The Best Smoothie Makers for Whipping Up Nutrient-Packed Drinks Right at Home

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Homemade smoothies are an easy way to create nutritious, on-the-go meals packed with fruits and veggies for picky eaters and those who are trying to upgrade their diet without breaking the bank.

Smoothie makers don’t have to just be about kale and carrots, though — you can also use these specialized blenders to make sweet treats that taste great but are still healthier, less processed, contain less sugar, and are free from the unpronounceable ingredients you find in store-bought versions.

But smoothies can’t be whipped up with just any blender, no matter how tricked-out and fabulous they are. What’s the difference? Simply put, it’s an issue of size, design, and purpose.

“Smoothie makers outshine traditional blenders primarily due to their firmly tailored design to make the perfect smoothie,” says Andrew Carter, a personal chef, culinary teacher, and founder of online recipe guide Leon Bistro. “Smoothie makers have sharper blades to break down fibrous fruits and seamlessly blend tough vegetables. Their upside-down configuration and smaller size also distinguish them and make them better suited for efficiently whipping up quick smoothies.”

Blenders, meanwhile, are larger and designed to tackle a variety of tasks, from pureeing produce to whipping up sauces.

Best Smoothie Makers

• Best Overall: NutriBullet Pro 900 Personal Blender

• Best Budget: Magic Bullet Blender Smoothie Maker

• Chef Favorite: NutriBullet Blender Smoothie Maker Combo

• Easiest to Use and Most Powerful: Ninja Nutri Pro Smoothie Maker

• Best Vacuum Blender: Nuwave Moxie Vacuum Smoothie Blender

What to Consider

The best smoothie maker for you will depend on a number of factors, including budget and basic aesthetic preferences. We include a range of options at multiple price points in a number of colors and designs. Keep that and the following in mind, and you’ll be off to making delicious, nutritious smoothies in no time.

Size

The smoothie makers we selected range in capacity from 14 to 64 ounces, making them ideal for making single smoothies or whipping up drinks for the whole family.

Speed + Tech

Smoothie makers are, by design, streamlined. Because of that, many offer just one speed. While these machines are perfectly functional and work well, if you want the option of having great control, look for makers with a pulse setting and/or vacuum blending technology. Vacuum blending preserves the vitamins and nutrients of produce, creates lighter textures, and makes for a more brightly colored finished product.

Versatility

Many smoothie makers are created for simple, fast, one-touch smoothie production. But if you want more of a custom production process, look for a variety of functions that allow you to create the texture you want at the speed you need.

How We Selected

To come up with the best list of smoothie makers, I tapped my considerable experience making smoothies for myself and my family over the years and consulted cooking experts. I also reviewed professional reviews from Good Housekeeping, Wirecutter, and others. Before including any products in this guide, I also carefully read reviews from real-life users on Amazon and social media. Read on and get ready for smoother days ahead!

Pro 900 Personal Blender

NutriBullet's Pro 900 Personal Blender is so easy to use it'll have you whipping up smoothies on the daily, saving you tons of money at your local health food store and more time in your kitchen. This incredibly efficient blender is compact, powerful, and comes in a ton of colors to match your decor.

The motor can easily blend tough and fibrous vegetables, nuts, and frozen fruit into smooth, blissful sipping. It also comes with a recipe book, two 24-ounce mugs with lids, and a pocket nutrition guide. Best of all, its friendly price point makes it a great option for all budgets.

This BPA-free blender gets 5 out of 5 stars from more than 83% of 25,799 users on Amazon, and it’s easy to see why. Reviewers love this “powerful and versatile blender,” saying that it offers “great value for the money.” One con though is that it requires a hand wash, and some reviewers say it’s tough to get the rubber seal perfectly centered around the perimeter of the blade after a great scrub.

Blender Smoothie Maker

This lightweight 3.27-pound blender comes with a lot of bells and whistles at an extremely competitive price. The Magic Bullet allows you to blend quickly on the go and then hit the road with one of the two included cups (one tall, one short). Cleaning this smoothie maker is a breeze, and the cup can go in the dishwasher.

This blender comes with a book of recipes. Reviewers dub this “the best small blender” but warn that it is not powerful enough to efficiently blend super tough produce.

Blender Smoothie Maker Combo

This BPA-free, dishwasher-safe blender is a go-to for chefs, gadget nerds, and those who need a little more control over the final product. The smoothie maker comes in three colors, and its 64-ounce capacity makes it a great option for families. The three precision speeds, pulse function, and extract program allow you to dial in on your texture for uber-smooth or slightly chunkier sips.

A 32-ounce and 24-ounce cup are included, along with a recipe book. The easy-twist extractor blades can be cleaned with soap and water, and the pitcher can go in the dishwasher. “It’s powerful, effective, and comes with cups of varying sizes,” says Rex Freiberger, CEO of Gadget Review.

Nutri Pro Smoothie Maker

This Ninja packs in a lot of power at a reasonable price. The BPA-free smoothie maker is also available in 700- and 900-watt models for $50 and $70, respectively, if you don’t need quite that much smoothing potential. The Ninja comes programmed to make smoothies and crush ice, and there is also a nutrient extraction program that will preserve the vitamins and nutrients of your ingredients.

This maker comes with two 24-ounce single-serve cups, two spout lids, and a 20-recipe booklet. More than 85% of more than 42,990 users give this smoothie maker 5 out of 5 stars, saying it is a “compact powerhouse” that “packs a punch when it comes to performance.”

Moxie Vacuum Smoothie Blender

Large enough capacity (64 ounces) to make it a practical choice for a family of smoothie fans. The BPA-free blender is stain-resistant, freezer, and dishwasher-safe. The Moxie smoothie maker has several digital presets, variable speed control, a self-clean feature, and the ability to preserve the nutrients and minerals of your ingredients.

This smoothie maker’s patented design offers more features and power than most other blenders on the market, and while it’s not inexpensive, it’s certainly not the priceiest out there. Reviewers say this maker locks in flavors, “vitamin content,” and “color,” with flavors that still “taste fresh” days later, thanks to vacuum technology.

Portable Smoothie Blender

This lightweight (1.8 pounds) smoothie maker is travel-friendly and ideal for anyone who wants to make smoothies on the road, in the office, or in a small living space like a dorm.

The BPA-free miniature smoothie maker is dishwasher-safe and offers one-touch blending to quickly and efficiently whip up smoothies without a lot of fuss. Reviewers love this “handy little blender,” saying it’s surprisingly “powerful,” packing a “serious punch.”

High-Speed Blender With Vacuum

This smoothie maker doesn’t come cheap, but with 2,500 watts of power and preset controls, it will turn even the toughest produce and nuts into smooth, sippable bliss. The stainless-steel blades also handle ice and frozen foods.

The Dynapro container is equipped with vacuum blending technology that protects vitamins, flavors, and color, while also creating smoother textures. The powerhouse blender comes with an incredible 15-year warranty. Reviewers love this “amazing” blender, saying it does the job “quick and easy.”

Smoothie Blender

If you love to whip up a smoothie using powdered protein blends, this is a great option because it incorporates powdered shake mixes well. This 600-watt blender is super easy to use with a one-button blending operation and pulse technology. The four-blade cross and two-blade design make blending and nutrient extraction easy.

The blender comes with two 20-ounce BPA-free cups. Families with small children take note: this blender is equipped with a safety lock that ensures it only works when it’s locked into the base. It comes with a 12-month warranty and lifetime technical support. Reviewers say it’s great for “tweens and teenagers,” blending “even the toughest ingredients.”

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