We don’t know why it’s called Ninja. but it does a great job. Photo courtesy Euro-Pro.

If you make shakes, smoothies and cocktails, you need a blender. But if you’re going to buy a blender, get one that excels in more than blending.

In these days of overcrowded kitchen counters, a blender needs to earn its keep. In addition to blending, it should do a great job of puréeing (for soup, vegetables and other recipes), chopping and grating. A high-functioning blender can multitask for people who don’t cook enough to need a food processor.

Months ago, we gave away our 20-year-old-blender and got a $99 Ninja. The old blender was built to last (solid chrome base, glass pitcher), but technology has changed.

What attracted us to the Ninja was the “six blade technology.” Instead of one four-pronged blade at the bottom of the blender, the Ninja has a seven-inch “blade pole” running through the center: three sets of two blades whirring, approximately two inches apart.

That’s why the Ninja purées so quickly, and why it can easily turn ice cubes into “snow” for snow cones.

More of what we like about our Ninja:

Just as we were about to publish this review of the Ninja Blender NJ600 XL, the July issue of Consumer Reports named the more modest version of the Ninja as a favorite.

Consumer Reports tested the Ninja Master Prep Professional QB1004, at $60, and named it a Best Buy, citing smooth blending for drinks, the best blender tested for chopping, and puréeing and grating capability nearly as good as the top-rated blender, the $450 Vita-Mix 5200.

So if there’s a blender on your shopping list, consider the Ninja.

Why Is It Called A Ninja Blender?
We don’t know.

A ninja was a mercenary agent in feudal Japan (1185–1868), when life was dominated by powerful regional families (daimyo) and the military rule of warlords (shogun). Experts in martial arts and stealth, ninjas were hired for covert ops, ranging from espionage to sabotage and assassination.

You don’t need to fear your Ninja blender. But you can’t use it to spy, sabotage or assassinate, either.