Our Blender For Smoothies Buying Guide
Its always a good time to start making smoothies. When you can make a healthy blend of fruits and veggies at home, youll find nutrition becomes just as fun as it is tasty. A great blender is key when it comes to making smoothies. It is no fun to sip on a smoothie and get large chunks of food stuck in your straw because the blender didnt make it smooth. Youll find a few common traits among the best blenders for smoothies and those are what you want to look for when you are shopping for the best.
With countless blenders out there, how do you know which one is going to be the best for smoothies? In order to answer this question, we have to first understand how a blender works. A high-speed, electric motor is housed in the base of the blender and is kept cool by its own personal fan. The motor is in control of the speed of the blades that are housed in the glass or plastic jar section of the blender. In addition, there is a speed control gadget on the front that allows you to increase or decrease speed or pulse the blades.
Some blenders keep their blade, gasket and jar separate for cleaning ease, while others are all one piece to prevent leaks. Still others are individual cup blenders that offer gaskets in the lid that attach to the blade when turned upside down, such as the Magic Bullet Blender. Although it comes in different sizes, it functions the same way to give you a creamy smoothie in seconds.
How To Make A Smoothie Thatll Keep You Full For Longer
The green smoothie: glowing with vibrant, verdant health and filled with more vegetables than most people eat in a day, its almost a noble breakfast. Unfortunately, it typically tastes chalky from protein powder or stringy from spinach. Can you tell Im not a fan?
But a smoothie is also an easy and quick way to get a healthy breakfast or snack full of vitamins, fiber and protein. HuffPost spoke with a nutritionist and a recipe developer to explore how to create the best of both worlds a smoothie thats delicious and satiating to start your day off right.
Dont Miss: Smoothie King Protein Shakes
Whats The Best Blender To Make This Smoothie
Because of the orange slices, we recommend working with a high-powered blender to get this orange smoothie nice and, well, smooth! Here are two recommendations:
- STARTER: Ninja Professional BlenderFor under a $100, you get an incredibly powerful blender that makes a dreamy, creamy smoothie.
- SPLURGE: Vitamix Professional BlenderA Vitamix is the top of the line when it comes to blenders, and its what we use everyday in the Wholefully test kitchen.
Recommended Reading: Tasty Smoothies For Weight Loss
Caramel Apple Overnight Oatmeal Smoothie
This vegan, gluten-free breakfast smoothie is perfect for cold mornings when youre craving a fall treat. Dont worry: Theres no caramel in this recipe. Instead, this blogger subs in dates to add natural sweetness, along with antioxidants, fiber, and minerals. Rolled oats also pack fiber and protein, while apples and cinnamon give that undeniably heartwarming taste. This dreamy mixture sits in the fridge overnight, saving you so much time in the mornings.
Healthy Fruit Smoothie Faqs
What fruits are best for smoothies?
You can pretty much use any fruit you like in a smoothie. Try strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, mango, peaches, cherries, pineapple, watermelon, you name it. For the best results, use frozen fruit. It makes for a creamier smoothie!
Are smoothies best with milk or water?
I definitely recommend using milk for your smoothie. It creates a creamier texture and better flavor. Dairy milk, almond milk, and coconut milk are all great options.
Do you put ice in a smoothie?
If youre using frozen fruit, no. It isnt necessary to use ice in a smoothie. Frozen fruit is the best way to get a cold and creamy smoothie without watering it down. If all you have is fresh fruit, or you like your smoothies super cold, it is fine to add ice.
Also Check: What’s In A Strawberry Banana Smoothie
What Kind Of Blender Do I Need
I do suggest investing in a high-powered blender to make these smoothies as creamy as possible. I personally use a VitaMix 5200, but Ive also had a Ninja Professional in the past and loved it.
Beyond using a good blender, Ive discovered a few tricks for making smoothies sweet and creamy without the use of dairy or bananas, and Ive put them into these recipes down below. I hope you love them! Lets dig in.
S To Make A Perfect Fruit Smoothie
No matter what kind of fruit smoothie recipe you are making, you can follow these steps.
Now that you have a great idea of making any fruit smoothie let’s look at how to make some of the most popular fruit smoothies.
Don’t Miss: Smoothie King Smoothie Nutrition Facts
Vanilla Bean Coconut Yogurt Smoothie
You won’t believe the amount of flavor or nutrients packed into this five-ingredient smoothie. Vanilla-infused honey lends a touch of aromatic sweetness, Greek yogurt adds a little tang and coconut-water ice cubes create a refreshing, tropical finish.
Get the Recipe: Vanilla Bean Coconut Yogurt Smoothie
Can A Regular Blender Make Smoothies
A blender thats not high-speed can handle smoothies that arent as packed with greens and ice. Asbells recommendation: If you keep your smoothies based on liquids, yogurt, and softer fruits, you can use a lower watt blender. The less power you have, the longer it will take to get a nice smooth blend.
Also Check: Smoothie After Workout For Weight Loss
Peaches And Cream Oatmeal Smoothie
No time for a leisurely meal? Try this grab-and-go, probiotic-rich take on morning oatmeal. Whole-grain oats contain prebiotic fiber that promotes gut health.
This recipe from Preventions Smoothies & Juicesmakes two smoothies: Blend 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup frozen peaches, 1/2 frozen banana, and 1/2 cup ice until smooth.
Nutrition: 283 cal, 13 g pro, 53.5 g carb, 2 g fiber, 48 g sugars, 3.5 g fat
Are Smoothies Better With Milk Or Water
The base ingredient of every good smoothie is some sort of liquid. Without a liquid, the ingredients will never blend into a smoothie. This could be milk, coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk water, or kefir. Many people ask, Are smoothies better with milk or water?
The answer: It depends. Both water and milk have their place in making a smoothie.
Adding milk to a smoothie will result in a creamier smoothie and you get the added satiating fat benefit. Healthy fats are a good thing and an important part of a real food lifestyle, not something to be avoided. On the other hand, water can be a great liquid to use if youre looking for a lighter smoothie or just dont have any milk available. Another option is to use water and a scoop or two of plain yogurt, which adds probiotics to the smoothie, healthy satiating fat, and a creamy consistency. Banana and avocado also add creaminess to a smoothie, so you can definitely achieve a creamy smoothie without milk.
You May Like: Healthy Smoothies With Oat Milk
Recommended Reading: Turmeric Smoothie Recipe For Weight Loss
Start With Frozen Ingredients And Blend On Low
Place the frozen fruit in the blender and use the lowest speed to chop them up. Use no more than 1 fresh ingredient and place on the bottom before the frozen fruit. If you use any soft fruit you will need LESS liquid in step 2.
Use the tamper if you have one, or stop the machine and scrape ingredients down into the blade and repeat. Doing this first helps to ensure you end up with a smooth mixture when you continue to blend in the next steps.
What To Consider When Choosing A Blender For Smoothies
Heres what to keep in mind while shopping for a blender:
- Price: Blenders range from under $100 to more than $500. Be sure to consider your budget, along with how much youll be using the blender when making your final choice.
- Versatility: Some blenders are meant to be used for smoothies only, while others can perform a variety of functions. You can find blenders designed for hot items in addition to cold, as well as ones that are made to crush ice and pulverize nuts into nut butter.
- Cleaning instructions: If you prefer to wash items in the dishwasher, be sure to check manufacturer instructions before you buy. Some blenders are handwash only.
- Warranty: Warranties can range from 1 year to more than 5 years.
- User reviews: Be sure to check online reviews before you buy. Look at common pros and cons called out by users who have actually put the blender through its paces.
- Size: Do you want something for just a single serving, or would you prefer to make large batches? Some blenders have small cups, while others have a much larger capacity.
- Features: Check for any additional features, like multiple speeds, pulse modes, self-cleaning features, and more.
Don’t Miss: Smoothie King Job Application Online
Is A Smoothie Good For Breakfast
The main ingredient is the right amount of fruit, and the amount of fat and sugar should be kept to a minimum. Following these guidelines allows you to have a smoothie for breakfast on a daily basis. Breakfast smoothies are simple to make and delicious, but theyre also very healthy.
Healthy Foods To Help You Boost Your Overall Health
It is a healthy option to add fruits and vegetables to your smoothies to get them full. You must, however, keep portions in check by adhering to low-calorie or low-sugar beverages, and increasing the amount of vegetables when necessary. If you want to add sugar, you can do so without using it first.
The Blender For Smoothies Tips And Advice
- Think about how many smoothies youll need to make at once when purchasing your blender. Size is something to make sure you get right, so you arent making smoothies all day in one small blender.
- Try to aim for a blender with at least three speed settings, especially a pulse button for those stringy fruits and rough ice chunks.
- Special attachments are always a plus, so you may want to see if you can find blenders with different blades, complementary cups or even a coffee bean grinder.
Don’t Miss: Smoothie Weight Loss Before And After
Best Blenders For Smoothies In 2021 Top Picks & Reviews
It doesnt matter if you have found yourself on a health kick or just looking to replace a blender that broke. You can find the options available to you overwhelming. There are so many different sizes and features to choose from that narrowing your choices is difficult.
Weve already tried out dozens of blenders for every purpose, and we believe we can help by pointing you in the direction of 10 blenders we feel are perfect for making smoothies. Each model on our list will have some things that we like about it and some things that we dont. Well tell you what they are and explain why so that you can feel more comfortable about making your own choice when the time comes.
Weve also included a buyer guide where we break down every aspect of the smoothie blender and explain what is essential and what isnt. Well go over what size motor to look for as well as pitcher size. Well talk about the cleanup and whether you need all those different speeds.
Keep reading for our detailed reviews of each blender for smoothies, where we compare motor size, pitcher size, multi-speed, and cleanup to help you make an educated purchase.
Lets look at the ten blenders we chose to review for you.
Read Also: 10 Day Detox Smoothie Diet
Greea Colada No Banana Smoothie
Enjoy the flavor of a tropical vacation with an added nutritional boost of fresh spinach! This bright green smoothie doesnt taste like spinachit just tastes like your favorite sweet and creamy cocktail. I wont tell if you add some rum to it! Make sure to use full fat coconut milk from the canitll give you the creamiest results with some fat to help keep you full.
Recommended Reading: Fruit Smoothie Recipe Almond Milk
How To Choose A Smoothie Maker And/or Blender
When choosing a smoothie maker and/or blender, consider your priorities and budget. If you can splurge for a full-sized blender, thats the way to go, says Adler. Thats largely because of its ability to do a number of thingsnot just make great smoothies.
If you dont want to spend hundreds of dollars on a smoothie makerand youre going to be making one smoothie at a timeconsider a mini blender or an immersion blender. These products dont have the versatility of a full-sized blenderyoull be limited in how many things you can make in it. But if all you plan on making with them is smoothies, they certainly will do the job.
Add A Handful Of Leafy Green Vegetables
Green smoothies may be scary at times, but adding a handful of leafy greens to your smoothies, like spinach and kale, can contribute incredible health benefits without compromising flavor or consistency. How else do you expect to squeeze vegetables in your diet in a way that actually tastes delicious?
Also Check: Types Of Smoothies At Smoothie King
They’re Great For Breakfast Or An Afternoon Pick
The Spruce
Smoothies are a convenient and colorful way to start your day, but some recipes can be filled with added sugar and fat. For a healthy meal or snack, stick to the basics: fruit and veggies.
Every successful smoothie contains two main ingredients: fruit and/or vegetables and a liquid, such as fruit juice, vegetable juice, or milk. Other possible ingredients include yogurt, nut butter, seeds, spices, herbs, and more. Many smoothies also include a few ice cubes to keep the mixture nice and cold. Often, recipes can be tweaked to meet different dietary requirements or tastesfeel free to swap out dairy products for non-dairy ones or change up the spices and juices.
All of these smoothies recipes are loaded with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and protein. They’re made with only natural ingredients and range in flavors from mango to chocolate to veggie. You’re sure to find a breakfast smoothie for every day of the week.
Instant Pot Ace Nova Cooking Blender
This is the only blender we tested that has an actual cooking function. While some blenders including certain Vitamix blender like Vitamix e310 explorian blender, the Braun TriForce and Breville Super Q use sheer force and friction to heat up a blend, this one generates heat to cook whats inside and then whirs it all into a pureed soup with one button touch.
To test the soup setting, we threw a bunch of very roughly chopped vegetables, chicken stock, garlic and herbs into the canister, then hit the soup 2 program. Over the next 20 minutes, we watched as it cooked the veggies and spun them into a silky smooth soup. Theres also an option to leave the soup chunky if you prefer. If youve used a Thermomix, its like a mini version that doesnt cost $1,500. We found it to be a particularly impressive feature for a blender at this price.
How did it do in the other blending tests? Pretty well, although it is definitely not the most powerful blender we tested. The Instant Ace Nova handled frozen fruit, ice, raw almonds and cheese with little resistance and the cleaning program worked particularly well perhaps the best of the bunch. The Ace Nova was also one of the quietest of the blenders we tested, which has to count for something.
Also Check: How Do I Make A Strawberry Smoothie
What Are Some Great Smoothie Recipes
Alright, now that youre fully versed on how to make a great smoothie, let me share with you some of our absolute favorite combos! Click on any image to jump over to that specific smoothie recipe.
Classic Simple Smoothies
These smoothies are a great place to start. No weird ingredients that you have to special order, just fresh, real food that you can find at any typical supermarket.
Wild Blueberry Lemon No Banana Smoothie
Is Smoothie With Water Or Milk
If youre trying to cut down on calorie and sugar intake, a smoothie made with water is your best bet. If you want a smoothie that is creamy and not plain, then its better to use milk. If youre after some of the nutritional components of milk, the use it instead.
Is it better to make smoothies with milk or juice?
Liquid: Your choices include milk, non-dairy milk, coconut water, iced coffee or tea, and juice. If you want to punch up the protein, go for milk or pea protein milk, which contain 8 to 10 grams per cup. If youre getting ample protein from another source, coconut water or almond milk are lighter ways to go.
Are smoothies with milk healthy?
Smoothies made purely of whole fruits and vegetables, and if desired, a little soymilk or nonfat dairy, are wonderfully healthy and nutritious.
You May Like: Best Smoothies To Make With Chocolate Protein Powder