Quick Links
- 1 What Are Bullet Blenders?
- 2 Magic Bullet
- 3 Specifications
- 4 Features
- 5 Motor Speed
- 6 Wattage
- 7 Warranty and Parts
- 8 Concerns
- 9 Best For
- 10 Nutribullet
- 11 Specifications
- 12 Features
- 13 Motor Speed
- 14 Wattage
- 15 Warranty and Parts
- 16 Concerns
- 17 Best For
- 18 Direct Comparison: Magic Bullet vs Nutribullet
- 19 1. Blades
- 20 2. Power
- 21 3. Size
- 22 4. Price
- 23 5. Durability
- 24 6. Warranty
- 25 7. Recipes
- 26 8. Design
- 27 Conclusion
- 28 Related Articles
After breaking into the industry a decade ago, the Magic Bullet has since become a household name. Despite a lack of specification update, the device has remained popular – a testament to its proven design and staying power.
On the other hand, the Nutribullet is a modern kitchen appliance for a modern kitchen and has garnered just as much fame and success as the Magic Bullet did when it was first released. These days, it’s touted as one of the best personal blenders on the market – just like the Magic Bullet.
Both are small, famous blenders that look very similar to each other. So which one truly is the better device for your needs? Read on to find out with is better when you compare the Magic Bullet vs Nutribullet.
What Are Bullet Blenders?
If you spend any reasonable amount of time in the kitchen, you’ll find that the blender is a crucial device and a necessary kitchen staple. But as the world evolved, so did the technology for blenders.
Gone are the clunkier, larger blenders that would have to permanently occupy a space on the kitchen counter at home. Now, anyone can get a small, easy-to-clean, personal blender. And most of them are relatively affordable as well!
With a personal blender, anyone can cram massive amounts of nutrition into a single, easy-to-digest serving. As a result, this has made living a healthier lifestyle so much easier and more accessible for those with a busy schedule.
But it doesn’t have to be all waistline-friendly recipes – a blender is perfectly capable of making rich desserts, milkshakes, and smoothies as well! This makes the blender an incredibly versatile device, no matter your needs.
Compared to a normal kitchen blender, a bullet blender is a small, personal blender that is named after its sleek, bullet-like design. It has garnered incredible popularity among consumers for the surprising amount of power it packs in its small size, and how easy it is to clean and use. Its small size also allows for smaller, single-person servings – perfect if you need just one smoothie.
Additionally, most bullet blenders come with a variety of lids, cups, and rings, making it easy to blend out a drink, grab, and go, with minimum fuss and cleanup. This means you can make yourself a protein shake and drink it straight from the vessel, or pop on a lid and bring it with you to work. All in all, this has made bullet blenders an incredibly attractive option for those of us who live busy, modern lives on the go.
Bullet blenders also differ from normal blenders in having motors with incredibly high RPM, with most capable of achieving speeds of 24,000 RPM.
With the help of normal blades and milling blades, this allows these blenders to grind and crush a variety of ingredients that most normal blenders can’t achieve. Beans, nuts, spices – even the normally inedible parts of a fruit or vegetable can be easily liquified by a bullet blender for more nutrition.
Brands and manufacturers have since jumped on the bandwagon, and have produced all sorts of bullet blenders to catch some of the craze. Out of all the options available on the market, the Magic Bullet and the Nutribullet are two of the most popular bullet blenders known.
At first glance, the two blenders seem to be just about the same. But in reality, the two blenders do have some key differences – and those differences could potentially be the ultimate deal-breaker for you. Just which one of them comes out the winner?
Magic Bullet
Pros:
Ideal For Beginners. If you’ve never used a blender before, the Magic Bullet virtually has you covered. It’s easy to use, clean, and care for, and it can be considered a good “first blender” for those trying out something new.
- Affordable
The Magic Bullet has a fairly inexpensive price that makes it a worthwhile expense for those seeking blenders for simple uses.
- Compact Size
The small size of the Magic Bullet makes it ideal for users who need something quick and convenient for just one or two people, and it’s easy to store in cabinets while also not taking up much space on the counter.
Cons:
- Recipes Will Not Be Perfect
The power of the Magic Bullet is very low, and it can’t run for very long at a time. This will likely mean that, if you’re adding anything other than very soft ingredients, it will have a time making well-blended recipes.
- Not Designed For Heavy Use
The Magic Bullet will likely have difficulty withstanding the wear and tear from everyday use, so if you need a daily blender, this one may not last for as long as you’d like.
- Limited Ingredients
You really can’t blend anything chunky, fibrous, or hard in this bullet blender without potentially damaging it.
Specifications
- Size: 4 ¾” diameter x 12” height
- Capacity: 18 oz
- Weight: 2.3 pounds
- Speed: 2,000 RPM
- Wattage: 250 Watts
You may have seen this blender before – or at least, many like it. About a decade ago, it defined the look and feel of what the ultimate kitchen blender should be like, and quickly dominated kitchens across the country. The blender has since spawned dozens of copycats in its wake.
Despite its’ increasingly more powerful modern competition, the Magic Bullet has proven itself to withstand the test of time. So – what’s made impressive home utensil such a household name?
Features
1. Size
At 4.75” diameter x 12” height, this compact little blender can fit into just about any kitchen. Its small footprint means more room on your countertop, and you can disassemble it to fit in just about any kitchen cabinet.
With its base clocking in at only 2.3 pounds and a full shipping weight of 6.23 pounds, it’s easy to move around as well. This means this blender doesn’t have to be permanently stationed on your kitchen counter, which can be attractive for smaller kitchens.
2. Usage
This blender’s simple construction makes it incredibly easy to use. Simply place your desired ingredients into your chosen cup. Twist on the blade, and set the cup into the base.
There are no buttons to worry about, no complicated settings to fiddle with – just press down on the cup and twist it to begin the blending process. Twisting on a comfort ring even gives you the option to drink directly from the cup, which means less to clean up!
3. Structure
The full Magic Bullet set has 11 pieces. This includes the base, a cross blade, a party mug, a short cup, a tall cup, two resealable lids, a flip lid, and 2 comfort lip rings.
The biggest cup’s maximum capacity is 18 ounces, which is big enough to fit any bulkier ingredients you may have in your recipe. It is also a good size for those who wish to use the cup as a storage container, as it is big enough without being bulky.
The smaller cup’s capacity is about 8 ounces, allowing for smaller servings. This can be helpful if you’re using the blender to dice or grind a small number of ingredients or wish to make a single-serve meal or drink.
4. Add-Ons
The blender comes with a 10 Second Recipes booklet that doubles as an instruction manual. It has a large selection of quick, easy recipes for anyone to take advantage of. The booklet even comes with tips, tricks, and techniques that can be used, making it very beginner-friendly right from the getgo.
Some of the recipes include cocktail ideas, omelet recipes, and even various types of cheesecakes you can make with the Magic Bullet.
Motor Speed
If you are a heavy user doing a Magic Bullet Vs Nutribullet comparison, this might be important to you. The weaker motor doesn’t handle overuse very well and may burn out if pushed too hard. According to the instruction booklet, the limit is about 60 seconds. This means that this blender is unsuitable for recipes that require more blending time.
With a motor that only operates up to 2,000 RPM, it also means that it can’t handle tougher ingredients such as chickpea skin.
That said, crunchier ingredients like frozen fruits, spices, and nuts are of no problem to this blender, which means more typical recipes like hand-made almond nut butter are still perfectly viable options. It also has no issues mincing and dicing aromatics, should you find yourself unwilling to use a chef’s knife and a cutting board.
So if your recipes largely comprise of soft ingredients or fuss-free meals, the lower motor speed may not be a big concern to you.
Wattage
The Magic Bullet blender is a weaker blender, using about 250 watts. This is enough to blend most ingredients you’ll be putting into it, though it won’t be able to crush and chop ice without it becoming overworked.
If you have recipes that require the final product to be cool, you can easily get around this limitation by putting in softer frozen alternatives like frozen strawberries or watermelon. These ingredients can be blended smoothly just fine.
Do bear in mind that you’ll have to ensure that enough liquid has been added to your recipe before turning on the blender. Half a cup of water is the manufacturer’s suggestion for ingredients like fibrous vegetables.
Warranty and Parts
Just like most electronics these days, the Magic Bullet ships in with a standard 1-year limited warranty. This means that if any manufacturing defects are found within the first year of the blender’s use, the manufacturer will provide free replacement parts or even a completely brand-new replacement. For an additional fee, you can extend the limited warranty for another four years.
Unfortunately, this warranty doesn’t cover issues that arise from misuse. It also doesn’t cover shipping and handling costs, so you’ll have to pay for that out of your own pocket.
Thankfully, repairing the blender is not a difficult DIY task. With only one version of the Magic Bullet out there, you don’t have to worry about making sure you’ve got the right parts for your blender. Getting more cups and mugs is just as easy, so having a few extra parts on hand is never an issue.
Sans the obvious exception of the motor, the Magic Bullet, and its various parts are all dishwasher friendly. The cups are also microwaveable for extra convenience, and are freezer safe should you wish to freeze your meals and drinks directly.
Concerns
This blender was the reigning champion of its day for a good reason – but in comparison to the Nutribullet, some concerns begin to arise.
Users whose regular recipes call for harder or tougher ingredients will find that this machine will be unsuitable to their needs, as do those who want to make dishes that require a longer blending time. Additionally, recipes that also require very little liquid may be a challenge for the Magic Bullet.
The Magic Bullet’s weaker motor also means that it is unsuitable for recipes that require ice, as it is unable to grind ice apart.
Depending on your needs, the Magic Bullet’s biggest cup (18 ounces) may not be sufficient. This is especially so in comparison to the Nutribullet, which has the option of a 32-ounce cup capacity. If you want to make large quantities in as few batches as possible, this may not be the blender you are looking for.
Best For
With a lower power rating of only 250 watts, the Magic Bullet is not the most powerful blender on the market. As such, the use of this blender is largely restricted to softer ingredients that won’t need a stronger motor or a longer blending time. That said, its lower power consumption may make it more attractive to users whose needs fit within this blender’s capabilities.
The Magic Bullet may be limited in its capabilities compared to the more powerful Nutribullet, but it does its job well. It makes good work of blending leafy greens and protein powder shakes into a smooth mix and functions well as a single-serve blender.
This blender is also fairly forgiving for kitchen newbies, thanks to its readily-available parts, and simple disassembly and use. Microwaveable, freezer-safe, and dishwasher-safe cups and mugs make storing recipes and cleaning the Magic Bullet convenient and user friendly. Its relatively small and lightweight footprint also can be great for kitchens that do not have a lot of real estate.
Nutribullet
Pros:
- Great For Smooth Drinks
The Nutribullet works like a charm against many fibrous vegetables and even seeds, so it can really create that “flawless” sort of beverage that many people enjoy when making smoothies.
- It Grinds Things Up
Though it can’t exactly reduce solid, hard ingredients to a powder, like a professional blender or processor, the Nutribullet is capable of grinding down ingredients such as crushed ice, coffee beans, nuts, seeds, and oats.
- It Runs Quietly
The motor of the Nutribullet is surprisingly silent, which means blending won’t wake up the entire household.
Cons:
- It’s Still Not Very Powerful
600 watts is nowhere near the best level of power you can get from a bullet blender. Though it’s more powerful than a Magic Blender, it still can’t make complicated, taxing recipes.
- It Is Not Designed For Heavy Usage
The Nutribullet will likely have difficulty withstanding the wear and tear from everyday use, so if you need a daily blender, this one may not last for as long as you’d like.
Specifications
- Size: 5.375″ diameter x 15″ height
- Capacity: 24 oz
- Weight: 3.6 pounds
- Speed: 20,000 RPM
- Wattage: 600 Watts
The Nutribullet is typically known for being one of the first “nutrient extractor” products on the market. The Nutribullet 600, which is what is being reviewed here, has a strong place in the minds of many who were there when bullet blenders rose to popularity.
Since its release, many more models of the Nutribullet have surfaced, but this original device is still often considered among the best. Does it really still hold up after all this time?
Features
1. Size
With a diameter of 5.375″ and a height of 15″, the Nutribullet is larger than the Magic Bullet without becoming too large for a standard kitchen. Though it can still be stored in cupboards and cabinets easily thanks to disassembly (like the Magic Bullet), it may be more efficient to leave it out on the counter. At its base, the blender weighs only 3.6 pounds.
2. Usage
The Nutribullet is used in the same way as the Magic Bullet. There isn’t much difference. Simply place your desired ingredients into your chosen cup. Twist on the blade, and set the cup into the base. There are no buttons to worry about, no complicated settings to fiddle with – just press down on the cup and twist it to begin the blending process.
3. Structure
The full product of the Nutribullet comes in 12 pieces. This includes a tall cup, two short cups, two lids with resealable function to keep the contents of cups fresh, a pocket nutritionist, a cookbook, a user manual, and more.
The blender cup holds up to 24 ounces of liquid at a time, which allows it to make more drinks than the Magic Bullet, and to fit in more ingredients.
A good feature of note on the Nutribullet is a suction cup-style mechanism that locks the cup into the blender during the blending process, keeping things nice and secure and preventing excess shaking. Do note, though, that the suction cups can and will stick firmly to other surfaces, too, such as your kitchen counter – so don’t stick it to too many other things!
4. Add-Ons
Just like the Magic Bullet, the Nutribullet comes with a cookbook. It also has a pocket nutritionist manual as well as a downloadable recipe application that can be used with a mobile device. Recipes are designed to be nutritious and quick.
Motor Speed
The Nutribullet uses a powerful extractor which is powered to a speed of 20,000 RPM. This, combined with its patented extractor blades that slice and blend efficiently and its quick, cyclonic blending style, makes for a surprisingly strong and capable blender product. The motor of the Nutribullet is also notably quieter than most blenders you may know of.
The extractor blades work by breaking down plant-based food, all the way down to their very cell walls, which allows you to get all the vitamins and minerals out of the ingredients you’re using. However, it’s worth noting that extremely fibrous or hardy ingredients may not blend well in the Nutribullet. It has better capabilities than the Magic Bullet, but it doesn’t match a full-fledged blender.
Wattage
As aforementioned, the motor of the Nutribullet is powered by a 600-watt motor. This makes it stronger than the Magic Bullet, allowing for smoother and silkier end results when comparing them.
This level of power also contributes to the proper breaking down of the ingredients within, pulverizing all sorts of tough and fibrous vegetables and fruits, as well as crushed ice. Do note that very fibrous ingredients and big chunks of ice and ice cubes will likely not blend will in the Nutribullet.
Warranty and Parts
Just like most electronics these days, the Nutribullet ships in with a standard 1-year limited warranty. This means that if any manufacturing defects are found within the first year of the blender’s use, the manufacturer will provide free replacement parts or even a completely brand-new replacement. For an additional fee, you can extend the limited warranty for another four years.
Unfortunately, this warranty doesn’t cover issues that arise from misuse. It also doesn’t cover shipping and handling costs, so you’ll have to pay for that out of your own pocket.
It is worth noting that we are currently discussing the original Nutribullet, and since its conception, multiple more expensive and more powerful models of it have been released. This can make searching for parts a little difficult, especially compared to the Magic Bullet. However, the manufacturing company does sell spare parts, so it will not be too difficult of an excursion.
Most of the parts of the Nutribullet are easy to clean with just soap and water; cups may be a little narrow, so you may want to try using a brush for cleaning purposes. Cups can be washed in a dishwasher on the top rack, and they are freezer safe and microwaveable. Do note that the blades are not dishwasher-safe.
Concerns
There are fewer concerns regarding the Nutribullet than the Magic Bullet, but some concerns do remain. They can still have difficulty breaking down very hard, very large, or very fibrous ingredients, and certain things, like large ice, should simply not be used with the blender at all.
Despite a high marketed speed, it has been noted that the blender doesn’t actually go as fast as you may have been led to believe by the manufacturers. While this does not dramatically impede blending ability, you would likely expect more out of it than this.
Best For
The Nutribullet may work best for those who want to serve a lot of frozen-type drinks, with frozen fruit, crushed ice, and other similar harder options blending down perfectly fine within this blender. If you use nuts and grains or similar items in your concoctions, you might be pleased to know that the Nutribullet can handle them well.
The blender is also likely suitable for those who enjoy a silky smooth, no-residue texture to their drinks. It’s very easy to use and ideal for many home kitchens that want more function to their blenders but aren’t going to make very fancy recipes that require high-intensity blending.
Direct Comparison: Magic Bullet vs Nutribullet
1. Blades
Both blenders come with two blades, but the Nutribullet’s extractor blades are a little different. Thanks to their patented design, the resulting blend will often be smoother than what the Magic Bullet can give. While the Magic Bullet can also blend grains, beans, and the like, the Nutribullet comes with a special milling blade for such a purpose.
2. Power
The Magic Bullet is the weaker of the two, with a motor of only 250 watts compared to the Nutribullet’s 600-watt motor. The former works best with softer ingredients and is unable to crush ice, while the latter can handle just about any tough ingredient, and is capable of grinding crushed ice.
3. Size
Both blenders have a similar amount of parts and are also of similar size, and will take up roughly the same amount of storage space. That said, the Nutribullet is a little taller, though most of it’s height comes from its larger-capacity cup. But if you don’t need a large blender, the Magic Bullet may be more suitable for you.
4. Price
The Magic Bullet and the Nutribullet are both relatively affordable small blenders. While the Nutribullet has the lower total cost of the two, it only has a total of 12 parts compared to the Magic Bullet’s 17.
5. Durability
The Magic Bullet is infamous for its parts wearing down first, though the manufacturers offer a 30-day risk-free purchase that should cover this. Buying replacement parts also isn’t too difficult.
Meanwhile, the Nutribullet has seen some complaints about the blender’s motor wearing out in as quickly as six months, though the exact reason on why it does vary. That said, the product comes with a one year warranty that should cover this issue.
6. Warranty
Both blenders come with the same 1-year limited warranty, which covers any manufacturing defects and will replace both parts and even the whole product for free if necessary. Customers can also pay a small fee to extend the warranty for another 4 years.
That said, the owner will have to cover the cost of shipping and handling out of their own pocket if they are to take advantage of this warranty.
7. Recipes
The Magic Bullet only has a 10 Second Recipe booklet that doubles as a user manual. Meanwhile, the Nutribullet comes packed with both a cookbook and a user manual, in addition to a pocket nutritionist and an app.
8. Design
The Magic Bullet and the Nutribullet are both bullet-shaped blenders that require cups to be screwed into the base and use cyclonic action to blend things. As a result, both have a very similar look and design. Both blenders also have a variety of cups and lids available for the choosing.
Conclusion
So, between the Magic Bullet vs Nutribullet, which one should you opt for? Personally, we’d take our own hats off to the Nutribullet, as it is still affordable, has better power, and is a good balance between an overly simplistic and fragile blender and a much more expensive, more professional-standard one. However, at the end of the day, the choice is really up to you and your needs.
If all you’re looking for is a simple, straightforward, basic blender that’s beginner-friendly and can make you simple smoothies with soft ingredients, the Magic Bullet may be what you seek. It may not have a lot of power or extra bells and whistles, but it does the job for a quick, simple blend.
If what you want is something more powerful for more complex recipes, then the Nutribullet may be more up your alley. The fact that it can handle slightly tougher ingredients makes it more versatile, and though it’s not as powerful as a standard kitchen blender, it can still deliver a decent amount of recipes with good quality.
Whichever one you choose, make sure you’re purchasing the one that suits your personal needs best. Feel free to also shop around for other options first before making your final decision!