Nutribullet vs Magic Bullet: Which Personal Blender Is Better?

The Bottom Line: Is Magic Bullet or NutriBullet Better?

At the end of the tests, I ultimately preferred the Nutribullet Smartsense Blender Combo (view at Amazon). The Smartsense feature simplifies blending anything to a smooth consistency, and the large pitcher is ample for my family-sized batches of soup. It also looks great on my countertop and comes with multiple cups, saving me a daily rewash of a single cup. Though the price is significantly higher than the Magic Bullet Combo, the design, operation and accessories make it worth the added cost. 

Other Models We Tested

Magic Bullet Blender ($50 at Amazon): Magic Bullet's original blender is still a top choice for its compact design, modest price, and longevity (one of our editors is going on 15 years with hers). The 11-piece set comes with three cups— a 16-oz. tall cup, a shorter 12-oz. cup and a large 22-oz. party mug, all compatible with the included to-go lid. Great for sauces, puréed soups and dressings, the 250-watt motor is a little too weak to tackle icy beverages, seeds or tougher vegetables like raw celery.  

Magic Bullet Mini Blender ($35 at Amazon): Small and mighty, the Magic Bullet Mini is ideal for the office, a dorm or taking along on trips. The short cup makes quick work of homemade baby food, small portions of salsa and dips, dressings, and even coffee and spice grinding, while the larger 14-oz. party cup easily accommodates a small smoothie and puréeing soups in batches. The 200-watt motor powered through frozen fruit and ice in less than a minute, and the cups and lids are top-rack dishwasher-safe. The Mini is an excellent choice for singles, new parents or folks living in a small space. 

Magic Bullet Portable Blender ($40 at Amazon): The most personal of the Magic Bullet blenders, the Portable weighs just over a pound and a half and runs on rechargeable batteries, eliminating the constant need for a plug. Great for fast-paced mornings, this thermos-sized blender is easy to throw in a backpack or purse, allowing you to blend your beverage fresh in the car, on the train, or when you arrive at the office. Unique to this model, a handy infuser holds citrus or herbs above the blades, making it easy to flavor your water (think spa water) without adding unwanted texture. The 100-watt motor doesn’t process hard-frozen ice or fruits well, so it’s best to let them thaw a bit for a smooth-textured treat.

Nutribullet Personal Blender ($65 at Amazon): Nutribullet’s “OG” personal blender has a powerful 600-watt motor that zips through ice, breaks down fibrous celery, and pulverizes seeds to pureed perfection. The sleek and modest base is accompanied by two blending cups, a 24-oz. and an 18-oz size, all of which are easy to store. In place of typical to-go lids, the Nutribullet Personal cups come with sipping lids that cover the ridged sides for easy drinking. With the same push-down-and-twist blending operation as the Magic Bullet, the Nutribullet Personal Blender is an excellent option for folks who love their morning smoothie or a velvety soup. Overall, it's a no-frills blender that gets the job done.

Nutribullet Pro Personal 1000 Blender ($90 at Amazon): An upgrade on the original, the Nutribullet Pro 1000 has a 1000-watt motor, which is easier to control than its predecessor, allowing for both chopped and puréed recipes. The extra watts allowed us to blaze through ice, frozen fruit and fibrous veggies easily. The smart addition of suction feet keeps the blender firmly in place, so the higher power doesn’t cause the blender to scoot across your countertop while in use. In addition to a 24-oz. cup, this blender comes with an even bigger one that holds a whopping 32 oz. As sleek and compact as the rest of the line, the Nutribullet Pro 1000 comes at a higher price point but makes up for it with enhanced versatility.

Nutribullet Pro+ Personal Blender ($130 at Amazon): The NutriBullet Pro Plus features a 1,200-watt motor, the Pro Plus, packing even more power than the aforementioned NutriBullet Pro, literally twice the amount as the Original. Like the Original and Pro versions, the Pro Plus operates via the push-down-and-twist method but also comes with a "pulse" button and an auto-shutoff feature that turns the machine off after one minute, a hands-off option not offered in previous models. Along with its motor base and extractor blade, the Pro Plus comes with one 24-oz. cup, a 32-oz. "colossal cup," two to-go lids and two cup rings. The only thing that challenged this blender was peanut butter for a smoothie. The increased wattage is also audible: this unit runs loud. 

Nutribullet Ultra Personal Blender ($150 at Amazon): The upgraded, modern design of the Ultra makes it the most luxe member of the NutriBullet family. With a 1,200-watt motor, illuminated control panel, a 30-second “smoothie cycle,” and separate pulse button and titanium-coated blades, this powerhouse is too strong for simple chopped applications and runs slightly loud. However, my smoothies were silky, and my guacamole was creamy. With the option of three blending vessels (a 32-oz. cup, 24-oz. cup and 24-oz. handled mug and handy to-go lids), smoothie lovers will rejoice at this blender's performance.

Our Magic Bullet and NutriBullet Tests

To compare the Magic Bullet and Nutribullet Blenders, I spent seven days evaluating their design, accessories, operation, sound and efficacy with some challenging recipes.  I used them separately and simultaneously to see how they compared in every way. I made a lemony hummus with drier ingredients to see how well they blended the chickpeas and other cut items. I made a smoothie with hard frozen fruit to evaluate each blender’s ability to break down the tough fruit into a smooth beverage. I washed each machine in the dishwasher and by hand when needed, gauging how easy or difficult they were to clean. Overall, I found that each of these blenders is a good purchase with different strengths that are primarily reflected in their appearance, features and price. 

Common Questions

How do you use Magic Bullet and NutriBullet blenders?

Operating each blender depends on the model. Some models in both lines are simple twist-to-start models, while these combo blenders have either buttons or a dial to operate. Working with a Magic Bullet or Nutribullet blender is easy in both instances. 

Which is more powerful: Magic Bullet or NutriBullet?

Though you can find some models in each line with similar wattage motors, the Nutribullet line features much higher and, therefore, stronger motors, topping out at 1200 watts, whereas the Magic Bullet line peaks at 600 watts. Additionally, the six-edge blades of the Nutribullet Combo add more blending power than the four-edge blade of the Magic Bullet.

Are Magic Bullet and NutriBullet blenders dishwasher-safe?

There are parts of each blender that can be cleaned in the dishwasher, mostly the cups and lids. However, I found many parts too tall for the top rack of my dishwasher and ended up hand-washing most of the parts. 

Our Trusted Expertise

Tiffany Vickers Davis is a chef, writer, and food entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in high-profile restaurants and the test kitchen of Cooking Light magazine. In addition to testing the blenders in this article, she has tested immersion blenders and other full-sized blenders for EatingWell. She is a proud owner of an old Nutribullet Personal Blender, and an even older Vitamix inherited from her parents. She uses them frequently to make smoothies, purée soups and prepare dips for small gatherings. 

A previous version of this article was written by Amina Lake Abdelrahman and was most recently updated by Kayleigh Drake. This most recent update retains some of their insights.  

This article was edited by Katie Tuttle, an editor at EatingWell who specializes in testing kitchen tools, meal kits and wellness products.