How We Test Blenders
In a bid to compare each blender, weve put in hours in the kitchen preparing bowlfuls of mayonnaise, while also blending pineapple, spinach, and Greek yoghurt into a smoothie. As well as assessing how smooth the sauce and smoothie are, were also looking for ingredients that are well-combined without any curdling and whether there is residue trapped under the blade, or if the ingredients have leaked from the base or lid during blending.
We also evaluate how finely and evenly the blenders chop ice and nuts and compare how easy they are to use. For each model we rate how loud they are, how durable and easy to clean the body and parts are, and the useful accessories they come with such as a tamper for moving ingredients closer to the blade, extra jugs or containers, and recipe booklets for inspiration.
Flaws But Not Dealbreakers
We know that for many people, the biggest issue with the Vitamix 5200 is its steep price. At around $400 or so, its at least twice the price of our runner-up, the Oster Versa Pro Series Blender. In the past, weve even made the Oster our top pick because of its comparatively affordable price. But after years of testing the Vitamix and using it in our test kitchen, we think its truly worth the investment. Its more durable and all-around more effective than any other blender weve found, and if you plan on using a blender regularly, it will make your life a lot easier. Plus, consider the cost of buying a smoothie rather than making it at home: A morning smoothie can run from about $5 to $13, so in two to four months you will have paid the same amount as for a 5200. A Vitamix, by contrast, will last you at least seven years .
At more than 20 inches tall, the Vitamix 5200 is a big appliancetoo big to fit under some kitchen cabinets. But none of the other high-powered blenders we tested were much smaller. Though the Oster is a couple of inches shorter, it also has a beefier base. If size is an issue for you, Vitamix makes other lines of blenders that have a shorter profile. But weve found that the tall, narrow shape of the 5200s blending jar is one of the components that help this machine create such an effective vortex.
Best Value: Nutribullet Pro 900
The Nutribullet Pro is a wonderful compact blender that is perfect for anyone looking to make smoothies for one or two people at a time. We have placed it in the number one position for a few reasons. For one, the Nutribullet Pro was constructed to specifically make smoothies and does a great job at it.
It also comes at an affordable cost to just about anyone looking to buy a blender for making smoothies. In addition, the Nutribullet Pro comes with loads of accessories and helpful information to help you on your smoothie-making journey. Included with the blender are two 32 ounce containers, two soft lip rings, two soft lip rings with handles, and two flip-top travel lids for taking the smoothie with you on the go. While the other blenders may come with some accessories, the Nutribullet Pro blows them out of the water in this area.
The Nutribullet Pro 900 also comes with a beautifully crafted hardcover cookbook that is filled with all kinds of ideas for making smoothies, soups, and purees. In the cookbook are loads of helpful hints and tips to use your Nutribullet Pro which are all accompanied by vibrant and colorful pictures or recipes, fruits, and vegetables. The blender also comes with a small nutritionist booklet that helps you to construct the perfect smoothie. It talks about several types of fruit and vegetables like what the benefits are from consuming them and how to build the smoothie with the proper amount of each ingredient without the use of a recipe.
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Best Immersion Blender: Mueller Austria Ultra
When you think of a blender for smoothies, an immersion blender probably isn’t what comes to mind, but they shouldn’t be overlooked. This best-selling handheld device from Mueller Austria has more than 31,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. It’s so versatile you can use it for practically any type of recipe, not just frozen beverages. Plus, this model comes with two attachments for blending, whisking, and frothing ingredients. Simply place all your ingredients in a sturdy cup or bowl, blend, and enjoy.
“My granddaughter is partial to the smoothies and I had no problem blending the frozen mixed berries,” one reviewer claims. “I haven’t had any issues with it getting hot too fast, but haven’t found it necessary to blend anything for longer than one minute intervals. I do like that it’s equipped with a safety mechanism that turns it off when overloaded. I find the weight of the handle gives me more control and it works fast enough not to strain my hands and arms.”
Buy It: $30
Nutribullet Is The Best Personal And Single Serve Blender For Smoothies
Why we chose it
Well-blended smoothies.
The NutriBullet gave us the best smoothie of the personal-sized blenders category we tested, and it was in the top three for best smoothie overall. .
It created a very fine powder of almonds and oats, making for an excellent blueberry almond oatmeal smoothie, and although a leaf got trapped in the locking mechanism during testing, the rest of the pineapple kiwi kale smoothie was perfectly silky.
Simple design.
We liked the NutriBullets simple design: Lock in the blending canister and the blades turn on. Turn it slightly counterclockwise and they turn off. Even though it didnt give us the option of going to a higher speed, it didnt ever need to. It handled kale, ice, and frozen fruit without getting stuck.
What you should know and points to consider
Its as bulky as a travel mug.
We can appreciate the simplicity of having your blender pitcher be your to-go cup, but the NutriBullet is somewhat bulky as a travel bottle and ill-fitting for a car cup holder . The shape somewhat defeats the purpose, and youre likely better pouring your smoothie into a separate travel mug.
Limited capacity = Single server smoothies blender.
Even with its largest canister attached, the NutriBullets volume is limited. Its maximum volume limit is 20 ounces, which is about a third of most blenders. The larger Cuisinart CBT-2000 and Cleanblend 3HP 1800-Watt Commercial Blender can both hold 64 ounces.
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The Best Rechargeable Blender: Popbabies Personal Blender
The last blender on our list is the PopBabies Personal Blender which is perfect for anyone who likes to blend on the go, travel with their smoothies, or just does not have the option or luxury of blending their drinks at home. It comes at a very affordable price, in fact, it’s the cheapest blender on our list.
The blender has the same pod-style design as the Nutribullet Pro and has most of the same capabilities and limitations in terms of what it can do. The container is much smaller than the Nutribullet Pro at 14 ounces which makes it perfect for one person who is constantly on the go. The blender was originally designed for mothers to make baby food or vegetable purees but was soon realized that it was able to make a rich creamy smoothie as well.
Reason #1 to Choose The PopBabies Blender: Battery Operated
The main reason this product is better than the Nutribullet Pro is the fact that it can be used anywhere you want without the use of electricity. The PopBabies blender is a compact blender that operates off of sustained battery power. The motor is only 200 watts but since the container is so small it is still able to create smooth drinks and purees with ease. The motor base can be recharged using a small USB cord and will also operate while it is actively charging. So if you wanted, it will still be able to use electricity like any other blender while reserving the battery power.
Reason #2 to Choose The PopBabies Blender: Space Saving
Consider These Factors When Buying A Blender For Preparing Smoothies With Frozen Fruit
There are certain features of a blender you need to consider if you are getting it to prepare a smoothie. A high-grade blender must have an extraordinary built and best technology to give you the kind of smoothie you want.
Power
The blenders which are available now are much more fast and quick than the past blenders. Manufactures indicate the blenders power mostly in watts or sometimes horsepower. Watts can range anywhere from 300 to 1500.
High wattage blenders tend to cost more than low wattage blender for obvious reasons. So its likely that a more expensive blender equals to a better one. A suitable blender for a smoothie would consist of a wattage anywhere near 800-1000.
Blade
A blender for a smoothie should be equipped with sharp and large blades. Nowadays, the blenders come with two varieties of the blade to make it more multipurpose. Look for effective extraction blades that can cut through frozen fruits effortlessly.
Jars
Various sizes of jar will help you if you want to make a smoothie in smaller or larger quantities. If you want to prepare a serving for one, get a blender with a jar with a capacity 25oz. If your requirements call for large quantities, be sure to buy no less than 45oz.
Several accessories that come along with the blenders are a different kind of lids. These lids allow you to switch the blending jar to a sipper. So not only can you pop the smoothie in the jar, but you can consume the smoothie in it too.
Speed
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Ninja Professional Countertop Blender
Pro power on a budget
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Ninja brand has been around for some time. This is its newest blender which includes a food processor bowl so that in addition to making smoothies, margaritas, and butternut squash soup, you can chop onions, make a chunky salsa, or knead pizza dough. With a whopping 1,400-watt motor this model is tough enough to power through whole fruits, vegetables, seeds, and stems it’ll turn ice to snow in a matter of seconds.
With this blender you get two travel mugs that you can use instead of the full size jar so that after you blend your breakfast you can just grab the mug and run. On the control panel there are preprogrammed AutoiQ settings for crushing ice, smoothies, chopping, extracting, and making dough. Theyre helpful for taking the guesswork out of picking a speed and blending time. Only negative here is that it makes quite a racket when its blending.
Best Blender For Smoothies With Frozen Fruit: Final Thoughts
Each of the blenders we talked about today is great in its own way. If you want a super expensive professional blender that you can use for making fruit smoothies, almond milk, nut butter, and hot soup, I have to recommend the Vitamix 5200. Its a great blender and it comes included with all the best Vitamix features, like manual speed settings and a cool-running motor.
But if youre not into spending so much cash, you might want to think about the Nutri Ninja B642 Personal Countertop Blender. Its super affordable, it can blend smoothies just as well as the Vitamix, and it comes included with all kinds of unique accessories so that you can make personal shakes and large orders for a small party or for your family.
But if you want the very best, both in terms of performance and in terms of price, the Blendtec Total Classic is definitely my favorite option. This is a classic blender that comes in three different colors, either white, black, or red. It uses special blending techniques with its four-side jar to make you consistently delicious smoothies. It also has extremely thick blades and very useful blending cycles. The 75-oz jar allows you to make enough smoothies to serve an entire basketball team!
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Ninja Mega Kitchen Bl770
Looking for a blender that can handle everything, from chopping vegetables to making smoothies to blending hummus? Then the Ninja Mega Kitchen smoothie blender may be what you need.
A powerful 1500 watt motor drives this blender through the most strenuous blending tasks. Youll be able to pulverize ice to powder, and blend frozen fruit and veggies.
A uniquely designed stacked, offset blade arrangement enhances the blending effectiveness of the Ninja Mega Kitchen smoothie blender. There are 4 pre-programmed speed settings that you can choose from through buttons on the front panel.
Its interchangeable power pod is compatible with several attachments, like a 48 ounce pitcher that can be used to make delicious smoothies, a 40 ounce bowl that serves food processing needs, and a smaller 16 ounce chopper bowl for mincing herbs and nuts.
Each attachment comes with storage lids and all components are dishwasher safe. This makes disassembly and cleaning after use easy and fast.
The only drawback with the Ninja Mega Kitchen smoothie blender is the lack of a hole on top that might allow additional ingredients to be tossed in while blending.
Pros:
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Oster Versa Pro Best Value
This Oster Pro gives you an improved smoothie blending experience at an amazingly affordable cost. Its powerful 1400-watt motor makes it possible to smash and mix all types of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients into nutritious foods and healthy smoothies.
This unit also has sturdy stainless-steel blades that spin at over 250 MPH, which is more than enough to blend any smoothie recipes thoroughly and consistently for ultimate delicious and fresh smoothie taste.
This machine is so simple to use, given that it comes with automatic, programmed settings that allow you to merely choose your ideal blending speed that would yield consistent results.
Furthermore, you get three blending options with this particular machine smoothies, dips, and soup. It shows that youre at liberty to quickly fix the specific type of food you want as fast as possible.
You can also make a large batch of smoothie at once, enough for the whole family. This blender has a relatively sizeable jar, which apparently, also fits well in most of the kitchen cabinets.
At its price, there is absolutely no reason why you would struggle to have a high-quality blender for enhanced smoothie preparation. It gives you all the qualities you would wish to get in such a unit.
- From some user reviews, the plastic jar is susceptible to breakage
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Colzer Professional Countertop Blender With 2200
- Upgrade High Performance Kitchen Blender2200 watt motor has the power to crush through whole fruits, vegetables and ice in seconds.
- Sturdy And DurableThe blending jar with BPA Free is built to last, an easy-to-hold handle, and BPA-free lid.
- Hardened Stainless-Steel BladesOur stainless steel blades are designed to handle the toughest ingredients, so from the first blend to the last, you get the same quality results.
- Healthy, Safety & HygieneAll materials of this smoothie maker are BPA free .
- What You Get 2200W motor base, 2L blending container , Blender Tamper, Manual guide
Ninja Bl610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender With 1000
- PROFESSIONAL POWER: 1000 watts of professional power can crush ice and breakdown any tough ingredient.
- XL CAPACITY: The 72 oz professional blender pitcher is excellent for making frozen drinks and creamy smoothies for the entire family.
- INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY: Total Crushing Technology delivers unbeatable power with blades that pulverize and crush through ice, whole fruits and vegetables in seconds.
- ICE CRUSHING: Blast ice into snow in seconds and blend your favorite ingredients into delicious resort-style frozen drinks.
- RECIPE INSPIRATION: The included recipe guide provides drink and dish making inspiration.
- EASY CLEANUP: Pitcher is BPA free and dishwasher safe, making cleanup just as simple and easy as using the blender.
- WHATS INCLUDED: 1000 Watt Motor Base Professional Blender & 72 oz Total Crushing Pitcher with Lid.
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What To Make With Your Blender
Our Test Kitchens favorite blender recipe is this Berry Smoothie Bowl, but you can make so much more with your trusty blender. Its just the tool you need to make smooth soups like this Contest-Winning Roasted Tomato Soup, and its great for whipping up sauces quicklytry it out on this Cod with Hearty Tomato Sauce recipe.
Blending food can be a messy business, so its important to learn how to clean a blender so you can keep this go-to appliance clean. After each use, wash the inside of the jar with soap and water and wipe down the outside with a damp cloth.
Liquid First Then Solids
Help your blenders blade and motor last longer by putting your ingredients in the jar in an orderly manner.
The general rule of thumb is to start with liquids, making sure that it covers the blade. Putting the liquid first ensures that all the ingredients are incorporated well. Next, add the fresh fruits followed by the frozen ingredients. Lastly, put the ice.
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Which Blender Is Best For Smoothies
If youre looking for the best blender to make smoothies in, wed recommend opting for a dedicated smoothie maker rather than a jug or immersion blender. As weve already mentioned above, these feature a canister that the blade assembly screws on to, before being attached to the base. Once blending is complete, the blade assembly can be switched for a to-go lid that includes a spout, letting you sup on the drink without having to decant it first. Our pick is the Ninja Personal Blender and Smoothie Maker QB3001 as it strikes the right balance between price and the ability to blitz fresh produce into a smooth, grit-free drink.
However, theres no way to add liquid during blending, so it cant be used to emulsify ingredients such as when making mayonnaise. In this case, we recommend the Breville the Super Q, as it comes with a pitcher so liquid can be added during blending. Its also powerful enough to crush ice and pulverize nuts, as well as coming with a travel cup for smoothies – although you will need to decant the drink from the jug into the cup.