REASONS TO BUY
Reasonable price
Easy to use
Simple to clean
REASONS TO AVOID
No cooking feature
Black substance under extractor blade
Misleading cleaning information
NutriBullet Baby Review
Despite being easy to use and clean with minimal parts, we do not recommend this blender due to a black residue we observed
Credit: NutriBullet
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The Skinny
This is a product we cannot recommend despite some compelling features. The NutriBullet Baby consistently created smooth purees in our tests without the hassle of multiple parts. With a blender system, you can forget about the cleanup or descaling an all-in-one product. Besides two blender sizes, additional accessories include storage cups and a freezer tray, making baby food production more manageable. Unfortunately, while testing, we noticed an unknown black substance under the extractor blade. This black substance concerns us and leaves us wondering if it might be able to get into the baby food. While NutriBullet told us that "the black residue is not mixing with the pureed food" one Amazon user review disputes that, and says they observed it getting into the food (with a photo). We're just left uncomfortable with what we observed, and as a result, we would not in good faith recommend that a friend buy this product, nor will we use it ourselves to prepare baby food.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
NutriBullet Baby | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  | |||
| Price | $70 List $49.93 at Amazon | $50 List $49.99 at Amazon | $12.00 List $11.99 at Amazon | $20.00 List | $63 List $54.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Although easy to use and clean, we do not recommend this blender due to its black residue production | Simple, inexpensive, and versatile, this unit makes baby food in a snap | A muscle-powered food maker that mashes food and is portable, but does not produce puree quality like machines | A portable, no-frills baby food maker with a low price-tag | A food processor we don't recommend due to the removable bowl scraper leaving scratches on the plastic bowl |
| Rating Categories | NutriBullet Baby | Sage Spoonfuls Pure... | OXO Tot Food Masher | Green Sprouts Fresh... | Hamilton Beach Food... |
| Puree Quality (35%) | |||||
| Ease of Use (30%) | |||||
| Health/Safety (20%) | |||||
| Ease of Cleaning (15%) | |||||
| Specs | NutriBullet Baby | Sage Spoonfuls Pure... | OXO Tot Food Masher | Green Sprouts Fresh... | Hamilton Beach Food... |
| Capacity | 2 oz Single-Serving Storage Cups, 12 oz Short Cup, 32 oz/4 cups Batchbowl | Not Listed for Food Processor, N/A for Immersion Blender | Not Listed | 1 Cup | 10 cups Manual states: 2 to 3 cup max for fruits and vegetables, .7 lb for meats |
| Footprint | Small | Small | Small | Small | Large |
| Steam | No | No | No | No | No |
| Settings | Puree | Blend, Puree | Blend, Mash | Blend, Puree | Chop, Blend, Puree, Slice |
| Special Features | None | None | None | None | None |
| Included Accessories | (1) Easy-pop batch tray with lid, (6) Date-dial storage cups with tip-proof tray, (1) Short cup with lid | HomeMade Essentials Package Available with (1) Recipe Book, (6) Glass 4oz Storage Jars, (60) Labels, (1) Immersion Blender with Food Processor Attachment and Pocket Guide | (1) Lid | None | (1) Reversible Slicing/Shredding Disc |
| Available Accessories | None | Sage Baby Eco Steamer, Sage Spoonfuls - Simple Recipes, Healthy Meals, Happy Babies; Sage Spoonfuls Pocket Guide, Assorted Storage Jars, Pouches, Snackie and Munchie Bag Sets | None | None | Crinkle Cut/Fine Shred Disc |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The NutriBullet Baby is a subdivision of Homeland Housewares, LLC. The company produces several Bullet versions under different names with slightly different takes on the original Magic Bullet. The company's primary goal is to make your life easier with everyday products for your home of good quality and value.
Performance Comparison
The NutriBullet Baby is easy and quick to use and produces top-notch purees.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Puree Quality
We tested various foods ranging from soft to rough to evaluate performance and puree quality, including raw items. Although the NutriBullet Baby consistently produces smooth purees, it has a significant drawback that hurts its ranking.
The NutriBullet Baby pureed all the foods we tried with relative ease. While this blender had difficulty with kale, this ingredient was challenging for most of the competition. But, overall, the machine's purees consistency was predictable, and most foods were smooth enough for a baby's first foods.
The NutriBullet Baby comes with one blade.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Since this machine will only blend and puree, you will need to pre-cook most foods before blending, but we think stovetop steaming is often easier to manage with fewer parts to clean than an all-in-one baby food maker.
If the food is thick or lacks enough liquid, you will need to remove the cup or bowl and shake it to finish the puree. The motor can run for 60 seconds without a pause.
During testing, while following the user manual directions, we noticed black residue. We don't know the source or makeup of the black substance, and we are concerned that there is potential for it to end up in the baby's food. Other users have observed the same issue and, in some cases, more severely than ourselves. To get more information about this mystery substance, we contacted NutriBullet for comment (see quote below).
"At NutriBullet, we take product performance seriously, using a dedicated team of professionals to ensure the safety and functionality of all products within the NutriBullet family. Our product team can confirm the black residue is not mixing with the pureed food within an undamaged blender. The NutriBullet Baby Blender was tested and evaluated extensively both internally and by independent labs such as UL before being released to consumers. All food contact surfaces are constructed of FDA-approved materials, and the product is safe to use for pureeing baby food. Should consumers need further assistance with their NutriBullet products, please contact our Customer Service team, which is available to answer any questions."
Photograph of the black residue underneath the extractor blade. Although it is not substantial, we believe it should not be occurring.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Amazon User Reviews Observe a Similar Black Residue Issue
There are user reviews on Amazon of the NutriBullet Baby that cite a similar black residue issue, and some include photos that illustrate a more severe issue than we saw ourselves.
Currently, the Top Review on Amazon for this product as of July 1, 2021 is very negative verified review, 1-star rating, posted by Joshua in Nov 2020, and includes photos of the issue and also includes this statement:Safety is important, especially when it comes to our babies and what they put into their body. The black part pictured began to deteriorate and rub against the fitting that spins. This created a black rubber powder that just gets everywhere.
The next verified Top Review on Amazon for this product at this time, is also very negative, 1-star rating, titled "Rubber Gear of nutri bullet baby melts", and also includes photos:
Rubber Gear of nutri bullet baby melts and mixes with baby food . We have been feeding our baby for the past 10 days without realizing that rubber was melting and getting into the food until today where we saw sweet potato turning black in color .
We definitely do not recommend this as we have been feeding baby with harmful chemicals .
We definitely do not recommend this as we have been feeding baby with harmful chemicals .
It is worth noting that the above user review says that they observed the material "getting into the food" and seeing "sweet potato turning black in color". This contradicts that statement NutriBullet sent us that stated, "Our product team can confirm the black residue is not missing with the pureed food within an undamaged blender."
Ease of Use
We consider how intuitive a product is to use and whether you will need to review the user manual for this metric. Among the competition, the NutriBullet Baby ranks high.
The machine is easy to assemble and straightforward to use, requiring only a few parts to create baby food. It also has one setting, so do not fret over choosing the wrong setting or cook time.
The blade is interchangeable with either container, batchbowl or short cup.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The product includes one blade and two different-sized containers for pureeing (a 32 oz. batch bowl and a 12 oz. short cup). The blade is interchangeable with either container. So, add food to the container of your choice, twist on the blade, and blend away. Keep in mind that each container's maximum fill line is less than the marketed capacity amount, roughly about half.
The NutriBullet Baby comes with an easy-pop batch tray with a lid, six date-dial storage cups with tip-proof tray, short cup with a stay-fresh resealable lid. The user manual also includes some recipes. However, keep in mind that the date-dial storage cups are not freezable.
Health and Safety
The NutriBullet Baby earns a higher score in health and safety.
We did not experience any residual non-food taste in the food, and the container is BPA-free plastic. However, given the potential of leaching chemicals, we prefer to use glass over plastic, especially when it comes to baby's food, but there are not many glass options on the market. We suggest making food and feeding it immediately to your baby as we believe this is better than letting food sit in plastic for an extended period. You can also purchase glass storage containers for any leftovers.
Most of the NutriBullet Baby's parts are exposed and open, making it easy to check for cleanliness. Plus, it has no steam tank, so there are no concerns for steam-related burns, descaling, or hidden areas for mold, rust, or other potentially harmful things to grow.
Most of the NutriBullet Baby's parts are manageable and easy to wash by hand.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Cleaning
The NutriBullet Baby earns a high score in this metric as you can easily take it apart; the parts are manageable to clean by hand, and with no steam tank, you can avoid descaling, mineral deposits, or inaccessible areas for mold to grow.
While testing, we observed a marketing and user manual discrepancy. The NutriBullet's website states, "All components are dishwasher-safe for quick and easy cleanup." However, the user manual states, "Do not put the Nutribullet Baby blades and other plastic parts in the dishwasher. Hand-wash with warm, soapy water."
We believe parents should be able to trust company marketing, and if a user manual differs from that marketing, we believe this diminishes trust. We requested a statement from NutriBullet regarding this cleaning inconsistency, and they did not comment. Therefore, to err on the side of caution and prolong product usability, we recommend you hand wash the components of the Nutribullet, despite marketing claims.
The motor base doesn't require much cleaning, but liquids can leak into the base and activator buttons.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The manufacturer mentions that the motor base doesn't require much cleaning, but liquids can leak into the base and activator buttons, and we suggest using a damp rag to wipe down the inside and outside. For stubborn clean-up, fill the container halfway with soapy water, and blend for 10-20 seconds. This process will help loosen dry, stuck-on ingredients.
Manufacturer Video
Should You Buy the NutriBullet Baby?
In our opinion, no.
While there is much to love about the NutriBullet Baby, the black residue issue we observed, which is also cited in some Amazon User reviews, is just a deal-breaker in our opinion. We just aren't comfortable with that black residue issue, and given there are so many compelling competing products to choose from that have no similar issue, we would not recommend a friend buy the NutriBullet Baby.—
Molly Bradac
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