Ninja Professional Plus (BN601).

The Gavler Review.

Ninja Professional Plus BN601 Review: Presets on a Budget

The Ninja Professional Plus BN601 scores 8.4 on Gavler's Best Food Processors list and ranks fifth. It is a 9-cup processor with four Auto-iQ programs, sold for about $110, that does the weeknight jobs (chopping, shredding, dough) without fuss. It is best for a cook who wants presets that stop themselves and a low price. The trade-offs are a one-year warranty, a puree that falls short of pricier machines, and a loud motor.

What it is

The BN601 is Ninja's mainstream food processor. Ninja's product page lists a 9-cup bowl, 850 watts rated with 1,000 watts of peak power, and a one-year limited warranty. The box includes a quad chopping blade, a dough blade, a reversible slicing and shredding disc with an adapter, a feed chute lid with pusher, and a 20-recipe guide. The interface is the point: four Auto-iQ presets (Chop, Puree, Dough and Disc) plus Low, High and Pulse. It stands about 16 inches tall and, per Food Network, weighs around seven pounds.

A sourcing note. This review draws on Food Network's roundup (updated February 2026), two BestReviews tests of the BN601 (June 2022 and October 2023) and the visible portion of Consumer Reports' product page, whose scores are paywalled. Tom's Guide reviewed a Ninja nine-cup processor called the Professional Advanced; we could not confirm it is the BN601, so we do not use its results here. Our sources are mostly older than this review, and none publishes a lab-style measurement.

In use

Food Network named the BN601 its Best Value pick. "The Ninja was one of the most affordable on our list, but it did not lack power," the testers wrote, adding that it performed "close to par with the other machines." It singled out the "unique double blades" for larger quantities.

BestReviews tested the Auto-iQ presets over several weeks. In 2023 its team made 2 pounds of garlic naan dough, listened for motor strain, and ran the Chop, Puree and Disc presets on garlic, cabbage and cucumbers. Its verdict: "we didn't feel like there was anything we couldn't do with this food processor." The disc was its favorite part, because it "made it easier to shred cabbage." The 2022 review also reported a well-mixed ball of naan dough and nicely pureed pesto.

Consumer Reports' visible ratings for the BN601 are "very good" for chopping almonds and onions, slicing celery and mushrooms, and shredding cheddar and carrots, and "good" for pureeing peas and carrots, grating parmesan and noise. Those are CR's labels; the numbers behind them are not public.

Strengths

• Price. At about $110, it undercuts the KitchenAid 13-Cup and the Cuisinart above it on our list by a wide margin.
• Presets that work. BestReviews, the outlet that ran the Auto-iQ programs, found they handled pesto, shredded cabbage and dough.
• A real shredding disc. Reversible slicing and shredding in one disc, with an adapter, keeps the accessory count low.
• Dishwasher-safe parts. Food Network found it easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher.
• Enough torque for dough. Two pounds of dough did not stop the motor in BestReviews' test.

Trade-offs and who should skip it

Puree quality. Food Network wrote that it "did not get as fine of a puree on the pesto as the other machines," and its cons line is "Doesn't puree as finely." BestReviews' 2022 review said the puree preset is the least intuitive and never reaches velvety smoothness. If hummus and smooth sauces are your main use, a blender or a stronger processor serves you better.

Noise. BestReviews' 2023 testers found it loud on heavy tasks, and the high setting shakes the machine. Its 2022 piece called it quieter than some rivals, so the evidence is mixed. Expect a loud machine on dough.

Pulse and storage. BestReviews found the pulse control did not feel responsive enough, and the blade "doesn't slow down immediately when pulsing." Its 2022 review also noted that the tall body makes storage awkward.

Warranty and durability. The warranty is one year. BestReviews' 2022 reviewer worried that the motor seemed to work especially hard on dough, which raised long-term durability doubts under frequent use. We found no other durability evidence either way.

Bowl size. Nine cups is fine for a family, but it is smaller than the 12 to 14 cup bowls above it on our list.

How it compares

The Cuisinart Custom 14 is Gavler's number one at 9.2 and about $200. It has a 14-cup bowl and lever controls rather than Auto-iQ, and it is the pick for anyone who cooks in volume or wants the longer motor warranty. The Ninja Professional XL, rank seven at 8.0 and $150, is the same family with a 12-cup bowl; choose it when capacity is the reason. The KitchenAid 9-Cup is the obvious cross-shop at the same bowl size: one rank below at 8.2 and about $150.

The Gavler verdict

We score the BN601 an 8.4: a capable, inexpensive processor whose presets do what they claim, held back by a one-year warranty, a puree that trails the field and a loud motor. Buy it when $110 is the ceiling and you want presets rather than levers. Spend more on the Cuisinart if you will use it every week for years. See where it ranks on our Best Food Processors list.

Common Questions

Is the Ninja Professional Plus BN601 worth it?

It is a good fit if you want a 9-cup processor at about $110 and like timed presets that stop on their own. Food Network named it Best Value, and BestReviews found little it could not do. Skip it if you want a long motor warranty or very fine purees.

How powerful is the Ninja BN601?

Ninja rates it at 850 watts with 1,000 watts of peak power. Some reviewers print only the 1,000 watt figure, so treat 850 watts as the sustained rating.

What is the warranty on the Ninja BN601?

Ninja's product pages list a 1-year limited warranty.

Is the Ninja BN601 loud?

BestReviews' 2023 test found it loud on heavy tasks, with the high setting shaking the machine. Its 2022 review had called it quieter than some rivals, so the sources disagree. Consumer Reports rates its noise only 'Good'.

Ninja BN601 vs Cuisinart Custom 14?

The Cuisinart is Gavler's number one: larger, lever controlled and covered for longer on the motor. The Ninja costs far less and adds Auto-iQ presets, but it has a smaller bowl and a shorter warranty.