Things To Consider Before Purchasing The Best Blender For Smoothies
Are you in the market for a new blender? If so, you may be wondering what to look for when making your purchase.
There are many different blenders on the market, and each one has its own set of features. How do you know which one is right for you? In this blog post, we will discuss 4 things to consider before purchasing the best blender for smoothies!
1. Features
Assuming that you want to use the blender primarily for making smoothies, there are a few key features to look for.
First and foremost, you’ll want to make sure that the blender has enough power to handle crushing ice and frozen fruit. If you plan on making smoothies regularly, this is an absolute must! Otherwise, your smoothies will be watery and less than satisfying.
2. Blades
Next, you’ll want to take a look at the blades. Are they made of stainless steel? Do they have a sharp, serrated edge?
The better the quality of the blades, the easier it will be to blend ingredients evenly. You also won’t have to worry about them dulling over time.
3. Size
Another important consideration is the size of the blender. If you have a small kitchen, you’ll want to make sure that you choose a model that won’t take up too much counter space.
Conversely, if you have a large family or entertain often, you may want to opt for a larger model so that you can make larger batches of smoothies at once.
4. Price
Oster Pro 1200 Review Top Pick : Reliable And Blends Well
I reviewed the lesser priced Oster BRLY07-B below and the Oster Pro 1200 is a solid upgrade with a powerful 1200 watt motor and extra 24oz smoothie cup.
The Oster Pro 1200 comes with both a large 6-cup capacity blending pitcher and a separate 24oz smoothie cup.
It has seven speed settings: 1) Green/frozen smoothies 2)Food chop/salsa 3)Milkshakes 4)low 5)medium 6)high, and 7)pulse. The three pre-programmed functions are: food chop/salsa, milkshakes, and green/frozen smoothies.
The blender comes with a three warranty and a ten year warranty for the metal drive. The blenders six-cup glass container is well built and tested to withstand thermal shock.
Positives:Excellent blending power and I really like the extra 24oz personal-size smoothie cup so you can make large or small batches. The large 3.5 inch blade that gives the user more reach for better blending.
I like the 3 year warranty that Oster provides. Customers really love the glass jar even though it is somewhat heavy. Consumer Reports tested the Oster Pro blender and said it was very good in overall performance.
Negatives: The jar is heavy. While the Oster 1200 can blend well, it will struggle with tough tasks like making nut butter.
Overall Opinion: The Oster Pro 1200 blenders is one of the best blenders under $100 with strong power, quality metal driveshaft, and a good warranty. It competes well with the Ninja that I review below but the Oster 1200 has more power and features.
Other Affordable Blenders We Tested
This five-speed model did exceptionally well in our chopping and mixing tests. It obliterated ice cubes into a fine slush, made creamy nut butter, and liquefied fruit and yogurt into a delicious smoothie. Its a great, affordable blender.
Our testers liked the easy-to-read and intuitive controls, and each button has enough resistance that you shouldnt worry about accidentally engaging the wrong setting. The components are dishwasher safe for easy cleaning, and KitchenAid’s five-year warranty is almost as good as the seven years offered by Vitamix.
The KitchenAid Diamond comes with a 60-ounce BPA-free jar, and is available in over 15 colors, including Boysenberry, Tangerine, Espresso, and the classic Empire Red.
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Great at chopping and crushing
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Intuitive controls
Cassidy covered all things cooking as the kitchen editor for Reviewed from 2018 to 2020. An experimental home chef with a healthy distrust of recipes, Cassidy lives by the “Ratatouille” philosophy that, with a few techniques and key tools, anyone can cook. She’s produced in-depth reviews and guides on everything from meal kits to stand mixers and the right way to cook an egg.
Madison Trapkin
Contributor
She holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a Master’s of Liberal Arts in Gastronomy from Boston University.
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Whats The Difference Between A Blender And A Smoothie Maker
Blenders are versatile kitchen appliances that can be used to make purees, soups, and frozen desserts in addition to smoothies. Blenders are also used for crushing ice and for making frozen drinks.
A smoothie maker is usually a single-serve blender intended for making smoothies only. These mini blenders often come with a to-go lid for the single-serve container.
What Are The Different Types Of Blenders
There are several types of blenders and each is designed for a specific use.
Full-sized blenders: This is the blender you probably imagine when someone says the word “blender.” These are the most versatile of the bunch, but they are also generally the largest, with blending jars as large as 72 ounces. If you do a lot of blending — soups, dips, smoothies, sauces, frozen drinks and nut butter — you’ll want a good full-sized blender. They can be as powerful as 2,000 watts and cost as much as $600, but you can also nab a great one with fewer bells and whistles and less power for $100 or so .
Personal blenders: This term refers to smaller blenders such as NutriBullet, Beast, NutriNinja and others. These blenders have less capacity, around 24 to 32 ounces, give or take. They’re great for soups and smoothies but often have a bit less power — between 900 and 1,000 watts — so they’re not as good for dense ingredients like nuts.
Immersion blenders: These handheld versions of the blender have one main use: to puree a soup or sauce that’s already in a pot. An immersion blender saves you from having to transfer hot liquids from a pot to a blender jar. Though some cost a pretty penny, many serviceable immersion blenders start as low as $30.
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Hamilton Beach Professional 1800w Blender
The Hamilton Beach Professional 1800W Blender is a great deal when comparing price versus performance. It comes equipped with four program settings for making smoothies, crushing ice, pureeing and self-cleaning, tasks it performs with above-average reliability.
Large pulse and start/stop buttons make for uncomplicated control, and Hamilton Beach simplifies additional options by dividing its control dial into two halves: the left half dedicated to the aforementioned programmed modes and the right half for adjusting variable speeds. A large red LED display takes the guesswork out of keeping tabs on elapsed time or time remaining, depending on selected setting. Thereâs a measuring cap for incorporating ingredients while mixing at lower speeds, and the lid includes an ergonomic grip that improves the chances youâll remove it smoothly without splatter.The Hamilton Beach blender produced delicious tasting oat milk with a dairy-like consistency, alongside great tasting smoothies. Only a few pieces of frozen fruit escaped the blades resulting in a slightly chunkier chug, but the taste didnât suffer. Skip this blender if homemade hummus or nut butters are on your favorites list the blenderâs blade assembly does a sub-optimal job of incorporating ingredients like garlic or chickpeas into a satisfactory texture and you might be left fishing out chunks of ingredients.
Best Single Serve: Nutribullet 600w Personal Blender
Amazon
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Compact and easy to use
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Tendency to leak
Our number-one pick for the best single-serve blender is the Nutribullet Personal Blender. Its a buttonless blender with a 600-watt motor base, and, like other smoothie blenders, it blends when you lock the cup into the base and press down.
The blender comes with one 24-ounce travel cup, a single travel lid, and a single lip ring. Its high-powered motor makes it easy to blend ice and other large pieces of food, but many people report that it is loud when blending.
All parts of the Nutribullet Personal Blender are dishwasher safe, excluding the motorized base and removable blade, but despite the easy cleaning of most parts, the blender may leak, making it difficult to properly clean the base.
Price at time of publication: $70
Weight: 6.04 pounds | Power: 600 watts | Volume: 24 oz | Dimensions: 11.61 x 6.85 x 12.28 inches
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Most Powerful Cleanblend Commercial Blender
Another strong contender for the best blender for frozen fruit smoothies is the commercial blender from Cleanblend, which boasts an extremely powerful 1800 watt base and an 8 point stainless steel blade. Blending ice and frozen fruit with ease, you will never have to worry about large chunks in your smoothies again!
The large container allows you to cater to many guests and prepare large batches. It is also BPA-free and dishwasher safe. You can rest assured that this blender is durable and long-lasting, able to pulverize frozen ingredients in seconds without causing damage.
Whats even more impressive is this blenders ability to process hot soup, creating heat from the friction of its blades! Enjoy frozen drinks, hummus, or peanut butter, all made in your Cleanblend. The opportunities are endless with this impressive, multi-functional blender.
If youre deciding between a juicer vs blender, weve got some great advice.
Compared to the Ninja and Nutribullet, this blender has a much more powerful motor base to successfully blend hard, frozen ingredients.
Though this blender does reach high speeds due to its powerful motor base, unlike its competitors it may require some help. Holding the container into place while blending prevents it from coming loose. This powerful blender is also on our list of the best blenders for pureeing food!
| Cleanblend Commercial Blender |
Cons:
The Most Important Features To Consider
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How To Choose A Blender For Smoothies
When you choose a blender to make smoothies you need to make sure the blender is going to do the work for you. Ideally, the blender should either be built for making smoothies specifically or at least mention that it can make smoothies. If the blender just vaguely says it will blend ingredients up to a smooth consistency, that is not good enough for a lump-free smoothie.
You’ll also want to consider:
Capacity: Keep in mind the number of smoothies you want to create in the blender. If it is just for one or two people, then a smaller and more compact smoothie blender is going to be the best option. Anything with a 16-ounce to a 32-ounce container will be a wise choice. If you are wanting to make a larger quantity of smoothies at one time, then maybe splurge for the larger blenders on our list. Their capacities go all the way up to 72oz, while still being able to create a smooth drink you can enjoy the same way.
Making More Than Smoothies? If you are wanting to do more with your blender than just make smoothies like make pureed foods, soups, salsa, and crushed ice, then keep that factor into consideration. You might be interested in the Nutribullet Pro which is on the top of our list for making smoothies. However, if you want to also crush ice and make other foods, you may want to spring for a larger yet more expensive model like the Vitamix E310.
Things To Consider Before Purchasing The Best Blender For Smoothies And Ice
If you’re in the market for a new blender, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Not all blenders are created equal – some are better for making smoothies, while others are better for crushing ice. Here are 8 things to consider before purchasing the best blender for your needs:
1. Price
Not all blenders are created equal – some are more expensive than others. Make sure you’re aware of what you’re getting for your money.
2. Power
The more powerful the blender, the better it will be at crushing ice and blending ingredients. If you plan on using your blender to make smoothies often, consider investing in a model with more power.
3. Size
Blenders come in all different sizes, so make sure you pick one that will fit comfortably on your countertop.
4. Design
Some blenders are more stylish than others. If design is important to you, be sure to pick a blender that will suit your taste.
5. Ease of use
Some blenders are more difficult to operate than others. Make sure you pick a model that is easy to use.
6. Capacity
Blenders come in all different sizes, so make sure you pick one that will fit comfortably on your countertop.
7. Warranty
Most blenders come with a warranty, but not all warranties are created equal. Make sure you read the terms and conditions of the warranty before purchasing a blender.
8. Accessories
Some blenders come with accessories, while others do not. If you’re looking for specific accessories , make sure the blender you choose comes with them.
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Should You Buy The Ninja Professional Bl610 1000
If its a powerful blender on a budget youre looking for, look no further. The Ninja Professional BL610 1000-Watt is a great blender for tackling ice and other tough stuff, and itll make light work of your typical smoothie recipe. There are some nice touches on this blender, but we were disappointed that it didnt have a better warranty or more preset speeds. Other blenders of a comparable price will offer you a handful more settings. For significantly better warranties and more settings, though, you can expect to double the money youre spending on a blender. If thats out of your price range, the Ninja Professional BL610 is your best bet.
Whats The Difference Between A Smoothie Maker And A Blender
Most of the smoothie makers in our edit will whiz up just enough for one or two people and take up less space than your average blender. Some can handle hot ingredients too, making them pretty versatile. Coming with differently sized jugs and capacities these ones run from 0.47L up to 1L just add ingredients, give them a few seconds and ta-da, you’ve got liquid breakfast .
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Ninja Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender
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Easy to set up, use, and clean
“I love my Ninja brand blender so much, it’s earned a permanent place on my counter, right next to the toaster and the coffee maker,” raves Taysha Murtaugh, Director of Commerce at The Spruce Eats.
The Ninja Nutri Pro Compact Blender has all the qualities you’d expect from a Ninja, and the “compact” part is helpful if you live in a tiny space like Taysha’s small New York City apartment. Sure, it’s small, but it also packs a lot of powerits 900-watt motor thoroughly blending or processing items in about 10 seconds or less. Plus, it comes with 18- and 24-ounce blending cupsplus to-go lids if you want to take your freshly blended smoothie on the go. The best part? The Ninja Nutri fit easily under our tester’s standard kitchen cabinets with plenty of room to spare, and its black and silver design allowed it to fit in with her other appliances.
“Overall, the Ninja Nutri does an excellent job processing frozen berries, soft fruits, and leafy greens like spinach,” our tester found, adding that thankfully, powdery ingredients like ground flax and whey protein blend easily. She did note that it didn’t handle seeds as well, but as long as you don’t mind a slightly chunkier smoothie, go ahead and blend those raspberries and strawberries.
The Spruce / Sharon Lehman
Capacity: 18 and 24 ounces | Power: 900 watts | Settings: 1 speed| Dimensions: 6 x 6 x 14 inches | Warranty: 1 year limited
How We Tested And Picked
We’ve tested more than 30 different blenders across various categories including high-speed blenders, personal blenders, protein shakers and juicers. First, we evaluated their design, safety features , weight, materials that make up their jars and the design of their blades. Next, we took into account any instructions in the manual for any tips like how to order smoothie ingredients.
Then we got blending. In each machine, we blended up a few different smoothies including all-fruit smoothies and one with a tough green like kale to evaluate the power of the motor and sharpness of the blades. For each smoothie, we noted consistency and how uniform the blend was. We also noted how long each smoothie took to blend and whether or not we needed to use a tamp to combine ingredients.
Finally, we cleaned each blender by hand using this method: Add some dish soap and water to your blender jar, replace on the base and turn on to a low setting until the soap begins to foam. Rinse, and your blender jar is clean. Lastly, we noted whether any parts were dishwasher safe.
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