in dishwasher
• Can’t make greater than 3-4 parts of soup
• Glass jug will get very popular

Ninja Foodi HB150UK Blender and Soup Maker

Specs

• Energy: 1000W
• Materials: Glass
• Capability: 1.7 L chilly and 1.4 L scorching
• Pre-sets: Smoothie, Dessert, Frozen drink, Milkshake, Clean Soup, Chunky Soup, Jam, Sauce, Chop, Saut
• Weight: 5.6kg
• Dimension: 45 x 20 x 21.5 cm (h x w x d)
• Included: tamper and cleansing brush

Unboxing

Apart from just a few plastic baggage, this Ninja blender comes neatly packaged in cardboard, so all the things within the field is well recyclable, which positively will get a thumbs up from me. When eradicating all of the elements from the field, my first impression was that the glass jug is sturdy however very heavy. The bottom can be huge, but it surely tapers down in order that the footprint in your kitchen counter isn’t a lot greater than most different blenders. Apart from the lid, there’s a tamper and cleansing brush within the field and a small recipe guide that along with recipes, offers you guideline proportions of stable and liquid substances for making your individual soup creations.

The lid locks securely into place however continues to be simple to connect and take away. Nonetheless, I used to be upset to see that because of the means the heating ingredient plugs into the bottom, the deal with of the jug should sit to the right-hand aspect, which will probably be irritating should you’re left-handed.

Utilizing within the Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker

After I switched it on, the very first thing the blender did was show a immediate on the display screen telling me to place the lid on. And one of many nice security options of this blender is that it doesn’t allow you to begin any of the programmes till the lid is locked in place. Then it’s a case of deciding which programme to make use of for what you wish to make.

There are 4 Auto-IQ chilly mixing programmes that are smoothie, dessert, milkshake and frozen drink. The 4 Auto-IQ cook dinner programmes are jam, sauce, easy soup and chunky soup, plus the 2 pre-cook programmes: chop and sauté. Moreover, there are three speeds to select from if you choose handbook mix and three cook dinner temperatures if you choose handbook cook dinner. And regardless of the variety of choices, the massive management panel is clearly laid out and really simple to make use of.

Mixing smoothies within the Foodi Blender & Soup Maker

There’s just one smoothie within the recipe guide so I opted to make my very own recipe. I blended frozen cherries with flaxseed powder, protein powder, milk, spinach, peanut butter and ice. The smoothie programme takes 45 seconds, and a timer counts down on the display screen throughout mixing. I used to be happy to see the ice and frozen cherries had utterly damaged down and the completed smoothie was freed from lumps. There have been some tiny flecks of cherry pores and skin and spinach seen within the drink, however general the feel was easy and properly combined.

For my second smoothie I mixed frozen strawberries with ice, chia seeds, freeze-dried raspberry powder, protein powder, spinach, avocado and milk, which had an unappealing beige look however tasted scrumptious.  Once more, I used the smoothie programme, and all the things blended properly. This time the smoothie had a gritty texture because of the chia seeds and seeds from the strawberries, each of which had not been damaged down. There are some blenders which are designed particularly for smoothies and would utterly pulverise these seeds, so if that’s what you’re on the lookout for this blender gained’t swimsuit you, however should you don’t thoughts just a few seeds, it mixes properly and creates lump-free drinks even when there’s quite a lot of frozen substances.

Making easy soup within the Foodi Blender & Soup Maker

For my first foray into soup on this soup maker I made a decision to observe the recipe for butternut squash soup within the included recipe guide. Firstly, quartered onion and oil are added to the jug, I chosen the chop programme and it chopped the onion for 12 seconds. Subsequent I chosen sauté and the blender heated up, gently sauteing the onions for 5 minutes, to get even outcomes you’ll must push down any bits of onion caught to the aspect of the jug. Then, together with scorching vegetable inventory, all the remainder of the substances go in uncooked on the finish of the sauté programme and all I needed to do was press the sleek soup button.

The 30-minute programme bubbles away vigorously with the blades turning often to stir the substances. For security, it beeps to warn you that the blades are about to show. Throughout cooking, the glass jug will get very popular, and steam is emitted from the lid, extra so on the finish when for the ultimate minute, the blender kicks in and blitzes the new substances to a easy lump free soup. Should you’re not round when it finishes it’ll swap on the preserve heat operate and preserve your soup heat for as much as 60 minutes. The butternut soup was superbly cooked, creamy and scrumptious, however very popular.

Making chunky soup within the Foodi Blender & Soup Maker

I adopted the directions within the recipe guide for easy methods to create customized chunky soups and made up my very own recipe. I chopped and sautéed the onions as above then added blended tinned tomatoes as the bottom, adopted by spices, chunks of pepper and sweetcorn. I added kidney beans six minutes earlier than the tip as recommended within the recipe guide, however I needed to be cautious as there was a little bit of spitting once I opened the centre cap and tipped them in.

The chunky soup programme works in a lot the identical means as the sleek soup programme however with out the ultimate mixing section. Regardless of the occasional stirring with the sharp blades the chunks of pepper, sweetcorn and kidney beans all stayed intact and I used to be happy with the outcome.

Making sauce within the Foodi Blender & Soup Maker

With little or no recommendation within the recipe guide about creating your individual sauce recipes, I needed to wing it a bit when making tomato sauce utilizing the sauce programme. I made a decision to observe the preliminary steps for soup by chopping and sautéing my onions and garlic within the blender earlier than including quartered tomatoes, some water and seasoning.

The sauce programme takes simply over half-hour, the blades spin at common intervals in the course of the cooking course of to combine and chop the substances, however the completed sauce nonetheless had some texture. It was neither chunky nor utterly easy. I used to be happy with the way it cooked, and the tomatoes broke down properly, the perfect bit is that it’s utterly hands-off and also you don’t have to look at over it such as you would on the hob.

Cleansing

The automated clear programme on this blender is crucial as a result of the heating ingredient within the jug means it might’t be submerged in water. I used the clear programme and it’s really very thorough. You add water and washing up liquid after which it spends nearly seven minutes heating and mixing to eliminate all of the residues. It nonetheless requires a little bit of a rinse afterwards however for probably the most half all the things will get cleaned off.

The lid, centre cap and tamper are all dishwasher secure, however they’re not difficult to scrub by hand both. You additionally get a cleansing brush within the field which is efficient at dislodging particles from across the blade space, ought to you should clear the jug by hand. The flat contact management panel is straightforward to wipe clear in case you end up setting it with meals in your fingers.

Crushing ice within the Foodi Blender & Soup Maker

Ice isn’t any match for the Ninja, it utterly crushed a handful of ice cubes in simply 5 fast pulses, so it’s nice for making cocktails or cool summer season drinks. 

Must you purchase the Ninja Foodi Blender & Soup Maker?

If on-the-go protein shakes and smoothies aren’t your foremost cause for wanting a blender, you must positively think about this one. As a multipurpose blender that may make soups, sauces and extra, it has the potential to turn into an actual workhorse in your kitchen and affords way over your common blender.

Sure, there are cheaper blenders available on the market and cheaper soup makers too, however in my view, this sturdy little equipment is nice at all the things from crushing ice to cooking soups from scratch. Having by no means been a fan of soup makers, this Ninja would possibly simply have transformed me. The chop and sauté features preserve the entire course of contained within the jug and it makes an awesome soup when you put your ft up. The one draw back for me is that the capability makes simply three parts of soup at a time.

About this evaluation, and the reviewer

Helen McCue is a contract contributor who educated as a Dwelling Economist. After beginning her profession within the meals business, she moved into dwelling equipment evaluations, utilising her cooking abilities and expertise to place all types of merchandise to the check, and over time has reviewed lots of of dwelling and kitchen home equipment for a wide range of publications.

Having utterly renovated her present home, Helen evaluations kitchen home equipment from her open plan kitchen at dwelling in a gorgeous Berkshire village. When she’s not working, Helen could be discovered having fun with the native countryside or dreaming about her subsequent home renovation challenge.