'I'm trying to eat more healthily and one product is making life so much easier'

I'm on a mission to eat more healthily. It's certainly not easy, between work, being a dad and fixing anything that needs maintenance in the house, my time is more limited than ever.

So while I enjoy cooking, I've found myself doing it less and less as life takes over. But obviously, the less I eat that's cooked fresh means I'm probably not eating enough nutritious food - until now, thanks to one product.

I was offered the opportunity to try out the nutribullet SmartSense Blender Combo (£149.99) and jumped at the chance. I'd used a blender in the past, but that was mainly just for making pretty basic protein shakes when I used to go to the gym.

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I was intrigued to try out the device as it that boldly claims to automatically deliver the "smoothest possible results". So, does it really?

Testing the nutribullet - a game-changing kitchen gadget

Once it arrived, I naturally headed straight to the supermarket to pick up some blender-friendly ingredients, namely milk, fruit, Greek yoghurt and some chocolate and ice cream.

First up was a white chocolate milkshake. Yes, I know I wanted the blender for healthier things, but I couldn't resist testing how it whipped up a sweet treat first.

The nutribullet has a SmartSense feature, which basically means it can sense what the ingredients are and adjust the blending speed accordingly. It's really clever in that you can simply press the button and it does the hard work for you.

My first try was with white chocolate, milk, ice cream and a handful of sweets. I set it off on the SmartSense setting and watched as the various ingredients whizzed round and were splattered into oblivion.

After about 45 seconds it flashed up on the screen 'enjoy' - and I planned too. To my delight the ingredients had been blended to a beautifully smooth texture, while the milkshake was to die for.

The device has suction feet on the bottom to help it stay still while it spins the ingredients around, which is handy or it would probably vibrate all over without them. I've found myself having a fruit smoothie for breakfast most days, which has been brilliant when it comes to eating healthily.

The machine just makes it so easy to whip up something like that in seconds, thanks to the 1500 Watts of power, multiple attachment sizes, and 5 variable speed settings.

For those who'd prefer to select their own blending speed, the manual speed range of 1-5 offers such precision.

What's included?

Along with the blender base, the nutribullet also has a large 1.8L pitcher that is great for chopping up veg, a 900ml cup and a 700ml cup with a handle (I tend to use this the most for smoothies). The cups come with 'to-go' lids, meaning it's easy to just pop one on and head out with a fresh smoothie.

The product comes with a two year warranty and a free app that has a series of recipes to try out for those hunting for inspiration.

What's not so great?

There are two flaws I would point out with this product. The first is it's pretty loud, nothing unbearable but definitely not something I'd turn on if my baby was asleep in the next room.

The automatic blending feature also isn't perfect every time, particularly with really soft or watery fruit or veg. It does an excellent job most of the time, though I've had the odd mixture of ingredients where it's saying it's ready when there's still some chunks.

Obviously at £149.99 it also isn't the cheapest option out there, though I do feel it's a good quality product and justifies a higher price tag.

What else is out there?

One of the key rivals in the same sort of price range is the Ninja Detect Power Blender. That's currently £149.99 on Ninja, down from £199.99. The Ninja product also has automatic technology that senses ingredients and adjusts the settings accordingly.

Ninja's offering comes with 15+ versatile functions made up of 14 manual and four automatic modes, while there's the option to choose from a large-capacity jug or a smaller single-serve cup that's perfect for making smoothies.

If that's a bit pricey, other another alternative includes the best-selling Tefal Blendforce II that's a more budget-friendly £31.99 on Amazon. It lacks some of the fancy toys that the more expensive versions have but looks a solid choice for those wanting a basic device that costs less.

That device features two manual speed settings, 1.25L capacity for big batches, and is dishwasher-safe with removable parts for easy cleaning. If you aren't fussed about the SmartSense feature on the nutribullet then a similar, but cheaper version is available from Argos for £115 and Yimbly for £114.99.