Magic Bullet Combo and Portable Blenders Compared

The MBF50200 sits on a 600-watt base with a dial control and three speeds. The brand also mentions a pulse setting and calls this its most powerful Magic Bullet yet. The listed size is 6 inches deep, 6.5 inches wide and 14.12 inches tall, which is a small footprint for a machine that comes with a pitcher.

The box holds the motor base, a stainless steel cross blade, a 48 oz pitcher with a lid, a tall cup and a to-go lid, plus a user guide. The pitcher lid has a removable cap. Pull it to add liquid mid-blend or to vent a hot blend, and the brand says it doubles as a 2 oz measuring cup.

One blade twists onto both the pitcher and the cup, so you keep track of a single blade instead of two. The brand names frozen fruit, berries and ice as the jobs the blade handles. The cup is the 16 oz size from the title, and the to-go lid turns a morning smoothie into something you can carry out the door.

Buyers lean positive. About 73 percent of ratings are five stars. One reviewer calls it durable, easy to clean and good value, and notes that it crushes ice.

Another says it handled dry chile without any straining. A third likes that it is not loud and works well on light ingredients such as strawberries, bananas and yogurt.

A long-time Magic Bullet owner replaced a 25-year-old unit and says the new base is stronger, with off, medium and strong settings. The same reviewer warns that the old parts do not fit this base. If you own an older Magic Bullet, plan on buying new cups and blades, or keep the old base for the old cups.

Now the complaints. About 12 percent of ratings are one or two stars, yet the critical reviews we could read were few and thin on detail.

The one negative review we found comes from a buyer in Spain who ordered on a European store and received a unit with a US plug. That is a regional mix-up, not a fault in the blender, but it is a reminder to check the plug type if you buy outside the US.

There are gaps on the product page too. It gives no figure for how much ice or frozen fruit the pitcher takes in one run, and the reviews we read do not settle it.

The pitcher and cups are plastic, not glass. The brand backs the blender with a 1 year limited warranty.

Care is simple by the brand's account. Twist off the blade, rinse it with soap and water, and put the cups in the top rack of the dishwasher. The brand's wording covers the cups, and the product page does not say how to clean the motor base.

We would point this one at a household that wants smoothies, shakes and sauces from one compact machine, with a cup that goes out the door. Skip it if you prefer a glass jar, if you want a blender you can use without an outlet, or if you already own old Magic Bullet cups and hope to reuse them.

The MBPB50100AK is a plastic bottle blender that measures 3.3 inches deep, 3.74 inches wide and 10.63 inches tall. It holds 16 ounces. The motor base is rechargeable, and the brand lists the plastic as BPA free.

The box adds a sip-and-carry lid with a handle, a detachable flavor infuser, a USB-C charging cord, a layering guide and a user guide. That is a tidy kit for something the brand calls a go-anywhere blender. The brand's own description calls it compact and lightweight, though the product page gives no weight in pounds.

The brand says one full charge is enough for 15 or more blending cycles. It does not say how long a cycle runs, so treat the figure as a rough guide, not a promise.

There is one speed, and a reviewer describes one-button operation. That suits a shake or a simple smoothie. It leaves no room to pulse a chunkier blend or to slow things down.

If your mornings mean protein powder, a banana and some ice, that is plenty. If they mean a thick bowl of frozen fruit, you will want the combo's dial.

The infuser is a nice extra for a water-bottle user. The brand says you fill the basket with herbs or fruit and make flavored water on the go. The lid is built to flip open for sipping, and the brand says it is designed to avoid spills.

Buyers like the portability. One traveler took it on a trip, used it in a hotel room and says it saved money on breakfasts while crushing ice and fruit.

Reviewers also call the blade strong, the cup lock secure and the blades easy to clean. One jokes that the manual has more safety warnings than any product they have owned. Read them.

About 67 percent of ratings are five stars, and about 16 percent are one or two stars. That is a wider split than the combo shows. It also rests on fewer ratings, so the numbers are less settled.

The one critical review we could read points at the weak point of any battery product. A buyer in Singapore says it charged fine at first, then after six months would not charge at all, even after 24 hours on the cord.

One review is thin evidence, but it matches the star split and it lands on the battery. The product page gives no warranty term for the portable, only a limited warranty type, so ask what you are covered for before you rely on it. It also gives no washing rule we can pass on, so follow the user guide.

This blender suits one person who wants a single shake at the gym, at work or on a trip, and who is happy with 16 ounces and one speed. Skip it if you want sauces, salsa or a family batch. Skip it too if you want a blender that is still running in three years without a replacement.

The reviews we read cover months of use, not years, so we cannot say how the battery ages after that.