There's no way around it, modern life is busy and tips, tools, gadgets and gizmos that help make it easier are in high demand. That said, I'm skeptical about portable personal blenders. Generally speaking, the smaller, cordless version of anything has big shoes to fill.
But then I got to try out the Ninja Blast.
Created by Ninja, the Ninja Blast™ Portable Blender makes some big claims. "Blast through frozen fruit and ice," declares the packaging. "Make perfectly smooth drinks anywhere you go," boasts the website. Those things sound great to me, so with an open mind, I decided to check it out.
Enter now for your chance to win your own Ninja Blast
If you're already sure you could use a Ninja Blast in your life, you can enter here for your chance to win one of five, thanks to Ninja. The giveaway is open to Canadian residents, and all you have to do to enter is drop your details into the form below.
Turns out, this was the perfect week to see if the Ninja Blast really could blend anywhere I desired. I was heading to Montreal to pet sit a friend's dog, pick up some furniture from the other side of the city, go roller skating, see a concert, get a haircut, hit the gym and do my nine-to-five.
I figured that if the Ninja Blast helped me get through all that, I'd reconsider my stance on portable blenders. So, let's get to it!
First impressions
The Ninja Blast.Louie Murray | Narcity Media
The Ninja Blast comes in sturdy cylindrical packaging, carefully wrapped with all the info and a USB-C charging cable tucked neatly inside. It's effectively ready to go out of the box, though it's recommended to charge it for 1-2 hours before first use.
The unit itself comes in three parts: the base, which houses the motor and blades, the 18-ounce blending vessel and the leak-proof flip-top lid you can drink from. Overall, it's a really sleek build. It's not heavy by any means, but it's certainly solid, which gave me confidence it could handle the rough week I was about to put it through.
The Ninja Blast in a cupholder. Right: The Ninja Blast in a small backpack. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
You can tell that Ninja Kitchen thought a lot about the perfect size and shape for the Ninja Blast. With an 18-ounce capacity, it can easily make a meal-worthy protein shake for one or blended cocktails for two, but it's also small enough to fit into a cupholder and slide easily into my little backpack.
I got to try the blender in denim blue, and there's a range of colours to choose from starting December 2023. If you can't wait to get your hands on a Ninja Blast, you can find the black version in stores now.
But did it blend?
Ingredients in the Ninja Blast. Right: The Ninja Blast. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
You bet it did. I was frankly stunned at how effective this compact blender was at making quick work of fresh, frozen, sticky and dry ingredients — often all at once.
What stood out to me was how well it blended ice. Expecting average results, I decided to make a frozen margarita and put the Ninja Blast through its paces. Boy was I humbled when it turned out a cocktail that I'd have happily paid for out on the town.
A frozen margarita. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
Turning my chunky ice cubes into slush took 2-3 blasts, and I followed the instructions to give the unit a shake to help the bigger pieces along. I also found it much better at blending ice when there was more liquid.
Another time, I blended up cubes of frozen cold-brew coffee with some milk and maple syrup — now that's a recipe I recommend. Being able to toss the ingredients in as I headed out the door to pick up a desk from across town did genuinely streamline my day.
Milk and cold-brew ice-cubes in the Ninja Blast. Right: Louie Murray sips a blended iced coffee.Louie Murray | Narcity Media
The Ninja Blast comes with a handy reference guide that tells you the ideal order to add your ingredients if you want a perfect blend. I can tell you that it made a ton of difference to my very autumnal apple smoothie (blended with milk, peanut butter, oats, maple syrup and vanilla).
The perks of being portable
The Ninja Blast in a bag of skating gear. Right: The Ninja Blast on the deck of a mini ramp. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
It didn't take me long to stop looking for what the Ninja Blast couldn't do (hint: It's not much) and begin to understand what it has to offer over and above countertop blenders.
First, you can drink directly from the vessel with just a push of a button. The leakproof lid is spring loaded, making it a breeze to open, sip and close with just one hand — an essential feature if you're on the go.
Have you ever made a smoothie at home and headed out the door, only to have it separate on you before you're finished? With the Ninja Blast, you can just hit the button and whip it back into shape.
The Ninja Blast on a subway platform. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
Because it uses a battery charged by USB-C, it doesn't require a normal power outlet. You can plug it into your car, your phone charger or even your computer to top up the juice as needed.
It truly is leak proof too. During the week I was intentionally careless in the way only reviewers get to be — tossing the Ninja Blast into my bag, tossing my bag into the car, carrying it upside down and straight up shaking it. Not a drop came out. That was impressive.
A true timesaver
A recently commissioned survey by Ninja Kitchen Canada found that the mental and physical load of household tasks is overwhelming for a huge number of Canadians. The Ninja Blast is designed to help lighten that load, and I totally felt its benefits.
The Ninja Blast at the gym. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
For example, because it's a blender and drinking vessel in one, there are so many smoothie-making steps that I just got to skip. And nowhere was this more evident than clean-up time.
The blending vessel unscrews from the base, so you don't have to dodge blender blades if you want to wash it thoroughly. The drinking lid is notably free of hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. I don't have a dishwasher, but if I did, I could have put it on the top rack and be done even sooner.
Plus, for true on-the-go convenience, the Ninja Blast can clean itself with some water, a drop of dish soap and a press of the "start" button.
The only limit is your imagination
The Ninja Blast at a hair salon.Louie Murray | Narcity Media
Knowing the Ninja Blast was within reach opened my world to a ton of possibilities. It's not just a smoothie maker; it can whip up cocktails, salsas, salad dressings and more.
Wondering what to do with some leftover watermelon, I filled the blender up to the minimum fluid line with water, dumped in the cubed watermelon and had a stunningly fresh juice in 30 seconds.
Louie Murray with a watermelon juice.Louie Murray | Narcity Media
I also used the Ninja Blast to make a delicious fluffy omelette. I cracked two eggs into the vessel, gave them a 30-second blast and poured the mixture into a warm skillet. The result was an airy and foldable omelette that became part of an epic breakfast sandwich.
Final thoughts
The Ninja Blast. Louie Murray | Narcity Media
I'm not ashamed to admit it: I was wrong about personal portable blenders. Or at least, I'm a fan of the Ninja Blast™.
Its size and durable design make it easy to carry around on a busy day, and its capacity and power mean there's nothing it can't do on the go. It really did make it easy for me to "live life at full blast" while I went about my busy week.
Enter now for your chance to win your own Ninja Blast
If you want to see for yourself how much smoother your day-to-day can be, enter here for your chance to win one of five Ninja Blasts, thanks to Ninja.
To learn more about the Ninja Blast, check out Ninja's website or follow them on Instagram and Facebook.
Although products were provided for free in this review, the author's opinions are genuine and do not reflect the views of Narcity Media.