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20th December 2016
12:10am GMT
The only thing we really hate about the NutriBullet is its extortionate price.
Sure, it's a slick piece of kit and it fits beautifully into any kitchen – and sure, it's the sort of thing you'll use every single day once you get into the habit. And sure, there's all the mumbo-jumbo about molecular nutrient extraction that we kinda don't really believe.
But €120? Come onnnnn. We're not one of those mega-rich cartoon characters, like Mr Burns or Scrooge McDuck or Donald Trump.
That's why the Aldi version caught our attention – and while the €39.99 price point seemed pretty incredible to us, there was a part of us that thought: too good to be true?
So, we put it to the test...
Pretty much the exact same as what you get in the NutriBullet box, with some minor adjustments – two 350ml cups, one 700ml cup, two handles, a milling blade, a cross-blending blade, and two travel lids.
Neither of the 350ml cups come with moulded handles, but we're not going to lose sleep over that.
Bonus points for the ridged lids – the 'brand' equivalents are completely smooth, and nigh-on impossible to open if your hands are in any way damp. Strug.
As you can see, though, the rest of the kit bears more than a passing resemblance to the big-name competitor – to the point where we'd be very surprised if the NutriBullet lawyers aren't holed up in a dungeon somewhere sharpening their swords right now.
But sure look. We'll let them fight that one out between themselves, and focus on the product at hand...
Well there's the question. So we decided to start it off with the toughest test of all: almonds.
Tempted as we were to throw a load of stones into it and laugh as it shuddered to a halt then set the office on fire, we decided upon this more responsible method, using the two-pronged milling blade.
Well actually you will.
As you can see below, it pretty much pulverised the poor feckers to within an inch of their lives – though it did take a good 10 seconds longer to complete this process than it would on the branded version.
The reasons behind this can only be explained by the mysteries of advanced product design, since its 700W power is exactly the same as that of the NutriBullet. We're going to just assume it's something to do with the left phalange.
Yes, pulverising nuts into powder is all fine and well – but what about the key test?
Here's the breakfast smoothie I prepare in my own NutriBullet every morning – an apple, a handful of almonds, a scoop of oats, and as much spinach as I can physically fit into the containter (I normally add a scoop of protein powder too, but we'll come to that later).
Well. Again, you probably will.
It blitzes the mixture down satisfactorily – although there's definitely a notable difference between this sludge and the branded version's sludge.
Most notably, there are detectable bits of apple peel in this; bits of peel that would have been rendered invisible by the NutriBullet.
Hardly something to lose sleep over, but decidedly less pleasant to drink.
READ: 7 Super-Simple Smoothie Recipes To Drag You Through The Week Like A Boss
Another primary use for these yokes is their ability to break down oats and protein powder into a perfect carb-rich post-workout refuelling drink.
(God I sound like such a nob)
Anyhow, while this sounds like an easy ask for any so-called blender, some more conventional models tend to let the protein powder sink to the base, clumping together and forming a concrete-like substance that can only be removed using nuclear warheads or unicorn blood.
No such issues here. All good, and perfectly fit for purpose – you'd be hard-pressed to distinguish between this and something from the branded model.
If you're a heavy user, like myself, you'd probably be best off shelling out the big bucks for the NutriBullet.
An extra 10 seconds of blend time for each smoothie might seem like no big deal – but it does mean you're working the motor for approximately twice or even three times longer each time you use it. And over time, that will add up, meaning the peak performance period of the machine will inevitably be a good bit shorter.
There's also the fact that accessory kits aren't available separately – so lose a lid, and be forever damned.
That said, if you're on the fence about making such a hefty investment, get your grubby mitts on one of these yokes – €39.99 is an absolute joke of a price, and even if it only lasts you one or two years, you'll have got your money's worth.
The NutriBullet itself, after all, is going nowhere; this model, however, is only available in Aldi from tomorrow until when they run out, and might not be coming back at all. So if in doubt, shell out.
READ NEXT: 11 Recipes To Make With The NutriBullet
