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I know Vitamix for its high-performance blenders that cost the average smoothie-enjoyer a minimum of $350. But since I’m a NutriBullet Pro girl who likes simple, fast, and frozen berry smoothies in the morning, I never gave much thought to the holy grail of the food processing franchise.
That is until Vitamix generously offered to send the Vitamix ONE to me, its new “affordable” $250 blender. This extra-simplified version of its older industrial siblings features a countertop-friendly size, simple one-dial mechanics, and a signature powerful motor. It sounded like the perfect upgrade to my $100 Bullet. But rather than just be impressed by the newer, fancier blender, I decided I had to test them head-to-head.
Below, check out my first-hand experience testing out three smoothie recipes in both a brand new Vitamix ONE and my ol’ reliable NutriBullet Pro. Will the simple bullet blender outshine the over-hyped household name brand? Or will my NutriBullet days become a thing of the past? Read on to find out which brand was ultimately right for me — and which brand may be best for you.
What is the Vitamix ONE?
Vitamix ONE $249.95 $149
This six-pound, $249.99 baby blender is the most simple, cost-effective, and beginner-friendly Vitamix on the market. It’s advertised as the “perfect starter blender” and can handle smoothies as well as sauces, dips, and “frozen treats.” Unlike the more expensive models, however, it cannot blend hot soups nor can it make nut butters, doughs, and flours.
The Vitamix ONE features a 32-ounce BPA-free container, simple one-dial mechanics, a somewhat less powerful 750-watt motor as opposed to its predecessors’ normal 1400-watts, and comes with a free mini-tamper. The dial allows you to adjust how fast it blends. A lower speed, for example, is better for chunky salsa. But even if you want a smoothie, the variable speed has advantages. When blending up ingredients, it’s ideal to start slow and crescendo your way up to the highest setting with a few changes in speed to really mix things up.
After flipping through other reviews and comparing the ONE to more popular Vitamix models, people’s main concerns are the missing pulse function and extra control notches. The pulse function modulates the speed automatically for smoother blending, something you have to do manually with the ONE. The additional controls on other Vitamixes let you switch between variable and high blending and include an on/off switch. With the ONE, however, you run the risk of accidentally placing the container on without the lid and sending your smoothie flying.
What is the Nutribullet Pro?
NutriBullet Pro $99.99
On the other side of the ring, checking in at 5.5 pounds and $99.99, is the Nutribullet Pro. Best known for its easy clean-up, user-friendly functions, and 900-watt motors, this blender is a simple smoothie fanatic’s dream. There are no buttons, pulse functions, or blend modes — just a 24-ounce non-toxic BPA-free plastic cup, a detachable lid with blades, and a twist mechanic that starts the machine.
Prior to receiving the ONE, I used my Bullet to make frozen smoothies, but it also makes dips, sauces, shakes, and other not-so-heavy-duty dishes. According to customer reviews, NurtriBullet Pro is mostly criticized for its allegedly short lifespan, bouts of overheating, and somewhat limited blending abilities.
Test #1 – Green Smoothie
The first test was a basic no-frozen (except ice) kale and spinach smoothie. Both passed with flying colors. The NutriBullet did blend the ingredients the fastest in about 11 seconds and the Vitamix took about 15 seconds to liquefy everything. Perhaps the shape of the NutriBullet naturally pushes everything down into the blade, making a quicker blend time.
Ingredients:
– 1 handful of kale
– 1 handful of spinach
– 1 cup of pineapple, chopped
– Ginger shavings
– 1 cup of oat milk
The Results: I left them both running for about another 30 seconds to see which one came out smoother and the Vitamix won this round. The NutriBullet smoothie definitely had a grainier texture but was still up to my standards, whereas the Vitamix gave off a velvety-smooth, professional vibe. Clean up for both was uncumbersome and everything came off after a hot rinse.
Test #2 – Frozen Berry Smoothie
On to the frozen smoothie, aka what I use a blender for 99% of the time. I like my drinks about a notch below smoothie bowls on the frozen treats viscous scale — meaning, they’re thick enough that I have to lightly scoop it out of the blender, but I can still sip it when it’s in a cup.
Ingredients:
– 1 cup frozen strawberries and bananas mix
– 1/2 cup frozen berries mix
– 1 handful of kale
– 2 spoonfuls of Greek yogurt
– 1 cup oat milk (not pictured in blenders)
The Results: Surprisingly, the NutriBullet successfully crafted my go-to frozen berry smoothie in 1 minute and 2 seconds, while the Vitamix took about 1 minute and 28 seconds — not counting the extra time I needed to tamper the ingredients into the Vitamix’s blades. In the end, both smoothies tasted great and I couldn’t tell too much of a difference between textures like with the green smoothie. I had to add more oat milk to my Vitamix blend to keep it running (you can tell it’s lighter on the right), and the cleanup was more difficult with the ONE, so the NutriBullet Pro takes the cake in round two.
Test #3 – Mango Sorbet
The final, and the most telling test was frozen mango chunks. I learned that this was a tried & true way to tell the capabilities of your blender so, I scooped about a cup and a half into each, about a tablespoon of oat milk, and let it rip.
Ingredients:
– 1 1/2 cup mango chunks
– Tablespoon of oat milk
The Results: At the end of the round, the last man standing was the ONE. I now understand why people dish out the big bucks on these fancy gadgets and why they surpass cheaper options. After about four repeated blends and shakes with my Nutribullet, I gave up on trying to achieve the creamy texture I got with the Vitamix. I took a spoonful from each, and you can see the smoothness of the Vitamix scoop in comparison to the still chunky scoop on the left.
NutriBullet Pro or Vitamix ONE?
This is less about which is the better blender and more about what you’re looking to get out of it. The Vitamix ONE definitely reigns supreme but I’m going to continue to use my NutriBullet Pro because it’s quieter, faster, less clean up, and meets my low expectations. If you want to treat yourself, give a gift to someone going off to college, or are interested in exploring the vast realm of blender capabilities, then definitely go with the Vitamix ONE. It’s louder, a little clunkier, and harder to hide in your kitchen, but it knows how to whip up a velvety smooth drink and is your ticket to joining the exclusive Vitamix club for only $149.
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