How We Tested The Best Blenders
To judge each of the blenders we compared how each model tackled blending ice and frozen and fresh fruit. We also looked at how smooth the final results were for smoothies and sauces and how long each model took.
These were the areas we looked at in particular:
Ease of usehow simple were they to set up and put together? We also looked at how easy each machine was to pack down and clean.
Functionspricier models tend to come with more attachments and modes. We evaluated how useful they actually were and whether or not they justified the higher price point.
Performancemost importantly, we assessed how well each blender performed at blending brittle, hard ice, as well as soft fruits and smoothies, both in terms of the time taken and the final product. In addition, we looked at how noisy they were.
Value for moneywe tested a range of blenders, spanning a range of price points. We examined whether or not the more expensive models were worth it.
Designwe looked at how much space the blenders required in the kitchen and how they actually looked.
What To Look Forward To
Were continuing to test more blenders, including the Nutribullet Smart Touch, the second-generation model of the three-speed Nutribullet Full Size blender that we mention in the Other good blenders section. Compared with its predecessor, the Smart Touch has extra features including four blending programs and a digital display. Were also testing the Vitamix Ascent 3500the most expensive and feature-packed model Vitamix offers. The Ascent 3500 has five blending programs, touchscreen controls, and Bluetooth connectivity that lets you choose from more blending options via an app on your phone .
Best For Smoothies: Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/chopping System
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Easy to use and clean
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Sleek, compact design
This affordable and versatile personal blender, which also works well as a chopper, boasts a powerful 350-watt motor, a variety of controls that include pulsing, low-speed blending, and high-speed blending, and an electronic touchpad with LED indicator lights.
This set has two bladesone for blending and one for choppingand 15 attachments, including a 32-ounce blender jar, an 8-ounce chopping cup, and a set of four 16-ounce BPA-free travel cups with drinking lidsperfect for multiple people in your household to enjoy smoothies on the go. The two blades also make this blender ideal for smoothies, in our tester’s opinion: “I made banana, apple, and kale smoothies in my blender every day for a week, first using the chopping blade to cut through the ice, and then switching to the blending blade to blend the drink,” she says. You can likely use the same blade to blend all your ingredients, and you can even blend your smoothies directly in the travel cups.
The Spruce Eats / Tierney McAfee
Capacity: 32-ounce pitcher, 8-ounce cup, and four 16-ounce cups | Power: 350 watts | Settings: 2speeds plus a pulse button| Dimensions: 10.12 x 15.75 x 10 inches | Warranty: 3 years
“Everything about the Cuisinart is intuitive, from the blade assemblies to the touch-button controls to the lids.” Tierney McAfee, Product Tester
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How To Clean A Blender
Staying on top of cleaning your blender is key if you want it to last as long as possible and if you want to avoid any nasty odors building up. Many blending jugs can be placed inside the dishwasher but you can also clean them by adding warm water and dish soap to the blending jug, placing the lid on, and blending up the soapy solution.
If youre struggling to get rid of any stubborn stains, create your own cleaning paste using 1 tablespoon of baking soda and mix it with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. You can add this solution to the stains by using a clean scrubbing brush or a clean toothbrush.
How Do I Choose A Good Blender
Finding the right blender for you will largely depend on how you plan to use it. Consider whether youre happy to blend manually or if youd prefer a tech-heavy model to take the guesswork away.
Keep an eye out for these features before adding a blender to your trolley:
Jug material:Plastic jugs are lighter and usually cheaper than sturdier glass ones. However, theyre more prone to scratching and often cant withstand ingredients that are hotter than 40C.
Speed settings: Most blenders will have two or more speed settings, giving you greater control while blending. Some, such as the Vitamix E310, go well beyond this with as many as 10 options. Higher speeds are better for liquifying ingredients, while slower settings are best for chopping and grinding. A pulse setting is handy if youre looking to lop fruit and veg down to size for a chunky salsa or yoghurt-topper.
Power: Weve listed the wattage for all of our tested blenders. While a higher wattage doesnt necessarily make for a better blender, we found machines tended to need at least 1100W for more demanding tasks like crushing ice and chopping nuts.
Functions: Some blenders come with a grinding attachment for reducing coffee beans, nuts, herbs and spices to a fine powder. Others feature special settings for crushing ice a task that can damage models with weaker blades. In general, the fancier the functions, the pricier the blender, so consider which ones youll actually use before parting with your cash.
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How Much Should I Spend On A Blender
Your budget will depend on what you intend to use your blender for. If you need something quick and easy for smoothies or shakes, a budget model that costs $50 / £50 or below may suffice. However, these less expensive models don’t always have the strongest motors or the most precise blades, so your smoothies or soups may not always have the consistency you want.
For more heavy-duty usage – like making soups, dips and cocktails for parties – consider graduating to a mid-range model starting from $100 / £100. Blenders in this range will usually have more powerful motors, more speeds and perhaps a few nifty presets. They’ll also provide a greater capacity than most cheaper blenders so you can make large batches for friends and family to enjoy.
Consider a premium blender if you’ll be frequently making big quantities and/or working with dry ingredients like grains, coffee beans or spices. Top-of-the-line models feature the most powerful motors, excellent build quality , and an array of pre-programmed features. But unless you plan to use your blender regularly for a multitude of tasks, there’s no reason to spend a lot of money for one.
Fortunately, major shopping holidays like Prime Day and Black Friday boast plenty of deals on small appliances, including blenders. If you have your eye on a top-tier blender, taking advantage of one of those sales could help you save a good chunk of change.
How Long Should A Blender Last
When used and cared for properly, a good blender can last for years. “After seven years, I still have the NutriBullet blenders that I’ve used to test hundreds of recipes,” Haugen says. “I’ve had my Krups blender for close to 20 years.” Pro tip: Take a look at the manufacturer’s warranty. This should tell you how long a particular model is expected to last with the average consumer’s use.
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Hamilton Beach Professional Variable Speed Hand Blender
With nine speeds and a comfortable handle, Hamilton Beachs variable-speed blender was easy to hold and operate. It has a trigger speed control and LED display that our testers found straightforward to read and control one-handed. We were impressed with its speed and velvety results when making smoothies and soup, but noticed a fair amount of suction that made it challenging to move the device up and down the container.
View at Amazon
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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
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The Best Blenders 2022
With five presets to choose from, the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender is as high-tech as a blender can be. It also has a manual dial that can go up to ten different speeds, and we love that the pitcher simply lifts away from the base with no twisting, meaning it can favor both left and right-handed users.
The powerful blades can not only blend but also cook out soups and sauces. We made an incredible tomato soup completely from scratch using the ten-minute preset soup mode. You should be aware that it can’t cook firmer ingredients like potato or carrot, but it’s still a suitable substitute to the best immersion blenders if you’re willing to cook your ingredients before adding to the jug.
Included with the blender is an excellent recipe book, a quick start guide, and a tamper to reach down and make sure that more solid ingredients like dips are incorporated fully into the blades while the Vitamix works. The jug isn’t dishwasher-safe, but it does have a self-clean mode that can finish the job in just 30 seconds.
Available in a range of colors and with various attachments for drinking on the go and taking your smoothie around the home, the NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender is perfect for smaller servings. It’s a brilliant personal blender that impressed us when we tried it for ourselves.
Our full NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender review has more details
Our full Zwilling Enfinigy Countertop Power Blender review has more details
The Best Blenders In 2022 For Smoothies Soups Sauces And Desserts
The best blenders offer a good mix of performance and programs as well as an assortment of extras you can buy later which allow you to increase the functionality of your machine.
Weve selected and tested models at a range of price points to give you a better idea of which ones are worth the space in your kitchen. These machines help make light work of whizzing up ice, sauces, smoothies and soups.
If you’re looking for an appliance that performs a wider variety of food preparation tasks – such as grinding and mixing up coarser ingredients – you might want to see our guide to the best food processors, although several high-end blenders can also easily assume the role of a food processor.
To test the best blenders on the market, we used them to create everything from icy cocktails to vegetable-packed soups and even pancake batter. We looked at how quickly each model blended, how smooth the finished product was and what kind of functions they had to make the task even easier.
Below are 13 of the best blenders you can buy right now, ranging from budget-friendly smoothie machines to premium models with an abundance of functions and exciting accessories.
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The Best Food Processor
Of all the models weve tested since 2013, the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor remains our favorite because its simple, powerful, and durable.
With a little effort, you can also puree wet ingredients in a food processor, but the doughnut-shaped container doesnt handle liquids as well as a blenders jar doesit tends to leak. A food processor works fine for thick purees like hummus and is great for sauces with a coarser texture like pesto. But it cant make a good smoothie andsince you cant control the speed of the bladesis liable to shoot hot soup everywhere. Instead, a food processor is best for chopping, slicing, and grating. With the right attachment, it can even mix and knead dough. Many people use food processors for mincing vegetables, but this appliance is also your best friend for easily grating cheese, slicing potatoes for a gratin, grinding fresh bread crumbs, or quickly cutting butter into flour to make pie dough.
In short, blenders liquefy, food processors chop and slice. Depending on your needs, you might choose one over the other, or you might want both. We have a guide to the best food processors, too, if youre interested.
The Best Blenders For Silky Smoothies And Soups
From Vitamix to NutriBullet, we found the best blenders for all your needs.
The best blenders can purée or emulsify any fruits and veggies, making smoothies, soups, and sauces smooth and easy to make, rather than a process you dread. When your blender has a motor that never loses power and blades that stay sharp no matter how much ice you throw their way, it becomes an asset to your cooking, rather than a difficult-to-wrangle and hard-to-clean appliance taking up counter space. A great blender especially handy now that the weather is warming up, and adult libations like will be on the menu.
Before you invest in a blender, or reach for a Ninja or Vitamix, assess what youll be using it for most often. The best blenders arent cheap, and the level of your investment should depend on what you plan to use it for. You dont need separate soup and smoothie blenders, but there are variations to consider. If you dont have much storage or counter space, consider an immersion blender, which is basically a portable motor that gets stuck into a pot of soup or glass of fruit. Premium blenders cost the most, and do the most, while so-called conventional blenders are up for daily tasks like blending smoothies.
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Best Overall: Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender
If you’re willing to spend a little more on a professional-grade blender like a Vitamix, then you’re in for a treat. The E310 Explorian Blender has a 48-ounce container that’s great for prepping smoothies for the entire week or for the whole family. The blender features 10 speeds, plus a pulse function that allows you to get the right consistency for smoothies, soups, and more. Instead of putting all the parts in the dishwasher, utilize the self-cleaning feature that thoroughly cleans the blender in just 30 seconds. All you’ll need is a drop of dish soap and warm water, then run the blender until it’s clean.
Despite the high price point, the Vitamix blender has a dedicated following of loyal fans who love its versatility and power. “So far, I’ve used it for grinding coffee beans, making bulletproof coffee every morning, a smoothie every afternoon, and yesterday I made cauliflower rice in it for a recipe,” says one customer. “It comes with a tamper to push things down if needed and that has worked great. I’m looking forward to donating my previous cheap blender, my coffee grinder, and hand blender. I’ve already gotten rid of my food processor. This appliance may cost more, but it can do SO many things, I believe it’s totally worth it.”
Buy It: $273
Best Portable: Popbabies Portable Blender
Courtesy of Amazon
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Good battery life and easy to recharge
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Dishwasher-safe
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Have to cut fruit into small pieces
If you want to make smoothies at your desk, blend baby food while traveling, or fuel up on protein shakes during your next camping trip, then this rechargeable blender from PopBabies is a solid choice. It looks like a travel bottle, and you can drink directly from the blending jar to cut down on dishesplus, it’s dishwasher-safe. Its 16-ounce capacity is suited to the portable design, and it can be fully charged with the included USB cable in about three hours. As a bonus, the blender comes with a funnel and a miniature ice tray that makes cubes small enough for the blender to handle. That also hints at the main downside of the device: because its so small, this blender isnt as powerful as a full-sized model. Some reviewers complain that it struggles to blend large chunks of fruit or ice.
Capacity: 16 ounces | Power: 175 watts | Settings: 1speed| Dimensions: 3.2 x 3.2 x 10.2 inches | Warranty: None
The Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is our top pick for top high-powered blender because of its incredible power, durability, and versatility. If you’re a big smoothie maker, the Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System got high praise from our home tester for its convenience, space-efficiency, and ease of use.
The Spruce / Cara Cormack
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Check How Powerful Your Blender Is
The wattage can work as a guide but higher doesnât always mean a better blender. Take into account additional features that it uses to process food thoroughly, such as jug and blade design. A blenderâs power can sometimes be displayed in horsepower instead of watts. While basic liquidisers sufficed with two blades, most modern jug blenders will have at least four, sometimes with mini blades nestled around the stack. Theyâre usually angled, which helps them to whisk up pieces from the bottom of the jug and create a vortex to drag blender contents down from the top.
Take a look at the best juicers
