Ninja Kitchen System 1100: Strongest Soldier in My Kitchen

Ninja Kitchen System 1100 Blender Review

By Marie James

I’ve always done a lot of cooking and baking from scratch, and have appreciated having electrical helpers in the kitchen.

When I was younger they just saved valuable time and energy.

But now, arthritis has become a frequent visitor…

… and small appliances are treasured friends that allow me to continue to bake homemade bread and process my garden produce.

Click here to check lowest price on the Ninja 1100 Blender!

I wondered if there could possibly be one machine that would meet most of my countertop appliance needs.

I wouldn’t expect it to replace the coffee maker or crockpot, but maybe some of the many other tasks could be assumed by one appliance.

Finding the Ninja 1100…

One of my daughters loves her new Ninja blender, so I checked out the entire line of Ninjas.

After doing some reading of Ninja blender reviews and talking to some other cooks, I was in love…with the Ninja Kitchen System 1100!

It was a dream come true, tailor made for my needs.

What can the Ninja 1100 do?

This amazing machine is a true multi-tasker. Among other things, it can:

• Mix doughs, batters, puddings, and pie fillings
• Crush ice for beverages and snow cones
• Make smoothies, frappes, frozen alcoholic drinks, and sorbets
• Blend up frothy hot beverages
• Grind nuts and seeds into flours and butters
• Knead yeast doughs
• Chop and puree veggies and fruits
• Grind coffee beans
• Whip cream, beats eggs and egg whites
• Mix dips, spreads, dressings, marinades, and sauces
• Grind dry spices (Fresh garlic powder, anyone?)

Here’s a quick visual on how the Ninja
is different from your everyday blender:

Click here to check today’s price on Amazon.com

What comes in the package?

The Ninja Kitchen System 1100 includes an electric base, two containers with lids, two blade assemblies, and three processing attachments. Included are:

• 40 oz. processing bowl with lid and 4-blade assembly
• 72 oz. pitcher with lid and 6-blade assembly
• Whisk attachment for whipping ingredients in the pitcher
• Dough paddle for mixing batters and doughs in the processing bowl
• Dough hook for kneading up to 1.5 pounds of dough in the processing bowl
• Machine base with 1100 watt motor, 24-inch cord, and flat push buttons for three speeds and pulse option

Note: Some stores include a cookbook with the purchase. The Ninja Kitchen System 1200 appears to be the same base unit and accessories packaged for specific large retail stores.

What are some of the Ninja 1100’s features?

• The 1100 watt Smartspeed™ motor automatically adjusts to the consistency of the ingredients being processed. The motor remains at a controlled speed even during kneading of bread dough.
• The base has a non-slip base surface that prevents it from accidentally sliding off the counter.
• There is a little compartment in the base to stow the power cord when not in use.
• Without any glass parts, the Ninja 1100 is lighter in weight than many other blenders and is easily moved from cupboard to countertop.
• The bowl and pitcher are made of BPA-free plastic. This is important to me, since BPA (bisphenol A), a harmful cancer-causing chemical, can leach from containers.
• Both lids lock onto their containers, so there is no risk of flying lids and liquids. Each lid has a spout for pouring, and the bowl lid has a strainer built into the spout.
• The vertically-oriented blades spin up above the level of most blender blades, not just in the bottom of the container. This process mixes ingredients more thoroughly. Nuts are ground evenly, without leaving nut butter stuck to the blade and layers of ground and chopped nuts above it.
• Each container has calibrated measuring lines for every eight ounces and every half cup. This makes adding ingredients a breeze, often eliminating the need for separate measuring cups.

What does the Ninja 1100 look like?

The machine is the size and shape of a standard home kitchen blender.

The black and silver base with push buttons is compact and attractive, and I think it would look nice on any kitchen countertop. Blades are stainless steel; containers, lids, whisk, dough paddle, and dough hook are sturdy plastic.

Is it dishwasher safe?

Yes, the containers, lids, blades, and attachments are safe on the top rack of the dishwasher. The motor base is not immersible but the exterior is easy to clean with a damp cloth or sponge.

How much does the Ninja Kitchen System cost?

The manufacturer retail price is $199.00. I have seen it on sale for less online and in local stores and heard of prices as low as $137. Generally speaking, I seem to always have found the best price at Amazon.

Who makes the Ninja 1100?

I prefer to buy appliances from well-known manufacturers with long track records, but the Ninja brand name was very new to me. I had a bit of trouble finding out who makes Ninja brand food processing equipment.

Finally I unearthed the name of the manufacturer: Euro-Pro Operating LLC. As the name implies, Euro-Pro originated in Europe, where many fine quality household goods are made. The company, now based in Massachusetts, has been making appliances for more than a century.

Euro-Pro focuses on providing better and more efficient products for today’s busy consumers. The company takes great pride in developing innovative, easy to use products at competitive price points. That’s my kind of company.

Note from Bethany:

I recently had some problems with the locking mechanism on my small processor bowl getting messed up due to my own error.  I called Euro-Pro to see what to do.

My call was answered immediately, and within two minutes the customer service representative had a new bowl and lid ordered for me at no charge.  I don’t think I’ve had such excellent and efficient customer service in years!  I don’t even have to send the old bowl back to them or anything.

Are there any shortcomings of the Ninja 1100?

• Sharp Blades – Though the highly rated blades are one reason the Ninja 1100 works so well, the blades are exceptionally sharp. They should be handled carefully and grabbed by the duller edges. One safety solution is to store the blades inside the bowl and pitcher with locked lids, or in another container with a lid. The blades will be accessible without danger of accidental injury.
• None of the Ninja 1100 parts should be used in the microwave. But hot liquids from stovetop or microwave can be safely poured into the Ninja 1100 containers.
• Some users have complained about consistency when making smoothies, that it does not blend as smooth as other blenders. Having said that, I have found that oftentimes these users are making smoothies without any added liquid, and so adding some sort of liquid will really help the smooth consistency of blended drinks.

So which other appliances will the Ninja 1100 Kitchen System replace?

Depending on kitchens, families, and cooking habits, the Ninja 1100 Kitchen System will fill different roles in different households.

Here’s how it works in my kitchen:

• On my countertop, the Ninja 1100 replaces my old blender, food processor, and bread machine (which I used only for kneading dough I bake in the oven). It also does the job of my hand mixer, beating egg whites and mixing all my batters and cookie doughs.
• My Ninja blender takes up the space of only the old blender, leaving “extra” counter space where the bread machine and food processor used to sit.
• In the cupboard I still keep my small food processor for occasional slicing and grating. My hand mixer is still in the drawer, but I may never use it again.
• I still use my grain mill, coffee maker, and slow cooker, but I never expected the Ninja 1100 to replace them.
• My husband is making even more awesome smoothies than before, and I can still bake fresh bread every few days.
• When my daughters and I gather for food processing parties, we have more than one Ninja product running, along with various other small appliances. The Ninja 1100 Kitchen System is busy preparing our garden and orchard produce for canning, freezing, and dehydrating.

What do other people say about the Ninja 1100 Kitchen System?

I have found lots of reviews of this product, but there was one that was especially thorough and helpful.

Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer R. Taylor of Austin, Texas, gives the system 5 out of 5 stars in her review.

She made these points about the Ninja 1100:

• The machine is very well-made of good grade materials.
• It does everything claimed on the TV ads.
• It’s amazingly simple to mix up doughs and batters, including gluten free ones.
• Crushing ice for snow cones and beverages is easy and fast.
• The machine makes great slushies and frozen alcoholic drinks.
• Though the blades are very sharp, the positives of this product outweigh the danger of the blades.
• Her Ninja 1100-produced hot, foamy lattes rival those of the local coffee shop.

I’ve paraphrased the review to save space, but if you are seriously thinking about the Ninja, you really should read the entire review. Click here to read the original review.

Where can you get the best price?

Before I got my Ninja blender, I checked prices around and saw quite a variation in prices listed. The retail price is $199.00 but I kept finding it at Amazon.com for the best price, often 20-30% off (plus free shipping). Click here to check today’s price.

Here are some comments from other Ninja 1100 users:

“I was just about to spend the extra money on the Blendtec when I started researching [the Ninja 1100]…I am so glad that I gave this blender a chance, I love it. I find myself using it up to 5 times daily because it fits so easily on my small counter thanks to the smaller pitcher. It blends great! I use it a heck of a lot more [than my old Vitamix] because of the functional design. I will be selling my older Vitamix on eBay.”
- Vicki

“Overall, the Ninja does a great job. The blender is powerful enough to turn a full carafe of ice into fine snow. I take frozen fruit (peaches, mixed berries) add a little fruit juice, ice, Splenda and yogurt to make awesome fruit sorbet for dessert – it comes out the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. It also makes some of the best frozen margaritas ever – smooth and icy.”
- Richard

“I would tell anyone who cooks or uses their kitchen: this is must-have appliance. It cuts my prep time on several items from 10 to 15 minutes to seconds. If you want a kitchen product that I know you will use every day, buy a Ninja.”
- Michael

“This is one of the best items I have ever bought. I use it almost every day. My husband loves it for making fresh fruit juice. It tastes better than anything you can buy. I make sugar-free ice cream. Now I can have the flavors I really want! I also am lactose intolerant, so making the ice cream with lactose free milk is really great. I have made sugar-free smoothies, too…It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to try new food items. I love it!”
- Becky

Read more ==> Ninja Kitchen System 1100

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