The Very Best Blenders For Crushing Ice, Ice Baby!
Let’s face it, summer just isn’t summer without ice-cold frappuccinos, frosty smoothies and tall, crunchy glasses of frosé. If you’re done with paying top dollar for these frozen delights and want to make them yourself instead, we highly recommend you take home one of these blenders for all of your ice crushing needs. Before you know it, you’ll be lounging under the warm sun with an icy margarita in hand, completely oblivious to the crazy world around you. Now doesn’t that sound refreshing?
Our Top Choices – Blenders for Crushing Ice
Best Overall Choice – Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender With FourSided Jar
This blender is a no brainer, and does so much more than simply crushing ice! With it’s large wet/dry fillable four-sided jar, this lightweight, yet powerful blender justifies its price tag with professional-grade power, six pre-programmable cycles and ten speeds to choose from.
The Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender with FourSide Jar is lightweight at just over seven pounds and has a heavy-duty 1,560-watt motor that makes it a great option for crushing ice. With six pre-programmable cycles and ten speeds you can really do it all with this blender. We particularly like the pulse feature and the self-cleaning function at the push of a button.
The blender pitcher is free from BPA (hugely important!) and the two-tip stainless steel blades do an excellent job at crushing ice, without being too sharp (which makes cleaning less scary).
Did we mention there is an EIGHT-year warranty? This should give you peace of mind on your investment.
Pros
- Eight-year warranty
- Powerful motor that works well on ice
- Various different presets and speeds
- Sturdy, well-designed blending pitcher and blade
- Self-cleaning feature
Cons
- Quite loud when running at full speed
- Some people feel that the pitcher is on the small side
- Some components are plastic, which can raise durability concerns
Best Long-Term Investment – Vitamix 7500 Blender
The name is synonymous with top quality, and ALL of the best smoothie joints use them. If money is no object, and you’re in a position where you can invest in a quality piece of machinery that will last a long time, this high-end blender will not disappoint you.
The Vitamix 7500 Blender has a powerful all-metal drive and a wide array of features.
This blender is HEAVY compared to others, so be warned. Coming in at a whopping 13 pounds, the Vitamix 7500 has a 64-ounce blending capacity and a very powerful motor that makes crushing almost anything easy work.
The dial on the front of the blender allows you to toggle through ten different speeds and offers a very handy pulse option (that allows you to use the machine very much like a food processor).
An added benefit with this choice is a radial cooling fan and thermal protection system that protects the motor to ensure you don’t burn it out.
The stainless steel blade has four tips and can tear through ice cubes (and many other things) no problem!
We love the self-cleaning feature and the fact that you can choose from a variety of fun colors.
The Vitamix 7500 blender comes with a seven-year warranty, which is nothing to sneeze at and ensures you’ll be able to use this beauty for years to come.
Pros
- Seven-year warranty
- Strong Motor and blades that do an exceptional job at crushing ice
- Radial cooling fan and built-in thermal protection to prevent motor burnout
- Comes in many colors
- Self-cleaning feature
Cons
- Very heavy
- High price point
Best Runner-Up – Blendtec Designer Series Blender
If you want to go premium, but don’t want to invest in a Vitamix, this blender is the next best thing.
When comparing performance, function and customer satisfaction the Blendtec Designer Series Blender comes in a close second to the Vitamix 7500.
What’s really cool about this blender is that it was designed with crushing ice in mind, and does a really exceptional job at this with it’s special “dull” blade technology and unique pitcher design.
With a three horsepower, 1,560-watt motor, this blender is actually more powerful than the Vitamix and therefor does an exceptional job at crushing ice and frozen fruit (it’s really hard to tell which one does it better as the results are so similar).
There is actually an “Ice Crush” preset button that can do the job in just 30 seconds and ensures you don’t over crush your ice, which means a consistent result every single time.
The Blendtec is small and compact at only 15 inches tall, which makes it easy to tuck away under the counter, or in a kitchen cupboard.
The modern design offers touch screen controls with presets that offer an array of functions.
The BPA free blending jar is lightweight and built to last as it is constructed of heavy-duty Tritan Plastic.
Blendtec beats out Vitamix in the warranty department with an impressive eight-year warranty on their blenders!
Pros
- Eight-year warranty
- Powerful 1,560-watt motor
- Excels at crushing ice with special “dull” blade design
- Small and compact at only 15 inches tall
Cons
- The Blendtec is much louder than the Vitamix, and some other blenders on the market
- High price point
Best Mid-Priced Blender Option – Ninja Professional 1000
When you stop paying top dollar for frozen drinks and start making your own at home, your blender quickly pays for itself. That said, not everyone has hundreds of dollars to invest upfront on a blender. This mid-priced option comes in at under $100, and will definitely do the trick at blending just about any frozen drink you can dream up.
The Ninja Professional 1000 has an impressive 7,000+ reviews on Amazon, and the vast majority of them are very positive.
The beautiful sleek design of this particular blender is sure to make a statement in any kitchen.
Given the price point, the Ninja has outstanding performance with 1,000 watts of power and 64-ounce liquid capacity.
The blades were designed with ice crushing power in mind, and also do a great job at doing other things like pureeing, blending and processing frozen fruit in the blink of an eye.
This blender comes equipped with a very large 72oz BPA free blending pitcher that is great for making big batches of icy drinks for the whole family (strawberry daiquiri, anyone!?)
When you’re not making frozen drinks, use this affordable blender to make delicious sauces, dips and salsas.
Pros
- Modest price
- Excellent crushing technology that easily crushes ice
- Large pitcher than can accommodate large batches of drinks
- Includes a pulse function that makes it easy to make sauces and dips
- Can be thrown in the dishwasher for an easy clean
Cons
- The lid can be a little tricky to remove until you get the hang out it
- It is quite loud and shakes a little bit while on the highest setting
Best Budget-Friendly Option – Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender
Considering its power, and excellent reviews, this blender is a great option for budget-conscious individuals and students who want to impress everyone at their dorm with the perfect Pina Colada.
The Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender isn’t the most powerful blender on the market but definitely does the trick anyways. With only 1,000 peak watts and 600 blending watts, surprisingly, this blender has a great reputation for crushing ice with ease, and carrying out a number of other food prep tasks without any issues.
This blender has a dual-direction 6-point blade system that is actually very powerful and durable. Unlike some blenders, these blades can move multiple directions to process ice and other materials quickly and consistently without any annoying jams. The blades are helped along by five different speed settings and two preset functions (including a frozen drink button! How cool is that?)
There is also a food chop button that makes prepping veggies and making chunky dips as easy as pie. In many ways, this blender is a two in one deal, as it behaves very much like a food processor, as well as a drink-making machine.
The blender pitcher on this model is made of glass so it’s very easy to clean, and you don’t have to worry about pesky chemicals like BPA. Because it’s glass, it’s quite heavy, and you need to handle it with extra care to ensure you don’t chip (or smash!) it.
It also has an all-metal drive system that is very strong and powerful and comes with a TEN-year metal drive limited warranty. In addition, there is a three-year satisfaction guarantee which is incredible given its modest price point.
Pros
- Low price point
- Durable glass jar
- Features a unique dual-direction six-point blade.
- Comes with a competitive three-year Duralast drive system warranty, and a three-year satisfaction guarantee
- Also works as a food processor
Cons
- A bit noisy compared to some other options
- The glass jug is heavy and can chip or break
What should you expect from your ice crushing blender?
In order to crush ice effectively, you need big power. Always make sure that the model you choose mentions it’s ice crushing ability, and read reviews to ensure that other people have had success crushing ice and frozen fruit with each particular model. Keep these things in mind to ensure you make the right choice when you buy your next blender.
Big Power
Crushing ice and frozen fruit isn’t a feat that can be done by any old blender. The blender you choose for this task will need to have a strong motor and a minimum, 1,000-watts of ice crushing power. If you skimp out and don’t buy a blender with a strong motor, rest assured that in no time you’ll end up burning out your motor, which means no margaritas for you.
Variety
Don’t settle on a one-trick pony. Invest in a versatile blender. Crushing ice is great, but consider an option that can do more (like pulse, puree, and liquify). Many blenders out there come with (or at least offer for sale) a wide array of additional attachments that allow you to do many cool things with your blender (for example, a food processor attachment that allows you to make your favorite salsa). Many blenders have easy to use buttons that tackle specific tasks like blending and crushing ice. These preset buttons eliminate the chance of making errors and allow you to have consistency every time.
Quality Blades
Without strong, durable blender blades you don’t get crushed ice. Period. Make sure you’re choosing a blender with thick, heavy-duty stainless steel blades. Ideally, choose a blender with four to six blades (unless the three-blade model you’re looking at specifically mentions its ice crushing ability, and has great reviews to back it up).
Durable Pitcher
If you want your blender pitcher to last just as long as the motor, make sure the one that comes with your blender is thick and durable and has the reviews to prove it. Make a point to consider the size as well. Do you have a big family? Do you host a lot of dinner parties? If the answer is yes, don’t skimp out on a blender with a small pitcher. On the other hand, if you live alone, or with only one other person, you can probably get away with a more compact model that has a smaller pitcher. There are a wide variety of size options on the market, so do your homework and make sure you get the right one for your lifestyle. Also, always make sure your blender pitcher is BPA free!
Longevity
Kitchen appliances big or small are an investment, and blenders are no exception. Make sure that the option you choose is built to last a long time. This means you need to make sure that the blender is made using quality materials (inside and out), has a strong motor, and ideally, a comprehensive warranty that will protect your purchase and ensure that your blender can be fixed or replaced quickly (with little to no out of the pocket expense!)
Final thoughts
In the summer, few things are as satisfying as a frosty, frozen drink. No matter which ice crushing blender you choose, you will be amazed at how quickly you become a pro at whipping up tasty crushed ice creations. You’ll be even more surprised by how much money you save on making these treats at home! Happy blending!