Is the Ninja good for juicing?
Juicing has become an increasingly popular way to get more nutrients into your diet. Fresh vegetable and fruit juices provide vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial plant compounds in a quick, easy-to-digest form. With the right juicer, you can unlock all the flavor and nutrition packed into fruits and veggies.
If you’re considering buying a juicer, you may be wondering if the Ninja juicer is a good option. Ninja is a well-known brand that makes high-powered blenders. But how does their juicer stack up? Here, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Ninja juicer’s features, performance, and value to help you decide if it’s the right juicer for you.
Ninja Juicer Overview
The Ninja juicer line includes several different models with varying features and prices. Their juicers are centrifugal style juicers, meaning they use a fast spinning blade to shred produce and strain the juice. Centrifugal juicers tend to be more affordable and faster than masticating or “cold press” juicers.
Some of the key features of Ninja juicers include:
- A large, round chute that fits whole fruits and vegetables
- A high-powered motor (400-1100 watts depending on model)
- An extra-large pulp container
- Dishwasher-safe parts
- Multiple speed settings
Ninja claims their juicers can make nutrient-rich juices in seconds that last up to 72 hours in the fridge. They boast their juicers extract 20% more vitamins and nutrients compared to other juicers.
Juice Quality
One of the most important factors for any juicer is how well it extracts juice and nutrients from produce. Here’s an overview of the juice quality from the Ninja juicer:
- Yield: Ninja juicers tend to have a high juice yield, meaning you get more juice out of your fruits and veggies. This is thanks to the fast spinning blade that thoroughly shreds produce.
- Nutrient retention: Since it’s a centrifugal juicer, the Ninja doesn’t preserve as many vitamins and enzymes as a cold press juicer. However, Ninja claims their juicers retain 20% more nutrients than competitors.
- Foam: Juices made with the Ninja tend to be a bit foamy. This is common with centrifugal juicers. The foam indicates some oxidation is occurring, which reduces shelf life.
- Pulp: The Ninja strains out most of the pulp, producing a smooth juice. But some tiny pulp particles may make it through, giving the juice some texture.
Overall, the Ninja makes a decent quality juice loaded with nutrients. Just keep in mind that some oxidation and nutrient loss occurs due to the high speeds.
Juicing Performance
Here’s an overview of how well the Ninja juicer performs when making juices:
- Speed: Thanks to its powerful motor, the Ninja makes juices very quickly. You can juice a glass of juice in seconds.
- Ease of use: The Ninja is easy to assemble, operate, and clean. The process is very straightforward. Its wide feed chute minimizes prep time.
- Versatility: The Ninja can juice all common fruits and vegetables. Its wide chute means you don’t have to pre-cut small produce.
- Juicing hard produce: With up to 1100 watts of power, the Ninja can juice tougher items like carrots and beets fairly well. You may need to cut large, dense produce into smaller pieces first.
- Noise level: Like most centrifugal juicers, the Ninja is quite loud when running. If you’re sensitive to noise, this could be annoying.
The Ninja makes juicing fast and convenient. Just know that it can get noisy when running at high speeds.
Design
Here are some key points about the design and build of the Ninja juicers:
- Compact footprint – Fits easily on counter
- Durable build – Mostly plastic but well constructed
- Easy to assemble – Parts click into place
- Pitcher and cup – Comes with BPA-free plastic containers
- Dishwasher safe – Removable parts conveniently clean in dishwasher
- Two colors – Available in silver/black or chrome/black
The Ninja has a smart, streamlined design that makes it easy to use and store. The plastic parts feel sturdy enough for daily use.
Price
Ninja juicers range from about $100 for the lowest end model up to $200 for the top model. Here’s an overview of their juicer prices:
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Ninja Professional 72oz Countertop Blender | $99.99 |
| Ninja Professional Countertop Blender with 1100-Watt Base | $149.99 |
| Ninja Auto-iQ Compact System | $179.99 |
Ninja juicers are very competitively priced compared to other centrifugal juicers which range from $50 to $400. You get good functionality and power for the money. The higher-end models have more features and accessories.
How It Compares to Other Brands
Here’s a quick look at how the Ninja juicer compares to some other popular juicer brands:
| Ninja | Breville | Hurom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Centrifugal | Centrifugal | Cold Press |
| Price Range | $100-$200 | $100-$400 | $300-$500 |
| Speed | Very fast | Very fast | Slow |
| Juice Quality | Good | Very good | Excellent |
| Noise Level | High | High | Low |
The Ninja falls in the middle of the pack – not as good as top brands like Breville but better than the cheapest centrifugal juicers. Cold press juicers like Hurom offer superior juice but are more expensive.
Conclusion
The Ninja is a solid mid-range centrifugal juicer that offers good performance and features for the price. It juices produce quickly and can handle all common fruits and veggies. The juice yield is high and retains decent nutrition.
Downsides are that it’s noisy, produces some foam, and may let small pulp particles into the juice. The plastic construction feels decent but not as sturdy or sleek as pricier brands.
Overall, the Ninja is a good option for casual juicers who want something affordable yet powerful. It makes nutritious juices easily. But serious juicing enthusiasts may want to invest in a higher-end centrifugal or cold press juicer to maximize juice quality.
At $100-$200, the Ninja hits the sweet spot of reasonable price and good juicing ability. For most people looking to add more fresh juices to their diet, the Ninja gets the job done and won’t break the bank.