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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.
We’ve 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.
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 use—how simple were they to set up and put together? We also looked at how easy each machine was to pack down and clean.
Functions—pricier 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.
Performance—most 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 money—we tested a range of blenders, spanning a range of price points. We examined whether or not the more expensive models were worth it.
Design—we looked at how much space the blenders required in the kitchen and how they actually looked.
The best blenders as reviewed by our experts
(Image credit: Vitamix)
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The Vitamix Ascent A2300i (known as the A2300 in the U.S.) does it all – soup, smoothies, frozen desserts and even grinding – making it one of the best blenders you can buy right now. It also has excellent capacity in its deceptively lightweight two-liter jug. We loved how quick it was to get blending, too. Simply drop the jug onto its 1400W base, clip on the lid, choose one of 10 speeds and hit start.
In our tests, no task was too difficult for the Vitamix: it made faultless smoothies, piping-hot soup and crushed ice without skipping a beat. There’s even a recipe book to inspire you with frozen desserts, baby food and nut butter ideas, which tells you which settings to use for which recipes. Admittedly, there are no pre-programmed settings on this model but, as it’s so easy to use, you may find you don’t miss them. The Vitamix Ascent A2300i is our top pick for serving up fuss-free food, and also one of the best gifts for couples who are settling into a new home.
See our full Vitamix A2300i blender review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: Sage)
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Sage (known as Breville in the States) is known for offering a range of the very best coffee machines on the market, and they have a stellar blender in their collection too. One of the priciest in our guide, the ultra-powerful two-liter 2400W Super Q justifies its cost by blitzing quickly and using noise-suppression technology. It’s far from whisper-quiet, but the sounds it makes are less obtrusive than many other blenders with a larger motor.
The LCD display is a notable feature, allowing you to easily see what speed you’ve selected, set a timer or keep an eye on how long a program will be running for. The Super Q performed well on all our blending tasks, producing fiber-free smoothies, efficiently crushing ice, and blending soup that was heated to hot—if not quite as hot as in the Vitamix above.
See our full Sage the Super Q blender review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: KitchenAid)
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Having a KitchenAid mixer has become something of a status symbol, but if you don’t have much use for their stand mixer, you can still buy into the brand with the Artisan K400 blender. It’s available in a range of glossy colors and looks impressive, which means it’s one of the best engagement gifts or best wedding gifts you could give to a couple that love cooking.
Beyond its good looks, this blender performs well too, delivering smooth smoothies and evenly crushed ice in seconds. It also offers a whole host of functions and speeds so you can make soups, sauces, doughs, and frozen desserts. While the weighty glass jug is more limited in capacity than some (it’s 1.6 liters), this 1200W machine can be easily accessorized with extra containers, one of which is a lighter plastic jug. The heavier jug can be tricky to clean by hand, but there’s a self-cleaning program on the dial. Overall, this blender works hard and looks fabulous in any kitchen. It is on the pricey side but there are often KitchenAid deals to be found.
See our full KitchenAid Artisan K400 blender review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: NutriBullet)
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The NutriBullet Blender Combo delivers a lot in terms of value. It’s got a full-sized 1.8-liter blender that can handle hot liquids; three cups that can be used for blending and storing; a tamper for making frozen desserts and a powerful 1200W motor. It’s louder than some other models but delivered consistently in our tests, producing evenly blended smoothies, chunk-free soup and snowy ice which was perfect for cocktails.
For everything this NutriBullet is capable of making, you can rest easy knowing all components are dishwasher-safe, making for an easy kitchen clean-up. In an ideal world, it would have more choice of speeds or programs, but as an affordable all-rounder, you’d be hard-pressed to find one that ticks as many boxes. If you’re debating a NutriBullet vs Vitamix, price is an important consideration. And if you opt for a NutriBullet, make the most of it by checking out our guide on how to use a NutriBullet.
See our full NutriBullet Blender Combo review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: Nutribullet)
We couldn’t help it. We’ve included another NutriBullet. But when it comes to personal blenders, there’s no brand that does it better. If you’re looking for something compact, reasonably-priced and the right size to make a smoothie for one, then this is it. Admittedly, there are no bells and whistles or nifty programs, but all the magic is in the blend.
The sturdy blades and high-speed blend function reduce even the toughest of fruits and vegetables to a smooth liquid in just seconds and with the push and blend and function it’s quick and easy to use. However, the lack of buttons does mean that you have to be present during the whole blending process, so it can cost you a few seconds and it’s worth making sure when you twist the beaker off the base that you’re not simply unscrewing the lid or you could be left in a bit of a mess. We’d also recommend changing your blades every year or so because they can become a bit stiff after long periods of repeated use.
This could make a great 18th birthday gift or Christmas gift for teenagers who are heading off to uni and want something compact for whizzing up cocktails.
(Image credit: Ninja)
If you love your soup maker but want to save cupboard space, then find yourself a Ninja, which is one of the best hot and cold blenders. While many blenders can’t cope with hot vegetables when cooking soup, this one has a built-in heating element so you can make all your favorite recipes without the worry that it will crack or overheat. Add your ingredients along with your choice of liquid and at the click of a button, your soup will be ready in minutes.
While some like to use the best hand blenders when cooking soup, we loved being able to do everything in one big jug. This made the silkiest soup we’ve ever cooked, despite having a top-of-the-range soup maker in our repertoire of kitchen essentials. And this is just one of its tricks. There are several different programs that let us whizz up smoothies and cocktails (with a load of ice) in seconds. We even chopped up some onions and carrots using the Chop setting, following up with the Sauté program to start our cooking off. In addition, there’s a frozen desserts section where you can make ice cream alternatives. But possibly our favorite part of this blender (other than the self-cleaning function), is the way that it just sits on top of the base without the need for any awkward twisting or clicking in.
And, if you love a Ninja blender, it’s worth looking to find out where you can get Ninja blenders on sale throughout the year too.
(Image credit: Smeg)
There are kitchen appliances that come with all the technical bells and whistles and then there are the ones that make your space look smart. While the bells and whistles can be fun to play around with, most of us usually end up falling back on the basic functions our blender offers. Which makes this fancy Smeg offering well worth your attention.
This retro-style offering is one of the best blenders for crushing ice in seconds with its specialized function, while the smoothie function gave us the kind of silky drinks we’d expect from a Californian wellness bar. It only has four speeds but it still packs in a heap of power, though maybe not as much as the Vitamix option. We also found the pulse function handy for chopping up veg. Our only niggle is that the jug has a slightly smaller capacity than we’re used to with other models, however, this means it’s lightweight but still sturdy, which makes it more comfortable to use than some of the other blenders we’ve tested.
It’s a beautiful, compact package available in a number of lovely shades including, black, cream, and a trio of pastels: pink, blue and green.
(Image credit: Ninja)
If you’re someone who’s constantly trying to prove how smoothies are good for you by making up smoothie bowls for breakfast in the morning, then this one’s for you. In the last decade or so, smoothie bowls have become a big healthy breakfast trend—hence the Ninja Smoothie Bowl Maker was born.
This particular model from the popular brand is specifically designed to make smoothie bowls and comes with a personal bowl attachment for convenience and so that you can get your quantities exactly right. You can also make spreads and nut butters, as the different programs on the machine allow you to blend up your ingredients into a smooth liquid or a thick paste, so you can make the most out of your appliance.
(Image credit: Magic Blender)
The Magic Bullet is the best blender for those who live solo and in small quarters. This 120V machine boasts an admirable 250W of power to help it blend, whip, chop and dice. Although the Magic Bullet itself has a small footprint, it does come with multiple accessories you’ll need to find storage for. It includes a tall cup, a short cup, a party mug, two lip rings, two resealable lids, and a to-go lid — all of which are dishwasher-safe.
If protein shakes are your forte, the Magic Bullet excels at whipping those up, no problem. It’s also quite good for making baby food, although smoothies may present some issues as we found it wasn’t as adept at chopping ice and frozen fruit to a fine consistency. Still, for a solo-use blender, you’re getting fairly decent value here, especially if you like to take your drinks on the go.
(Image credit: Kenwood)
Compact enough to tuck into a corner of a tiny kitchen, the Kenwood Blend-X Fresh is a neat, nimble blender that can handle everyday tasks, such as batter and milkshakes without any issues. There aren’t any pre-set programs, but this model has some tricks up its sleeve. The ice-crush button works well, turning cubes to snow, and detachable blades mean it’s easy to wash by hand.
As the jug is tall, the capacity hasn’t been reduced too much despite its smaller footprint—there’s still 1.5 liters of working space in the 2-liter pitcher. However, its 650W motor can be limited, meaning you’ll need to spend a bit more time chopping food into smaller pieces to circulate correctly. We also found it to be quite noisy, even when operating at lower speeds.
See our full Kenwood Blend-X Fresh blender review (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: KitchenAid)
This blender has a timeless modern design that would look attractive on your counter no matter the season. Its main function is as an ice blender or smoothie maker, so it’s one of the most basic models we tested.
Compared to the KitchenAid K400 this blender only has three-speed settings but it still produces good results. Although it is less powerful than the K400, with only 650W, we were immensely impressed with the ice-crushing function. There are four blades angled in two directions which means ingredients are pulled and crushed into contact with the blades at different points. Ice was blitzed to an even snow-like consistency with no large pieces remaining in less than half the time of the others we tested. It was also one of the quietest models we tested.
The capacity of the K150 jar is the same as the more expensive K400 model but it is made of BPA-free plastic, not glass. We liked that it was lightweight and easy to slot on and off the base. Unlike the metal base of the K400 the base of this model is plastic which looks less premium but this is reflected in the price.
This model is cheaper than the K400 and would make a good option as a gift. It’s also a good choice for those who love the KitchenAid brand and want to match other appliances in their kitchen but don’t need a bulky blender and have a limited budget.
To maximize the use of the blender it’s worth considering investing in some of the accessories you can buy to use with it. For example the 200ml small batch jars would be useful if making small portions of pesto, hummus or salsa. If you tend to drink smoothies on the go then the 500ml personal blender jar is a great option.
(Image credit: ZWILLING)
Unlike other models we tested, the Zwilling Enfinigy power blender only has two blades. These stainless steel blades are specially designed with serrated piranha-like teeth to enable optimised blending. Despite only having the two blades, we thought the results were some of the best.
It is one of the most powerful blenders we tested at 1600W but this also meant that while on the maximum speed setting it was rather loud. The extra power and noise comes with capacity, though – this model has one of the largest capacity jugs at 1.8 litres which is good if you often make more than two servings.
The settings for ice, cocktails, ice creams, smoothies and cleaning are programmed with pre-calculated timings which are shown on the digital display which was a unique and useful feature compared to other models – we found the smoothie setting, in particular, especially effective.
When the jug is on the base it stands at 42.6cm (16.8in) tall, around 2cm (0.8in) taller than the KitchenAid K400, which might be an issue for those with low kitchen cabinets on the wall. We thought the design was very attractive and loved the matte black base and the illuminated dial. This also meant it was easier to clean as there is only one button on the base. Twinned with a cleaning setting that worked perfectly, this machine is a great choice for those that like to keep a clean and tidy kitchen. It had minimal branding which we thought looked premium and would blend in very well with modern, chic kitchen trends.
Unlike other models, the blender comes with a stamper which is useful to help safely move ingredients around in the jug, although questionably this is an expectation, given the price point.
(Image credit: Dualit)
The Dualit VORTECs blender is more affordable compared to the KitchenAid models we tasted, more space efficient, and has more speed settings – but its design lets it down. So if you’re short on space but less concerned with aesthetics this is the blender for you.
Compared to other models we tested, we felt the design of this blender looked outdated due to the blue-tinted jug and the very shiny silver base. The buttons also felt cheap and didn’t have a satisfying click or mechanism.
Practically, though, the blender was good because it was more space-efficient on the counter side with a width of around 16cm (6.3in) compared to the much larger Zwilling Enfinigy which is 21.4cm (8.4in) wide. It has six blades, four of which have a unique design that targets the contents of the jug at different angles.
This blender uses a soft-start motion which reduces the amount the ingredients inside the jug bounce around and ensures a constant level of contact with the blades. However, we found the ice pre-set was not effective and that we had to instead use it on maximum speed for considerably longer than other blenders we tested for the same task.
Unlike other blenders, the VortecS uses a BPA-free Tritan jar instead of glass or plastic, which is safer and lighter than glass but with the convenience and peace of mind that plastic provides.
Overall this blender functioned well and was space efficient however we felt the design of this blender was less competitive in terms of both mechanism and aesthetics.
Why buy a blender over a hand blender?
A countertop blender is a good option if you often make soup or smoothies for more than one person and you’ve got the kitchen storage space.
A hand blender is convenient if you prefer minimal washing up. However, they often only have one setting and speed so those seeking silky perfection might be left disappointed.
The benefit of a stand blender is that many models have several useful settings like in the Vitamix Ascent A2300i which can heat soup, blend nuts, ice, and much more – so if you need it for multiple functions and will use it regularly, it could be a sage investment.
What to consider when buying a blender
There are various things you’ll want to take into account before investing in a blender.
- Programs and speeds: A few basic speeds are fine for most, but more expensive options will have more. Decide whether these are necessary for you. Some blenders have programs like a pulse mode, a puree mode, a soup mode, and a smoothie mode: dedicated programs provide convenience for these specific tasks, so can be very handy.
- Capacity: Larger jugs are useful in family households, or for those who batch-cook, while smaller models are ideal for compact kitchens. As a specific guide, a 2-liter jug should be more than enough for all uses. The compact sizes available are also one of the reasons why the best blenders win in the food processors vs blenders debate, as food processors are less likely to be offered in smaller sizes.
- Cleaning capabilities: Many (but not all) blenders come with self-cleaning functions – although learning how to clean a blender isn’t too difficult without them. These self-cleaning functions use a high-speed mechanism to whisk away stubborn debris (when filled with water and washing-up liquid). Similarly, some blenders have dishwasher-safe parts, whereas others don’t.
- Power: Generally, the higher the wattage the better—it’ll provide faster blending and reduce your food prep time. Do note, however, that while higher wattage gives a rough idea as to how powerful the motor is, it doesn’t always equate to a blender being a better all-around model. 500 watts is generally powerful enough for a blender that’s expected to do the typical tasks.
- Blender material: Glass blenders are generally more scratch-resistant, and are less likely to become dulled or hold odors. However, they can be heavy to lift, and of course, more likely to break if dropped or knocked. Most good plastic blenders will use high-quality BPA-free plastic.
- Any extras: Some come with additional accessories, such as cups, a tamper, or a feeder cap in the lid. Just like food processor attachments, these are all helpful extras for a blender so it’s good to work if which, if any, are essential for you.
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 (like a Vitamix) 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 (to drown out the noise of said motors), 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.
Are glass blenders better than plastic?
When it comes to glass versus plastic, it’s all a matter of preference. Plastic blenders tend to be cheaper, so they’re the budget-friendly choice. They’re also more lightweight so if you like to take your smoothies with you to the office or gym, a plastic blender will be your best bet. Nowadays, most plastic blenders are BPA-free so they’re not as harmful to your body or the environment.
Glass blenders are pricier and give off that “high-end” aesthetic. Since glass is heavier than plastic, glass blenders won’t always be the easiest to handle — especially when it comes to cleaning. (And let’s not forget how easy glass can shatter!) But glass blenders won’t retain odors or stain as easily as their plastic counterparts. And if you intend to make soups, glass is the way to go since it’s heat-resistant.
Which blender is best for smoothies?
We think the best blender for making smoothies is the NutriBullet Personal Blender, since it has a high-speed blend function plus sturdy blades that allow it to liquefy frozen fruits and veggies with relative ease. We’re also fans of the Sage/Breville Super Q Blender for its efficient-yet-powerful ice crush program and dedicated green smoothie button that removes any trace of fiber and spinach specks.
Generally speaking, you’ll want to find a smoothie blender with blades that can pulverize ice and frozen fruits and veg into silky smooth liquids with minimal grit. Also, seek a model with a travel cup and lid so you can take your drinks on the go. In the case of personal blenders, you should be able to remove the cup right from the base as soon as you’re done blending. For larger-scale models, seek a container that doubles as a pitcher so you can pour your drinks straight away.
Need some insspiration for your healthy drinks? Here are some easy smoothie recipes that you can make in no time.
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