Ninja SS401 vs. BL770: The “Smart Power” vs. “Classic Force” Showdown

The morning sun usually hits my kitchen counter just as I’m facing the ultimate breakfast dilemma: do I want a massive green smoothie to share, or am I craving a spoonable, thick-as-gelato acai bowl? This choice used to require two different appliances – until I brought the Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System (SS401) and the Ninja Mega Kitchen System (BL770) into my home for a high-stakes head-to-head.

I’ve spent the last month turning my kitchen into a testing ground for these two titans. I’ve pulverized blocks of ice, kneaded pounds of sourdough, and shredded enough cheese to cover a football field. While both are “systems” designed to replace your blender and your food processor, they represent two very different eras of Ninja engineering. The BL770 is the “Old Guard” – a raw, 1500-watt force of nature. The SS401 is the “New Frontier” – a 1600-watt smart machine that thinks about torque so you don’t have to.

If you’re trying to decide which of these heavyweights deserves that permanent spot next to your toaster, let’s peel back the lids and look at what happens when the blades start spinning.

The Key Difference: smartTORQUE vs. High-Wattage Manualism

The fundamental gap between these two machines isn’t just the 100-watt power difference; it’s the Intelligence of the Motor and the Versatility of the Pitcher.

• The Ninja SS401 (Foodi) is built around smartTORQUE technology. This motor is designed to maintain high speed under heavy loads without stalling. Crucially, the SS401 uses a single 72-oz. Power Pitcher that transforms into a food processor by swapping the lid and blades. It also features a specialized “Smoothie Bowl Maker” with a built-in manual tamper.
• The Ninja BL770 (Mega Kitchen System) follows the “Multi-Vessel” philosophy. It provides a dedicated 72-oz. Blending Pitcher and a separate 8-cup Food Processing Bowl. It relies on raw 1500-watt power and manual settings (or simple presets) to get the job done. It lacks the smartTORQUE technology and the built-in tamper for thick bowls.

Essentially, the SS401 is an all-in-one “Space Saver” with advanced smarts, while the BL770 is a traditional “Power Tool” setup that gives you dedicated bowls for different tasks.

Comparison Table: Ninja SS401 vs. BL770 Food Processor 

Feature	Ninja Foodi Ultimate (SS401)	Ninja Mega Kitchen (BL770)
Peak Power	1600 Watts	1500 Watts
Motor Tech	smartTORQUE™ (Anti-Stall)	Standard High-Power
Pitcher System	72-oz. Hybrid Pitcher (Blender/Processor)	72-oz. Dedicated Blending Pitcher
Food Processor	Integrated (via Feed Chute Lid & Discs)	Separate 64-oz. (8-Cup) Bowl
Bowl Maker	18-oz. XL Bowl with Built-in Tamper	None (Standard Cups only)
Programs	7 Auto-iQ Programs	4 Manual/Preset Functions
Speed Control	Variable Speed Dial	Button-based (Low, Med, High)
Processing Discs	Slicing, Shredding, Grating	None (Chopping/Dough Blades only)
View Current Price on Amazon	View on Amazon	View on Amazon

Design: The Battle of the Footprint

When I first cleared space for the BL770, I realized I needed a lot of “annex” space. Because the food processor is a completely separate bowl and blade assembly, you have to store an entire second blender-sized container in your cabinets. The base is wide and black, giving it a very classic, slightly 2010s “Ninja” look. At 18 inches tall, it just barely cleared my standard upper cabinets.

The SS401 (Foodi) felt like a modern upgrade immediately. The “Platinum” silver finish is sleek, and the footprint is surprisingly narrow. But the real magic is the consolidation. Because the SS401 uses the 72-oz pitcher for everything, I only had to find a small spot for the extra discs and lids.

Observation: The SS401 features a Variable Speed Dial. This felt much more like using a professional Vitamix. I could ramp up the speed slowly, whereas the BL770 is very much “All or Nothing” when you hit those buttons.

Ease of Use: The “Acai Bowl” Test

I put both machines through the “Dry Blend” test – making a smoothie bowl so thick you have to eat it with a spoon.

• The BL770 Experience: I used the 16-oz. to-go cups. I had to stop the blender four times, take the cup off, and shake it like a cocktail shaker to get the frozen berries to move down to the blades. Without a tamper, the 1500 watts of power just created an air pocket.
• The SS401 Experience: I used the 18-oz. XL Smoothie Bowl Maker. This container has a twist-tamper built into the lid. As the 1600-watt motor hummed, I just twisted the top. It forced the frozen fruit into the Hybrid Edge blades constantly. I had a perfect, soft-serve consistency in 45 seconds without ever stopping the motor.

Task: Thick Nut Butter	SS401 (Foodi)	BL770 (Mega)
Manual Effort	Low; twist the tamper.	High; must stop and scrape.
Consistency	Silky smooth.	Slightly gritty; hard to finish.
Motor Heat	Stayed cool (smartTORQUE).	Noticeable “warm motor” smell.

Functions: Processing and Shredding

This is where the SS401 really pulled ahead in my daily cooking. The BL770 has a food processor bowl, but it only comes with a chopping blade and a dough blade. It can chop onions or mix pizza dough, but it cannot slice a cucumber or shred a block of cheese.

The SS401 Ultimate System includes a specialized lid with a feed chute and two-part pusher. I used the reversible slicing/shredding disc to prep for a salad. I dropped a whole cucumber down the chute and had uniform, paper-thin slices in about five seconds. Then I flipped the disc and shredded a block of sharp cheddar. The BL770 simply can’t do this; if you want shredded cheese with the BL770, you’re still using a hand grater.

Maintenance: The Cleanup Reality

Cleanup is the part of the review most people ignore, but it’s the part you’ll deal with every single day.

• BL770 Cleanup: Since you have two different large bowls (pitcher and processor), your dishwasher will be full after a single meal prep session. The stacked blade assembly in the pitcher is effective but incredibly sharp – I’ve had a few close calls hand-washing those three-tiered blades.
• SS401 Cleanup: It’s more streamlined. You’re usually just cleaning one pitcher. However, the SS401 processing lid has a few more “nooks and crannies” where food can hide. I found that the Dough Blade on the SS401 is easier to clean than the one on the BL770, which has a slightly more complex base mold.

Ninja SS401 Foodi Power Blender Ultimate

Pros:

• Ultimate Versatility: It’s a blender, food processor, and nutrient extractor in one base.
• smartTORQUE: It genuinely does not stall. I tried to bog it down with heavy dough, and it just powered through.
• Disc Processing: The ability to slice and shred is a massive upgrade over older systems.
• Smoothie Bowl Maker: The built-in tamper is the best innovation Ninja has released in years.

Cons:

• Complexity: There are a lot of parts (discs, pushers, lids) to keep track of.
• Price: It is usually the more expensive of the two systems.

View on Amazon

Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System

Pros:

• Dedicated Vessels: Some people prefer having a separate bowl for food and a pitcher for drinks to avoid flavor transfer.
• Raw Power: 1500 watts is still a beast for crushing ice into snow.
• Proven Durability: This model has been around for a decade; it’s a tank.
• Simplicity: Fewer parts means less time reading the manual.

Cons:

• No Slicing/Shredding: The “food processor” is really just a large chopper.
• No Tamper: Struggles with thick, low-liquid blends.
• Storage: Takes up a lot of cabinet space.

View on Amazon

Conclusion and My Recommendation:

After a month of blending, chopping, and kneading, the winner for me is clear, but it depends on what kind of “Kitchen Personality” you have.

I recommend the Ninja BL770 if you are a “Traditional Power User” who wants dedicated tools. If you hate the idea of swapping lids and discs, and you just want a separate bowl for your salsa and a separate pitcher for your margaritas, the BL770 is a classic for a reason. It’s powerful, simple, and often more affordable.

I recommend the Ninja SS401 Foodi Ultimate if you want a “Modern Kitchen Revolution.” This is the machine I’m keeping on my counter. The inclusion of the slicing and shredding discs makes it a “real” food processor, and the smartTORQUE motor combined with the built-in tamper makes it the best smoothie bowl machine on the planet. It saves space, it’s smarter, and it’s more versatile.

My Take: The SS401 is worth every extra penny. It effectively replaces four appliances (Blender, Food Processor, Slicer/Shredder, and Smoothie Bowl Maker) with one high-tech base.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can the SS401 handle bread dough?

Yes! In fact, with 1600 watts and smartTORQUE, it handles it better than the BL770. It comes with a dedicated dough blade. I found it could knead a standard pizza dough ball in about 30-45 seconds without the motor struggling.

2. Is the 1600-watt motor significantly louder than the 1500-watt motor?

They are both very loud. We’re talking “cannot hear the TV in the next room” loud. However, the SS401 has a slightly more refined, higher-pitched whine, whereas the BL770 has a deeper, more mechanical roar.

3. Are the cups from the BL770 compatible with the SS401?

No. The SS401 uses the newer “Power” series blade base. The older 16-oz. cups from the BL770 will not lock into the SS401 base.

4. Why does the SS401 have a “Power Pitcher”?

It’s called a Power Pitcher because it’s designed to handle both high-speed blending (smoothies) and high-torque processing (dough/chopping). The lid is reinforced to handle the pressure of the food processing discs.

5. Can I use the BL770 to make nut butter?

You can, but it’s a chore. Because it doesn’t have a tamper, the nuts will fly to the sides of the bowl, and you’ll have to stop and scrape the sides every 20 seconds. If nut butter is a priority, the SS401 with its built-in tamper is infinitely better.