Best Smoothie Blenders
Whether you’re looking for a healthy breakfast on-the-go or craving a refreshing frozen beverage on a hot summer’s day, it all comes down to your blender. A cheap blender leaves chunks of ice and other ingredients unblended, yielding an unsatisfying beverage. If you want a smooth, even blend each and every time, it’s worth investing in a high-quality smoothie blender.
The Top Smoothie Blenders
Just because a blender shows a picture of a smoothie on the box doesn’t mean it makes a good smoothie. A good smoothie blender has a powerful motor and a strong blade to chop and blend frozen ingredients. All blenders are not created equal.
You could easily spend hundreds of dollars on a professional-grade blender, but that’s not the only option. Smoothie blenders come in a wide variety of models and there are many factors to consider when making your choice. You’ll need to think about price, capacity, and settings as well as more practical considerations like noise and assembly.
To help you choose the perfect smoothie blender for your needs, we’ve created a list of the most popular models on the market in different categories to narrow things down for you.
Here are the best smoothie blenders on the market:
Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender
Award: Best Overall
When you want a smooth, even blend at any cost, this is the blender for you.
Frozen ingredients like fruit and ice can be tough on a blender but the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is designed to handle it. With a 1,650-watt motor and pro-grade hardened stainless-steel blades, this smoothie blender does it all. It features a precise container design and 5 programmable settings to make sure you get the perfect smoothie each and every time.
The Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is simple to use but also simple to clean. Simply add warm water and a drop of dish soap to the container then turn it on to the highest speed setting so it self-cleans in just 60 seconds. You don’t have to deal with the hassle of disassembling the blender to clean it.
As powerful at the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender is, it won’t take up your entire counter. Not only does this blender come with a 6-foot power cord so you can move it where you need to, but it has a low-profile container, so it doesn’t waste space.
Pros:
- Low-profile 64-ounce blender container
- Variable speed control and pulse feature
- Professional-quality hardened stainless-steel blades
Cons:
- Pricy compared to other models
- Can be a little bit noisy at times
Specs:
- Price: $599
- Capacity: 64 ounces
- Materials: Stainless-steel, glass
- Wattage: 1,650
- Speed Settings: 10
Ninja Professional
Award: Best Value
Blend for yourself or for the whole family without spending a fortune. This professional-grade blender does it all for right around $100.
You don’t necessarily need to spend a fortune on a new blender, but you can’t expect a cheap one to work very well. The Ninja Professional blender is the best of both worlds. It is moderately priced around $100 but offers generous capacity and a powerful motor.
The Ninja Professional Blender has a 1,100-watt motor and a 72-ounce blending cup. It also comes with two 16-ounce personal blending cups so you can blend and go when you want to. Choose from three speed settings with a pulse function and throw the BPA-free plastic cups in the dishwasher when you’re finished for easy cleaning. It’s really that simple to use.
Pros:
- Blend single servings or up to 72 ounces
- BPA-free plastic parts, dishwasher-safe
- Powerful 1,100 watt motor
Cons:
- Limited speed settings compared to some models
- May be somewhat louder than some models
Specs:
- Price: $107
- Capacity: 72 ounces
- Materials: BPA-free plastic
- Wattage: 1,100
- Speed Settings: 3
NutriBullet Pro
Award: Best Personal
Specifically designed for personal use, this blender comes with everything you need to quickly blend smoothies and take them on the go.
Smoothies are the perfect breakfast to take on the go because they’re quick to prepare and packed with nutrients. The trouble is, making them in a standard blender adds extra time because you have to clean up afterward. The NutriBullet Pro takes the hassle out of the equation because you blend directly in a 32-ounce to-go cup – simply pop on the lid and you’re ready to go!
The NutriBullet Pro features a powerful 900-watt motor and powerful stainless-steel extractor blades that make quick work of frozen ingredients. This personal blender comes with two 32-ounce BPA-free plastic cups, 2 lip rings, and 2 lip rings with handles for your convenience. You can also purchase additional cups and rings if you find you need a few more.
When you’re finished, the NutriBullet Pro is easy to clean. Simply twist off the blade and wash with warm water and soap – the cups and be placed directly in the top rack of your dishwasher. Best of all, this kit comes with two cups, so you always have one ready to use if the other is in the dishwasher.
Pros:
- Designed for to-go cups (comes with lids)
- Powerful 900-watt motor
- Hassle-free cleaning, BPA-free plastic cups
Cons:
- Only has 1 speed setting
- Plastic materials may not be as durable as others
Specs:
- Price: $89
- Capacity: 32 ounces
- Materials: BPA-free plastic
- Wattage: 900
- Speed Settings: 1
Breville Fresh and Furious
Award: Best Quiet
Any blender is expected to make some noise, but this model is surprisingly quiet for how powerful it is.
Chopping frozen fruit and grinding up ice can be noisy work. If you’re looking for a smoothie blender that won’t make you go deaf, consider the Breville Fresh and Furious. This blender features a 1,100-watt motor with surgical stainless-steel blades to make quick work of frozen ingredients, but it is surprisingly quiet. You’ll also enjoy simple 1-touch versatility and a large LCD display.
The Breville Fresh and Furious comes with a 48-ounce container and an easy-clean plastic base. With heavy-duty blades, you’re guaranteed a smooth blend and the blades won’t wear out because they’re surgical grade. This blender also has an auto-clean function so you simply add soap and water when you’re done and let the blender do the work for you.
Pros:
- Powerful motor but quiet operation
- Easy-to-read LCD display with 1-touch operation
- Even blending Kinetix performance technology
Cons:
- May not be strong enough to pulverize nuts
- Sacrifices some power for silence
Specs:
- Price: $199
- Capacity: 48 ounces
- Materials: Surgical stainless-steel blades
- Wattage: 1,100
- Speed Settings: 5
Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender
Award: Professional-Grade
When nothing but the best will do, this professional-grade blender has everything you need with 6 pre-programmed cycles and 10 speeds.
Why settle for anything less than the best? The Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender offers a generous 90-ounce capacity and a powerful 1,560-watt motor. To put it simply, this blender has it all.
The Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender is powerful enough to make completely smooth beverages, but you can also use it to warm soup, mix batter, or chop salsa. With 6 pre-programmed cycles and 10 speed settings, you can do just about anything. Plus, when you’re finished, you simply add a little soap and water and let the blender clean itself. No disassembly required!
Pros:
- Thick stainless-steel forged blade, 10x stronger
- Generous 90-ounce jar, 36-ounce blending capacity
- Self-clean function – just add soap and water
Cons:
- Somewhat pricy compared to other models
- Not ideal for small capacity, single servings
Specs:
- Price: $250
- Capacity: 90 ounces
- Materials: BPA-fee plastic, stainless-steel blade
- Wattage: 1,560
- Speed Settings: 10
Cuisinart Hurricane Compact Juicing Blender
Award: Best Compact
When it comes to kitchen appliances you often have to sacrifice power for convenience, but this blender is both small and powerful.
When you don’t have a lot of space to work with, you may feel like you can’t add a good smoothie blender to your kitchen arsenal. The Cuisinart Hurricane Compact Juicing Blender is the perfect solution. Affordably priced under $100 and designed to be compact, this blender is a sight to see.
The Cuisinart Hurricane Compact Juicing Blender features a 32-ounce BPA-free Tritan jar but also comes with two 16-ounce travel cups and an 8-ounce chopper cup. Blend for yourself or whip up a larger batch for a crowd with no hassle at all. This blender features simple rotary dial controls with low, high, and pulse settings and a removable blade assembly for easy cleaning.
Pros:
- Compact size doesn’t waste counter space
- Blend single or multiple servings
- Removable blade assembly for easy cleaning
Cons:
- May not be as powerful as larger models
- Limited 32-ounce blending capacity
Specs:
- Price: $99
- Capacity: 32 ounces
- Materials: Tritan
- Wattage: 500
- Speed Settings: 2
What to Look for in a Smoothie Blender
You may think one blender is like another simply because they all look pretty similar. They may look more or less the same, but their performance may be vastly different.
You’d expect a blender to consist of a large base that houses the motor with a glass or plastic container on top. Inside the container is where you’ll find the blades and the entire device is controlled by buttons or knobs on the motor housing. Smoothie blenders are more diverse than you may realize, however, so it’s important to know what you’re looking for when you start shopping.
Here are some things to look for in a smoothie blender:
- Capacity – Think about the size of the smoothie you want to make. Blenders range in size from single-serve models to large-capacity. Not only should you consider the amount you can make in each batch but think about the size of the blender itself in terms of storage.
- Speed – High speed is essential for a smooth, even blend but you may want to use your blender for other things as well. Look for a blender with multiple speed settings – some have 10 or more.
- Attachments – Check to see what the blender comes with – most include the base, pitcher, blade, and lid, though some come with additional attachments like to-go cups, chopping bowls, or even coffee grinders.
- Blade/Motor – The motor and blade are the most important parts of a smoothie blender, so make sure the motor is powerful enough and the blade is designed to handle ice and other frozen ingredients. You may even find a blender that comes with interchangeable blades.
- Price – The more features and attachments a blender comes with, the more you’ll pay for it. That being said, you shouldn’t shop by price alone if you want something that’s going to work. Determine your ideal budget range and decide what features you’re willing to compromise on.
- Cleaning – Once you use your smoothie blender, you’ll need to clean it so think about that when shopping. Look for a blender that comes apart easily for cleaning and consider one that has dishwasher-safe parts, if that’s important to you.
There may not be a single “best” smoothie blender, simply because everyone’s needs and preferences are different. A powerful motor and strong blade are nonnegotiable, but when it comes to things like capacity and materials, those decisions are up to you.
Think about the features you find most important in a good smoothie and a good smoothie blender then start shopping. Feel free to start with the recommendations we’ve made above!
The Bottom Line
Nothing is more frustrating than taking that first sip of your morning smoothie to find it full of unblended chunks of ice and frozen fruit. The truth is the average blender simply isn’t strong enough to handle the tough ingredients that make for a delicious smoothie.
If you drink a lot of smoothies or simply want to be able to enjoy a good one when you get the craving, you’ll need to add a smoothie blender to your arsenal of countertop kitchen appliances. The best smoothie blenders are reviewed above, so check them out and decide which one is the perfect pick!