What happens if I blend hot liquids in Ninja?

Blending hot liquids in a Ninja blender can be dangerous if not done carefully. Ninja blenders are not designed to blend liquids that are boiling hot. However, with some precautions, you can blend warm or hot liquids safely.

Can You Blend Hot Liquids in a Ninja Blender?

Technically, you can blend hot liquids in a Ninja blender. However, Ninja does not recommend blending liquids hotter than 175°F/80°C. The max temperature varies slightly by model but hovers around there. Blending extremely hot liquids can damage the blender pitcher and blade assembly over time.

Heating causes plastics to expand and deform over time. So if you regularly expose a plastic Ninja pitcher to boiling temperatures, it can warp or crack. The heat and friction from blending can also dull blender blades.

However, warm or hot but not boiling liquids are usually fine. Many savory recipes call for cooking vegetables, broths, or meats then transferring the warm ingredients to a blender. As long as you avoid boiling temperatures, blending warm food is safe for your Ninja.

Tips for Blending Hot Liquids in a Ninja Blender

Here are some tips to safely blend warm or hot liquids in your Ninja blender:

• Let boiling hot liquids cool down before blending. Wait until the temperature drops below 175°F/80°C.
• Blend in short pulses to avoid overheating the motor and pitcher.
• Don’t fill the pitcher more than halfway when blending hot liquids.
• Start on a lower speed setting before increasing to higher speeds.
• Stop and stir the ingredients frequently.
• Use a silicone-protected jar or pitcher designed for hot blending if possible.
• Allow the blender to rest between batches to avoid overheating.

Taking these precautions will allow you to blend warm soups, sauces, and more without damaging your Ninja. But you’ll want to avoid continuously blending large amounts of boiling liquid.

Can All Ninja Blender Models Handle Hot Liquids?

Most Ninja blenders can safely handle blending warm or hot liquids up to 175°F/80°C. However, some models are better equipped than others:

Ninja Blenders Designed for Hot Blending

• Ninja Foodi Heat Blender
• Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher System with Smart Torque
• Ninja Foodi Power Nutri Duo Blender

These models have pitchers designed to withstand higher temperatures. The Ninja Foodi Heat blender even has a special “heat” function designed to blend hot soups and sauces.

Standard Ninja Blender Models

• Ninja Professional Blender
• Ninja Mega Kitchen System
• Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-IQ
• Ninja Chef Countertop Blender

Ninja’s regular blender models don’t have specialized hot blending features. But their pitchers can still handle warm or hot liquids up to 175°F/80°C safely. Just be careful not to overfill the jar or blend boiling liquids.

Personal Ninja Blenders

• Ninja Nutri Ninja Pro
• Ninja Nutri Ninja with Auto-IQ
• Ninja Nutri Ninja Blender Duo

Smaller personal Ninja blenders are not ideal for hot liquids. Their blending jars have less capacity to handle expansion from heat. Stick to blending cold or room temperature ingredients in Nutri Ninja cups.

Can You Make Hot Soup in a Ninja Blender?

Yes, you can make hot soups in a Ninja blender, as long as you follow some precautions:

• Prep your vegetables and add cooked meat and hot broth to the blender.
• Start blending on low to medium speed to mix the ingredients.
• Gradually increase the speed while blending in short pulses.
• Stop frequently to stir and scrape down the sides.
• Only fill the blender halfway to avoid overflow.
• Let the motor rest periodically to avoid overheating.

Models designed for hot blending like the Foodi Heat or Power Pitcher System work best. But regular Ninja blender pitchers can handle the task as long as the soup itself isn’t boiling.

Let the soup cool down for 5-10 minutes after cooking if needed. Then blend in batches and stir frequently. Your Ninja can make quick work of creamy soups as long as you avoid extremes in temperature.

Can You Make Hot Sauce in a Ninja Blender?

Making hot sauce in a blender usually requires blending raw peppers and spices, so temperature isn’t an issue. However, if your hot sauce recipe calls for cooking peppers and onions first, take some precautions:

• Saute peppers and aromatics, then transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
• Start blending peppers on lower speeds before increasing.
• Add small amounts of hot liquid gradually as you blend.
• Stop to scrape down sides and stir frequently.
• Only fill the blender jar halfway.

Most Ninja blender pitchers can handle blending cooked peppers for hot sauce safely. Just be very careful about adding large amounts of boiling hot liquid all at once. Small splashes of hot vinegar, brine, or oil are fine, but avoid dumping in full-boiling ingredients.

Can You Make Hot Drinks Like Coffee or Tea?

No, avoid using a Ninja blender to make hot coffee or tea. The blender motor and plastic parts are not designed to handle boiling water or heating during blending.

Instead, brew hot coffee or tea on the stove or in another appliance. Then transfer cooled or room temperature tea or coffee to your Ninja jar to blend with ice, dairy, and other ingredients for iced drinks.

Signs You Have Damaged Your Blender from Hot Liquids

Here are some signs that blending extremely hot liquids may have damaged your Ninja blender:

• Plastic pitcher is warped, cracked, cloudy, or deformed
• Blades are dull, chipped, or broken
• Blender struggles to process ingredients
• Blender overheats, shuts off while blending
• Leaking coming from bottom of blender
• Burning plastic smell while blending

If you notice any of these warning signs, stop using your blender. Contact Ninja support to determine if replacement parts may be needed. Avoid further damage by not blending boiling liquids going forward.

Bottom Line

While you can blend warm or hot liquids in a Ninja, use caution. Allow boiled ingredients to cool down significantly before blending. Use lower speeds, pulse, stir, and avoid overfilling the jar. Models designed for hot blending like the Foodi Heat handle higher temperatures best.

Take precautions, and your Ninja blender should be able to safely handle blending warm soups, sauces, and other recipes. But boiling water or continually blending piping hot liquid can damage plastic parts over time. Keep maximum temperatures around 175°F/80°C for best results and long-term durability.