10 Best Blenders

This unit performs almost flawlessly through any task including making smoothies, crushing ice, making peanut butter, or blending soups. About the only downside is that it does not have preset controls, but if you want that you could spend $170 more to step up to the Vitamix Pro Series 750.

Overall we highly recommend the Vitamix 300 for all users especially avid cooks who demand the best. It has no weakness, but it does cost a lot of money. If you only want to make smoothies or are only going to use it occasionally then you can get away with a more affordable option.

Performance wise the 5300 is almost identical to the Pro 300 – it blends smoothly and effortlessly and the added pulse setting gives you more control than the 5200. You also really notice the differences in the 10 speed settings unlike some cheaper models – 1 is really slow and 10 is really fast.

It is backed by a 7 year warranty so you can buy the Vitamix 5300 without worries. We recommend it for serious uses, but since it is expensive if you will only use a blender occasionally then you might consider a cheaper option.

This Blendtec unit is not lacking for power, but it does not have a tamper and it can be somewhat difficult to get the right consistency when preparing food that is not pre-programmed. However, it does excel at smoothies and blended iced drinks. In testing it produced the smoothest smoothies of all the blenders on this list. The main complaint about this unit is the noise. All blenders are noisy, but this one is the loudest of the models on this list.

You should buy the Blendtec Designer Series Blender if the way the appliance looks on your countertop matters to you and the primary use will be for making smoothies several times a week. If price, noise, or more versatility are of a concern to you then you should consider a different model.

At the heart of this appliance is a 3 hp, 1800 watt motor which provides excellent processing power. When blending fruit smoothies in testing it is one of the few machines that could process berry seeds which results in restaurant quality smoothies and mixed drinks that are second only to the Blendtec. However, the difference in speed settings is negligible and the motor seems to produce a lot of heat which makes it tough to get the right texture on certain foods. It is also a bit taller than some other models so storage might be an issue.

You should buy the Cleanblend Commercial Blender if you want super fine smoothies or mixed drinks and don’t need to use it for many other tasks.

The performance is quite good, but maybe just short of Vitamix and Blendtec. It makes smooth smoothies, but does not handle lots of ice all that great. The puree tests were excellent and it is relatively quiet. One of the main downsides is that it is really tall – 22 inches – and might not fit well under your cabinets.

Overall the Dash Chef Series Digital Blender offers outstanding performance for the price.

The BL642 has a 1200 watt, 2 HP motor along with extractor blades to break down fruits, vegetables, seeds, and pulverize ice to snow. It also comes with a 72 oz pitcher and 3 other different sized cups with Sip & Seal Lids for smoothies on the go.

Overall the performance is not quite up to par with the more expensive blenders, but if you don’t want to spend more than $150 then the Nutri Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-iQ BL642 is an excellent choice.

The BL610 has a 1000 watt motor with 3 different speeds and a 72 oz capacity plastic jar. It relies on sharp blades to chop and blend, but they can go dull over time – especially when chopping ice or frozen fruit.

For the price, we feel the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 BL610 is a great buy. However, it does not compare to the more expensive, top-tier blenders on this list.

It is also available at Walmart.com.

The BL580 has an 1100 watt motor with 2 speeds and comes with two 24 oz single-serve cups. The regular blending performance we would describe as good, but not outstanding. It also is really loud.

The Nutri Ninja Blender with FreshVac Technology BL580 is for someone who wants freshness and less foam in their drinks. You are limited in how much you can make at one time to the 24 oz cups. However, if you want a full size countertop blender with the FreshVac Technology then consider the Ninja CT661V which was picked as a Best Buy by the leading consumer magazine for about $150.

The one main downside, besides being down on power, is the lack of different speeds. There is only one speed so getting the right consistency might be difficult with a variety of ingredients. It also feels a bit cheap and we suspect will not hold up as well as the more expensive models.

This thing really is surprisingly good for this price. We recommend this Ninja QB 1004 for all users looking for a cheap blender that will be used occasionally, although for daily use or gourmet chefs you might want to spend more for a model with more power and controls.

No it is not as powerful as a Vitamix or even some Ninja blenders, but it can blend foods well – just don’t expect super fine smoothies.

The KitchenAid KSB1570 is for those you looking for a budget or cheaper blender for occasional use. If you plan on using it everyday you really should invest in a more expensive, better quality unit.