Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System & Food Processor review

The Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System SS401 makes the most sense when you will use its several different jobs, rather than expecting one large jar to do everything. The exact Platinum package pairs a 72-ounce pitcher with a 24-ounce direct-blending cup, an 18-ounce smoothie-bowl maker with a built-in tamper, and slicing, shredding and grating discs that operate in the pitcher. That last detail is unusual: it gives you food-prep attachments without adding a separate processor bowl.

One pitcher, but not one interchangeable setup

For larger drinks, purées and other pitcher work, the nominal 72-ounce vessel has a separate 64-ounce MAX LIQUID line in the SS400 Series guide. Those numbers answer different questions. Treat 72 ounces as the vessel’s listed size, not the amount of every finished recipe, and do not fill beyond the marked liquid limit. The included 24-ounce cup is a separate single-drink arrangement with its own blade and lid. Its cup size is nominal; the guide gives a MAX LIQUID mark but does not establish its number in the text inspected.

The 18-ounce XL Smoothie Bowl Maker is a third, genuinely different use. It has a built-in tamper that the guide says cannot be removed. You twist it while the bowl runs to move thick ingredients; the maker lists it for smoothie bowls and similar spoonable blends. The pitcher’s capacity does not transfer to this smaller bowl, and the bowl’s stated size is not its liquid-fill line. If a thick, single-serving bowl is a regular breakfast, this attachment may earn its cabinet space. If not, it is another vessel to keep clean and store.

Processor work without a separate bowl

The SS401’s reversible slicing/shredding disc and grating disc fit into the pitcher under the feed-chute lid. A two-piece pusher helps feed ingredients; the guide says to use the disc program or speed 1 and not to force food down the chute. That arrangement can replace some separate-bowl prep when you want sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots or grated cheese, but it means changing the pitcher’s lid and fitting a disc spindle. The exact box list does not include an additional processor bowl or an automatic dicing kit.

This distinction should drive the comparison. If your non-negotiable requirement is a separate food-processor bowl, the SS401 is the wrong package even though its name includes “Processor.” The Ninja Detect TB401 supplies a distinct eight-cup bowl and a reversible disc; the Professional Plus Premier BN801 adds a separate bowl and two 24-ounce cups. Neither fact proves one system processes better than another. Choose by the vessels and attachments you will actually use.

Programs and power claims need context

SharkNinja lists seven Auto-iQ presets for the SS401, but its guide assigns programs to different attachments: the pitcher, cup, smoothie-bowl maker and feed-chute discs do not share every button. The guide describes ten numbered speeds in the pitcher, a separate held Pulse control, speed 1 only for dough and feed-chute discs, and speed 10 only for the cup and XL bowl. That makes it more adjustable in the main pitcher than a simple one-touch personal blender, but not a ten-speed cup. The product page also has a field for “11 manual programs”; the guide’s practical control description is ten numbered speeds plus Pulse, so I would compare the settings by the actual vessel rather than treat those counts as interchangeable.

The exact U.S. page lists 1,200 watts of input and separately promotes 1,600 peak watts. Peak watts are not a measured blending result. The one-year limited warranty, 14.55-pound weight, and listed 18.5-by-9.84-by-15.59-inch footprint are more concrete buying constraints. Check clearance and storage for the full attachment set before choosing it.

Limits and cleanup matter

The Ninja-authored SS400 Series guide prohibits hot liquids, dry blending without liquid and grinding. It also warns against exceeding MAX or MAX LIQUID markings and calls out sharp, removable blade assemblies. Its guide is a series manual hosted by a third-party reader; its cover does not print the exact SS401 suffix, and attempts to retrieve the original PDF bytes were blocked. The exact SS401 product page does list the components above, but check the booklet shipped with your unit before treating series-level safety and care text as suffix-specific. In particular, this is not a choice for hot-soup blending or dry spice grinding.

The guide says containers, lids, discs and blades are dishwasher-safe once blades and lids are removed; the XL bowl’s tamper stays attached. The motor base should be unplugged and wiped, not submerged. Several loose sharp parts and repeated assembly are the price of its range. If your real needs are one smoothie cup, a simpler personal blender will take less space. If you want family pitchers plus a separate processor bowl, compare the TB401 or BN801 instead. SS401 is most compelling when you will actually rotate among pitcher blending, spoonable bowls, individual drinks and the pitcher-mounted food-prep discs.