Ninja Ultracrush Professional Blender Kitchen System Review

Multi-purpose, powerful motor, smooth results. Amazon Affiliate Product Link: https://geni.us/xzDo As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. #CommissionsEarned The Ultracrush Professional Kitchen System includes a full-sized pitcher, food processing bowl, motor base, personal blender cup, drink lid, and a quick start guide. The 10-inch tall pitcher is made of heavy duty plastic and weighs a little over 2.5 lbs. If filled to the brim it can hold 72 ounces but the max liquid capacity is 64 oz or 8 cups (1.9 L). In the corner of the lid opposite the handle is a flip-open cover for the pour spout; it stays in the open position while you pour the contents of the pitcher. The release button unlocks the lid and pops up the handle which allows you to lift the lid off and remove the blade assembly. There are 6 very sharp blades across three tiers. The inside walls of the square pitcher are completely smooth making it easier to clean. The food processor bowl is round and its maximum capacity is 64oz. The lid has no feed chute, but features a covered drizzle port so you can add liquids to the bowl without removing the lid. The blade assembly for this vessel is a shorter 4-blade spindle. The personal blender cup is the perfect size for small quantity blending like single-serving smoothies, dips, and sauces. The max liquid amount for this vessel is 16oz (476 mL) though it can hold a couple ounces more after blending. The blade assembly simply twists off and consists of small but sharp blades of various shapes and sizes. The plastic drink lid should be used after blending for on-the-go use or storage. It features a leak-free cap over the pour spout that folds flat and stays in place with you pour or sip from the cup. When the blades are installed, it is leak-proof and airtight, so for this reason you should not put hot food or carbonated liquid in it as this can cause dangerous excess pressure to build-up inside. You’ll also want to avoid blending very hard, dry ingredients like grains and spices without adding liquid first. This is the 1500 Watt motor base. It measures 7” wide, 9.5” tall, and 7.5” deep. On the front control panel you have the power buttons, low, medium, and high modes, automated Max mode, as well as pulse button. Each container is twist-to-lock by turning clockwise and when installed, all the available mode LEDs will stay a solid white. Pressing a mode starts it immediately and the bar above indicates the blender's total crushing power. Main modes run for a maximum of 60 seconds before stopping automatically to prevent motor burnout, though can be stopped manually at any time by pressing power or the selected mode’s button a second time. The function of Max mode varies by the vessel installed, for example for the cup, it is pulses the blades in short bursts with increasing power over the course of 30 seconds. During operation, the motor is quite loud and the gear assembly that turns the blades on mine squeaks a bit, so expect it to make a bunch of noise. The suction cups under the base are quite strong and keep the base firmly planted on my countertop while the machine is operating, but still easy enough to un-stick when I need to move it. The large 72 oz pitcher is great for blending a large amount of ingredients completely smooth. It also is powerful enough to grind ice cubes into fine, snowy powder that you can use in drinks and shakes. The food processor bowl does not come with a disc blade for shredding and slicing, so you’ll be limited to chopping, dicing, mincing, and pulverizing foods and there is no Max mode available for this vessel. It made a great hummus with super smooth results and the drizzle port allowed me to thin to my desired consistency easily. Overall, the Ninja Ultracrush Professional Kitchen System meets the needs of a full-size blender, chopping food processor, and single-serve personal blender with just one appliance. It doesn’t take up much space on my counter and even fits under my kitchen cabinets with the tall pitcher installed. It has a powerful motor that can crush and blend down ingredients like ice and vegetables smoothly and quickly. All removable parts are easy to clean as they are top-rack dishwasher safe, and oftentimes, simply running the blender with a bit of warm soapy water inside is enough to get everything mostly clean without scrubbing. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases Amazon Affiliate Product Link: https://geni.us/xzDo