We Put A Bunch Of Blenders To The Test, And These Are The Best For Smoothies

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When it comes to the hierarchy of great foods, smoothies are pretty underrated. They can be filling, sweet, nutrient-dense, savory—whatever you want them to be—and they're the perfect on-the-go snack when you're in hurry. So, having a great smoothie maker at home is a must, and luckily, great blenders come in every size. Whether you don't have counter space or plan to make smoothies in a commercial space, there's something worth it out there for every need.

From a breakfast smoothie to a meal replacement shake and everything in between, a top-notch blender will take you from frantic mornings to weekend meal prepping like a boss. You just need to have the right equipment. “The right blender makes all the difference when making smoothies,” says Toby Amidor, RD. “You need to be comfortable with the blender and make sure it’s easy to use and clean."

The Best Smoothie Makers

In the market for a new blender? Don’t just choose any ol’ model. You also want one that has some solid power behind it. “The more watts, the more powerful the blender, which means you can grind frozen fruit with ease,” says Suzanne Dixon, RD. So here's what you should look out for when shopping for a new smoothie maker.

What to consider

To build our list of the best smoothie makers, we considered the following:

Power

If you're shopping for a personal blender, general manager of operations at Zanduco Fahad Javaid recommends opting for one that has a wattage of 600-800. "It is more than enough for personal blenders and is about the range offered by popular brands, such as NutriBullet." If you're making smoothies for a larger crowd, you can seek higher power levels upwards of 1000. These can help you blend a large quantity of ingredients in just seconds, says Javaid. "Therefore, you want to balance your capacity needs with your blender power needs."

Capacity

The capacity of your blender really depends on how many smoothies you'll be making a day. "Someone who has a shake for breakfast can use a much smaller blender capacity than someone who runs a smoothie bar," Javaid says. For individual portions, he says that personal blenders, also called bullet blenders, are a solid choice. "However, larger capacities, such as one-liter models, are much more suitable for making multiple smoothies simultaneously."

Size

Size goes hand in hand with capacity, so if you need a larger capacity, the appliance will have a larger corresponding motor and vessel. Larger models also tend to have a higher motor power, usually upwards of 1,500 watts for standard countertop models versus 500 watts for personal models.

Price

The price of your blender will depend on what you're looking for. "Realistically, if you are looking for a blender with mainly just smoothie-making capacity, you do not need to break the bank," Javaid says. For personal blenders, you can stick to a budget of $50-$100—this will ensure you're receiving a quality product without being overcharged. "The higher end of this range would get you a quality personal blender that can whip up individual smoothies fast," he adds.

If you're shopping for a business know that that price will be much higher. "In this case, you want a high-capacity blender, which can cost anywhere from $500 to thousands of dollars, with designated commercial models being on the higher end of this scale," Javaid explains. If you want a blender that can do it all and not just make smoothies, like whipping up soups or serving as a food processor, too, you can also expect to spend more, maybe a few hundred dollars.

How we selected

For the past few months, Women’s Health editors, including lifestyle and commerce editor Jasmine Gomez, have been testing and researching the most popular, top-rated smoothie makers. We also consulted several registered dietitians and Fahad Javaid, general Manager of operations at Zanduco, a restaurant supplies and equipment company, and, together, compiled a list of the best options for every budget and preference.

Ready to add one to your kitchen counter (or bag!)? Here are the 10 best smoothie makers, tested by editors and dietitians. You’ll be sipping on some tasty smoothies (plus creamy dips and comforting soups) in no time.

Propel 750

When compared with other blenders on this list, the Vitamix might feel like a splurge, but lifestyle and commerce editor Jasmine Gomez says it's worth every penny. "The ease and speed with which this made my smoothie was pretty amazing," she says. The blender comes with a preset smoothie option, so you don't have to spend time toggling through different settings before. "What's more impressive is that the blender eases into blending, then ramps up power to tackle chunky ingredients, so that your smoothie doesn't end up clumpy," Gomez adds.

If you're not a fan of washing dishes, you'll enjoy that this blender comes with a self-cleaning option and a dishwasher-safe container that makes the chore a breeze. Vitamix's are also a fan-fave for their soup-making abilities, so if you want an appliance that can almost do it all, this one is an excellent pick.

Read more: High-Protein Smoothies

Hurricane Blender

If walking away from your blender while it's doing its thing gives you anxiety, you'll stan over this option from Cuisinart. It features a nearly air-tight seal that our tester is sure is 100 percent leak-proof. Yep, it's so secure that it might take you a little fidgeting to get the top all the way on.

The Hurricane blender features pre-programmed smoothie and ice crush options, though our tester says it seems to fare better with items that are pre-thawed. "I added frozen pineapple to my smoothie and the blender was just stuck for a few minutes. It only resumed blending after I manually went in and moved some of the ingredients around with a spoon," our tester says. The blender eventually made a clump-free smoothie, but it seems there's a learning curve to getting it done effortlessly, our tester adds.

Making a smoothie featuring softer ingredients like mango and spinach was really quick and easy, though, our tester also says. She also added that most blenders are noisy, but this one was a little bit noisier than others.

Blender

Full-sized blenders aren't ideal for small counters, but the Beastmode Blender strikes a happy medium. It's not the smallest appliance, but it isn't the largest either, and still packs a good punch. Director of special projects Amanda Lucci is a fan, saying
"This blender is quick, powerful, easy to use, and easy to clean." It's aesthetically cool-looking, comes in neutral colors that pairs well with most decor schemes, and is slim enough for even an NYC countertop, something Lucci specifically likes.

While testing it, she particular enjoyed that you fill in the blender while it's upside down before screwing the blade in to seal it tight. "I love this because it eliminates the possibility of forgetting to put the lid on (sending the contents all over your kitchen, IYKYK), she says.

While the blender works great to make things like smoothies and sauces for her and her husband, Lucci says it really isn't ideal for those with larger families or if you prefer blending things in extra-large batches. This blender can only hold 33.8 oz of content.

Immersion Blender

Whether you're searching for a quick option that's easy to clean and can be grabbed in a jiffy or just don't have room for an extra appliance, investing in a handheld mixer is a good idea. It's what assistant love and life editor Addison Aloian uses to make her smoothies. "I don't have a ton of room to store a big blender in my kitchen, so this handheld blender was the perfect solution," she says. "I've made countless smoothies, soups, and sauces with it, so it's extremely versatile and easy to use, with many intensity levels."

Aloian says the immersion blender is powerful and capable of being used on fresh and frozen ingredients. Her only caveat is that this isn't the most mess-free blender. She says she has nailed down her technique to avoid splatter, but there is a learning curve to using this blender. You'll need to fine-tune your method and find the perfect container to avoid any spills or extra cleanup. Washing the actual blender is super easy, though—it's dishwasher-safe.

Blast Portable Blender

Another space-friendly option, one editor loves after testing is the Ninja Blast Portable Blender. Editorial assistant Sabrina Talbert says this blender is really convenient for all her on-the-go smoothie needs. "It’s very straightforward and easy to use. I love that it has an automatic 30-second blending mode to protect the blades." Talbert enjoys packing frozen fruit into the blender, and throwing it in her bag so that she can prep her smoothie whenever she's ready. The blender is rechargeable, so you don't have to deal with any cords and can basically use it anywhere.

The only thing Talbert didn't really like about the blender is that the cup doesn't detach from the blades. "You quite literally have to hold the whole blender and drink out of it. I just wish I could unscrew the base of it so that it doesn’t feel like I’m carrying a whole device in my hand while I’m drinking." If you unscrew the bottom, your smoothie will basically spill out, which Talbert says happened to her while she was testing the blender. Still, she says the blender is super easy to use and convenient to allow for blending anywhere at any time.

NutriBullet Pro 900

When it comes to smoothie makers, the Nutribullet is basically a household name, and for assistant social media editor Isabel McMahon, it has also become a kitchen staple, "especially as someone who has a tiny kitchen, no dishwasher, and prioritizes on-the-go, easy meals and snacks," she says. McMahon raves that the compact blender is powerful. "It easily blended up my frozen bananas, berries, and ice in a matter of seconds."

But, even before blending, she loved how easy the blender was to assemble, and that it came with a to-go lid, cup, ring, and recipe book. When it came to cleanup after blending, McMahon says that was also a breeze. "Despite the blades being powerful enough to blend up my frozen fruit, they were dull enough to easily clean without worrying about nixing my hand or sponge." She admits she had no complaints about this blender. "It’s a class act of a product and does exactly what it promises to do, plus the clean up is easy, peasy!"

K150 3-Speed Ice-Crushing Blender

People regularly love KitchenAid blenders because they work just as well as some high-end blenders but for a fraction of the cost, and this option comes with two personal jars which makes it extra worth the price. Our testers loved the power of this option, nothing that it worked great on frozen fruit. They also liked that they could control the speed using the dial for a more customized approach to blending ingredients.

One thing testers mentioned they didn't love, though, was that the blender seems to rattle when it's actively blending. So, if that throws you off, you might have to hold this blender in place in order to avoid the extra noise.

BL480D Blender

When it comes to kitchen appliances, Ninja excels at making products that are durable and worth the money, so it's not a surprise our testers loved another option from the brand. This particular blender features detachable cups, so you can take your smoothie on-the-go, while leaving the blender's blades behind.

“It's so easy to use that my pre-teen and teen girls can make their own smoothies, and I feel comfortable about leaving them to do so on their own…after watching me hundreds of times, of course," Amidor says. She used this blender to develop smoothies and other recipes like soups, sauces, dips, and dressings for her cookbooks, she adds.

On the flip side, though, our tester mentioned that this blender is very loud, which is something to keep in mind if you live with other people, have nearby neighbors, or take care of pets that scare easily. The blender also didn't perform as well with small, hard ingredients, like walnuts.

Professional Smoothie Blender

Don't let the fact that you've never heard of this blender fool you. “It's the best option in terms of price per power and volume,” says Dixon. “With a 2200 watt motor, it crushes the competition." This will really get you that smooth, creamy smoothie in a matter of seconds. It comes with four pre-programmed settings and four timer settings, in addition to a self-cleaning function which simply requires you to add liquid soap to the blender, turn it on, and rinse.

Compared to other blenders, our tester says that it's on the quieter side. Its only caveat is that it is quite bulky and heavy, so it isn't quite right for a 'keep stored and only take out when you need it' sitch. Make sure you have enough counter space for this one.

Professional Countertop Blender

Another Ninja rec, Moon calls this blender a step up from bargain blenders. "It’s great for smoothies because it’s powerful enough to crush ice, says Moon. Plus, “the to-go cups add another level of convenience for make-and-go smoothies in the mornings or on the way to a workout,” she adds. Snagging nearly 40,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, this professional Ninja blender is a fan-favorite. Our testers love that this blender is durable and secure. They say that the lid locks in place, avoiding the risk of any leaks or spills. They also say it's pretty powerful, and that it excels at chopping veggies, which is great if you prefer skipping a food processor altogether.

One thing testers mentioned to watch out for, though, is how sharp the blades are, which can be a concern if you're manually cleaning it. On the other hand, the container is dishwasher-safe, though.

Meet the experts

• Toby Amidor, RD, is a registered dietitian and cookbook author.

• Suzanne Dixon, RD, is a registered dietitian and epidemiologist.

• Fahad Javaid is the general manager of operations at Zanduco.

What's the best way to clean a blender?

Most countertop and personal blenders will have detachable containers that are dish-washer safe, but when hand-washing you should practice caution. "When hand-cleaning, you clean the [blender's] parts like you would any cup or knife, taking extra precautions around the blade to avoid cutting yourself," Javaid says. "Keep the blade from soaking for too long, as this can leave it more susceptible to rusting," he adds.

Instead of scrubbing, you can also add warm water and a squirt of soap into the cup or pitcher and turn on the blender for 15-30 seconds, Javaid says. "This will help penetrate any stuck on food quickly. Once washed, rinse and dry."

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