If you know anything about making smoothies, milkshakes, and slushies, it’s that crushing ice is an important part of the process. So if you would be getting blenders specifically for making these kinds of drinks, it is important that those blenders be able to crush ice. NutriBullet blenders are one of the most popular smoothie makers on the market today, but their small size often leaves customers asking, “can you put ice in the NutriBullet Blender”? Today we will be answering this question and more.
Can You Put Ice in the NutriBullet?
Technically, it takes at least 500 – 600 watts of power to crush ice. It is possible to crush ice with less power, but that takes some preparation. Any blender with a peak wattage of 600 watts and above should have no problem crushing ice. Since NutriBullet blenders generally have a peak wattage of 600 W and above, these blenders are more than equipped to crush ice.
You might also find this article helpful; How Many Watts Does a Blender Use?
So yes, you can put ice in any NutriBullet blender. Whether you want to make crushed ice or you will be adding other ingredients to the ice to make certain drinks, any NutriBullet blender can work with ice. It can also be used to blend frozen ingredients as well.
That being said, NutriBullet offers a variety of different blenders each of which has different peak wattage, and as such, different NutriBullet blenders can handle ice differently. Depending on the kind of NutriBullet Blender you own, you might find crushing ice to be easier than others.
Which NutriBullet is Best for Crushing Ice?
As stated earlier, some NutriBullet blenders handle crushing ice better than others. A good way to find out how well your NutriBullet handles crushing ice is the blender’s Peak Wattage.
While it takes at least 500 – 600 W to properly crush ice, you wouldn’t want to use a NutriBullet blender with such low wattage to crush ice regularly. You would also want to avoid crushing large pieces of ice with such a blender. If you need to do any of this, a NutriBullet with at least a peak watt of 1000 W is the best bet.
You have a number of options here. Below are our top picks for you.
- Nutribullet PRO 1000: the best choice for personal use.
- Nutribullet Select: the best value for your money.
- NutriBullet Blender Combo: the best choice overall.
Are the Blades of NutriBullet Good for Crushing Ice?
A blender’s peak wattage isn’t the only factor that determines whether or not a blender is good for crushing ice. The blades of the blender also play a great role here. This is where things get a little tricky. It is also the major reason some blenders aren’t considered great tools for crushing ice, despite them having enough power to do so.
Generally speaking, the blades on NutriBullet blenders are great. High-quality and intuitively designed, these blades are great at doing what they are designed to do. That’s where things get a little tricky though; because not all of these blades were designed to crush ice.
The blades on the NutriBullet Blender Combo are a notable example here. Despite the fact that the Blender Combo has a peak wattage of 1,200 W; more than enough for perfectly crushing ice, manufacturers do not recommend that you use this blender for crushing ice. This is because the blades on this blender are just not designed for crushing ice. In fact, the blades of these blenders aren’t made for crushing any type of dry ingredients. They are strictly for blending wet ingredients. If you would be crushing ice on these blenders, you are advised to add some water before blending.
Not all NutriBullet blenders have this problem, however. Blenders like the NutriBullet and the NutriBullet Pro 900 and Pro 1000 blenders have extractor cross blades similar to the magic bullet ice shaver blades which are designed specifically for crushing ice. This means these blades are much better at crushing ice and are less likely to get damaged in the process. With these blenders having less peak power than the NutriBullet Blender combo, however, these blenders aren’t necessarily better at crushing ice, they just have blades that would last longer. When using these blenders to crush ice, you should also add a bit of water.
You might also find this article helpful; Can You Put Ice in Magic Bullet Blender?
Can You Crush Ice in NutriBullet Without Water?
Technically, yes. You can crush ice in NutriBullet blenders without adding water. In fact, these blenders, especially the full-sized ones like the NutriBullet Blender Combo would do a great job pulverizing ice even without water. Notwithstanding, you should still add water to your blender before using it to crush ice.
Not only would this prevent the blades of blenders like the NutriBullet Blender Combo from getting damaged, but it would also help personal models like the Nutribullet, the Pro 900, and the Pro 1000, generate a stronger vortex. This greater vortex allows for even mixing and pulls the ice closer to the blades, ensuring that you have no ice chunks left in the blender.
How Much Ice Should I Put in My NutriBullet Blender?
Crushing ice and blending food items are two very different things. When blending food items, your NutriBullet blender should be no more than about ¾ of the cup or jar full. This is not the case with crushing ice. When crushing ice, you want to have only ¼ of the cup or jar filled with ice. Adding more ice than that can damage the blades or cause the blender to overheat.
How Much Water Should I Add When Crushing Ice With a NutriBullet Blender?
You need just a bit of water to crush ice in a NutriBullet blender; enough water to allow for easier blending and the production of a satisfactory vortex.
How to Crush Ice With NutriBullet Blenders
Crushing ice in NutriBullet blenders is relatively simple. All you need to do is turn on your blender, add in your ice (no more than ¼ the cup or jar) and then add a bit of water before blending at high speeds or pulsing.
Conclusion
NutriBullet blenders are a great kitchen tool and can be used for quite a variety of activities. Crushing ice is one of these activities. No matter the type of NutriBullet blender you own, you can put ice in your blender without any problems. As long as you do not fill your NutriBullet blender cup or jar past the ¼ mark with ice and add a bit of water, your blender should handle crushing ice just fine!