Shopping for a blender can be overwhelming. There are hundreds of blenders available at every price point and design style. How do you choose? Start with the blender’s speed options. The more speed, the more versatility you’ll get out of the blender. You’ll want one with at least three speeds – one for ice, a lower speed for mixing or pureeing delicate foods and a higher speed for everything else. The blender’s power will also come into play. You may be able to get by with 500 watts if all you’re using the blender for is smoothies. However, the higher the watts, the more you can blend, puree and mix without the appliance overheating. When looking at blenders, don’t forget capacity. Some are small, holding a couple of cups, and go up to as much as 14 cups in capacity. It all depends on how much you’ll be blending at a time and the amount of space you have available on your kitchen counter. We looked at dozens of models to bring you some of the best blenders that meet these criteria and more. This guide narrows the selection down to a few of the best available to help you choose.
1200W3 speedsUp to 64 ouncesBPA-free high performance plastic pitcher 16.97" high overallComes with base, blender pitcher with lid and vented lid cap, 32oz cup, 24oz cup, to-go lids, easy-twist extractor blade and recipe book
Nutribullet’s blender combo comes with a couple of personal cup attachments that make it possible to make blended drinks, smoothies or soups for one person using the 32oz or 24oz cups – or several when you use the 64oz pitcher. You can always buy more single-serve cups if you’d like to make multiple personal drinks. It’s powerful – the 1200W motor can handle most of what you throw at it. There are five settings, including extract, low, medium, high and pulse, so you can adjust power and speeds according to what you’re blending. Best of all, the durable plastic pitcher is BPA-free and easy to clean. The extractor-blade base unscrews for handwashing, and the pitchers are dishwasher safe. Pros:
Multiple cups/pitchers in personal and multi-serving sizesDishwasher safePowerful, 1200W motorFive speeds include a pulse settingStylish dark grey color
Cons:
Plastic pitcher (instead of glass)$150 price pointSome customers complain that it’s loud
700W12 functions40ozGlass pitcher14.69" high overallComes with a base, a glass pitcher with lid and vented lid cap, and a removable blade base.
Hamilton Beach’s blender is the most affordable of the blenders reviewed. It’s ideal for anyone starting out and on a budget. Just because the price is low doesn’t mean you’re missing out. The motor’s 700W is capable of crushing ice without too much trouble. And unlike some more expensive blenders with plastic pitchers, the Hamilton Beach comes with a durable glass 40oz pitcher. The blades create a wave action that helps draw foods down easier without an excessive need for liquids. This could save you from having to tap to get air pockets out or by having to push ingredients down with a spoon. Plus, you have 12 blending functions shared by five easy-to-read buttons for an uncluttered look. Pros:
Available in stainless or black finishUnder $40Glass pitcherGood for iceEasy to clean
Cons:
No attachments 12 functions over five buttons take some getting used to
1500W4 speedsUp to 72ozBPA-free plastic pitcher 17.75" high overallIt comes with a base, a pitcher with lid and vented lid cap, food processor bowl, dough blade, cleaning brush and two Ninja cups with to-go lids.
The Ninja BL770 is the most featured blender in our roundup. Blend large quantities in the 72oz hard plastic pitcher, create personal smoothies in the two included Ninja cups or add the food processor attachment to mix dough, chop, dice or slice. Ninja claims you can make two pounds of dough in just 30 seconds using the food processing bowl and dough blade. This kitchen system is a great way to reduce the number of appliances that take up real estate on your kitchen counter. However, you’ll still need storage to keep the various attachments organized. Cleanup is fairly easy after use. The components are dishwasher safe and BPA-free, so you don’t have to worry about harmful chemicals in your servings. Although you can throw the items in the dishwasher, Ninja recommends you handwash as many of the parts as possible in warm, soapy water using the cleaning brush. Pros:
It’s a blender, personal smoothie maker, food processor and dough mixer in one.Great price for what you getPowerful, 1500W motor can crush ice in secondsTwo personal drink cups include to-go lids for easeDishwasher safe
Cons:
Plastic pitcher (instead of glass)It comes with several parts, requiring organization and storage
Up to 2.2 peak horsepowerPulse setting plus turn dial for adjustable speedsUp to 64ozPlastic low-profile pitcher 17" high overallIt comes with a base, blending container with lid and cookbook.
No review of best blenders can be complete without mentioning Vitamix. It’s an industry leader in professional-grade blenders for individuals who want the best. Vitamix blenders do things a bit differently. The company doesn’t tout wattage or speeds. You’ll find that the blenders come with motors that have a peak horsepower of 2.0 or 2.2. It could be equated to as much as 1,400W. As for speeds, a turn dial allows you to fine tune blending according to your needs. Adding to why this blender is one of the best is its smart home connectivity. You may be wondering why anyone would want a smart blender. After all, blenders are meant to be simple – put food in the pitcher and hit a button to blend. The programmable timer ensures you don’t over or under-mix your ingredients so you can carry on with other tasks in the kitchen. Plus, the base can recognize the size of your container (if you choose to purchase a smaller pitcher or personal blender cups) to adjust the settings and blend times. Pros:
Expandable when you purchase additional containers of different sizesGreat for making soup – heats container items in six minutes as they blendDownload the Vitamix perfect blend app to add 17 programs and over 500 recipes.Digital touchscreenThe dial lets you fine tune your speed
Cons:
Hand wash onlyThe most expensive of the best blenders reviewed
1800WVariable-speed knobUp to 64ozBPA-free plastic pitcher 18" high overallIt comes with a base, a pitcher with a lid and a tamper
The Cleanblend commercial blender got its fame for its unique and powerful eight-blades. So much so that people were throwing household objects into the pitcher to find what exactly it can’t blend. In fact, Cleanblend added a disclaimer asking people not to blend their smartphones. It’s safe to say the Cleanblend can handle almost everything effortlessly. The soup feature is popular. Throw in your vegetables and run the blender. After a few minutes, the blades develop enough friction to heat what you’re blending, creating a hot soup or puree that can be served right from the pitcher. In fact, Cleanblend has recently updated the model by adding a rubber handle to the pitcher to account for the heat the blender is capable of producing if you run it in heat mode. Pros:
8-blades can quickly process nearly any ingredientCommercial blender crushes, blends, grinds, chops, processes, liquifies and can also heat foodsPowerful 1800W motorTamper can integrate into the lid so you can move food around while it’s operating without spills
Cons:
Higher price pointNo extra attachments
Some of the factors we used to choose the best blender included:
Watts: A good measure of the blender’s power. Blenders of at least 500W were compared.Speeds: The more speeds, the more versatile the blender can be. We chose blenders that had at least three speeds.Design: How attractive would the blender be in a home setting, and is it timeless enough to work with nearly any kitchen style?Size: We provided a variety of blender capacities to work in all kitchen sizes and for multiple servings.Cleaning: Being able to clean your blender by disassembling the base easily is helpful. Components that are dishwasher safe are the most ideal.Attachments: Blenders that come with special attachments provide the utmost flexibility to expand the appliance’s use.Price: Professional models are typically the most expensive. We chose models that provided value for the price.Customer reviews: Don’t dismiss what others who have purchased a model have to say. Customer reviews can reveal benefits and drawbacks regarding the blender you’re interested in that you may not be able to see simply from reviewing photos and specs.
If you use your blender regularly, take a good look at its construction for clues about durability. Professional-grade blenders feature metal or heavy-duty plastic components, which will last longer. A glass receptacle is the best. And as far as ease of cleaning the blender container, look for one that can be easily taken apart for cleaning. Some alternatives include:
Immersion blenders: These blenders are handheld sticks that you can plug in and drop into an existing glass, container and even a warm pot or pan. They make mixing far easier since you can blend right in the spot you’re serving from or cooking in. They’re also easier to clean since all they need is a quick immersion in some warm soapy water and a rinse. However, immersion blenders don’t do a great job at chopping. They’re best for mixing and pureeing.Handheld mixers: Handheld mixers have two or more rotary whisks that can mix or beat foods effortlessly. Like immersion mixers, they can be used in a variety of different bowls and containers and are easy to clean. They fall short when it comes to purees since the whisks can’t chop as effectively as a blender or immersion mixer. Food processors: If you’d like a single kitchen tool that can handle almost everything, a food processor may be the answer. They typically come with a variety of attachments that make slicing, dicing, chopping, pureeing and more possible. Food processors are typically more expensive than a blender, but they may be more versatile, as well.
