I Didn’t Want a Ninja Soup Maker — Here’s Why I’m Glad We Got One
I actually find joy in cooking. I find it relaxing and therapeutic, so I don’t tend to go in for loads of shortcut gadgets. Of course, I have a toaster and a kettle and all the usual bits, but I’ve always steered clear of bread makers, steamers, pressure cookers and the like. I hate the clutter, and it all just feels a bit excessive.
My husband, on the other hand, is a gadget maniac. If there’s a new piece of kit he can get all revved up about, then he’s in there like swimwear. And somewhere along the way, he’s become a self-enlisted ambassador for Ninja — a particularly pricey range of cooking appliances that seem to multiply in our kitchen without warning.
So when a Ninja Soup Maker arrived, I was… unconvinced.
Why He Bought It (and Why I Wasn’t That Surprised)
He bought the soup maker because we’re both on a bit of a health kick at the moment. He’d recently had a conversation with some friends who absolutely raved about their new health regime — and the fact they’d bought a Ninja Soup Maker and were bashing out all manner of healthy soups with fresh veg and produce.
I had to admit, they were looking well. Really well.
So was I surprised when the soup maker arrived a week later? Not really. I’d already clocked this contraption popping up all over social media — TikTok especially — so I suspect he got it on some sort of deal. Whatever he did, the thing is here now… and I have to admit, my curiosity was piqued.
Because let’s be honest — it feels fairly decadent to buy a machine for one food type, particularly when soup isn’t something we eat constantly. So what is the Ninja Soup Maker actually good for?
What the Ninja Soup Maker Actually Does
This isn’t just a blender that heats things up. The Ninja Soup Maker cooks, simmers, blends and keeps food warm — all in one jug. You can add raw ingredients, press a button, and walk away.
No hob.
No stirring.
No separate blender to wash up.
It promises homemade soup in around 20–30 minutes, with minimal effort. Annoyingly… it delivers.
It Doesn’t Just Blitz Everything to Oblivion
This is important, because it was one of my biggest assumptions.
The Ninja Soup Maker doesn’t just obliterate everything into baby food. It does chunky soup too — and properly chunky at that.
Today’s lunch was a spicy tomato and vegetable soup with pasta, and it was genuinely lush.
I started the way I always do — onions and garlic. Top amateur tip (passed on to me by an actual chef): always start a soup base with a large onion. It makes all the difference.
I roughly chopped an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic — roughly being the key word, because the machine does the leg work — added a splash of oil and pressed sauté. Five minutes, no pan, no hovering.
Then in went a tin of tomatoes, various vegetables, a pint of stock, dry pasta, herbs and seasonings. I pressed chunky soup, walked away, and left it for half an hour.
That’s it.
Thirty minutes later, I had restaurant-quality soup. Proper texture. Perfectly cooked pasta. No mush, no watery nonsense, no overcooked veg. I was genuinely impressed.
The Soups We’ve Made So Far
Once you realise it’s not a one-note purée machine, things escalate quickly. So far, I’ve made:
- Cauliflower and cheddar
- Broccoli and Stilton
- Chicken and vegetable (the perfect way to use up leftover roast chicken)
- Spicy tomato
- Mushroom
And honestly, the options feel endless. It’s brilliant for using up odds and ends from the fridge, and it still feels like proper cooking — just without the constant supervision.
Why It’s Actually Won Me Over
What’s surprised me most is that it hasn’t replaced cooking — it’s just removed friction.
On days when I want to cook properly, I still do. On days when I want something healthy but can’t face multiple pans and a sink full of washing up, the Ninja steps in.
It’s especially good if you’re trying to eat more vegetables, cut back on ultra-processed food, or just make midweek meals easier without defaulting to takeaway.
And for someone who actively resists kitchen clutter, the fact that it replaces steps and tools rather than adding to them matters a lot.
Is the Ninja Soup Maker Worth It?
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Ninja appliances aren’t cheap.
The soup maker sits firmly in “investment gadget” territory, and I did wince at the price. But unlike many kitchen gadgets that get used twice and quietly shoved to the back of a cupboard, this one has stayed out — and stayed useful.
If you:
- Want easy, healthy meals
- Hate washing up multiple pans
- Regularly cook with vegetables
- Or need a bit of help sticking to a health kick
Then yes — it earns its place.
Final Verdict: From Sceptic to Convert
I didn’t want a Ninja Soup Maker. I didn’t think I needed one. And I definitely didn’t want to admit my husband was right.
But here we are.
It hasn’t turned me into a gadget person — it’s just made everyday cooking a bit easier, a bit healthier, and a lot less faffy.
Still not buying a bread maker, though.
Joanne Brook-Smith is a writer and editor with two decades of publishing experience. She launched Crave Magazine during the Covid period to create a fresh, inspiring space for food, travel and lifestyle content.
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