Ninja Professional Plus BN701 Blender Review: Worth It? (October 2026)

On this page (12 sections)

1. The Ninja Professional Plus BN701 at a glance
2. What does the BN701 include?
3. How much can you make in the pitcher?
4. How does the BN701 handle ice and frozen ingredients?
5. What do the Auto-iQ programs do?
6. Which Ninja alternative fits your routine?
7. Should motor wattage decide your choice?
8. How should you set up the BN701 for its first blend?
9. How do you clean the BN701 without making care harder?
10. Which common mistakes should you avoid?
11. Related Ninja blender guides
12. Is the Ninja Professional Plus blender the right choice?

The Ninja Professional Plus blender BN701 is a good choice for shared smoothies and frozen drinks if you want preset cycles in a full-size pitcher. Skip it if most of your blends are single servings that you want to carry straight out the door.

Its strongest reason to buy is the match between batch preparation and automated blending sequences. Your usual serving size, preferred controls and available kitchen space matter more than choosing the largest power number.

The Ninja Professional Plus BN701 at a glance

The BN701 pairs a large pitcher with three Auto-iQ programs for people who want to prepare several servings without timing each pulse. It suits a household that shares recipes more than one where everyone makes a separate drink.

1

Ninja Professional Plus BN701: Best for family frozen drinks

9.2/10Our score

• 1400 peak watts
• 72 oz pitcher
• 3 Auto-iQ programs
• 64 oz max liquid capacity

Choose the BN701 for shared batches of smoothies and frozen drinks when you want preset cycles instead of timing every blending step.

See it on Amazon

Pros

• Total Crushing blades for ice
• Large pitcher for batch blending
• Three timed Auto-iQ programs
• Pitcher and stacked blade assembly are top-rack dishwasher safe

Cons

• No personal blending cups included
• Full-size pitcher needs storage and cleaning space

Who should choose the Ninja Professional Plus blender?

Choose the BN701 if your routine includes family smoothies, shared milkshakes or frozen drinks for guests. A pitcher lets you make one recipe, divide it among glasses and avoid repeating the same preparation for each person.

It's also a sensible fit if you prefer selecting a preset to deciding when to pulse and when to stop. The programs manage a sequence, while you handle the recipe and check the finished texture.

Skip it if everyone needs a different drink or you usually make one small portion. The Ninja Blender Pro+ BL660 includes personal cups, which better suit separate recipes and drinks to take away.

What does the BN701 include?

The BN701 includes the motor base, pitcher, lid and stacked blade assembly, plus an instruction booklet, quick start guide and recipe inspiration guide. Personal blending cups aren't part of this package.

Before buying, measure the spot where you'll use it, including the space beneath upper cabinets. Leave room to lift off the lid and remove the pitcher, rather than checking only whether the assembled blender fits.

Also plan where the washed pitcher and blade assembly will dry. A blender that fits on the counter can still be awkward if your sink, drying rack or storage shelf is crowded.

How much can you make in the pitcher?

Plan liquid batches around the 64 oz maximum fill line, not the pitcher's larger total capacity. Four 16 oz portions would reach that liquid limit, so smaller servings or separate batches give you more flexibility.

Work backward from the number of people you're serving. Two large smoothies may justify a pitcher, while one small shake leaves you cleaning a full-size container for a single drink.

Allow for the whole recipe, including liquid, fruit, ice and other ingredients. Follow the booklet's filling guidance rather than measuring the liquid alone and then adding solids without checking the level.

Shared batches work best when everyone wants the same texture and ingredients. If one person wants a thick frozen drink and another wants a thin shake, separate blends make more sense.

How does the BN701 handle ice and frozen ingredients?

The BN701 is built for ice crushing and frozen drinks, using Total Crushing blades. Ninja says this blade system can turn ice into snow, making ice-based recipes a clear reason to consider it.

For smoothies, balance frozen ingredients with the liquid called for by your recipe. Packing a pitcher with frozen fruit and very little liquid can leave ingredients struggling to move through the blades.

If the mixture stops circulating, stop the blender and disconnect power before adjusting the contents according to the manual. Add a little liquid when the recipe allows, rather than repeatedly running a blend that isn't moving.

Don't assume an ice-focused blender suits every food-preparation job. A drink that needs freely moving ingredients is different from a dense mixture that barely flows.

For alternatives built around frozen drinks, see our guide to blenders for crushing ice.

What do the Auto-iQ programs do?

Auto-iQ programs combine timed pulsing, blending and pauses into a preset sequence. They suit people who want the machine to manage that sequence instead of manually timing each stage.

Pauses are part of the program, so don't treat each brief stop as a signal to restart it. Read the quick start guide before your first blend so you understand the normal cycle.

Presets still need a suitable recipe and sensible filling. They can't correct an overfilled pitcher, oversized pieces or too little liquid for ingredients to circulate.

Check the result when the cycle ends before deciding whether it needs more blending. Running another full cycle by habit may take a drink past the texture you wanted.

If you prefer selecting speeds yourself, the Ninja Professional Blender 2.0 BR201AMZ combines manual settings with a Crush Auto-iQ program.

Which Ninja alternative fits your routine?

Choose by serving format and controls first: the BN701 favors preset-led batches, while the BL660 adds direct blending in personal cups. The BL610 and BR201AMZ serve buyers who want more emphasis on manual operation.

BL660: choose it for shared drinks and individual smoothies

The BL660 makes sense when your household alternates between a pitcher for everyone and a drink for one person. Its two 16 oz cups, spout lids and dedicated single-serve function support that mixed routine.

It has 1100 watts, three manual speeds and pulse control. Choose it over the BN701 when the included cups will get regular use, rather than buying around presets you don't need.

Skip it if you only make shared batches and want automated sequences. The extra cups and separate blade assembly also need storage, so they should solve a real daily need.

BL610: choose it for straightforward manual blending

The BL610 suits people who want to watch the texture and decide when to stop. Its 1000-watt base, four speeds and Total Crushing blades give it a straightforward role as a full-size pitcher blender.

Choose it if manual operation already matches how you cook. There are no Auto-iQ programs to select, and no included personal cups to organize.

Skip it if preset cycles are the reason you're shopping or if your usual drink needs a travel cup. Our Ninja Professional Blender BL610 review covers that model in more detail.

BR201AMZ: choose it for manual control with one preset

The BR201AMZ suits someone who usually adjusts the speed but wants a preset for frozen ingredients. Its 1200-watt base works with low, medium, high and pulse settings, plus a Crush Auto-iQ program.

Choose it when one guided cycle covers your needs and manual control handles the rest. Skip it if you want the BN701's broader preset choice or the BL660's included cups.

All four models have the same stated pitcher and maximum liquid capacities, so switching between them doesn't solve a batch-size problem. The Ninja blender models guide explains the wider range.

Should motor wattage decide your choice?

Use wattage as one feature, then decide whether the containers and controls suit your recipes. A higher number doesn't tell you how convenient the blender will be for your usual serving size.

The BN701's power figure is labeled as peak, while the other figures here aren't labeled that way. Don't convert those numbers into a claimed percentage improvement in blending performance.

For more context, read what wattage a blender needs. Our broader best blender guide helps if you're still deciding between full-size and personal models.

How should you set up the BN701 for its first blend?

Start with clean parts, a stable counter and the assembly steps in the booklet. Keep the blender disconnected while handling the blade assembly and preparing the pitcher.

Read the filling and locking directions before adding ingredients. If the pitcher or lid doesn't sit correctly, stop and check its position instead of forcing it.

Use a simple recipe from the included guide for your first batch. Measuring ingredients gives you a useful starting point before changing thickness, sweetness or portion size.

Prepare ingredients to the size the recipe or manual recommends. A preset manages the motor sequence, but preparation still affects how easily the contents move.

Keep utensils out of the pitcher while the blender is connected to power. Stop and disconnect it before scraping, rearranging ingredients or handling the blades.

How do you clean the BN701 without making care harder?

Clean the pitcher promptly and handle the stacked blade assembly with care. Dried smoothie residue takes more work to remove than residue rinsed away soon after pouring.

The BPA-free pitcher and stacked blade assembly are top-rack dishwasher safe. Follow the booklet's directions for placement and removal, and use its separate guidance for the lid and motor base.

Keep the base out of the sink and dishwasher. Disconnect it before cleaning, and follow the manual's instructions for wiping away spills.

Don't leave sharp removable blades hidden in cloudy dishwater. Keep them visible and use the handling method described in the booklet.

Let cleaned parts dry before storage, and inspect accessible surfaces for trapped food. Our guide to how to clean a Ninja blender gives more step-by-step care help.

Which common mistakes should you avoid?

The biggest mistakes are overfilling, choosing the wrong container format and expecting presets to fix the recipe. Avoiding those errors matters more than adding more blend time.

• Buying for occasional parties instead of daily use: prioritize the drink you make most mornings, then consider the less frequent large batch.
• Using total pitcher size as a fill target: respect the marked maximum and the booklet's recipe guidance.
• Loading too many frozen ingredients at once: keep the recipe's liquid balance so the contents can move.
• Repeating cycles without checking texture: inspect the result before adding more blending.
• Assuming cups fit across Ninja models: choose a package with the containers you need instead of assuming accessories are interchangeable.
• Treating a frozen-drink preset as permission for hot ingredients: confirm temperature limits and approved uses in the manual before changing recipe types.

If you only need a small morning drink, compare personal blenders before committing counter space to a full-size pitcher. That choice can simplify portioning and reduce the number of containers involved in your routine.

Related Ninja blender guides

Use these guides to compare the broader Ninja range if the BN701's pitcher-only setup doesn't settle your choice.

• Ninja blender models explained
• Are Ninja blenders good?
• Best Ninja blenders
• Ninja Professional Blender BL610 review

Is the Ninja Professional Plus blender the right choice?

Buy the Ninja Professional Plus blender BN701 if your household shares frozen drinks and you'll use preset cycles regularly. Before ordering, confirm that the assembled height fits your kitchen and that a pitcher matches your normal portion size.

Choose the BL660 for a mix of shared and individual drinks, the BL610 for simple manual batches, or the BR201AMZ for manual control with one guided cycle. Let the recipe you make most often decide which features deserve space in your kitchen.

If you're still choosing among Ninja packages, use our best Ninja blenders guide to compare the containers and controls that fit your routine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Ninja BN701 and BL610?

Choose the BN701 for three Auto-iQ programs, or the BL610 if you prefer manual controls and choosing the blending time yourself. Both have a 72 oz pitcher with a 64 oz maximum liquid capacity, so the decision is mainly about controls rather than batch size.

Does the Ninja Professional Plus BN701 come with personal cups?

No, the BN701 comes with a full-size pitcher rather than personal blending cups, so you'll pour finished drinks into another container. Choose the BL660 if you want to blend directly into its two included 16 oz cups and use their spout lids for drinks to take away.

Can the BN701 pitcher hold 72 oz of liquid?

No, the BN701's maximum liquid capacity is 64 oz, even though the pitcher has a total capacity of 72 oz. Plan portions around the marked liquid limit, follow the booklet's filling directions, and split larger recipes into separate batches instead of filling to the rim.

Are the BN701 pitcher and blades dishwasher safe?

Yes, the BN701's BPA-free pitcher and stacked blade assembly are top-rack dishwasher safe, which gives you a dishwasher option for those parts. Follow the instruction booklet for safe blade removal and care of the lid and motor base, rather than assuming all components have the same cleaning instructions.