Nutribullet 600 Series blender review
Nutribullet 600 Series: two-minute review
The Nutribullet 600 Series is a simple, affordable and effective model from the brand behind many of the best blenders on the market. It offers one blending speed and a twist-to-blend mechanism that works well, although some might prefer a good old-fashioned button instead.
On test, I found it tackled frozen berries, fibrous fruit and nuts with ease, although wasn't powerful enough to crush ice. If that's a priority, you should opt for the 900 Series (which you can read about our Nutribullet 900 review), which is identical except for having a more powerful motor (900W vs 600W for the 600 Series), and being more expensive as a result.
It's not ideal for creating chunkier blends, because the single, fast speed means the lower ingredients immediately get pulverized into a paste, while the higher ones never reach the blades at all. I managed to use it to make a (rather wet) hummus, with a bit of shaking up in the middle on the process, but it was pretty useless when it came to pesto. (Really, blenders are designed to be used for creating liquids – if you want to be making salsas, pestos and the like, you're much better off reaching for one of the best food processors instead.)
The build quality is solid, as I'd expect from Nutribullet. And because it's a well-known brand that specializes in blenders, you have the benefit of a wide range of compatible accessories – cups of different sizes, and assorted lid options. Some are included with certain configurations of the 600, but if not they're available to buy if you need them.
This budget model is pared-back in terms of functions and features, but it does the essentials (blending, even tough ingredients) really well. If you just want something reliable and effective for your morning smoothie, then it's a good shout. Read on for my full Nutribullet 600 Series review.
Nutribullet 600 Series review: price & availability
- List price: $69.99 / £59.99 /AU$99.95
- Available: US / UK / AU
- Lower-middle of the Nutribullet range, and budget price bracket overall
Price-wise, the 600 sits towards the lower-middle of the Nutribullet range, and in the budget price bracket overall. For the price, I think it's excellent value. It's simple in design and function, but does the essentials well.
In the US, there's only one option. It comes with a blending cup and separate takeaway cup with lid and handle, and has a list price of $69.99.
In the UK, you can choose the 'starter kit' version with just the blending cup, which costs £59.99. Alternatively, the 600 Series comes with an extra takeaway cup and costs £69.99. I'd actually recommend this second version, because it's super useful to have a lid, and not to have to decant your smoothie into a separate cup.
In Australia, the version with a cup is called the 'Essentials set' and costs AU$109.95, while the no-cup version is AU$99.95. The takeaway cup is a little different with that version compared to the UK and US versions.
The main difference between the different Nutribullets is the wattage – which translates roughly to 'how powerful is it?'. The 600 Series has 600W of power. The Magic Bullet To Go is cheaper ($58.95 / £34.99 / AU$59.95) but has only 200W of power, which means it's for very basic blending jobs only.
The version up is the 900, with 900W of power, and a list price of $109.99 / £89.99 / AU$99.95 (read our Nutribullet 900 review for more on that one). Head to the comparison table in this review for a basic rundown of how the different models compare.
Small appliances often attract discounts around major shopping events like the Black Friday sales or Amazon Prime Day deals, so that can be a good time to shop if it suits when you need to buy.
- Value for money score: 4 out of 5
Nutribullet 600 Series specs
Nutribullet 600 Series review: design
- Twist-to-blend, no presets or pulse option
- To-go cup / lid included with some packages, or can be purchased separately
- BPA-Free cup is dishwasher-safe, but blade isn't
The Nutribullet 600 Series has the classic Nutribullet design. The motor that powers everything is built into the base, while the extractor blade that does all the hard work comes in its own separate unit that screws onto the blending jug. The jug and blade then twist on to the base, which is weighty (so it won't go juddering across your countertop as you blend) but smartly designed.
Rather than having buttons, this twisting mechanism is what starts and stops the blending. It's straightforward and works well, but some people might find a button easier to operate. If you're seeking presets or different blending speeds, you'll need to look elsewhere – this is an on/off situation only.
Nutribullet as a brand has a few different sized blending cup options, as well as handles, lids, sip rings (to cover the screw threads for more comfortable drinking) and drinking lids, that can be used with the Nutribullet blender range. Some 600 Series packages come with to-go accessories included, but if yours doesn't then they can be purchased separately to increase the versatility of your blender.
Cleaning
In terms of cleaning, the cups can be popped into the dishwasher on the top rack, but the blade isn't dishwasher-safe. Nutribullet recommends rinsing it under warm water to clean it, but I think this is one of the trickier blenders to clean. Mixture builds up around the edge of the blade section, and when the cup is removed, spills into the screw threads, which are very difficult to get properly clean. Food also gets stuck in crevices between the wide, flat blades.
Even if you rinse (or, as I find most effective, add water to the cup, screw on the blade, and vigorously shake) straight after blending, there'll often be a bit of residue left in the nooks and crannies. And if you leave food to dry on the blade... forget about it.
- Design score: 3.5 out of 5
Nutribullet 600 Series review: performance
- Effectively blends frozen berries to a smooth consistency
- Drier mixes often leave paste at the bottom and unblended mix at the top
- Not powerful enough for making crushed ice
I tested the Nutribullet 600 by making a smoothie and some hummus. Let's start with the smoothie. I added a puck of frozen spinach, frozen blueberries and frozen banana, alongside almond milk. It blitzed the fruit fine, but struggled with the frozen spinach. I'm not surprised, as it was a fairly large and solid chunk. After leaving it to melt slightly, it managed to break the spinach up fine. I'd surmise from this that it would be powerful enough to create crushed ice.
For the hummus, it worked effectively, but required just the right amount of liquid. Too little liquid and it blended the ingredients next to the blade too effectively, leaving a paste at the bottom and never reaching the ingredients at the top. I had the same issue with pesto. I tend to reach for a food processor (or even just a mini-chopper) when I need to create a chunky blend, and to be fair that is the tool that's designed for the job.
I'd say the fact that this model is powerful enough to blend frozen berries to a smooth consistency means it'll be plenty powerful enough for most people's needs. If you're regularly needing to tackle larger chunks of hard ingredients, you might consider one of the models with higher wattage. Smaller, handheld models often don't have the power to tackle anything hard (so while I haven't tested the To-Go blender from Nutribullet yet, I suspect it wouldn't have enough blending power for frozen berries).
There's only one blend speed here, but it'll work for most blending jobs. It's also easy to 'pulse' by just twisting the cup quickly, although some people may prefer buttons and presets.
Like all blenders I've tested, it's noisy, although it doesn't feel overly so, and it's not at a particularly ear-splitting pitch. If you're very sensitive to noise, the pricier Ultra is designed to be quieter and operate at a more ear-pleasing pitch, relatively speaking (read TechRadar's Nutribullet Ultra review for more on that model).
- Performance score: 4 out of 5
Nutribullet 600 review: comparison table
Keen on the Nutribullet brand, but not sure which model is right for your needs? Here's a quick run-down of the differences between them...
Should you buy the Nutribullet 600 Series?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
How I tested the Nutribullet 600 Series
- Made a smoothie, hummus and pesto, and tried crushing ice
- Assessed how easy it was to clean
- Compared performance to other blenders and choppers
To test the Nutribullet 600 Series, I used it to make hummus, a smoothie and pesto, as well as seeing if it could crush ice. I made a note of the consistency of results and whether it needed a mid-blend shake-up. I also assessed the build quality, how easy the blender was to use and if it was overly or unpleasantly noisy. I hand-washed the cups and blade after each test to see how easy it was to get clean. I compared my results to other blenders and choppers I've used.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed June 2024
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