Ninja Blender Duo With Auto-IQ Review for 2024 

After checking Ninja blender duo with auto-iq BL642, I want to share my honest thoughts with you people. This workhorse has been churning out smoothies and more in kitchens for years now. But with newer options constantly emerging, is it still the best bang for your buck?

I’ve put this blender through its paces over countless smoothie-fueled mornings. From crushing ice to pulverizing tough veggies, it tackles most tasks with ease. But a machine this tried and true definitely has some room for improvement too. So in this review, I’ll break down its strengths and where it could step up its game.

We’ll also see how it stacks up against competitors that might be worth considering instead. Things like KitchenAid, NutriBullet Blender Combo, and Vitamix’s classic full-size machines have certainly come a long way. Could they dethrone the BL642 from its budget blender throne? 

By the end, I hope to leave you with a clear sense of whether the Ninja is still the best value or if you’re better off upgrading to something fancier.

Overall Design & Size

It’s clear that this machine is designed to make a statement in your kitchen. With a height of 17.8 inches (45.2 cm), a width of 7.6 inches (19.2 cm), and a depth of 10 inches (25.5 cm), this blender is a substantial piece of equipment that’s not exactly compact. 

One of the first things you’ll notice about the Ninja bl642 nutri blender duo with auto-iq is its size. It’s a bulky full-size blender that’s designed to handle large quantities of ingredients, making it perfect for families or individuals who like to make big batches of smoothies, soups, or other blended foods. However, this size comes at a cost – the blender takes up a significant amount of space on your kitchen counter or in your cupboard.

Given its size, the Ninja BL642 blender is best suited for a permanent spot on your kitchen counter, where it can be easily accessed and used on a daily basis. This is especially true if you plan on using the blender frequently, as it’s designed to be a central part of your kitchen workflow. However, if you have limited kitchen space or prefer to store your appliances away when not in use, you can easily remove the main jar from the blender base to make it more compact and manageable. This flexibility is a nice touch, especially for those who live in small apartments or have limited kitchen real estate.

It’s also worth noting that the Ninja blender’s dimensions are identical to its predecessor, the BL610. This means that if you’re upgrading from an older model, you can expect a similar form factor and design. However, the BL642 blender offers a range of new features and improvements that make it a worthwhile upgrade for those who want the latest and greatest in blender technology.

Jar Capacity and Material 

The Ninja blender duo with auto-iq’s main jar is a generous 72 ounces, giving you plenty of room to make big batches of your favorite smoothies, soups, or other blended foods. Whether you’re making a post-workout smoothie, a healthy lunch, or a delicious dessert, this blender has got you covered.

This model also comes with three additional personal jars in different sizes. These jars are perfect for making individual portions or storing leftovers, and they’re great for taking on-the-go. Imagine being able to make a quick and easy breakfast smoothie in the morning, and then taking it with you to enjoy at the office or on the way to your next appointment.

One of the most important things to consider when choosing a blender is the safety of the materials used. That’s why the Nutri Ninja bl642 blender’s jars are made from BPA-free plastic, ensuring that your food and drinks are safe from harmful chemicals. You can trust that your blender is working hard to keep you and your family healthy and happy.

The jars, lids, and blade assemblies are all dishwasher-safe, making it easy to get rid of any leftover food residue and germs. This means you can spend more time enjoying your blended creations, and less time scrubbing away at stubborn stains.

LID Design 

The lid on the main jar of this blender is made from plastic and requires careful alignment to secure it properly. It doesn’t simply snap on; you have to make sure it’s positioned correctly before it locks into place with the clip. This ensures that the lid stays firmly closed during blending, which is important for avoiding any spills or leaks.

Unlike some other blenders that have a two-part lid, this one does not. That means you can’t easily add ingredients while the blender is running. Instead, it has a small spout, like a little window, which is specifically designed for pouring out liquids after blending. While this spout makes pouring easier and less messy, it’s not meant for ingredient additions during blending.

The design of this lid is quite similar to what you’ll find on other Ninja blenders, such as the Ninja BL610 Professional Blender and the Ninja BN751 Professional Plus DUO Blender. They all follow the same basic idea with the lock mechanism and the lack of a two-part lid, focusing more on secure blending than the ability to add ingredients mid-process.

Motor Built Quality 

Another thing you’ll notice about the Ninja blender duo with auto-iq is its sturdy build quality. While the motor base and transmission are made of plastic, they don’t feel cheap or flimsy in any way. In fact, the blender has a reassuringly solid feel to it, which inspires confidence in its ability to handle tough blending tasks.

The bright blue LED lights on the base are a nice touch, as they clearly indicate which presets are available for the jar you’re using. And for safety, the blender won’t run unless it detects that a jar is properly docked, which is a thoughtful feature.

The jars themselves are made of good-quality plastic, which is a relief. However, I noticed two minor issues that you should be aware of. For one, the suction cups under the motor base don’t seem to grip onto surfaces very well, which can be a bit of a problem if you’re planning to use the blender on a smooth countertop. And secondly, the mirrored accents on the front of the blender are prone to showing fingertip smudges, which can be a bit of a pain to clean.

Blade Shape & Speed 

The core of this blender is much like other popular Ninja models. At the center is a tall column containing six sharply angled blades that spin around in a spiral pattern. This main blade assembly handles large batches in the main jar. There’s also a second blade setup meant specifically for the smaller personal jars. Reassuringly, both blade units can be popped into the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

The speed settings on this blender range from 3,200 rotations per minute (RPM) at minimum, all the way up to a brisk 4,600 RPM at maximum. With a powerful 1,200 watt motor driving those blades, it can spin to life in a hurry. An intelligent feature allows the blender to automatically sense which jar is attached and select the optimal speed range accordingly.

While the low and high speeds do cover a decent spectrum, some users may wish for finer tuning abilities between those endpoints. The speed control is fairly typical of Ninja designs though, with less gradation than more affordably priced competitors such as certain KitchenAid models. Overall it gets the job done efficiently, if not with the most delicate touch. But for smoothies, dressings and more, this blender should fit the bill for most home chefs.

Performance 

Making Soups 

When I used the Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-iQ, I quickly realized it’s not meant for blending hot ingredients. I tried making soup, but since it can’t handle heat, it wasn’t ideal for that. The large jar is great though—it can hold enough to make a big batch of whatever you’re blending in one go, which is super convenient.

But I noticed a problem when I tried making a puree with broccoli. Even though I used room-temperature ingredients, the blender had a hard time breaking down those fibrous veggies. The puree wasn’t as smooth as I expected, and I could still feel bits of broccoli in it. So, while it’s great for basic blending, it does struggle with tougher ingredients. I gave it 49 points out of 100 because it’s solid for general use but falls short on more demanding tasks like making perfectly smooth purees.

Nut Butter

The Ninja blender duo with auto-iq can definitely get the job done to create a silky-smooth nut butter. However, it requires a bit more hands-on effort compared to similar high-powered options.

It takes the Ninja BL642 close to seven minutes of continuous blending to fully transform raw nuts into a spreadable consistency. That’s a decent chunk of time spent with the motor running. Additionally, you’ll need to pause halfway through to remove the lid and scrape down the nutty remnants clinging to the sides of the jar. This extra step of stopping and scraping adds to the overall time commitment.

The results are certainly comparable to what you’d get from Ninja’s ever-reliable Mega Kitchen System. Both churn out a nicely homogenous nut butter. However, the Mega’s slightly beefier power may allow it to finish the task a smidge faster without the mid-blend interruption.

Crushing Ice

Making crushed ice is a breeze with this appliance. Within seconds, large cubes are pulverized into fluffy, snow-like particles that are absolutely perfect for cocktails, cold drinks or cooling down on a hot day.

The BL642 earns top marks when it comes to texture and speed of crushed ice production. It completely breaks down ice into ultra-fine shards that melt smoothly in the mouth. There’s no effort required to chew or swallow larger slivers left behind by lesser blenders.

Preparing a batch is also a snap thanks to the machine’s raw power. While other models can sometimes labor away for minutes on end, this Ninja makes short work of crushing loads of ice with its intense blades. You’ll be surprised by how fast full jars are transformed before your eyes.

Fibrous Integrates

When it comes to making single-serving smoothies or cold drinks, this blender really shines. It’s super efficient and handles leafy greens like kale without any trouble. I used the “Ultra Blend” program, and within about a minute, it had turned the kale into a silky-smooth liquid. If you want an even smoother texture, running it for a little longer on high speed gives you flawless results.

However, things change when you’re blending larger volumes. I tried filling the large 72-ounce jar all the way up with fibrous vegetables, and that’s when I noticed some issues. The blender struggled a bit to fully break down all the ingredients. After more than 8 minutes of blending at maximum capacity, the mixture was still a bit grainy. It’s understandable, though, because blending such a large amount of tough ingredients takes a lot of work.

For bigger batches, I found it’s actually easier to take a more manual approach. Starting at a lower speed and slowly increasing the power allows for a more gentle breakdown of the ingredients. Letting it run on high for most of the blending process gave me the best results. The “Frozen Drinks/Smoothies” program can also handle larger amounts, but it took a few extra cycles to get the texture just right.

Overall, it performed really well in our test, scoring an impressive 91. It’s a great choice for smaller servings but requires a bit more time and effort when dealing with larger, tougher batches. If you want the best blender for fibrous integrates, we recommend to check the Vitamix A2300 or Vitamix A2500.

Easy of Use

Using this blender is quite simple, thanks to its mix of manual and automatic settings. To start, it has a basic On/Off switch that you flip to power it up. For blending control, there are three preset speeds that allow you to choose how fast you want the blender to run. While it doesn’t come with a speed dial for more precise adjustments, the preset speeds are enough for most blending tasks.

Another helpful feature is the Pulse/Turbo mode. This works by holding down the pulse button, which gives you a burst of blending power for as long as you keep it pressed. It’s a great way to control the texture of your ingredients and fine-tune your blending results.

The ‘Auto-iQ’ blending programs make things even more convenient. These programs automatically pulse and blend for a specific amount of time, and then the blender stops on its own. It’s a hands-free option that’s perfect if you don’t want to monitor the blender. However, these programs are designed to work with certain jars. Some programs are available only when using the main pitcher, while others are specifically for the smaller, personal-sized jars.

For instance, the Puree program works only with the main jar, making it ideal for creating smooth sauces or soups. The Frozen Drinks/Smoothies program is also limited to the main jar, which is perfect for crushing ice or blending frozen fruits. If you’re using the personal jars, you have the Nutri Ninja Blend program, which is designed for making smaller smoothies or shakes. The Nutri Ninja Ultra Blend program, also for personal jars, is great for handling tougher ingredients like kale or other leafy greens.

The blender also comes with a blending time indicator, so you can see how long the blending process has been going on. However, it doesn’t have a programmable timer, so you can’t set it to blend for a specific duration ahead of time.

Overall, the combination of manual blending options and automatic programs makes this blender versatile. It offers control when you need it, while also providing the convenience of preset programs for hands-free operation.

How to Clean

One of the downsides of this blender is that it’s a bit of a pain to clean like Ninja BN801. The main issue is the blade design – they’re super sharp and have a spiral shape that can be tricky to work with. Because they’re removable, you’ll need to be gentle when cleaning them to avoid any accidental cuts. A soft-bristled brush can be a big help in getting rid of any stuck-on food bits. And don’t forget to give the lid’s spout and seal a good scrub too – they can be a bit stubborn when it comes to cleaning.

Noise Level

In terms of sound level during operation, this blender is reasonably hushed. It clocked in at just over 91.8 decibels at top speed, which is fairly average for appliances in this category.

That said, no blender makes a melodic soundscape. The whirling blades and motor work create unwanted noise, as you’d expect. Also, standing right next to it during prolonged use isn’t a tranquil experience either.

Ninja BL642 vs Ninja Mega Kitchen System 

I compared the Ninja BL642 vs Ninja BL770, BL771, and BL770AMZ to see which might be a better fit for my needs. At first glance, they seem pretty similar but there are definitely some key differences worth pointing out.

From what I read, the Ninja Kitchen System really shines when you need to blend up big batches of thicker ingredients, like those green smoothies packed with kale and spinach. It just glides through fibrous veggies and fruits without any trouble. I also like that it comes with a food processing bowl for slicing and shredding veggies. That’s super convenient when meal prepping.

Now the BL642 isn’t a slouch by any means. Its auto-iQ technology ensures smooth results no matter what you toss in. I do prefer that it comes with three personal-sized jars rather than two though. Perfect for throwing smoothies together on the go. Not to mention, its travel lids reseal which is ideal for sipping throughout the day.

Ninja BL642 vs KitchenAid K400

When I started researching the Ninja blender duo with auto-iq and KitchenAid K400 blenders, I initially thought they were similar, but as I dug deeper, I discovered some key differences that set them apart.

The KitchenAid K400 truly excels when it comes to blending tough ingredients like kale, especially in large quantities. It can whip up silky smooth purees with ease, and its ability to handle hot soups directly in the jar is a major convenience. Plus, cleaning up is a breeze thanks to the many dishwasher-safe parts.

On the other hand, the Ninja BL642 holds its own in terms of performance. What really caught my attention was the inclusion of travel-sized jars with lids, making it perfect for whipping up quick smoothies on the go. Additionally, its quieter operation is a welcome feature, especially for those early morning blending sessions.

Ninja BL642 vs NutriBullet Blender Combo

While both blenders have their strengths and weaknesses, the Ninja BL642 Blender is generally the better option for most people.

One of the main reasons why the Ninja Blender Duo stands out is its superior build quality. The blender is constructed with durable materials and has a more robust design, which makes it more reliable and less prone to breakdowns. This means that you can count on the Ninja Blender Duo to deliver consistent results, even when blending tough ingredients.

Speaking of tough ingredients, the Ninja Blender Duo with auto-iq is particularly well-suited for handling hard foods like nuts, seeds, and ice. It can crush ice into a snow-like consistency, which is perfect for making smoothies, frozen drinks, and other icy treats. The blender’s powerful motor and advanced blade design also make it easy to grind nuts and seeds into fine powders, which is great for baking, cooking, and making homemade nut butters.

Another advantage of the Ninja Blender Duo is its ease of cleaning. All of the blender’s components are dishwasher-safe, which makes cleaning up a breeze. Simply toss the parts in the dishwasher and let the machine do the work for you. This is a major convenience, especially for busy people who don’t have a lot of time to spend scrubbing away at stubborn blender parts.

That being said, there are some scenarios where the NutriBullet Blender Combo might be the better choice. For example, if you need to blend hot soups or ingredients, the NutriBullet is the way to go. Its design allows for hot blending, which is a feature that the Ninja Blender lacks. This makes the NutriBullet a great option for people who like to make soups, sauces, and other hot foods.

The NutriBullet Blender is also much easier to clean by hand, which is a major advantage for people who prefer to wash their dishes by hand. The blender’s design makes it easy to rinse out and scrub away any stubborn food residue, which means that you can get the blender clean quickly and easily.

Finally, the NutriBullet is particularly well-suited for processing large batches of fibrous ingredients like kale, spinach, and other leafy greens. The blender’s powerful motor and advanced blade design make it easy to break down tough ingredients and extract their nutrients, which is great for people who like to make green smoothies and other healthy drinks.

Final Verdict

The Ninja blender duo with auto-iq continues to be a top-performing blender in 2024 thanks to its versatile functionality and powerful yet quiet motor. While some newer models have surpassed it in certain areas like raw power or additional smart features. However, It remains a reliable workhorse that can tackle almost any blending task with ease.

The auto-iQ program is super handy for common recipes and the dishwasher safe parts make cleaning up a breeze. Although more expensive options now exist, You’ll not feel the need to upgrade from this model anytime soon given how well it performs the tasks you use it for.

For most home cooks looking for an affordable high-performance blender, it’s hard to go wrong with the Ninja BL642. While models like the Vitamix A3500 or Blendtec Designer 650 offer additional power and customization, they come at a higher price tag that many people won’t find worthwhile. Unless you have special blending needs like hot soups or intensive daily use, the BL642 delivers incredible value for money. It remains one of the best blenders at striking the ideal balance of power, ease of use and affordability.