If you love smoothies, you’re going to want one of the best blenders to produce fine and consistent results, all in a matter of seconds. While they’re most known for their smoothie-making abilities, blenders can do so much more — they can whip up soups, sauces and frozen cocktails, amongst other things. A good blender will essentially liquify any ingredient you throw at it, so its versatility is impressive.
When looking for a new blender, all we really have to go by is the specifications — how many power settings are there, does it come with any useful accessories, and so on. But, there’s actually a lot more you need to know which isn’t immediately apparent — how much noise does it make, is it stable as it blends, and most importantly, how well does it blend? To help answer these burning questions, we tested 13 blenders to see which can deliver in every respect. Here are the blenders worthy of your kitchen counter.
What are the best blenders?
After extensive testing, we found Breville’s Super Q to be the best blender overall. It produces consistently creamy smoothies, crushes ice into fluffy snow, makes hummus on par with store bought brands and is not as loud as other models we tested. At nearly $550, Breville’s Super Q Blender is not the cheapest, but its all-around performance warrants serious consideration if you’re shopping for a blender capable of making more than smoothies. If you’re looking for a similarly equipped blender with the option to juice, the Breville 3x Bluicer is a capable option too.
Shopping on a budget? Then we recommend the Hamilton Beach Professional 1800W Blender, which is less than half the price of our top pick. This jack-of-all-trades blender’s versatility is cheaper, but not cheaply made, and produced some of the best tasting and textured recipes.
And if you’re someone who likes the latest and greatest in technology, the app-connectivity and touch interface controls of the Vitamix A3500 is sure to impress. This gives you access to over 500 recipes, and with an extensive 10-year warranty that covers any failure, you can rest assured that you’re getting a quality piece of kit.
Here are the best blenders of 2022
The Breville Super Q Blender is aimed at home chefs looking for a commercial grade performance, and it certainly delivers as a multi-purpose machine ready for a wide variety of recipes. Equipped with twelve speed settings paired with a 1,800-watt motor, the Super Q whipped chickpeas into hummus similar to what you might buy at the market. It continued to impress in other tests too, crushing ice cubes into fluffy snow in a minute and turning rolled oats and water into sweet creamy non-dairy milk with ease. The vortex effect it creates also resulted in very tasty fruit, vegetable and protein powder smoothies.
The size and weight of this blender warrants a permanent space in the kitchen, but its hefty dimensions also means you’ll never worry about it tipping over or shuffling about like cheaper, lighter models. Cleaning is easy with a programmed 1-minute clean cycle. The wide-mouthed large 68-ounce BPA-free jug and blade arrangement also reduces the chances of cutting yourself if you need to reach in to clean any remaining lodged ingredients.
The built-in blade assembly eliminates the task of taking apart and then reassembling all of the components. As you would expect the Breville comes at a premium price, but your investment is protected with an exceptionally long ten-year warranty. That’s why it’s the best blender overall.
The Hamilton Beach Professional 1800W Blender is a great deal when comparing price versus performance. It comes equipped with four program settings for making smoothies, crushing ice, pureeing and self-cleaning, tasks it performs with above-average reliability.
Large pulse and start/stop buttons make for uncomplicated control, and Hamilton Beach simplifies additional options by dividing its control dial into two halves: the left half dedicated to the aforementioned programmed modes and the right half for adjusting variable speeds. A large red LED display takes the guesswork out of keeping tabs on elapsed time or time remaining, depending on selected setting. There’s a measuring cap for incorporating ingredients while mixing at lower speeds, and the lid includes an ergonomic grip that improves the chances you’ll remove it smoothly without splatter.
The Hamilton Beach blender produced delicious tasting oat milk with a dairy-like consistency, alongside great tasting smoothies. Only a few pieces of frozen fruit escaped the blades resulting in a slightly chunkier chug, but the taste didn’t suffer. Skip this blender if homemade hummus or nut butters are on your favorites list; the blender’s blade assembly does a sub-optimal job of incorporating ingredients like garlic or chickpeas into a satisfactory texture and you might be left fishing out chunks of ingredients.
A handy included tamper is a welcome addition for coaxing ingredients into its stainless steel blades capable of ramping up to a dizzying 140mph velocity, as is the surprisingly robust 5-year warranty.
If smoothies are your thing, then the Blendtec Total Blender Classic is the best blender for you. The Blendtec’s upturned helicopter blade configuration is exceptionally proficient at chopping down frozen berries, bananas, protein powder and ice downward into a vortex, completely incorporating ingredients into deliciously smooth-textured concoctions that had us scraping the jar for more. The 1,560-watt motor is powerful, capable of mixing chickpeas with olive oil into satisfyingly creamy hummus in under a minute.
The design is a bit utilitarian, but very stable and yet lightweight enough to pick up and move around without a struggle. The inclusion of 10-speed controls with pulse mode as well as six programmed settings for mixing batters, whipping up hot soup, blending whole juice, making ice cream, and crushing ice means you’ll never be left wanting for options. The illuminated LCD timer display is also bright and easy to read from a distance.
The Total Blender Classic only falters when crushing ice, prone to leave a few chunks and shards in the bottom corners of its ample plastic pitcher. These irregularities can sometimes be found hidden amongst the otherwise powdery soft snow.
Vitamix is the brand synonymous with serious blenders for serious cooks, and the A3500 excels at almost any recipe you toss into its large 65 oz/6-cup container. With its four-blade design – two flat, two angled – it can produce creamy smoothies with satisfying mouthfeel in less than a minute, or crushed ice so consistent in shape you might mistake it for soda machine made. It struggled when blending oat milk however; producing a milk-like texture that was affected by a noticeable amount of fine chalkiness per sip.
The five pre-programmed controls are touchscreen-style, complemented with a tactile variable speed dial, allowing for precise control. Vitamix throws in a large plastic tamper to help keep things moving along when ingredients need a nudge in the right direction. This Vitamix model also connects wirelessly to the Perfect Blend app via Bluetooth for iOS, iPadOS and Android, unlocking seventeen preset programs, 500+ step-by-step recipe instructions, and nutritional information.
Cleaning the A3500 pitcher jar after preparing smoothies usually requires only a quick 10-second rinse. An auto clean mode uses a pulse-to-full speed cadence to effectively dislodge stubborn ingredients from nooks and crannies, pushing soapy water from top to bottom, leaving the container completely clean after. Vitamix’s premium reputation and price are matched by an impressive ten-year warranty.
If smoothies, juices, slushies and cocktails play prominently in your daily diet, the Breville 3x Bluicer is a great space-saving blender juicer in one. Five aggressively angled blades sit above a contoured curved bowl perpetually scooping up ingredients to prevent them from getting stuck at the bottom. It shreds even the most fibrous greens into pleasingly digestible juice and disintegrates frozen fruits into a soft pour after just 45-seconds. With the add-on juicing chute accessory installed, the gaping 3.5 inch opening up top allows for fresh produce as large as small apples to be dropped in whole.
Of the four onetouch program buttons, two are dedicated to smoothies; one for dairy-based drinks and the other for green smoothies, with five additional speed buttons underneath, with “1” set for incorporating delicate ingredients in a folding motion, all the way to “5”, the fastest speed and best for whipping up sauces and emulsifying salad dressings. The latter demands a bit of extra oomph to break down fibrous greens into a palatable concoction. A small control dial gives users an additional way to fine tune control across the blender’s 12-speed range. Sharing the same sleek stainless steel design as the Breville Super Q, the 3X Bluicer looks great on any countertop and is easy to clean. Add a splash of liquid soap and warm water and the 1-minute intermittent pulsing auto clean mode does all the rest. That’s why it makes the list as one of the best blenders.
Just because the Vitamix E310 is the brand’s entry level model doesn’t mean it’s lacking in features and performance. In fact, for most people we’d recommend it over higher priced Vitamix models because it blends everything nearly as well, and the smaller capacity is easier to handle and clean. Yes, you give up programmed buttons and will have to solely rely upon its 10-speed dial control, but it produces splendidly frothy, rich smoothies without any remaining bits or chalky texture with only a little experimentation.
The motor is both fast and durable enough to create friction at speeds for hot soups that literally steam upon opening the lid, something Vitamix blenders are famous for. But all that power also resulted in the loudest decibel recorded during testing, and it also disappointed while crushing ice, leaving large untouched pieces amongst powdery snow. The E310 also comes with its own small-sized tamper to help push ingredients into the maws of its 2.0 HP powered cutting blades.
If you work from a smaller kitchen, this is the best blender for you. You’ll appreciate the greater chance you can slide this blender under overhead kitchen cabinets. And years of blending are guaranteed with a 5-year warranty.
The brushed stainless steel finish, chunky red dial and squared-off stance all give the Wolf High-Performance Blender the appearance of a professional-grade kitchen appliance. Weighing nearly 16-lbs, it’s best thought of as a “set it and forget it” appliance that’s also never going to shuffle or shake uncontrollably under normal circumstances.
And that heft is put to good use when the blender’s 2.4 peak HP motor blasts its blades to speeds normally associated with Ferraris (210mph, to be exact). Press the smoothie preset and it starts off the line slowly with a 15-second intermittent slow-then-go pulse before going all out for forty seconds at an impressive clip, obliterating rock hard frozen strawberries and liquifying frozen bananas into a drinkable consistency. Where the Wolf only does marginally well is while crushing ice. The one-minute ice crush function does a fine job of agitating ice and initially appears to break up ice into a fine even consistency. Upon inspection we found a good percentage of the ice was left untouched with other pieces merged into larger cubes.
Still worse, the flatter blade arrangement of the Wolf blender produced some of the most unpalatable hummus in our testing, an unpalatable paste reminiscent of wall spackling. So this isn’t the one to buy if you plan to make dips.
However, the Wolf especially shined when it was time to clean up, which is why it’s one of the best blenders. After running at its highest speed with a squirt of dishwashing detergent and warm water, only the most upper reaches of the jar lid retained the barest amount of residue that washed off in just a second under the tap. An especially clever feature is hidden in the cap design: the top pops off to reveal a spouted funnel to pour liquids slowly and safely while emulsifying ingredients.
If more is better, then the Cuisinart Hurricane Pro’s 6-prong stainless steel blade assembly should slice, dice, mix, and blend better than most. And indeed it’s an all-around performer. When put to the test, we found it was capable of making velvety smoothies as well as quickly eviscerating leafy vegetables and even turning root vegetables into silken hot soup given sufficient time. Although, it’s worth flagging that it’s not the best for crushing ice; producing very chunky results with the majority (60%) not crushed.
The commercial-grade 3.5 peak horsepower motor can be adjusted anywhere between 1,500 to 25,000 RPM using a large knurled dial. In instances when an extra bit of power is required, the Hurricane Pro offers the equivalent of turning the dial to “11” with a Turbo Boost button that jets the blades to an insane 30,000 RPM, an option we used to completely eviscerate large frozen strawberries in just three second increments (in turn splattering the top inside of the jar like a Rothko painting).
A memory function allows you to customize preset functions and save them for future use. And when you’re done, how convenient is it to have the option to put the pitcher with blades and lid into the dishwasher without worry?
Pressing the Ninja’s pre-programmed smoothie button unleashes a sharp and sudden calamity, initially in a span of intermittent stop-go action, before it unleashes all 1,400-watts of power into one last 10-second burst. Fortunately all of that dramatic fury produces smoothies reminiscent of a lip smackingly good thick and frothy milkshake. During our tests, we found it was equally adept at milling grains down to fine powder, and also transforming rolled oats and water into a full-bodied and thick oat milk.
A thoughtfully designed pour spout keeps pours precise, with a small flap to keep contents fresh-tasting between servings. The thick, rubberized pitcher grip running from top to bottom improves ergonomics and the turn-to-lock mechanism attaching the jar to the base offers confidence the blender is secure and ready for its next batch. There’s no dedicated clean cycle, but running the Ninja at its highest setting with a dollop of liquid soap and warm water is sufficient to remove all hints of ingredients..
The stacked blade assembly requires a little extra care while cleaning, as it has a tendency to slide out. And despite its name, the Ninja can be eardrum-piercing loud rather than stealthy, especially when breaking down ice. However, you’re paying a great price for a great performance, which is why it’s one of the best blenders.
The KitchenAid K150 is not advertised as a blender for one, but this petite and rather cute retro-style blender is probably best for a household of one or two users. The sub-$100 price is reflected in features pared down to the basics. There are no pre-programmed functions, nor a display or extra accessories included. All three speed functions and pulse action (ideal for crushing ice) is engaged by a single large dial.
Fortunately the upturned and angled blade assembly is more than capable of blending frozen fruits and leafy vegetables into a vortex, making it a very good option for someone who is primarily focusing on making smoothies. The lid seals securely and clean up is a cinch because of the jar’s shape and small size. Just a 10-second rinse cycle at full blast is all it takes to wash away any residue left on the sides or the blades.
The lightweight and narrow base means sometimes, when set at the highest speed, the blender slightly shuffles with an R2-D2 wobble, moving maybe a half an inch during the first 15-seconds before settling in, so a steadying hand is best kept near. But if you love smoothies, care about aesthetics, and you’re shopping for one, there’s no better option.
How we tested the best blenders
Blenders are often marketed as multi-purpose kitchen appliances, and many are equipped to make sauces, emulsify salad dressings, juice green vegetables and fruits, whip up hot soups and a myriad of other recipes, with dedicated program buttons reflecting the jack-of-all-trades function of modern models. Even so, most people will probably dedicate blenders for combining fruits and vegetables with protein powder for a morning smoothie, or crush ice into refreshing drinks and cocktails, or maybe even for the occasional batch of homemade oat or nut milk. Thus we tested each blender in a battery of tests best suited for a blender versus a food processor or mixer.
We measured decibel readings with a digital sound level meter, crushed 2-cups of ice inspecting consistency, whipped up smoothies made with frozen strawberries, blueberries, banana, protein powder and oat milk, compared homemade hummus made from canned chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil and seasoning, and also combined sprouted rolled oats with water for a simple dairy-free oat milk. Each recipe was scored for taste and texture. Ease of clean-up, ergonomics and build quality were also factored in before tallying a final score for ranking.
How to choose the best blender for you
When shopping for a new blender, you’ll want to take several factors into account, from the type of blender and specific features you need to the size of the blender and the counterspace you have available.
First though, you need to make sure you’re buying the right appliance. If you’re looking to chop, slice and dice solid ingredients, you’re going to want one of the best food processors instead. If you want more details on the difference, check out our guide on food processor vs blender.
- All-Purpose/Conventional blenders are the most wallet-friendly. While they’ll easily handle milkshakes and smoothies, depending on blade design and wattage, they can leave drinks a little chunky.
- Premium/High-Performance blenders have better-quality parts and give super smooth results. They can turn raw vegetables into soup, ice and cream into frozen desserts, and nuts into butter. Expect to pay anywhere from $200 to $700.
- Personal/Smoothie blenders are perfect for fruit smoothies, milkshakes and powdered drinks. The mixing container doubles as a travel jar, so they’re excellent for athletes and commuters alike. They’re also smaller (and less expensive) than conventional and premium blenders.
- Immersion/Stick/Handheld blenders are meant to be submerged directly into the food/drink you’re preparing: soups, purees, foams, marinades and more. When you’re making gravy or a soup like vichyssoise, you can puree the ingredients right in the pot; you don’t have to transfer the ingredients into the blender jar in batches.
The nest question is how much space you need for the blender. If you’ve got a small kitchen, the wrong blender could end up costing you valuable countertop real estate. Although immersion blenders can be easily tucked into a drawer, and personal blenders tend to be fairly compact, a high-performance blender is much more unwieldy. Don’t buy a large, heavy machine if you don’t have the space — it will end up collecting dust in a corner somewhere.
Pro tip: Measure the vertical space between your countertop and cabinets before purchasing a full-size blender; ideally, it should be able to slide under the cabinet when not in use. Eighteen inches of clearance is enough room for most models.
Finally, you’ll want to note the specific features offered by the blenders you’re considering. Some things to look for are the included accessories, the overall construction of the blender and the speed and power options each blender offers.
Accessories: Some models come with food-processor attachments, coffee grinders and drinkable to-go containers. Pick a blender with accessories that fit your lifestyle. For instance, I own a personal blender which only works with to-go cups. Want to know more? I test appliances for a living — here’s what you’ll find in my kitchen.
Plastic or glass containers: Plastic containers are more likely to absorb odors and stain but they’re lighter in weight and less likely to break if dropped than than ones made of glass. Whichever style you choose, just make sure it’s easy to clean, with clearly marked measurements on the side. If you like to chuck everything in the dishwasher, check to see if it’s dishwasher safe.
Speeds: The more speed settings available, the more user control a blender offers. Premium blenders may also offer preprogrammed options for tasks like smoothies, crushing ice, and pureeing that take the guesswork out of blending.
Power: You’ll see a range from 300 to 1,000 watts of power for most blenders, but 500 watts is enough juice (so to speak) for most blending tasks. Keep in mind that other factors influence the blenders performance, so more wattage doesn’t necessarily translate to better results.
Warranty: One year is good, but five is way better. The more expensive the blender, the more important it is to pick one that’s backed by a solid warranty.
When to replace your blender
Warranties on blenders range anywhere from one to 10 years, and the most expensive machines cover at least five years. When you buy a new blender, pass on an extended warranty, it’s unlikely it will cost less than the expense of any lifetime repairs. On average they’ll last about seven years.
The most common sign it’s time to replace your blender is that it stops working. You may also notice that your blender is slowing down, taking longer to blend or food is not coming out with as smoothly as they used to. If you bring it in for a repair and are quoted a price that’s more than 50% of the cost of a new unit, you’re better off buying a replacement.
Purchasing a new blender will give your countertop an instant upgrade. Blenders have become much sleeker over the years, and few models still have the multitude of buttons that are hard to keep clean and tend to stick. Most now have touch pads or a dial or switch. They have far fewer settings, most of which are for things you will likely use, such as make smoothies, crushing ice, and pureeing. In some cases they have programs for functions like smoothies, frozen cocktails, and soup that automatically change speeds and incorporate pulse for the best results.
Regardless of price, blenders are now more powerful as manufacturers know their products need to be able to puree frozen fruit and ice cubes for smoothies. If you can afford to upgrade to a premium appliance, you’ll get the ability to heat your food to a serving temperature or puree them to the texture of ice cream. Plus more and more blenders are coming with high quality plastic jars that are lighter to lift and don’t have removable blades. Thus eliminating the hassle of taking them apart and reassembling them.
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