Smoothie Superstars: Top Picks for Best Blenders

Blenders are multi-functional appliances used for blending, chopping, or mixing ingredients. When picking the right blender, there are certain functions and merits to consider, depending on the purpose you want it to serve. In that light, this article reviews some top brands for you to choose from.

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Ninja Professional Blender 1000 (BL610)

Best overall

The Ninja 1000 (BL610) is a professional blender with programmable controls. Rated 1000W, it is powerful to blend to your preferred texture. It has a 72 oz capacity and dishwasher-safe parts.

Pros

• Powerful
• Large capacity
• Programmable controls
• Dishwasher-safe and BPA-free removable attachments
• Free recipe book included

Cons

• Few reports of the lid breaking quickly

Review

While researching, the Ninja 1000 (BL610) came out on top in terms of performance, easy controls, large capacity, and more.

With a power rating of 1000W, this blender is powerful enough to quickly pulverize even the hardest fruits or ingredients. Though it is labelled a professional blender, that is only so because of its motor’s high power. You can use it domestically at home or in your RV kitchen.

One thing to love about this appliance is its ease of control. It uses programmable controls to make operations quicker and easier. All you have to do is press the power button to turn it on, tap the pulse button, and select between low to high for grinding speed and texture.

In terms of build, it stays sturdy on countertops with feet on its base for added support. It’s pretty large, which translates to a large pitcher capacity. The pitcher can hold a volume of 72 oz, equivalent to nine glass cups. However, some customers claimed the volume was 64 oz and not 72, but the only way to confirm this is to buy it – and if it were true, 64 oz is enough too.

Its removable parts are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe for quick maintenance, while its body can be wiped clean with a damp towel. Included in the box is a free 25-recipe cookbook, and for safety, it has a feature that prevents the blades from spinning until the lid is covered.

Several customers criticized the lid’s low quality, complaining it broke quickly.

Overall, this powerful blender from Ninja gets the job done well and quickly, making it a superb appliance to purchase for your blending needs.

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Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, Professional-Grade, 48 oz. Container, Black

Best premium

Vitamix E310 Explorian blender is a high-end product with a decent build, rugged stainless steel blades, and ten-speed settings. It is electric-powered with 1400 wattage and a large capacity of 48 oz.

Pros

• 1400W power
• It holds 48 oz of volume
• Ten speed settings
• Dishwasher-safe

Cons

• Loud at highest speed

Review

A little on the pricey side, the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender can be considered a high-end appliance with ample capacity to serve up to five people and variable speed control.

The variable speed control knob increases your blending options as you can select between any of its ten speed settings. The other two switch buttons turn the appliance on/off and activate pulsing. The pulse button supplies a power burst to knead the dough, chop ingredients, and much more.

While these manual controls are user-friendly, we expected a product of this cost to have digital controls or at least soft-touch buttons. We find its large capacity of 48 oz very impressive. With that, you can serve up to five people from a single blend.

This blender stays on countertops and tables with a large base with four feet for added rigidity. It has a 1400W motor that drives hardened stainless steel blades to quickly and smoothly puree your ingredients. You should note AC powers it, so it’s corded electric. Still, not to worry, it comes with a 4.5ft long cable, allowing you to place the blender far away from the wall outlet.

Included in the box is a tamper to press thick ingredients towards the blades, fitting them into the pitcher when there’s limited space. You can place it permanently on kitchen countertops or store it in a cabinet. Also, it is dishwasher-safe or can be washed manually if you prefer.

Despite these advantages, we gathered several complaints about how loud the blender is at its highest speed.

Should this issue be fixed, the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender is undeniably a top-notch product that will serve you long.

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Hamilton Beach Personal Blender for Shakes and Smoothies with 14 Oz Travel Cup and Lid, Black (51101AV)

Best for smoothies

Hamilton Beach Personal Blender is a low-cost, portable product to carry with you on the go. You can blend and drink from it, and its 14 oz volume makes it less bulky to carry around.

Pros

• Lower price
• Portable for early morning walks or runs
• Dishwasher-safe parts
• BPA-free

Cons

• Not suitable for heavy-duty blending

Review

As its name implies, the Hamilton Beach Personal Blender is the perfect companion for morning exercises at home or in the gym. It is very affordable too, saving you purchase costs.

This is more like a 2-in-1 blender because it also serves as a cup. Hence, you can blend and drink from the jar when on the go. You will like its sleek and portable design, just like a water bottle, only it does more than hold liquids.

With a 14 oz capacity, this travel cup can hold enough smoothie or shake to power you on during your exercises. Its compact shape, in addition to its maximum volume, makes it less bulky to fit in your hands.

This portable blender uses stainless steel blades to crush your ingredients smoothly. However, the blades are tiny and are not suitable for heavy-duty uses. The base of this product houses the power button, which activates the blending process when pressed. After blending, you can detach the base if you’d like to shed some weight and carry the cup around.

The Hamilton Beach Personal Blender is made from BPA-free plastic and is safe to use. An instruction manual is included to guide you on properly using it. The jar, blades, and lid are dishwasher-safe for quick cleaning. Lest we forget, this blender is corded electric, so you’d have to plug it in to blend.

Although this blender smoothly blends fruits for smoothies, it’s not suitable for blending bigger or thicker fruits.

Considering its price and other factors, this portable blender from Hamilton performs decently. It will make a good purchase, mainly when intended for something other than regular use.

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KitchenAid KHBV53ER Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender, Empire Red, 8 in

Best hand blender

The KitchenAid KHBV53ER is a handheld blender consisting of an 8-inch blender arm attached to a four-point stainless steel blade. It has a blending jar with a cover and a 23 oz capacity.

Pros

• Portable
• 23 oz capacity fills three cups
• Easy to operate and clean
• BPA-free parts

Cons

• Low power

Review

The KitchenAid KHBV53ER is a handheld blender you will find handy on several occasions, especially when prepping smoothie ingredients.

This manual blender consists of an 8-inch arm, a four-point stainless steel blade, a jar with a lid, and a pan guard. The arm is where you hold while blending, and it houses the power and speed controls. The speed is adjustable, offering you better flexibility and creativity with recipes.

The four-point blade permits you to smoothly blend ingredients for soups, shakes, smoothies, and so on. Moving on, the jar holds the ingredients for blending and can hold a volume of 23 oz, which should fill three cups by our calculations.

Additionally, the jar has a lid to cover it after blending. As for the pan guard, it protects the stainless steel blade from scratching the jar during blends. The arm is removable and dishwasher-safe, and you can clean other parts manually.

Weighing only 2.4 lbs, it is lightweight, so you won’t feel exhausted while using it. Similarly, its portable and compact design makes it easy to store away after each use. You can also conveniently carry it outside to use in offices or RVs.

Constructed from BPA-free material, this handheld blender is safe to use and comes in multiple bright colours, so you can find a finish that blends with your kitchen setup. However, this blender lacks power and gets stuck when blending thick ingredients.

The KitchenAid handheld blender delivers satisfactory performance and is an excellent product to consider.

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Magic Bullet Blender, Mixer & Mini-Food Processor In-One (17-Piece Set)

Best mini blender kit

This Magic Bullet blender is a mini food processor with a whopping 17 accessories for whipping, blending, mixing, and more. It is perfect for quick homemade meals and is easy to clean.

Pros

• 17 accessories for blending, whipping, and more
• Blends quickly
• Cups and mugs are freezer and microwave-safe
• Dishwasher-safe

Cons

• Low power

Review

This Magic Bullet blender is precisely what you need for quick homemade meals or smoothies, as it comes with all the accessories you need.

With 17 accessories, you can blend, whip, mix, or chop your ingredients, and so much more. The accessories are four mugs, four comfort lip rings, two cups, two vented lids, two blades, two sealed lids, a free recipe book, and a high-torque base. The two blades are cross and flat to meet different blending demands.

The tall and short cups have a capacity of 18 oz and 12 oz, respectively, while the mugs can hold 18 oz in volume. With this appliance, you can mince garlic, chop onions, and grate cheese for making spaghetti, soup, smoothies or shakes, etc. Once you press down the power base, it blends your ingredients in seconds.

You should note this is a high-speed mixing system, but luckily the cups are made from high-impact plastic, so you’re all good on that end. So how it works is that you fix an accessory into the power base to perform a particular function. When you want to perform another, you switch to the designated attachment.

All attachments are transparent to track their contents, and you can place the cups and mugs in the microwave or freezer. All of the accessories are also dishwasher-safe.

However, many previous buyers complained about its low power, which is only 250W, limiting its effectiveness.

Nevertheless, the Magic Bullet blender is a fantastic mini food processor for quick and straightforward recipes.

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Blender buying guide

Purchasing the right blender that will meet your needs doesn’t have to be an arduous task. The factor separating you and the ultimate blender is a piece of information. But that’s about to change. Below we have provided you with everything you need to know when purchasing a blender.

Blender, Juicer, or Smoothie maker?

There has been a lot of misconception about blenders, juicers and, smoothie makers. Below is an overview of these three.

• Blender

With a blender, you can process an entire fruit or, say, vegetable. Along with the fruit and vegetables, You can use the blender to process the fibre, thus creating a much thicker drink called a smoothie. This takes a while to digest because nutrients are released slower.

• Juicer

Unlike the blender, the juicer does not process fibre. Instead, you can use the juicer to separate fibre from fruits and vegetables, which will leave pure juice for drinking. This implies that you can process more fruit or vegetables in a form that you can easily digest.

• Smoothie maker

While smoothie makers and blenders perform similar tasks as you can use blenders to make smoothies as well. However, smoothie makers perform one primary task, which is to make smoothies.  You can use smoothie makers to make only beverages. Smoothie makers are not as costly as blenders and can do far less.

Different types of blenders

As you would guess, there are different types of blenders. From conventional blenders to immersion blenders, we will discuss each of them below with the inclusion of their pros and cons.

Conventional / jar blenders

A conversational or jar blender is a regular blender that you can use for your everyday tasks. You can use conventional blenders for low-intensity blending tasks such as making smoothies and milkshakes. The motor of the jar blender does not rival that of the commercial blender as it is not very powerful. However, conventional blenders do precisely their job.

Pros

• It is perfect for low-intensity tasks
• They are easy to use
• It is an ideal smoothie and milkshake makers

Cons

• it can’t perform heavy-duty tasks

High performance / heavy-duty blenders

Heavy-duty blenders or high-performance blenders are perfect for regular and high-intensity tasks.  You can use This category of blenders for blending in large restaurants. A powerful motor accompanies a heavy-duty blender. This is the perfect blender for commercial areas. Below are some of its pros and cons.

Pros

• It is perfect for high-intensity tasks
• It is ideal for commercial spaces

Cons

• it is heavy

Personal blenders

Personal blenders are a textbook definition of convenience, and it blends directly into a detachable jug which are of different materials. The personal blender is also a countertop blender. Thanks to its size and uses, the personal blender is perfect for travelling. You can also use it to make a smoothie.  Below are some of its pros and cons.

Pros

• It is light
• It is convenient
• Perfect for smoothies

Cons

• It is not very powerful

Immersion/hand blenders

While hand blenders may not be your ideal choice for a blender, you can use them for minor tasks such as blending ingredients into a dough. You can also use them to blend tomatoes easily. These hand blenders can come as a single attachment or multiple attachment blenders. You can use the immersion blender to make cream soups. Below are some of its pros and cons.

Pros

• Perfect for quick small tasks
• It is very light

Cons

• You can use it for minor tasks only

Why do you need a blender?

Now that’s an interesting question with an even more interesting answer. Provided you do some work in the kitchen, you would find that a blender’s uses are next to limitless. We will briefly discuss why you need a blender. As stated earlier, your need for a blender encompasses a wide range of tasks such as chopping, crushing, mixing, pureeing, making cocktails, smoothies, yogurts, protein shakes, salad dressings, baby foods, sauces, etc. You have to admit, a lot of them are basic kitchen needs. The bottom line is that you cannot do without a blender in the kitchen as eventually, you will need to carry out one of the mentioned.

How to choose the best blender

If you have been reading without comprehension, now is the time to bring out your A-game, as your ability to choose the best blender will define just how much you will be pleased with it. Below are some key features to look out for when selecting a blender to buy.

Device & container size

The container size of a blender is something that you can’t afford to overlook.  The container of a blender is what we call the blender jar or jug where you place whatever you want to grind. You also want to consider the blender’s placement and storage because its storage says a lot about its quality. You should check the container size if it is a single-serve blender or a family-size blender. What does this mean?

• Single-serve blender

Single-serve blenders are blenders that you can use on the go, such as to make a quick smoothie. Single-serve blenders are for personal or individual servings. Depending on your need, a single-serve blender might do the trick.

• Family-size blender

As the name suggests, a family-size blender is large enough for multiple servings. So if you are a family person, the family-sized blender will do the trick, as you can use it to make large quantities of smoothies or fruit juice

Power and rotation speed

The power and rotation speed of your blender speaks volumes regarding the efficiency of your blender. In other words, the more power and rotation speed your blender has, the more efficient and effective it is. When choosing a blender, you should consider a blender with a power range of 300 to 1,000 watts, 300 watts being the minimum because anything lower than that won’t be powerful enough. 500 watts is a middle ground for the blender’s power.

The rotation speed is another vital factor you must consider. Its measurement is in RPM (Rotations Per Minute), and the more power your blender has, the more RPM. An average rotation speed is slightly 20,000 to 40,000 rotations per minute. This goes without saying that you should not buy any blender with less. Quality blenders also have an average of 3-10 speed settings.

Controls and smart connectivity

We live in a smart world, so it would be a disappointment and disadvantage to you if you purchased a blender with a smart connectivity feature. There are three controls and connectivity features you should look out for: the blender’s touchpad, push buttons, and LCD. A blender without these features is seriously lacking and not in a good way. These features help in easy navigation and control of the blender. You can use the touchpad and push buttons to give instructions to your blender while viewing the necessary information on the LCD screen.

Blades

The blades of a blender are responsible for blending your ingredients with the help of its motor. You can buy blenders with different types of blades depending on your needs. The two most common blade types are the cross blade and the flat blade.

• Cross blade

A blender with a cross blade will chop and grate your ingredients or fruits/vegetables perfectly. It is also perfect for wet blending, so if this is what you need a blender for, you should go for a blender with a cross blade.

• Flat blade

A blender with a flat blade is perfect for blending toucher ingredients such as grains and ice. This means that if you blend such regularly, you should buy a blender with a flat blade.

Materials

You should also consider the materials used in making the blades and pitcher of the blender. The blade material of a blender is often made of hardened stainless steel, thus its strength. The blender’s pitcher is of glass or plastic. However, pitchers made of glass have certain advantages over plastic ones as they don’t discolour or scratch. Pitchers made of glass won’t absorb the odour from food like plastic pitchers.

Accessories

There are certain blender accessories that you should look out for when purchasing one, and they are:

• Personal blending cups: Personal blending cups are of great importance as you can use them on the go for things like smoothies and milkshakes. It is also useful because you wouldn’t need to use the full-sized cup for a personal drink.
• Chopping bowls: Chopping bowls are a must-have accessory that should come with a blender because the chopping bowl is where you cut your ingredients and vegetables before blending. When buying a blender, ensure that it has a chopping bowl.
• Tamper: The tamper of a blender is valuable and is something should look out for when buying a blender. You can use the tamper to push down ingredients into the blender’s blade.
• Jug blender lids: Blending without a blender lid is like mixing soda and mint as you would smear your kitchen with your blender’s content. So it goes without saying that you shouldn’t buy a blender without a blender lid. The blender lid is responsible for sealing your jug when blending.

Ease of use and maintenance

You should know how to maintain your blender after purchase as it would determine its lifespan. You should consider two factors for proper maintenance of your blender: the dishwasher-safe parts and cable storage.

• Dishwasher-safe parts: Not all parts of a blender are dishwasher safe as parts connected to electricity are not dishwasher safe. However, parts such as the pitcher and lid are dishwasher-safe.
• Cable storage: Knowing how to store your blender’s cable is vital. You should wind the cord around the motor’s base, and then put it in the slot under the blender.

Extra features

When choosing a blender to buy, it wouldn’t hurt to check if it has extra features such as an ice-breaking option or a nut-grinding option.

• Ice-breaking option

A blender’s ability to break or crush ice depends on the power of the motor. Blenders with a power of 1,000 to 1,500 watts and higher have the power to crush ice perfectly.

• Coffee/nut grinding

While most blenders with good power can grind nuts, you should look out for blenders with a pulse setting. That way, you can crush nuts efficiently with your blender.

Price

Having some idea of the price range of blenders is essential. That way, you can not be ripped off. Most blender prices fall between $60-$100, depending on the brand. However, some full-size and personal blenders can cost up to $180. Smaller plastic blenders can go for $30, but if you are looking for a multifunction or premium blender, your budget should be nothing less than $500.

Warranty

When choosing a blender to buy, ensure to check if it has a valid warranty as some products may be defective and require that you return them. Most blenders have a one-year warranty.

Safety first

Below we have taken the liberty of providing you with some tips on using a blender in the safest and most effective way.

• Ensure that you open the lids away from your face after blending hot food
• Be extra careful when washing your blender
• Do not blend extremely hot foods as they will eventually damage the blades
• Do not put kitchen utensils on the blender when on
• Do not blend foods that a very thick for too long ( three minutes +)
• Do not put your hand in the blender unless it is not collected
• Avoid using a blender with defective cords as it can lead to electrocution or a fire

Cleaning and maintenance

The first thing to do before cleaning your blender is to make sure it is off and unplugged. You can clean its base with a damp rag without the use of abrasive force. You can clean the blender blades carefully without force to avoid injury. Do not submerge the jar in water for too long because you do not want to risk water leaking into the lower seals. When you are through cleaning, ensure that you stand the jar upright. Lastly, avoid exposing your blender to heat up to 176°F. This implies that you should not put boiling water in your blender.

Conclusion

Now that you have all the information you need, you can be certain that not only is a blender right for you, but you have also found the perfect one for your needs. We hope our buying guide was informative and will make you choose a great compliment for your kitchen.