If you're in the market for a new blender, I urge you to put the Ninja Blast Max on your radar this sales season – it's a worthy step up from the previous model

If Ninja is known for anything, it's constant innovation. The Ninja Blast Max is a chunky, 22-oz version of the original Ninja Blast, which I tested last summer. I was a big fan of the original and there wasn't much I'd have improved. Making it larger certainly wouldn’t have been my first thought, but once I got it into the test kitchen, I realized that more had been upgraded than just the size.

In fact, the Ninja Blast Max stands out from all the best personal blenders I’ve tried. The large cup has fixed blades inside, which means you can twist off the cup and drink straight from it without the motor base attached. Cleaning is easier, too – no worrying about water getting on the motor.

On top of that, the Max comes with Auto-IQ Blend, Smoothie, and Crush settings, which automatically tailor your drinks to the exact texture you want, whether you’re making a simple protein shake, fibrous green smoothies, or crushing ice for cocktails. This isn’t just a bigger Ninja Blast, it’s better – in every way.

Product specifications

Blending performance

If you think you'll be blending straight out of the box, think again. The Ninja Blast needs a 3-hour initial charge, which was actually a bit frustrating, since I had a busy day of testing ahead and I wanted to make my smoothies first. However, once fully powered, you can get up to 25 blends before needing to charge again. Once the green charger light finally got glowing, here's what I made in the test kitchen.

Test 1: Berry breakfast smoothie

A berry breakfast smoothie is always my first test when trying out the best blenders. I started by pouring some oat milk up to the 'minimum liquid' line on the side of the Ninja Blast Max – super handy. Then, I added my challenging breakfast ingredients: frozen blueberries, strawberries, chia seeds, flax seeds, almond butter, and a banana. There was more than enough room for everything.

I hit the Smoothie button, and the blender got to work. It was impressively quiet, measuring just 80 decibels – definitely a contender for my quietest blender list. The Ninja Blast Max took 35 seconds to finish the blend.

The results were delicious. I did notice a few tiny flecks of blueberry skin, but they didn’t affect the taste at all. The only truly uniform smoothie I’ve ever had came from an enormous $500 Vitamix, so I can forgive the Ninja Blast Max for a few flecks here and there.

Test 2: Kale smoothie

Next up, a curly kale smoothie, packed with vanilla protein powder, green yoghurt, peanut butter, banana, and oats. The challenge here is the fibrous greens – will the blender be able to blitz them down into nothing? Then there's the nut butter and protein powder – will they clump together or stick to the sides?

The Ninja Blast Max stood up to the challenge. I did have to run the 'Smoothie' cycle twice to really get the kale cut down into tiny flecks, but in the end, it was smooth and refreshing. Just as powerful as the Ninja's best countertop blenders.

Test 3: Ice

Portable blenders aren’t really designed to crush ice. They’re typically too small and underpowered. But I noticed that the Ninja Blast Max packaging boldly claimed: 'TURNS ICE TO SNOW', which was hard to ignore.

To my surprise, it did exactly that. I dropped in three large freezer-fresh ice cubes, added a splash of water, and touched the Crush button. It was pretty loud, but around 60 seconds later, I had a snow-like slush – ideal for frappuccinos or frozen summer cocktails on the go, if that's your thing.

Is it leak-proof and travel-friendly?

When I’ve tested other portable blenders, like the NutriBullet Flip, I always get a flutter of panic packing it into my bag alongside my laptop and notebooks – there’s that constant worry about leaks or spills. With the Ninja Blast Max, I felt strangely confident. The lid screws on tightly and securely, and the built-in seal keeps everything contained (I tested it first by tipping it upside down over the sink).

Once I was out and about, I didn't experience any drips or sticky messes. I can confirm the Ninja Blast Max is a portable blender you can trust.

I was originally concerned about the size of the blender being too large for my bag, but it was totally manageable, as the design is quite wide and squat, plus you can dismantle the motor and leave it at home. It didn't fit into my car cup holders though – if that's a real priority, you might want to get the measuring tape out before you buy – or try the svelte BlendJet2 Portable blender instead.

Cleaning

There are three easy ways to clean the Ninja Blast Max: handwashing, filling the cup with water and a drop of detergent, and hitting Blend, or simply popping the cup in the dishwasher. I tried all three, and each one was quick and effortless.

Compared with the original Ninja Blast, the Max feels even easier to clean. The fixed blades are well-designed, so there are fewer nooks and crannies for food to hide in, and the larger 22-oz cup gives you more room to get in with a sponge if you’re handwashing.

How does it compare?

Ninja Blast vs. Ninja Blast Max

The original Ninja Blast (the link goes to our review) was already one of the best portable blenders out there – compact, convenient, and capable of handling everyday smoothies and frozen blends.

The Ninja Blast Max, however, levels up in almost every area. Its 22-oz capacity gives you more room for larger batches, while the extra voltage and new settings (Smoothie, Blend, and Crush) make it more versatile than the single-speed original. It has a longer battery life, too. It packs in a lot of power, but weighs only 0.4 lbs more than the original.

Both models are easy to clean and dishwasher-safe, but the Ninja Blast Max’s larger jar and new fixed-blade design make it feel even more user-friendly.

NutriBullet Flip vs. Ninja Blast Max

The NutriBullet Flip is another strong contender in the portable blender space, and in some areas, it has an edge. It’s quieter than the Ninja Blast Max and does a better job at keeping drinks cold thanks to its insulated design.

However, the Flip lacks some of the practical touches that make the Max a joy to use. The Ninja’s measurement markings on the side take the guesswork out of prepping smoothies, its transparent cup makes it easier to see the blend in action, and its lighter weight makes it easier to carry around. Most importantly, the Ninja Blast Max can crush ice, giving it the upper hand when it comes to versatility.

Should you buy the Ninja Blast Max?

The Ninja Blast Max takes everything we loved about the original and super-sizes it with more power, more capacity, battery life, and more versatility. It punches well above its weight for a portable design.

I'd recommend it to smoothie lovers who want bigger portions on the go, anyone who likes to make frozen drinks or iced coffees, or those who value ease of cleaning and reliable leak-proof portability.

If you're not quite sure or you need a little more guidance on making the right investment, I recently wrote a guide on how to choose the best blender for your needs.