I Tested This BlendJet for Over a Year — Here Are My Honest Thoughts After Making Dozens of Smoothies

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Simple, quick, and delicious

If you’ve ever craved a smoothie but not had time to prepare the ingredients, blend it endlessly to get the right consistency, and then clean up, do I have a secret for you. The BlendJet (now upgraded to BlendJet 2!) lets you bring the refreshment of a smoothie anywhere you go, and in a fraction of the time.

I've had this portable blender for a year and half now, and I have to say that it exceeds the hype — and that's coming from a long-time NutriBullet aficionado. “We don’t just make blenders, we make it convenient to have something delicious and nutritious, anytime, anywhere,” Co-Founder and CEO of BlendJet Ryan Pamplin tells PEOPLE. “Making a healthy smoothie or shake in your BlendJet is faster and easier than driving to McDonald’s.” Or in my case, going to Smoothie King, which is a favorite pitstop when I don’t feel like making a smoothie from scratch.

BlendJet’s origins go back to 2017, when Pamplin had a traumatic medical injury and lost control over many aspects of his daily life. During that time, Pamplin became hyper-focused on his health and nutrition, and soon after, he reconnected with his colleague and friend John Zheng. The two entrepreneurs formed the brainchild that is now BlendJet, to make good nutrition more accessible.

“Our average customer is using their BlendJet everyday, which is ten times more than traditional kitchen blenders get used,” says Pamplin. “The convenience, affordability, and versatility of BlendJet 2 has made our portable blender a transformative device for the health of our millions of customers.” It’s compact, so you can fit it in a bag to take to the gym, for an afternoon in the park, or even to work. With the charging capabilities, you can use it on the go, up to 15 times before it needs a recharge, and the USB charging port is water-resistant, so it’s super-convenient to use and transport. And it’s versatile, too — you can blend milk, water, or ice with the pre-made mixes to make different kinds of smoothies.

Experts are also singing praises for this little blender. “I have one at home and always take it with me whenever I travel or am on the go,” celebrity dietitian and nutritionist Ella Davar RD, CDN, CHC tells PEOPLE. “As a registered dietitian, I educate my clients on the importance of optimal nutrition for high energy levels, weight loss, and better digestion. BlendJet smoothies are easy to make anywhere and [are] especially convenient for my busy clients.”

After testing this blender for over a year, I think it’s absolutely worth the investment, and for a limited time it’s even on sale. Read on for all of my thoughts on this portable blender.

Buy it! BlendJet 2, $49.95 (orig. $99.95); blendjet.com

Blender Size: 9 x 3 inches | Jar Size: 16 oz./ 475mL | Blender Weight: 1.34 pounds | Colors: 54 | Battery: 4000 mAh | Features: Water-resistant USB-C port

Whom It’s Good For: This BlendJet is good for people who want quick, low-effort, and portable smoothies.

Whom It’s Not Good For: Since the chamber is so compact, it’s not good for those who want a larger smoothie with many ingredients.

Related: The 8 Best Portable Blenders of 2024, According to Culinary Experts

How We Tested the BlendJet

Over the last year and a half, I've tested this blender with different kinds of raw ingredients and by using the pre-mixed smoothies that came with it.

The initial test involved a two-week period where I used the BlendJet frequently. Upon the first use, I had to charge the BlendJet, which took around 30 minutes. There’s a light that surrounds the blend button when you charge it, and it hovers between purple and blue illumination, turning completely blue once it’s charged. Then I gave it a little wash (mixing a small amount of soap and water and blending it) before using it.

The general recipe, when using one of the smoothie packets, is to mix it with water, milk, or ice with water if so desired. I rotated between using this recipe with some of the smoothie packets, and also making a couple of smoothies free-hand with fresh raw ingredients and some protein powder. To make the smoothie, you lock the blender into place (line up the arrows) and then press the swirly button in the middle of the BlendJet. It quietly whirls to life and blends for 20 seconds, so you don’t have to time it or hold down a button like on other blenders. You can drink right out of the blender chamber for maximum convenience with a reusable straw. After I finished each tasty smoothie, I washed the blender using the same method I did prior to using it. We love a self-cleaning appliance! To test its portability, I just put it in a tote bag and carried it around to see how the weight felt.

How it's held up:

I don't make smoothies everyday, but I really enjoy them, and the BlendJet has made the process so much more efficient over the last year and a half. Truthfully, I still rotate between my BlendJet and my NutriBullet depending on the size of smoothie I want because the NutriBullet has a larger chamber that allows for more ingredients. That said, the convenience of the BlendJet on rushed mornings is unmatched.

The BlendJet remains easy to use and wash, and hasn't shown any signs of major wear. Comparatively, my NutriBullet, which has seen about five years of use, has some corrosion under the base where the motorized blade sits. I use water and milk as liquid mixers more often than ice, so the BlendJet hasn't faced hard ingredients like that too often, but it still works beautifully for fresh fruit, yogurt, and with the pre-mixed smoothie packets.

The Results

The BlendJet promises to deliver quick, efficiently made, clump-free smoothies that look and (if you use the packets) taste good. I found that to be mostly true. Some ingredients worked better than others. For instance, the banana blueberry smoothie (mixed with water and ice) was still rather thick after blending, so it would probably be better suited in an acai bowl rather than drinking it. But other varieties like the raspberry dragonfruit (I mixed with milk) came out with an ideal smoothie consistency. I prefer smoothies made with fresh ingredients vs. the pre-made packets so I usually defer to ingredients I have stocked in my kitchen, such as strawberries, blueberries, milk, and protein powder. All of those smoothies have been quite tasty.

In terms of functionality, the BlendJet has been incredible. It’s super-lightweight to carry around, charges in record time, and blends with such efficiency it’ll make you question why you don’t have one. The battery life has also lived up to its claims, and while I haven't counted, I've only had to charge the BlendJet a handful of times. I love making smoothies, but the time spent preparing the ingredients, the noise of the blender, and the clean-up process usually discourage me, so the BlendJet has been a game-changer. I’m obsessed.

What to Consider When Using the BlendJet

Ingredients

In regards to her BlendJet, Davar says she likes to “mix frozen berries, nut butter, protein powder, and fiber,” but there are tons of ingredients you can use to make a delicious and nutritious smoothie. She says her “favorite smoothie ingredients to recommend to her clients” are vegetables, berries and fruit, healthy fats, and superfoods. For instance, “a handful of spinach, swiss chard, kale, beets, avocado, or celery.” If you want to go the sweeter route, “a handful of cranberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, or pomegranate seeds” are all succulent additions to a smoothie. Healthy fats could be nuts, seeds, and nut butters to add a little texture to your drink. And if you really want to kick it into high gear, you can sprinkle in some superfoods like turmeric, ginger, matcha, acai, or even cacao powder, Davar says.

“My other favorite smoothie ingredient that I recommend to all my clients is fiber,” says Davar. “Fiber slows down blood sugar absorption and helps you to stay fuller longer, therefore making your smoothie more satiating. Additionally, fiber helps to optimize digestive health by providing the much necessary bulk that ‘massages your intestines’ from the inside, helps to keep your bowel movements regular, and manages cholesterol levels. My favorite fiber sources are also high in antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals,” she adds.

Battery Life

One of the most essential parts of a portable blender is its ability to stay charged when you’re out and about. This model has a 4000 mAh battery that lasts up to 15 blends before needing to be recharged, and it charges quickly. The water-resistant USB port ensures a longer lifespan so you won’t accidentally damage it when washing, and the 5V electric motor is super-powerful and spins 275 times per second. For reference, the entire blend cycle takes only 20 seconds, so it’s working hard for each of them. The only thing it doesn’t come with is a plug (the charging cable is included), so you’ll need to purchase one separately. A standard Apple plug worked for mine.

Features

For such a compact blender, the BlendJet has some stellar features packed in that you should keep in mind. Being a blender, it’s not silent, but compared to many others on the market, it’s extremely quiet. When I had a roommate, I could use this blender in the morning without waking her up. As mentioned, it’s water-resistant, meaning you can dunk the entire thing in water (though we wouldn’t recommend it), and it will continue to work as normal. There’s a lock mode so you can ensure that it won't start blending when you’re carrying it around, and the container also serves as the mechanism to drink out of. It’s easy to clean. Just add soap and water to the main chamber, blend it, and then rinse.

Related: We Tested 26 Milk Frothers and Our Winner Is Only $12

Other Blenders to Consider

While this compact blender is the perfect companion for taking your nutrition with you, there are others you can consider if your needs vary. For instance, The NutriBullet blender is a comparable option that runs in the same price range. It also has a supercharged motor for blending many types of ingredients and lots of ice, but it doesn’t travel. A more portable option is The Swiitol Personal Blender, which makes the smoothie at home, but using a chamber that’s portable so you can take the smoothie with you easily once you’ve made it.

Some other examples include:

• Ninja Fit Personal Blender, $69.99; amazon.com

• Magic Bullet Blender, $39.88 (orig. $49.99); amazon.com

• Cokunst Portable Blender, $16.99 (orig. $32.99); amazon.com

Is The BlendJet Worth It?

Weighing factors like price, features, battery life, and ease of use, I think the BlendJet is absolutely worth it. It can be hard to always keep nutrition front-of-mind, and this product made it easier for me to prioritize it this past year.

“Smoothies are a quick and easy way to pack a good punch on nutrients for a small amount of food,” says Davar. “Blending the ingredients helps to take advantage of the entire fruit or berries for optimal benefits. Additionally, blending makes most foods easier to digest and allows for superfood consumption. A lot of ingredients, like collagen powder, medicinal mushrooms, spirulina, and chlorella, come in a powder form and are hard to consume without blending them with other ingredients.”

With the BlendJet, I didn’t always have to think about balancing the right ingredients, because I could just mix the pre-mixed smoothie packets with filtered water, which, honestly, were very good. From start to finish, this blender is easy to maintain with a simple (and safe!) charging method, a seamless blend cycle you don’t have to time, and the ability to clean itself by blending a little soap and water and then rinsing. And you don’t even have to be home to enjoy the refreshment of one of these smoothies. All of that (plus free two-day shipping!) justifies the price and makes it well worth the investment.

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