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Blendtec vs Vitamix vs Ninja Can They Blend Berry Seeds?
Berries are essential in our daily green smoothie recipes, they not only add fabulous color but the antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and vasoprotective (alleviate certain conditions of the blood vessels) properties are a huge plus!
They’re also GREAT for healthy low sugar smoothies for those seeking to reduce their sugar intake.
Since we are asked how Vitamix and Blendtec handle berry seeds A LOT from our community, we decided a thorough testing of these popular blenders to find out which one can handle blending berry seeds best!
At first we did our usual Blendtec vs Vitamix comparison review, but this time we added the Ninja to the mix.
This was an interesting BLEND OFF!
These three high-powered commercial blenders have seriously strong motors, Blendtec spins at a maximum of 28,000 revolutions per minute (RPM) while Vitamix spins at 25,000 RPMs, and Ninja comes in third with 24,000 RPMs.
Blendtec has the most powerful motor, models range from 1560 watts and 3 peak horsepower in Classic and Designer series blenders while their Professional 800 model has 1850 watts and 3.8 peak horsepower.
Vitamix has a less powerful motor of 11.5 amps, 1380 watts and 2 peak horsepower; their newer models have an increased 2.2 peak horsepower motor.
The Ninja blenders motor varies between 1000 watts, 1200 watts and 1500 watts.
Any Blendtec or Vitamix will make the process of blending berry seeds a breeze; unfortunately we cannot say the same for the Ninja Professional blender (explanation below).
Dr. Oz Berry Protein Smoothie is the perfect smoothie to test in this demonstration, this recipe calls for 2.5 cups of berries (1 cup blueberries, 1/2 cup blackberries, 1 cup raspberries).
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How to Blend Berry Seeds in a Blendtec
All Blendtec home models can blend seeds, however the length of time and power are important.
During our testing Blender Babes tested a few settings of the Dr. Oz Berry Protein Smoothie recipe.
We used the SMOOTHIE button (blends for 45 seconds at various speeds) the WHOLE JUICE button (blends for 50 seconds at a more powerful speed) and the SOUP button (blends for 90 seconds at the highest speed).
We then poured it through a sieve. In other words, sufficient testing was done to confirm our findings and provide you with the most accurate review.
The SMOOTHIE button in the Blendtec Classic or Designer models doesn’t sufficiently blend the berry seeds.
However, by simply using the WHOLE JUICE button twice OR just using the powerful SOUP button (be sure to include ice or frozen fruit!), we were able to obtain a smoothie with hardly any seeds pieces.
How to Blend Berry Seeds in a Vitamix
All Vitamix models blend berry seeds very well using either the traditional manual Variable Speed 10/HIGH setting OR the SMOOTHIE setting.
The Vitamix Pro 750 model passed every single of our tests with flying colors; the SMOOTHIE setting left hardly any seeds in our tests!
The HIGH setting was also tested with the same success.
After 50 seconds of the HIGH setting (stopped manually), there were hardly any seeds left in the mix.
How to Blend Berry Seeds in a Ninja
You cannot blend berry seeds IF you’re using the Ninja Professional models or using the “Total Crushing Blender” in the Nutri Ninja Duo.
Although the Ninja total crushing pitcher has 6 VERY sharp blades, this blender jar and blade assembly does not blend berry seeds AT ALL.
We tested 
the BLEND setting in the 1100 watt Ninja Professional for 45 seconds (the length of a Blendtec or Vitamix Smoothie setting) and the seeds were not cut at all.
Next we tried again for 90 seconds on Speed 3 (the highest speed) and again the seeds were 100% in tact.
We then tested this jar in the 1500 watt Nutri Ninja duo (see results here) and no matter how long or at what speed we ran the blender, the berry seeds remained completely whole and in tact.
The Ninja Ultima is the top of the line model made by Ninja Kitchen. It’s power in watts compares to the Blendtec and Vitamix and although it still has the sharp blades down the center, it also has blades at the bottom that offer “dual stage blending”.
After running the same test, we found that The Ninja Ultima does a better job at blending berry seeds than the Ninja Professional, however it still didn’t compare to the Vitamix or Blendtec.
There’s a $200-$300 price tag for the Ninja Ultima (made in China with only a 1 year warranty).
For the same price you’re much better off getting a lower price point Vitamix or Blendtec high power blender since any of their models will be able to blend berry seeds.
SO WHICH BLENDER IS BETTER? Blendtec vs Vitamix vs Ninja
As we mentioned earlier, the Ninja Professional blender was not able to blend the seeds in the Dr. Oz Berry Protein Smoothie.
During all tests, the Blendtec wildside jar and its blunt blade left a few tiny seed pieces (about twice as much as in the Vitamix); the consistency however was not thick enough to bother us.
WINNER OF THIS BLEND OFF?? VITAMIX!
Thanks to the sharp blades and powerful motor as well as design, with the any Vitamix model we achieved a perfectly blended berry smoothie, very small traces of the berry seeds were left.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When it comes to Blendtec vs Vitamix vs Ninja, both USA made high power blenders are capable of proficiently blend berries, whether using fresh or frozen berries.
A Vitamix will give you get a smoother consistency in your berry smoothies in less time.
With Blendtec to obtain a perfectly textured smoothie that includes berries you will want to blend longer than a typical soft fruit smoothie. Use the SOUP/HOT button or the WHOLE JUICE button twice and be sure to add ice or use frozen fruit. Minimize the texture or chance of seeds not being blended fully by adding more liquid.
We do not recommend the Ninja blender for smoothies with berries it them if you hate having partial or whole berry seeds in your smoothie.
Additional Questions
If you still have questions, please let us know in the Comments Section Below or Contact Us! 🙂
And as always, Happy Blending!
I was happy to find this video. I just tried the Ninja so i already knew the answer for that model. I need no seeds because i am picky ,but because i am trying to out these berries through a feeding tube. It is something i am sure more people with cancer than you can imagine are attempting to do. If i plug up the tube, he has to have surgery to replace it, theres no take it off and wash it out. So i think i need to go get old fashioned plain cheese cloth to strain the juice.
Hi, Leanne! Thanks for sharing. I would definitely recommend using a cheese cloth or a nut milk bag, just in case. It seems if there are any seeds caught in the tube it would be more of a hassle than help to clean the tube out. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to be extra safe and about this. Warm Hugs XOXO
Thank you for the reviews! Will any of the vitamix blenders easily chop up seeds or are certain models better for that? I want to use berries, but my current blender leaves seeds behind and I do not like the seeds.
Thanks!
Hey Shannon! All of the Vitamix models except the personal series do an excellent job with berry seeds due to their power, jar and blade design. It’s the best I’ve found for berry seeds in the shortest amount of time! So anything from the Ascent Series or Legacy Series (C-Series and G-Series models) will work – so you just have decide which Vitamix to buy that works best for your needs and budget.
Thank you for this review. I noticed the same thing. I own three blenders – Ninja, Vitamix, and now Blendtec.
Ninja blender just doesn’t pulverize seeds at all which was an issue for me as I want to drink pulverized seeds. When seeds are intact, your body cannot absorb them for nutrition. On the good note, it chops cleanly compared to Vitamix or Blendtec probably because of sharp blades.
Blendtec feels “cheap” but it does the job well and it’s small than Vitamix. Vitamix is bigger but carries a premium feel and the container is thicker. Blendtec is easier to clean though. Honestly, both of them do great job and it all should boil down to your personal preference.
I LOVE this Jeff! You are truly a Blender Babe – a man after my own heart! 🙂 THANK YOU so much for sharing your experience and insights with me, our community, and those that are looking for the best blender for their needs. You should join us for our free challenges, we do them 4x per year and are lots of fun as well as inspire you with new blender recipes! ~Tarashaun
Unfortunately not all of the berry mixture was poured into the sieve by the girl with the Vitamix. She did not pour All of the liquids into the sieve as the other two girls did. So this would be an unfair test in my opinion.
Hey Kathy, thanks for the observation! I just rewatched the video and it seems like a very small amount of the mixture was still on the side of the jar of the Vitamix. I don’t think it was quite enough to make much of a difference in what was left in the sieve however, I’ve done this test several times before not on video with the same results. I have found Vitamix to be the best in the shortest amount of time at handling those tiny berry seeds. Hope you find the best blender for you and if you have any other questions please feel free to reach out here. 🙂 ~Tarashaun
My Favorite is the blender by Karmin, it’s the best i have ever used 🙂
Did you have an opportunity to try any of the Nutri-Ninja products (perhaps part of Ninja “Duo” product? These are the bullet-style single-serve containers with what they call “Pro Extractor” blades, and are available to fit various of the Ninja motor bases. I just now blended two containers of blackberries, plus water to the max fill line, in a 24oz container on the 1200 watt motor. I used the “Auto IQ Boost Extract” program, plus an additional 30 seconds of continuous max speed.
Sadly, it seems to have left the seeds completely unscathed. I didn’t even need to pour it through a sieve – dimply holding the container near a light one can plainly see the light-colored whole seeds that happen to be at the sides of the clear container (tho they are actually evenly distributed and well suspended in the puree).
It is certainly drinkable, and I can choose to either chew or swallow the seeds, but I think I’d have rather they were pulverized.
Hey Mike! Blackberry seeds are the hardest to get so with two containers full of blackberry seeds I imagine there must be a lot of seeds! Yes I recently tested the Nutri Ninja Duo blender (1500 watt) using the berry seed test. You can see the results of my Nutri Ninja vs NutriBullet Rx review here. The bullet style blend and go cups definitely blend berry seeds much better than the Total Crushing Jar with the center blades. That one does nothing for berry seeds even with the stronger 1500 watt motor that the Nutri Ninja has. 🙂 For your Duo blender with less power, I would just use the max speed and let it run longer, be sure to add lots of ice. Hope this help! ~Tarashaun
Hello BB’s! As usual, thanks for answering a lot of questions for us. I’ve been using my Blendtec 725 everyday since last Christmas – you helped me make that choice, and I couldn’t be happier!
My question is, I want to use whole flaxseeds in my blends, in the hopes that they will get “grinded” just in the regular course of blending. I realize that everyone says to grind them prior to blending, but doesn’t the blender split them up anyway?
Thanks again!
Hey RC! Great question! Love hearing that thank you for sharing. I personally add whole flax seeds to my smoothie, all a little more ice, and blend a little longer than usual. So for you and your awesome Blendtec 725, you can just use the “Add 10” seconds feature. 🙂 There are plenty of people who prefer to grind them separately and add them to smoothies – try both ways and see what suits you better! Also I recommend trying chia seeds – they also add plenty of fiber, protein and omega 3s but are virtually tasteless. Flax seeds add a bit of a nutty flavor in smoothies. HAPPY BLENDING! ~ Blender Babe Tarashaun
I have a vitamix 7500. We grow a lot of raspberries and I like to make jam and can it. Is it possible to blend the berries in the vitamix and then use that puree for the jam?
Thanks.
Yes absolutely! We love blender jam. Try this sugar-free raspberry chia jam recipe. 🙂
Thank you. But I wanted to be able to preserve jam for later use. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much for the great review. I found it very helpful in my decision. I am replacing my Ninja Professional. You are so right about the Ninja not being able to blend raspberry seeds, which I grow and use a lot in my smoothies. So Dear hubby bought me a Vitamix 5200 for my birthday. Yea!
Turns out, I really hate having to turn back the dial, flip the switch to low, flip the on switch, slowly turn the dial back up, and flip the low switch back to high just to get started making a smoothie. The second time I used the Vitamix, I made sure the dial was turned back but didn’t flip the switch from high to low before I turned it on. The result was a horrible racket as the jar rocked back and forth in the socket grinding the gear. Then the lid flew off and stuff came spouting out. Yes, I could learn to do all the steps, but I don’t think I should have to on a $500 machine. Not to mention the lack of a pulse switch or button.
So, I bought a Blendtec Designer Series 725 (Really, Blendtec? Please, shorter model names!). Vitamix customer service was great about returning the 5200, but talked me into keeping it for an extra 30 days in hopes that I won’t. Which gave me a chance to compare both.
Like you, I found that the Vitamix did a much better job with the raspberry seeds than the Blendtec. This created a real dilemma since I love, love, love the controls on the Blendtec 725 but raspberry seeds were a big part of the reason to upgrade. But thanks to someone named Jack, who responded to my question about the seeds on another site, I now know if you blend twice, for a long enough time, adding ice in between blends, either blender can annihilate the seeds completely. I tried it and it worked. With the Blentec, I put in my liquid (3/4 cup), a fresh banana with frozen berries and used the whole juice icon to blend. Then, I added ice and repeated with the whole juice icon again. Yes, it is an extra step and extra time but so worth it to get a smooth as silk smoothie. Neither my husband or I could find any trace whatsoever of seed or grit. Dilemma solved! I am keeping the Blendtec. In future, I will add my greens and other fruit in the second blend and, hopefully, it will be just as smooth.
As for the frothy smoothie, I had the opposite experience. My first Vitamix smoothie was very frothy, while the Blendtec was creamy. Either way, there is an easy solution if your preference is to have less air and a creamier concoction. Simply turn the blender back on at the lowest setting until all the air bubbles to the top and dissipates. Voila! No frothiness.
By the way, just for fun, I used the Blendtec to make hot chocolate last night with the soup setting. I used milk, not water. So decadent! This time, the Blendtec did make a thick froth, but just on top. It was almost as good as if topped with whipped cream but without the calories.
Hey Pam! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We know not everyone is lucky enough to test the blenders side by side and since it’s such a big investment, all the feedback for blendtec vs vitamix is so helpful! I’m so glad you are happy with your final decision and thanks for tips! LOVE LOVE LOVE blender hot chocolate! If you’re looking for a coffee free morning energy boost, consider our Maca Hot Chocolate recipe. HAPPY BLENDING!! 🙂