I have used three or four Ninja "IQ" blenders over the years. I was initially impressed with the blade system because my green smoothies contain several types of vegetable leaves, hard vegetables like sweet potatoes and beets, ginger, and just way too many other ingredients. In the beginning, the blender did a great job. However, the blades lose their sharpness surprisingly quickly.
One of them failed unexpectedly, even though I was careful with it and always used enough liquid to avoid putting excessive strain on the motor. I called Ninja to see if it could be replaced under warranty. They agreed to honor the warranty, but they would only send me the motor/base unit without the jar or blade. That wasn't a problem for me because I already had those parts. However, the replacement base looked like it wasn't brand new and was possibly refurbished. I believe they also charged me around $15 for shipping.

I paid it because buying a new one would have cost me more than $80 or so, and I didn't realize beforehand that they would only be sending a partial unit. Of the three, they all eventually failed at different stages—one lasted longer than the others, while a couple failed relatively quickly.

My fourth one has lasted the longest, but the blade has become completely blunt. It now requires several minutes of running and repeated attempts before I can get the desired pulverized green smoothie. Now the blade simply gets stuck if there is even a small piece of potato or ginger. It will only spin when the contents are extremely diluted, almost like water.

The jar cap and blade spindle are made of extremely cheap plastic. Even with mild dish soap, the rubber has deteriorated and left a gummy residue on the jar. The spindle also loses its smooth finish almost immediately and develops a gummy surface that you can never seem to clean properly.

The noise can best be described as a jet engine, even at the slower speed. If you live in an apartment with adjacent neighbors, you probably won't be able to run this at night without having your neighbors knocking on your door.

At $130 for a supposedly 1200-watt blender, the price is ridiculous. I have paid around $50 for these on sale in the past. More recently, because of inflation and sales not being as frequent, I may have paid more than $50 paid for the 1,400-watt models.

You don't need those mini jars they are constantly trying to upsell you. Just use your own cup.

I recently ordered a NutriBullet from Kohl's, and I'll see how that one fares, particularly whether its blade sharpness holds up over time.

Also, check your Kohl's account before purchasing. You may have an additional $20 Kohl's coupon available to you, sometimes with no minimum purchase, on top of other coupons, Kohl's Cash, or rewards. I had a good amount of Kohl's Cash and also received an additional $20 coupon with no minimum purchase. Combined with the other available discounts, I was able to get some pretty good deals, including the NutriBullet 1,400-watt blender.

Ninja Nutri Personal & Countertop Blender, 1200W Auto-iQ, Black, BL642 $119.99

$120

$199

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