Head-to-head · Best Blenders for Smoothies

Ninja Professional Plus BN701 vs Vitamix 5200

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Vitamix 5200 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.3 vs 4.8). The gap is mostly about households committed to long-term daily smoothie and soup making who want decade-of-use durability — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Blenders for Smoothies

Ninja Professional Plus BN701

4.3

$99.95as of Jun 7

The Ninja Professional Plus BN701 is the budget pick and America's Test Kitchen's value choice. With 1400 peak watts, Total Crushing blades, and three Auto-iQ presets, it makes excellent berry smoothies and milkshakes for around $100, though it leaves small pieces of kale in green smoothies. TechGearLab calls it "an absolute steal" for smoothie and blended-drink enthusiasts. Best for budget buyers who blend mostly fruit-based drinks.

Strengths

— America's Test Kitchen's budget pick — "makes solid smoothies, crushed ice, and mayo, and it's relatively quiet"
— 1400 peak watts and Total Crushing blades make excellent berry smoothies and milkshakes
— Three Auto-iQ presets (smoothie, frozen drink, ice) for one-touch blending

Watch-outs

— Struggles to fully puree leafy greens — small kale pieces remain
— Louder and harder to clean than the Vitamix and Breville picks
— Stacked blade assembly takes care to wash safely

$99.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Blenders for Smoothies

Vitamix 5200

4.8

$469as of Jun 7

The Vitamix 5200 is the best-overall smoothie blender and America's Test Kitchen's longtime favorite. Its 2-peak-HP motor and tall 64 oz container produce the smoothest results of anything we researched, with TechGearLab calling it "a smoothie maker's dream." Best for households committed to daily blending who will amortize the high price over a decade-plus of use. The trade-offs are price, footprint, and noise.

Strengths

— Top of the pack for smoothie texture in TechGearLab testing — no flakes, chunks, or unblended greenery
— 2-peak-HP motor and 64 oz tall container pull a deep vortex that pulverizes berry seeds and kale stems
— Variable 1-10 dial gives the widest control range in this lineup, from salsa to liquefied frozen fruit

Watch-outs

— $449 is by far the most expensive pick
— Tall container won't fit under most upper cabinets while docked
— No preset programs or auto-iQ shutoff — you run it manually

$469 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Ninja Professional Plus BN701

The power-per-dollar pick: around $100 with a bigger 72 oz pitcher than the Breville Fresh & Furious, and it crushes ice as well as anything here. But it leaves kale pieces the Breville's green-smoothie program smooths out, and it can't match the Vitamix 5200 or Vitamix Explorian E310 on texture or durability.

Vitamix 5200

The smoothest and most durable pick, and the priciest. The Vitamix Explorian E310 delivers nearly identical texture for less money in a smaller 48 oz jar; the Breville Fresh & Furious and Ninja BN701 are roughly a third the price but leave more grit with berries and greens.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Ninja Professional Plus BN701	Vitamix 5200
Power	1400W peak (1200W base)	1491W (2 peak HP)
Capacity	72 oz (64 oz liquid)	64 oz
Speed Control	3 speeds + Pulse	Variable 1-10 + Pulse
Programs	3 Auto-iQ (Smoothie, Frozen Drink, Ice)	None (manual)
Container Material	BPA-free Total Crushing pitcher	BPA-free Tritan
Dishwasher Safe	Yes (pitcher, lid, blades)	Self-cleaning
Warranty	1-year limited	7-year full
Footprint	17 in tall	20.5 in tall docked

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