Ninja Detect Kitchen System

Should you buy the Ninja Detect Kitchen System?

The Ninja Detect Kitchen System is for a household that wants a blender, a food processor and a personal cup in one box for $249.95. The BlendSense motor senses load and adjusts, six automatic programs cover the common jobs, and the 8-cup processor bowl with slicing disc and dough blade replaces a separate appliance. It ranks fourth in our blenders and stand mixers group. It is not built like a Vitamix, and its Quality score shows that. If you only need a blender, the Ninja Professional Plus BN701 costs $90 less; if you want one that lasts, the Vitamix VX1.

Where it earns its score

• Features score of 88. Six BlendSense programs, 14 manual functions, 10 variable speeds on the pitcher, and a reversible slicing and shredding disc, dough blade and chopping blade.
• Real power. 1,800 peak watts and 1,200 W running, which is plenty for ice and frozen fruit.
• Three appliances. A 72 oz pitcher (64 oz liquid), a 64 oz processor bowl and a 24 oz to-go cup on one base.
• People like it. Reliability 90 and Satisfaction 92 despite the plastic-heavy construction.

What to know first

• Warranty is the weakest ViperScore factor. One year limited from Ninja, next to five and seven years on the Vitamix units.
• Quality scores 60. Lots of plastic parts, and about 14 lb of them to store.
• Not for hot liquids. Soup has to cool before it goes in, unlike the Vitamix jars.
• Loud, and the feet grab. Suction-cup feet can mark countertops, and high speed is genuinely noisy.

Questions buyers ask