The Cleanblend ULTRA Countertop fits nicely under cupboards when sitting on a kitchen countertop. It is mini but mighty, with a powerful 1000-Watt motor. The Cleanblend Commercial is listed in our best blender buyer’s guide and awarded the “most powerful” designation. The ULTRA is the low profile version that’s a great choice particularly in smaller kitchens such as for apartment dwellers. The ULTRA is comparable in power to a Ninja Professional BL610 Blender, although with a less tall jar and slightly higher price tag.
In case you don’t like this model, you may read the Cleanblend Blender review.
Why We Like It – Cleanblend ULTRA Countertop Container drivetrain
Cleanblend blenders are the most powerful blenders you can buy. Their ULTRA Countertop can crush, blend, puree, chop, heat, process, and liquify any food you put into its jar. However, if you want a commercial blender, check out the Cleanblend Commercial Blender review.
- Powerful motor
- Easily liquify and/or heat ingredients
- Money-back buyer protection
- Noise
- Relatively expensive
- Permanently mounted blades
Performance
The Cleanblend ULTRA Countertop is straightforward to use. A rotary knob selects any one of ten speeds. A simple toggle switch turns it on/off. Depress a separate switch to pulse the blade (for chopping). The blade is a stainless steel 8-blade system permanently mated to a 40 oz. beaker jar made from BPA-free plastic. Cleanblend asserts that the ULTRA does the work of many different appliances because of its power and versatility. It certainly handles frozen ingredients better than some other blenders when making smoothies, and margarita makers love it because of its ice crushing power. If you like pre-programmed blender recipe cycles then check out the Oster Versa Pro blender or Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender.
Design
Cleanblend appears to borrow much of the design for their low profile blender from Vitamix. Side-by-side a Cleanblend ULTRA Blender and a Vitamix 7500 look alike –only difference is on/off and pulse switches located on different sides (and of course a Vitamix is considerably higher priced). A simple selection wheel on the ULTRA controls a 10-speed high watt motor. The ULTRA’s 40 oz. jar is BPA-free plastic, but unlike some other blenders the ULTRA’s blade assembly cannot be separated from the jar, i.e., it’s permanently attached. Opinions vary if this is a good or bad feature. There is no chance of leakage due to something not being tightened. Cleaning may be challenging for some, although running the blender with a soap and water mix seems to work fine (lots of suds). Naturally replacing the blades requires replacing the jar. Some users report a slight electrical smell when operating a brand-new ULTRA blender that appears to diminish over time with continued use. Possibly the burn-in period for the 1000-Watt motor. Cleanblend certainly stands behind their products by offering a 5-year warranty. A free tamper wand included with the Cleanblend means no more chipped spoons resulting from pushing ingredients down inside the jar.
Value
The ULTRA is a perfect compact countertop blender that can live on a kitchen counter unobtrusively tucked back underneath the cupboards. The ULTRA jar doesn’t have the capacity of larger blender models but can still blend enough for 2-3 servings. Price point of a Cleanblend is a bit high, but is certainly less than Vitamix, as well as the ULTRA being backed by a 5-year warranty. Still, if all you ever make is a daily smoothie as you run out the door then the NutriBullet NBR-1201 is tough to beat.
Cleanblend ULTRA Countertop Container drivetrain Wrap Up
The Cleanblend ULTRA Countertop is a good alternative to bullet blenders. It’s a good everyday blender with ample power to handle frozen ingredients in smoothies, crush ice, puree carrots, crush nuts, make salsa, make soups, make blended iced coffees, … well, you get the idea.
