Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup maker review: “the Ninja is a convincing all-rounder”

RRP at time of testing: £180 | Buy now from Amazon, Currys and Ninja UK

My verdict

The Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker doesn’t just blend - it cooks, steams and purées both hot and cold creations with surprising ease. In my month of regular use, it has proven itself a flexible kitchen companion that replaces separate soup and smoothie makers, saves space and still delivers great results.

It’s not perfect: the size is a serious consideration in a smaller kitchen, the glass jug is heavy and the soup cycle is longer than dedicated alternatives like the Morphy Richards Total Control. But if you want one device that probably does most of what your separate gadgets already do - and does it well - the Ninja is a convincing all-rounder.

In short: This Ninja Hot + Cold review gives it high marks for versatility and performance, albeit with some deductions for size and practicality.

How I’ve tested

My husband and I have been using this device regularly for just under a month, making milkshakes and soups for family meals and lunches. 

Soup was tested with classic potato and leek (once with a red onion twist and it’s all I had left in the fridge). Milkshakes were simple vanilla recipes - ice, vanilla ice cream, vanilla extract and milk - enjoyed by the kids and easy to make. DH has been using it to help make his protein shakes, too. In fact, he's swiftly ditched his Ninja Blast I bought him for Christmas and replaced it with this.

The only thing left to test - admittedly - is making jam, though even with a device like this, that seems so far beyond my culinary skills. But who knows, stay tuned. 

Unboxing the Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker, with the retail box and internal packaging laid out before setup

What’s in the box? How easy is setup?

You get the Ninja Foodi base, the 1.7L heat-resistant glass jug with lid, a tamper tool, cleaning brush and a recipe guide all in the box when delivered. Each component of the device itself is neatly packaged for extra cushioning. 

Setup is straightforward: plug it in, slot the jug in place (the clear arrows and lid lock make it both foolproof and childproof) and you’re ready to select a programme. There’s no complicated assembly - just slot and twist.

Getting started feels intuitive, even if you’re used to simpler single-purpose soup makers. The controls let you choose from menus that range from smoothies and shakes to steaming, soup and clean settings.

With the soup maker, you’ll also receive a cleaning brush (handy to reach hard places) and a tamper tool

First impressions and design

Visually, the Foodi is modern and sleek with a predominantly black and silver finish. It’s a look that fits most kitchens, but if you have mostly white or pastel appliances like I do, it will stand out - for example, I have a Ninja dual air fryer in white and this is a stark contrast next to it. 

There aren’t alternative colourways either - though, I’d imagine it's the kind of machine most people will want tucked away rather than displayed. In fact, the cable tidy on the back is handy exactly for stashing away. Though, you do need to dismantle the jug from the base to put it in a standard kitchen cupboard. 

It feels solid and the build quality is reassuring. The glass jug is thick and sturdy (and heavy - more on that later) and the base has a reassuring heft that doesn’t slide around during blending.

The added hole in the lid to add extra ingredients is a great little feature to help adjust recipes mid-cooking

How easy is it to use?

Controls are clear, and there’s minimal guesswork thanks to the variety of preset programmes. While I was primarily focused on the soup settings, I found it equally simple to select the milkshake preset when needed. 

The Ninja Foodi lets you press a programme and walk away without having to babysit timings or speeds - and if you’re making something hot, it beeps before it transitions into the blending phase so you’re not startled by noise or movement. While making a milkshake, I appreciated the latch in the lid that could be opened to add extra ingredients - ie milk - to fine tune the mixture, without removing the lid altogether. 

As for the interface, this feels less intimidating than some multi-function cook/blend machines - a mark in its favour for busy cooks or anyone who is annoyed by complicated menus.

The lid, to me, is easy to open - but DH did in fact ask me how to do it after trying himself

How many portions of soup does it make?

The jug’s total 1.7L capacity means it comfortably produces enough soup for a family of four with extra to spare. Realistically, expect around 1.2 to 1.4L of finished soup, which is plenty for lunches and evening meals alike (approximately six to seven cups). 

If feeding a larger family or batch-cooking for the freezer, you’ll need to work in batches. But for everyday use, the size is generous. As for cold drinks, you can create more as it has a higher capacity of seven or eight cups. 

Programmes explained – hot and cold functions

This is where the Ninja Hot + Cold functionality really shines. There’s a range of built-in Auto-IQ programmes (10, to be precise) designed to take the guesswork out of both cold and hot tasks… A saviour for the cooking dense among us like I. 

Without needing to dial in timings or speeds manually, you can:

• Make smoothies and milkshakes

• Blend sauces and dips

• Steam and cook hot soups

• Pre-clean before a rinse

The pre-clean setting isn’t just a gimmick either- it softens stuck-on bits before you scrub, which I’ve found genuinely useful given the glass jug can’t go in the dishwasher.

Cold programmes blast ingredients at high speed for icy drinks, while the hot programmes blend and heat ingredients, stewing them until they’re ready to enjoy.

The digital control panel mid-cook, showing the smooth soup programme running with time remaining

How well does it make soup?

Results are excellent - if not, just as good as a dedicated soup maker. In my tests (including that admittedly rogue red onion experiment pictured), soups came out at a smooth consistency and were hot throughout. 

Ninja’s built-in heating element gets the temperature right, and the glass jug lets you watch the process, which is a small but satisfying bonus (and entertains the dogs for a few minutes, to boot). I also appreciate the keep warm function as more often than not, I’d set it off to make soup for my lunch in the morning. So, this particular setting helped keep my lunch nice and hot for when I was ready to eat. 

The only real drawback here is time. The Ninja takes around 30 to 35 minutes total for soup, which is roughly 10 to 11 minutes longer than the Morphy Richards Total Control Soup Maker. But given that you’re also getting a full-power blender and smoothie maker as part of the package, I’d argue the time trade-off is reasonable.

Potato, leek and onion loaded into the glass jug, ready to start the soup programme on the Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker

I’m fond of the keep warm function, which keeps my lunch nice and hot until lunchtime 

How well does it make cold beverages?

Milkshakes and smoothies come out creamy and well-blended. In my vanilla milkshake tests, the Ninja chopped through ice and ice cream with ease. When it did get stuck on one occasion, I was able to use the included tamper tool to give the ice cream a nudge. 

It’s loud, though - the high-speed blending isn’t quiet, and you’ll definitely know it’s working. But that’s true of any powerful blender. The results justify the noise.

My kids watched with delight as their milkshakes formed - a little spectacle that admittedly makes this gadget slightly more fun than a plain soup maker (and a great addition to our family fakeaway night every Friday). 

Our favourite settings have been the milkshake and soup functions

Is it easy to clean?

Cleaning is fine, but not effortless. The glass jug cannot be submerged due to the heating base and it’s not dishwasher safe. Using the pre-clean programme helps - it loosens residue before you rinse and scrub.

It’s not a dealbreaker, but if you’re used to sticking jugs in the dishwasher and forgetting about them, this will feel like a step back.

Who is it most suited for?

The Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker is best suited to households that want one versatile machine rather than separate gadgets for soup and smoothies. 

If cupboard or worktop space is at a premium, this all-in-one approach makes a lot of sense, especially for busy families who like the reassurance of set-and-forget programmes that don’t require hovering. 

The Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker in use on a standard kitchen worktop, highlighting its height beneath wall cupboards

Who is it not suitable for?

This isn’t the best choice for very small kitchens where height is an issue, as the Ninja won’t tuck neatly under standard wall cupboards during use. Anyone who actively dislikes bulky appliances may also find it a bit much, as it’s undeniably large and weighty. And if speed is your absolute priority and you only want a dedicated soup maker that gets the job done as quickly as possible, a more focused model will edge ahead, even if it offers far less flexibility overall. For this reason, I’d recommend checking out what else is on our best soup makers guide. 

Is it worth the price tag?

For its breadth of functions, the Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup maker offers solid value in my opinion at its RRP of £180. You’re effectively getting two machines in one - a powerful blender and a soup maker - and in many homes, that consolidation is worth the money alone.

For families short on space or wanting a multi-functional device, the Ninja is for you 

Comparison:  Ninja Foodi vs Morphy Richards

Final verdict – should you buy it?

If you want one machine that truly does double duty, the Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup maker deserves strong consideration. It’s not perfect - the size and cleaning requirements ask a little extra of you - but the versatility, robust results and sheer convenience of switching between hot soups and cold drinks make it a worthy addition to most kitchens.

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is our resident lifestyle expert with a practical focus on sleep, wellness and everyday comfort. She’s equally at home tackling frank, NSFW‑adjacent topics as she is road‑testing kitchen appliances, mattresses and vacuums that work for real parents. A former editor of LJMU’s Looprevil Press, she cut her teeth in journalism in 2010, earned a post‑grad diploma in Journalism and later led editorial at ExpatWoman in Dubai before joining Mumsnet. As a mum of two, she writes with the time‑poor, sleep‑deprived in mind - honest product reviews, realistic routines and products that make parents’ lives easier.

When she’s not at her desk, she’s probably product‑testing with her two helpers, corralling a PTA or walking her two dogs up and down country lanes.

About Mumsnet reviews

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All prices are correct at the time of writing.

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